US08025387B2

A heating lamp unit (40) is mounted on a head carriage (10) of an inkjet printer (1). Since the heating lamp unit (40) is positioned very close to an ink drop, which is discharged from the inkjet head (11) and dropped on a recording medium (30), and that the heating lamp unit can directly harden the ink drop with heat, the ink drop can be efficiently fixed. When the heating lamp unit (40) is arranged very close to the inkjet head (11), there are possibilities of generating clogging of the nozzle of the inkjet head (11) and thermal failure of the inkjet head itself due to heat released from the heating lamp (40). Since the heating lamp unit (40) can be efficiently cooled by a cooling mechanism (50) using heat pipes (51, 52), the inkjet head can be prevented from being heated.
US08025379B2

An ink cartridge includes a case including a front face and a rear face opposite the front face, an ink supply portion positioned at the front face of the case, an air intake portion positioned at the case, and a movable member configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to the case. The ink cartridge also includes a resilient member having a first end which is coupled to the front face of the case and a second end which is coupled to the movable member. The movable and member and the resilient member are positioned outside the case. Moreover, the resilient member is configured to expand and to contract to move the movable member relative to the case between the first position and the second position.
US08025372B2

A main ink tank side connector of an inkjet printer moves, with respect to a sub ink tank side connector, between a first positional relationship where the two connectors are connected, and a second positional relationship where the main ink tank side connector is disconnected from the sub ink tank side connector. A wall member surrounds at least a connection portion of the two connectors when they are in the first positional relationship. A breaking portion breaks an ink film formed within an inner space of the wall member. The ink film is formed when the main ink tank side connector moves with respect to the sub ink tank side connector from the first positional relationship to the second positional relationship. The breaking portion breaks the ink film in a state where at least a part of the ink film exists within the wall member.
US08025370B2

A liquid ejecting head includes: a supply channel member including a plurality of supply channel plates, and the supply channel including supply holes provided through the respective supply channel plates and a supply groove formed by removing part of one of adjacent supply channel plates in terms of the direction of thickness thereof for communicating the respective supply holes; a pressure generating element that provides a pressure to the pressure generating chamber; a supply communication channel that connects a storage unit having the liquid stored therein and a reservoir, the supply communication channel being formed through a pressure chamber plate and the supply channel member in the direction of thickness thereof, the supply channel plates having the supply groove being formed with a recess having the substantially same depth as the supply groove at an area corresponding to the supply communication channel; and a filter unit having a plurality of filter holes provided on the bottom of the recess.
US08025354B2

A printing apparatus including a conveyor capable of moving an object in a process direction, a drop ejection device, a sensor array that substantially spans the conveyor in a cross-process direction that is perpendicular to the process direction, the sensor array being configured to detect a position of the object in the process direction and cross-process direction, and a controller configured to receive position data about the object from the sensor array and to cause the drop ejection device to deposit fluid droplets on the object based on the position of the object on the conveyor.
US08025353B2

Described herein is a process and apparatus for driving a droplet ejection device with embedded multi-pulse waveforms. In one embodiment, the process includes generating a multi-pulse waveform that includes drive pulses in predetermined positions. Next, the process includes applying the drive pulses to the actuator and causing the droplet ejection device to eject a first droplet of a fluid. The process also includes applying a second multi-pulse waveform having at least one embedded pulse to the actuator and causing the droplet ejection device to eject a second droplet of the fluid. Each embedded pulse is embedded between predetermined positions of two drive pulses. In some embodiments, the first and second droplets have different droplet sizes and these droplets are ejected at substantially the same effective drop velocity.
US08025349B2

A refrigerator allowing a user to easily open a door of a refrigerator with less force, including a main body having an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment, a door sliding to open and close any of the storage compartments, a handle vertically rotatable relative to the door, a plurality of push members moving to advanced positions from retreated positions by the vertical rotation of the handle to separate the door from the main body, and an elastic member between at least one of the push members and the door to restore the push members to the retreated positions when an external force is removed from the handle.
US08025329B1

The purpose of the device is to minimize drag and turbulence otherwise occurring at the rear of a semi trailer, in order to reduced the consumption of fuel by a semi tractor. This is accomplished using directionally flexible sheets of composite material, which create contours that taper towards a terminating edge to form a teardrop shape, as established by panels attached to the top and bottom of either door. Along the trailing edge of the main body, another vertical panel known as a wake separator maintains separation between confliction columns of air. An additional wake separator attached to the bottom of the device performs a similar function, and will facilitate collapse in the event of a collision.
US08025314B2

Method for generating a label for a medication in which information about the medication is obtained and printed on the label in a hierarchical manner with more important information in a more prominent location or more prominent type relative to other less important information. The information may be divided into primary information and secondary information with the primary information being placed on the label before the secondary information. The label may be used in a container having a curved front wall, a planar rear wall, a substantially planar bottom wall and a cap engaging with the front and rear walls to seal the container. The rear wall is constructed with a device for removably received an information card containing information relating to the medication.
US08025307B2

The present disclosure relates trailer hitch devices for towing a trailer behind a vehicle. The present disclosure provides a hitch and associated structures which provide an anti-sway function. More specifically, the present disclosure provides an anti-sway trailer hitch including an anti-sway device for the hitch, wherein the anti-sway device includes: a sway bar attachment member having a cammed surface; and a sway controller having a bias mechanism adapted to bias a travel axis of the trailer toward a travel axis of the towing vehicle through an interaction between the cammed surface of the sway bar attachment member and the bias mechanism.
US08025296B2

In a shaft sealing mechanism which prevents fluid from flowing in an axial direction of a rotor through an annular gap between the rotor and a stator, there are provided a high pressure side plate positioned on a high pressure side region of a plurality of sheets, and a low pressure side plate positioned on a low pressure side region of the plurality of sheets, and construction is such that in a state in which the plurality of sheets is fixed on a stator side, and when under gas pressure, the sheets make contact with each other.
US08025293B1

Air hockey tables are disclosed herein. An embodiment of an air hockey table comprises a playing surface bounded by at least three sides; a plurality of air paths extending through the playing surface, wherein air is emittable by the plurality of air paths, and wherein a puck is at least partially floatable on air that is emittable by the plurality of air paths; and at least one opening proximate each of three of the sides, the openings being sized to receive the puck.
US08025291B2

An apparatus for decelerating a signature comprises a movable belt arrangement, and a motor coupled to the movable belt arrangement for controllably moving the movable belt arrangement through a cyclical velocity profile. The movable belt arrangement is moved through a signature engaging section with the cyclical velocity profile causing the motor to decelerate the movable belt arrangement from a first speed to a second speed while engaging a signature in the signature engaging section. The signature enters the signature engaging section at the first speed, and leaves the signature engaging section at the second speed, lower than the first speed. The cyclical velocity profile causes the movable belt arrangement to accelerate upon the signature leaving the signature engaging section, back to the first speed, prior to a next signature entering the signature engaging section.
US08025281B2

In a sheet post-finishing apparatus, a stapling device conducts a saddle stitching process on a bundle of sheets, based on an instruction signal; a sheet guide member, mounted on the stapling device, faces a surface of a sheet to be stacked on a sheet stacking section; a stapling device moving section allows the stapling device to move along a line dividing the sheet into two equal portions, perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction; and a control section controls the stapling device to stand by above a lateral center of the sheet to be conveyed to the stapling device, while the sheets are stacked as the bundle of sheets, and after the bundle of sheets is formed, the control section controls the stapling device to sequentially move to predetermined plural positions, whereby said control section sends the instruction signal to the stapling device which was stopped at the predetermined positions.
US08025278B2

A method for fabricating a plurality of turbine components is provided. The method includes removably coupling at least one tab to a plate, wherein the at least one tab and the plate each include a plurality of apertures extending therein. The at least one tab is removably coupled to a first turbine component, and a tool is removably coupled to the plate such that the plate and the at least one tab substantially align the tool with respect to the first turbine component. The method further includes performing a fabrication operation on the first turbine component. The at least one tab is re-oriented with respect to the plate, and the at least one tab is removably coupled to a second turbine component. The tool is removably coupled to the plate such that the plate and the at least one tab substantially align the tool with respect to the second turbine component, and a fabrication operation is performed on the second turbine component.
US08025275B2

A single hand operated ratchet clamp comprises a finger ring lever and a typical ratchet clamp having a slide rail, a sliding arm, a fixed arm, and a lever element with pressure plate. The finger ring lever is pivoted to the free end of the lever element so that the ratchet clamp can be operated with one hand only.
US08025274B2

In an insert bearing part for combining with another insert bearing part structured the same or similar to form an elastomeric insert bearing there is provided a surrounding outer shell featuring a radial portion and an axial portion, an elastomeric body surrounded by the outer shell and a rigid core with an axial throughway for securing the insert bearing, said core protruding axially beyond the axial portion such that when locating the insert bearing part on the other insert bearing part structured the same or similar, the insert bearing parts contact each other substantially at the radial level of the core in forming an axial spacing between opposing axial portions of the insert bearing parts so that the elastomeric body is compressed by the insert bearing parts being brought together.
US08025272B2

An air spring and damper unit for vehicles has, as operating spaces, at least two pressure spaces filled with compressed air and connected to one another via flow channels. The pressure spaces have movable walls in the form of rolling bellows or folding bellows, wherein a pilot-controlled main valve which can be loaded with a control pressure on the low-pressure side is configured at least in one flow direction in a first flow channel.
US08025271B2

Device including channel having channel input and output. Channel has interior channel surface extending along channel path from channel input to output. In one implementation, channel includes plurality of channel sections in serial communication along channel path. Each of channel sections includes first internal circumference spaced apart along channel path from second internal circumference, in each of channel sections the first and second internal circumferences being substantially different. Each of channel sections includes sub-surface of interior channel surface. At least region of sub-surface of each channel section includes distribution of raised micro-scale features. As another implementation, at least first region of interior channel surface includes distribution of raised micro-scale features interrupted by plurality of raised barriers spaced apart along channel path on interior channel surface. Each raised barrier extends on interior channel surface in directions partially transverse to and partially parallel to longitudinal axis. Method also provided.
US08025258B2

An electrical wire bracket including a body having an open loop and at least one mounting foot coupled to the body. The bracket also includes at least one hole through the at least one mounting foot for securing the bracket to a mounting surface. A user can pull electrical wire through the open loop of the body and then allow the body to support the electrical wire.
US08025257B2

An actuation system for deploying and retracting a lift assisting device of a wing of an aircraft, is presented. The actuation system includes a track pivotally coupled to the lift assisting device, a shaft rotating in response to flight control signals to deploy or retract the lift assisting device, means for actuating the lift assisting device between a retracted position and a deployed position along an arcuate path, a plurality of track roller bearings and a plurality of side roller bearings. The roller bearings rotatably contact the track to guide the track along the arcuate path. The track roller bearings are comprised of an outer ring, a split inner ring and liners disposed between bearing surfaces of the outer and the inner rings. The split inner ring is configured for accommodating deflection and bending of a mounting pin coupling the track roller bearing in proximity to the track.
US08025248B1

The invention is a detachable “blade foil” system for comminuting machines which employ a rotating turbine. The turbine blades are each endowed with a detachable leading edge which is shaped in an air foil configuration. These “blade foils” are penetrated by a vent chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port. The vent chambers aid in drying input material that is processed by a comminuting machine and also aid in reducing sound from the turbine. The configuration of the inventive blade foils also vary to aid in material drying. The configuration of the blade foils also define the level of particle size attributed to the processed output material. Hence by selecting particular blade foil configurations the operator can achieve different levels of material drying and differing output particle sizings.
US08025228B2

A method and system for providing point-of-sale and point-of-delivery and/or distribution of products in a restricted access unit near the customer. The method and system utilize products equipped with radio frequency tags and reduce the effects of energy sharing, shadowing, and nulls. In one embodiment, a plurality of RF tagged products are placed within a refrigerator, cabinet, or other micro-warehouse that has a door or opening that can detect access to the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, one or more antennas are positioned within the door. Each antenna may have a transmission line of sight and be configured to emit a signal at predefined frequencies. Each antenna generates an electromagnetic field within the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, the products are positioned in one or more bins, compartments, or similar devices located within the micro-warehouse such that at least two of the plurality of products are spaced a distance from each other to reduce energy sharing. The electromagnetic field is moved or altered within the micro-warehouse through the use of reflectors, devices that move the antennas, or other mechanisms.
US08025227B2

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in a data management scheme that combines both distributed as well as a hierarchical (object-oriented) data management structure. The hierarchical databases will store data records such that each or selected entities of the record will be associated with a pointer that can be written into an RFID tag of an item as the item progresses through manufacturing, production, transportation, and consumer user, for example. Thereafter, once the RFID tag is read, the pointer information can be processed to directly access the data in the database associated with the pointer.
US08025225B2

When obtaining an ID code from a user who holds out an arm to a corresponding merchandise in a noncontact manner, respective information terminal devices accept a registration input of the corresponding merchandise. When accepting the registration input of the corresponding merchandise, registration merchandise information including obtained user identification information and merchandise identification information for identifying the merchandise corresponding to the information terminal device is transmitted to a server device. The server device stores and manages merchandise sales information for the respective ID codes from the registration merchandise information received from the respective information terminal devices. When the ID code is input from a settlement device, the merchandise sales information corresponding to the ID code is transmitted to the settlement device. The settlement device performs the settlement processing based on the merchandise sales information received from the server device.
US08025223B2

Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for enabling payment of transit system fees using a financial transaction instrument. Entry is permitted onto a transit system by recognition of information included in an identification number stored on a financial transaction instrument. The identification number stored on the financial transaction instrument is associated with a transit system fee registered for each use of the transit system. A plurality of transit system fees associated with the same identification number from use of the financial transaction instrument is aggregated, and payment for the aggregated transit system fees is requested from a transaction account associated with the financial transaction instrument.
US08025208B2

A bulk container for storing, shipping and dispensing liquid and semi-liquid fluids comprises a bin having a sidewall, a closed bottom, and an open top. The sidewall comprises a plurality of interconnected sidewall panels extending at an angle with respect to one another. A lid is covering the open top of the bin and having a discharge opening therethrough adjacent one side edge thereof. A fluid-containing bag is supported in the bin and a discharge valve is on an upper end of the bag where the discharge valve is positioned to extend through the discharge opening. Valve support means in an upper end of the bin for supporting and holding the discharge valve in position to extend through the discharge opening, the valve support means having a valve support opening therethrough with an elongate generally keyhole shape that is wide at one end and narrow at the other end, the narrow end being aligned with the discharge opening through the lid, the discharge valve being received through the narrow end of the valve support opening, and locking means engaged with the discharge valve to hold it in the narrow end of the valve support opening.
US08025206B2

A bulk container for fluid materials comprises a bin having a plurality of interconnected sidewall panels, a closed bottom, and an open top. A rim around the top of the bin defines a downwardly facing shoulder. A lid covers the open top and has elongated depending skirt panels extending downwardly past the shoulder. A clamping band is tightened around the lid skirt below the shoulder to secure the lid to the bin. Notches in an outer surface of the rim receive bendable locking strips on the lid skirt to lock the lid in position on the bin, and locking tongues on a first skirt panel are engageable in respective locking slots in an adjacent second skirt panel to hold the skirt panels in their operative downwardly folded positions. A tray and liner insert may be positioned in the bin, and a fluid-containing bag may be placed in the liner.
US08025205B2

By an electronic component mounting method for electrically connecting bumps to board electrodes, in a contact process for placing a thermosetting resin in a liquid glob state on the board surface and bringing the lower surface of the electronic component into contact with the thermosetting resin, the bumps are pressurized against the electrodes in positional alignment in a liquid glob distribution state where one portion of the liquid glob is arranged inside an electronic component mounting region and a remaining portion greater in liquid measure than the one portion is arranged outside the electronic component mounting region. The thermosetting resin enters into a gap between the electronic component and the board by capillarity in a thermocompression bonding process. This prevents voids occurring in the sealing resin, reinforces bonded portions of bumps and electrodes with thermally cured thermosetting resin, thereby preventing bonded portion breakage due to thermal stress generated during cooling.
US08025185B1

A hot and cold water dispenser includes a base unit that has an open top end and a closed bottom end respectively. The base unit is formed from rigid material such that the base unit maintains a fixed shape when a traditional one gallon, square shaped bottle typically sold at supermarkets and other retail outlets (referred throughout the patent application as an “existing one-gallon water bottle”) is positioned therein. A mechanism heats and cools water contained within the base unit, and is housed within the base unit. A mechanism dispenses the heated and cooled water, and is housed within the base unit and directly connected to the heating and cooling mechanism.
US08025178B2

According to the invention a drinking vessel (10) comprises a generally cylindrical container (11) adapted to contain liquid and a generally cylindrical lid (12) adapted to close the container. The lid comprises a generally cylindrical outer member (20), a generally cylindrical inner member (22) located within the outer member so as to define a generally cylindrical aperture (50) between the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member, and a generally cylindrical sealing element (21) located in the aperture. The sealing element normally forms a seal between the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member but is deformable by suction at the end of the aperture remote from the container so as to cause liquid within the container to flow, from the end of the aperture adjacent to the container, out through the aperture under the action of the suction.
US08025165B2

A rack conversion system mounts to an existing storage rack and includes lateral tracks for side to side movement of forward bins and longitudinal tracks for front to rear movement of rear bins. The bins are sized to efficiently store a particular item, for example, paper files. The forward bins are movable side to side along the lateral tracks and reside in front of the rear bin. The rear bins are moveable front to rear along the longitudinal tracks and are normally positioned to the rear to allow the side to side movement of the forward bins. The lateral tracks are preferably mounted below the forward bins and do not interfere with the movement of the rear bins, and the longitudinal tracks are preferably mounted above the rear bins and do not interfere with movement of the forward bins.
US08025162B2

A product management display system for merchandising both larger and heavier products includes using a pusher mechanism along with one or more roller assemblies that, in combination, improve the merchandising of products on the shelves, especially on horizontal or non-inclined shelves or surfaces. In an exemplary embodiment, the product management display system includes a pusher mechanism configured to urge product forward and toward the front of the shelf. At least one roller assembly is positioned beneath the product to be merchandised to assist the pusher mechanism in urging the product toward the front of the shelf.
US08025161B2

Certain example embodiments relate to glass racks that are suitable for both autoclaving and shipping. In certain example embodiments, a glass rack may include a metal base having a grooved bottom connected thereto and a metal upright support substantially parallel to the base. The upright support may include a plurality of fingers covered in a protective material (e.g., rubber tubing) that extend therefrom. The spaces between the fingers may correspond with grooves of the grooved bottom, thereby cooperating to accommodate a plurality of panels (e.g., assemblies prior to autoclaving, laminated glass panels formed by autoclaving, etc.). The grooved bottom may be connected to the base so as to allow for expansion and/or contraction of the metal base relative to the grooved bottom. The rack, as a whole, may be capable of withstanding the temperature and pressure conditions of an autoclave, while also providing sufficient protection for the panels during shipping.
US08025158B2

A poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having a high molecular weight and a reduced content of low molecular weight species can be prepared by a method that includes specific conditions for the oxidative polymerization, chelation, and isolation steps. The poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is particularly useful for the fabrication of fluid separation membranes.
US08025154B2

The invention provides a fastener (10) for a screen panel (20), the fastener including a base section (12) at least two outer engagement means (14) extending from opposite side zones of the base section, the two outer engagement means at least partially opposing one another; and at least one inner engagement means (16) located between the outer engagement means; the inner and outer engagement means including retaining formations (14.2, 16.2) adapted to engage a complementary receiving formation in a screen panel (20) in a snap fit configuration.
US08025151B1

A primary sheet has a rearward section in a planar configuration and a vertical orientation. The primary sheet has a forward section. The primary sheet is fabricated of an opaque, relatively stiff, paper based material. A horizontal surface has an opening and a horizontal support between the opening and the rearward section. The horizontal support is adapted to receive and support cards. A decorative toy is positioned in the opening. Written indicia are provided on the primary sheet. The written indicia are adapted to be readily seen and read in the vicinity. In this manner customers are attracted.
US08025140B2

A material processing apparatus comprises a conveyor that is rotatable in vertical direction around a horizontal axis that is situated in an element rotatable in horizontal direction relative to the apparatus. The element is articulated to the apparatus at a main point of articulation, and at a point remote from the main point of articulation, articulated to a variable length element which in turn is articulated to the apparatus, and the element is connected to an actuator causing the horizontal rotational movement of the element together with the conveyor, defined by said main point of articulation.
US08025138B2

A multi-plate clutch system includes an outer clutch member having a plurality of first clutch plates thereon, a central spool having a plurality of second clutch plates thereon interspaced with the first clutch plates. The clutch system also includes a cam mechanism including a protruding cam and a recessed cam. The protruding cam and the recessed cam respectively include first inclined faces and second inclined faces, which are inclined in the same direction with respect to the circumferential direction. The protruding cam is thus brought into a point contact with the recessed cam during clutch engagement. As such, the multi-plate clutch system can maintain constant variable characteristics of the clutch capacity even when there is a variation in processing accuracy at the time of the production.
US08025132B2

Systems and methods for capturing pollutants from braking mechanisms are provided. The systems can include a housing partially surrounding at least a portion of a vehicle brake assembly and disposed to receive brake dust from the brake assembly and a collector disposed to capture the brake dust received in said housing. A method can include providing the a providing a housing partially surrounding at least a portion of a vehicle brake assembly and disposed to receive brake dust from the brake assembly and a collector disposed to capture the brake dust received in said housing, creating a first air flow using the forward motion of the vehicle to move the pollutants from said housing to said collector, and capturing the brake dust in said collector.
US08025130B2

A power device includes a motor, a drive shaft, and a roller brake system including a cam mechanism. The motor may put out a driving torque in a first and a second rotary direction. The cam mechanism includes first and second cam members. The first cam member may be in a driven engagement with the motor and the second cam member may be slidably engaged with the first cam member and coupled to the drive shaft. The first cam member includes a circumferentially disposed ramped surface having a stop member at a first end thereof. The said second cam member is axially and rotatably fixed with the drive shaft and includes an axially extending protrusion disposed about a circumference thereof and slidably engaged with the ramped surface.
US08025129B2

Parking brake actuator is an overrunning single directional clutch which provides for infinite locking positions.
US08025122B2

An acoustically treated exhaust centerbody comprising a body including a body fore portion and a body aft portion. An internal passageway extends through the body in the axial direction. A resonator in the body fore portion includes a plurality of acoustic chambers. A plurality of ribs in the resonator form fore/aft walls of the acoustic chambers. Each rib is shaped substantially as a section of an annulus. A plurality of radial fins extend between adjacent ribs. The fins form sidewalls of the acoustic chambers. A skin overlies the acoustic chambers and forms an outer surface of the resonator.
US08025121B2

A vehicle exhaust component includes an outer shell defining an internal cavity, at least one baffle located within the internal cavity, and at least one tube supported by the baffle. The baffle is fixed to the outer shell and includes at least one opening. The tube has first and second tube ends with one of the first and second tube ends being supported within the opening in the baffle. At least one slot is formed within the one of the first and second tube ends at the at least one opening. The slot facilitates noise reduction during cool down of the vehicle exhaust component.
US08025119B2

A seat includes a seat frame and a resilient web supported by the seat frame. The web is adapted for movement between an at rest condition in which no operator is seated on the seat, and a deflected condition in which the web is deflected with respect to the frame in response to an operator seated on the seat. A switch actuator is mounted to the web and is movable between a non-actuating position when the web is in the at rest condition and an actuating position when the web is in the deflected condition. A switch is mounted to the frame, the switch includes first and second parts movable with respect to each other to open and close an electrical circuit in response to the switch actuator moving between the non-actuating and actuating positions. A distal end of the switch actuator engages the switch at least when the switch actuator is in the actuating position.
US08025109B2

A method is described for tracking the position, orientation and/or guiding a transmitter as it moves through the ground in a region. The transmitter transmits an electromagnetic locating signal received by a detector. The detector, with the transmitter at a start position, receives the signal to produce a first set of electromagnetic data. The transmitter moves to a second position. The detector receives the signal with the transmitter at the second position to produce a second set of electromagnetic data. Absolute positions of the detector and the transmitter are determined within the region using certain information including the first and second sets of electromagnetic data.
US08025104B2

Degradable polylactic or polyhydroxyalkanoate polymers may be used to viscosify aqueous fluids for use in wells, Sand control screen or liner can be coated with a solid degradable polymer during placement in a well. Mechanical changes or flow changes in a well can be caused by solid degradable polymer that changes physical properties after it is placed in a well. Parts of devices or entire devices can be made of solid degradable polymer that converts to a fluid after selected times in an aqueous environment in a well.
US08025095B2

Disclosed is a heat exchanger, particularly an exhaust gas heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing jacket that is open at both ends, and a tube bundle which is inserted into said housing jacket and is penetrated by the hot exhaust gas. The aim of the invention is to produce said heat exchanger in an inexpensive and functionally safe manner. Said aim is achieved by the fact that only the tube bundle with the tube bottoms thereof, which are located on the front side, are made of metal while the housing jacket into which the tube bundle is inserted along with the tube bottoms is made of plastic. The dimensions of the transition between at least the tube bottom that is impinged upon by the hot medium entering the tube bundle on the feeding side are selected in such a way in the direction of the housing jacket that a drop in temperature that is sufficiently great regarding the thermal resistance of the plastic is definitely obtained all the way to the contact area on the housing jacket.
US08025093B2

A twin-roll continuous casting method that controls occurrence of casting defects in a center part of plate thickness, for Al—Mg series aluminum alloy, a material featuring a wide temperature range for solid and liquid phases coexistence. In the method of manufacturing an Al—Mg series aluminum alloy cast plate, the plate contains Mg in a predetermined amount and has a relatively thick plate size, while casting is performed by a twin-roll type continuous casting method. Twin rolls have a roll diameter, and the rolls have a circumferential velocity. The circumferential length from points where molten metal starts contact with the rolls to kiss points is a solidification distance, and the roll gap at the kiss points is equal to the thickness of the cast plate. Specific relations among the above factors are maintained, and the continuous casting operation is carried out while satisfying such relations.
US08025078B2

A valve operating device includes a mounting for attachment to a vehicle and an elongate arm, the free end of which is only moveable in a plane parallel to the ground. The joints of the arm pivot around vertical axes and the arm is locked into a desired orientation by a brake at each joint. A valve turning machine is at the free end of the arm. The brakes are engaged and released by a control on the valve turning machine.
US08025064B2

Disclosed herein are methods of treating a patient, comprising providing a compressible attenuation device that is moveable from a first, introduction configuration to a second, implanted configuration. The attenuation device is introduced into a treatment site. In one embodiment, the treatment site is a patient's eye. The volume of the attenuation devices changes in response to pressure changes in the treatment site and attenuates pressure changes in the eye.
US08025052B2

A system and method of monitoring a patient, that in one embodiment, comprises determining a flow of gas generated by respiration of the patient, identifying a respiratory event entry and a respiratory event exit based on the flow of gas generated by respiration of the patient, and identifying a respiratory event when the identification of the respiratory event entry is followed by the identification of respiratory event exit.
US08025049B2

An air distribution blower housing for a furnace is designed with an enlarged air outlet opening that slows down and spreads out the air flow from the blower housing over a greater area of the furnace heat exchanger. The blower housing thereby enables less air pressure drop through the heat exchanger, which increases the efficiency of the blower motor operation. The design of the blower housing also efficiently turns the velocity head of the air flow through the housing to usable static air pressure at the housing air outlet. The enlarged air outlet opening of the blower housing is achieved without increasing the exterior diameter dimensions of the blower housing by utilizing a volute outer wall of the blower housing that has an exponentially increasing expansion angle in the direction of air flow through the blower housing.
US08025046B2

A method of transitioning between homogeneous charge compression ignition and spark ignition in a combustion chamber of an engine that is configured for homogeneous charge compression ignition under at least some engine operating conditions and for spark ignition under at least some engine operating conditions, the method comprising heating contents of the combustion chamber with a glow plug prior to transitioning between homogeneous charge compression ignition and spark ignition.
US08025042B2

An intake flow control device includes valve units, a drive shaft, and an actuator. The valve unit includes a housing defining an intake passage therein. A valve shaft is supported between side walls of the housing. The drive shaft connects and drives the valve shafts. The actuator is directly connected to the drive shaft so as to drive a valve mounted to the valve shaft to open or close the intake passage. The valve has a width defined between side ends of the valve, which is larger than a width defined between side walls of the intake passage located at an upstream side of the valve.
US08025032B2

A dog training device may include a base with a first cross member slidably connected to the base and a second cross member slidably connected to the base. A first set of pedestals may be slidably connected to the first cross member and a second set of pedestals may be slidably connected to the second cross member. Advantageously, the distances between the cross members and the pedestals may be adjusted so that the dog training device may be used with dogs of various shapes and sizes. In addition, the base, cross members and pedestals may be quickly and easily connected and disconnected, which may facilitate transportation and storage of the device. The base, cross members and pedestals may also be securely interconnected to provide a stable and steady dog training device.
US08025029B2

A method for applying teat dip to a dairy animal and backflushing a milker unit using a safety valve. The method includes the steps of: closing the safety valve to seal off the milker unit from a dairy pipeline system, forcing teat dip through the safety valve and a dip channel to a teat dip applicator on a milker unit teat cup, forcing backflush fluid through the safety valve and the milker unit, forcing water through the safety valve and milker unit, forcing air through the safety valve and the milker unit, and opening the safety valve so that the milker unit is in fluid communication with the dairy pipeline system.
US08025022B1

A painting device for applying a paint product and that includes a frame with a handle end and a support end and that has one and another sides. The one side of the support end of the frame includes spaced apart flanges that retain therebetween a paint roller and the another side of the support end of the frame includes a wall member and opposed end wall surfaces that together retain a paint pad device.
US08025021B2

A submersible vehicle having an outer hull which defines a hull axis and appears substantially annular when viewed along the hull axis, the interior of the annulus defining a duct which is open at both ends so that when the vehicle is submerged in a liquid, the liquid floods the duct. The vehicle further comprising means for rolling the vehicle about the hull axis. A buoyancy control system may be provided, and the outer hull may be swept with respect to the hull axis. Various methods of deploying and using the vehicle are described.
US08025009B2

An industrial printer includes a frame; a cabinet defining a media path; a pagewidth printhead arranged on the frame for printing images on blank web media; pilot guides for guiding the blank web media fed from cartridges via the media path past the pagewidth printhead to facilitate printing; a dryer module configured to operatively dry the printed web media; and a cutter module for cutting the printed web media before the printed web media is fed into a container for storing the web media in a roll. The cutter module includes a frame having end plates, and a pair of entry rollers and a pair of exit rollers serving as a transport mechanism for the web media through the module. The cutter module further includes a slitter gang composed of a plurality of slitters each having a plurality of blades, the slitter gang being located between the end plates. The dryer module includes a plenum defined vertically downward through the cabinet for supplying air received from a top of the plenum to the media path.
US08025004B2

A ceramic composite and method of making are provided. The ceramic composite is transparent and serves as transparent armor. The composite provides adequate protection from projectiles while exhibiting large surface areas and relatively low areal densities.
US08024998B1

Locking pliers for being one-handed adjustable, clampable, and releasable. The locking pliers includes a fixed portion, a movable portion, a first apparatus for moving the movable portion relative to the fixed portion a desired amount in order to clamp a workpiece using only one hand, and a second apparatus for releasing the movable portion from the fixed portion in order to release the workpiece using only the one hand. The movable portion is movably connected to the fixed portion. The first apparatus is operatively connected to the fixed portion. The second apparatus is operatively connected to the movable portion.
US08024997B2

Coupling mechanisms for engaging and releasing a tool attachment such as a socket from a drive element include an engaging element and an actuating element. The actuating element can include a collar or other manually-accessible part, and various features allow for a relatively small outside diameter for the collar or other part. These features include configuring the actuating element to contact the engaging element within the drive element, placing the biasing elements within the drive element, and forming guides for parts of the actuating element within the drive element Also, the engaging element can move along a direction that is oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the drive element, in whole or in part. The engaging element can have a first part that moves obliquely in the drive element and a second part that moves radially in the drive element to engage the tool attachment.
US08024993B2

A bicycle component is provided comprising an elongated body consisting of structural fibers incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material and having, in an end part thereof, a seat for the mechanical coupling of the component with an element of the bicycle. Also provided in the zone between the seat and the end of the body is a continuous layer of structural fibers which surround the seat and which ensure mechanical continuity in the aforementioned zone. The central part of the component comprises at least one first layer formed of continuous structural fibers incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material and at least one second layer formed of small pieces of structural fibers incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material and arranged randomly inside the layer, such layers overlapping each other.
US08024991B2

An actuator, especially for seat adjusting devices with at least one electrical engine having subordinated reduction gear and a disconnecting device for manual operation. The generic actuator is provided with a disconnecting device that can be used in all operating processes in a large number of different applications and that guarantees reliable functioning of the disconnecting device without being over-dimensioned and thus uneconomical. The disconnecting device has a coupling insertion spring which determines the release force of the disconnecting device and a reset spring is provided which resets an actuating device.
US08024984B2

A device for testing decoking tools comprises means 30 for receiving the decoking tool 31 which can be connected to a high-pressure water conduit, as well as means for testing the water jet which exits from a nozzle of the decoking tool 31 following the opening of the high-pressure water conduit. It is possible to test, measure and analyse the high-pressure water jet exiting from the nozzle by means of this testing device in order to optimize the performance of the decoking tool on the basis of the results of this examination. According to the method of the invention the high-pressure water jet generated by means of the nozzles of the decoking tool is exposed to means for testing the high-pressure water jet.
US08024974B2

A sensor for sensing bioacoustic energy includes a housing comprising an interfacing portion configured to establish coupling with a body part during use of the sensor. An anchoring arrangement is defined on the housing. A transducer member has an anchoring end and at least one free end. The anchoring end of the transducer is coupled to the housing such that the transducer member is arranged to be preferentially sensitive to bioacoustic energy transferred to the transducer via the interfacing portion relative to other portions of the housing.
US08024970B2

A humidity sensor having temperature sensing includes a substrate and a RLC (damped resonant) circuit formed in or on the substrate. The RLC circuit comprises a capacitor having a first and a second electrically conductive plate and a moisture sensitive dielectric interposed between the first and second plate. An RL network comprising an inductor and a resistor is coupled to the capacitor and comprises a high relative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) portion formed from a first material which is coupled to a low relative TCR portion formed from a second material different from the first material. The RLC circuit can be a series RLC circuit. In another embodiment, the RLC circuit can comprises a parallel RLC circuit.
US08024966B2

A test system that is capable of evaluating the effectiveness of a weapons system designed to defeat an incoming, fast-moving, underwater munition is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, an extremely large tubular sheath is inflated underwater. The sheath is maintained at a depth and inclination that is appropriate for an incoming torpedo. An inert projectile is launched or flown inside the sheath at a speed that is consistent with the speed of munition that the weapons system is intended to defeat.
US08024964B2

Disclosed is a method and system for determining composition of a fuel entering a combustor. The method includes determining a temperature of the fuel entering the combustor, calculating a first estimated total fuel flow utilizing fuel properties and fuel nozzle effective area (Ae), and calculating a second estimated total fuel flow utilizing an aero-thermal cycle model analysis. The first estimated total fuel flow is compared to the second estimated total fuel flow and a lower heating value of the fuel is determined from a difference between the first estimated total fuel flow and the second estimated total fuel flow. A method and system for controlling a gas turbine includes calculating effects of the fuel composition on performance of the gas turbine and comparing one or more performance parameters to one or more parameter limits. One or more machine controls of the gas turbine are changed based on the results of the comparison.
US08024959B2

A gas sensor contains such a dielectric substance having a domain boundary formed between domains with different polarization directions. When a gaseous molecule is adsorbed to the dielectric substance, a transient current is generated due to displacement of the domain boundary under an applied voltage. The adsorbed gaseous molecule is detected by measuring the transient current.
US08024958B2

A gas sensor includes a substrate having a low thermal conductivity. Localized heating can be produced using a serpentined heater carried by the substrate. The low thermal conductivity of the substrate substantially confines the generated heat to a region local to the heater thereby reducing required power to operate the sensor. Multiple sensing elements can be deposited onto the substrate adjacent to respective heaters and relatively close together because of the thermal isolation provided by the substrate. In one embodiment, the sensor can include the ceramic substrate, the heater, catalytic material overlying the heater with a gas impermeable layer overlying, at least in part the catalytic material.
US08024957B2

A downhole load cell calibrated for enhanced accuracy. The load cell may be a dry load cell calibrated by storage of pre-determined temperature and pressure data relative to the load cell based on known loads applied thereto. Thus, surface equipment employed with the load cell may include a computer program that takes advantage of the stored pre-determined information. The computer program may then be employed for calibration of downhole load cell data based on readings from the load cell along with downhole temperature and pressure information.
US08024953B2

There is provided a lubricant for hot plastic working, which contains 20 to 40 mass % of iron oxide and 10 to 30 mass % of sodium silicate, wherein impurities are 3 mass % or less, and the lubricant contains 40 to 60 mass % of water. By virtue of combined action of these components, the lubricant exhibits excellent lubricity and suppliability and does not adversely affect the corrosion resistance of product. The lubricant is suitably used for lubricating a guide shoe in piercing-rolling, for example, a high-Cr steel and achieves a great effect of preventing a seizure flaw from occurring on the outer surface of product by being applied directly to the outer surface of a workpiece just before piercing rolling, preferably, within one second before starting piercing rolling.
US08024949B2

An apparatus is disclosed for decelerating and temporarily accumulating a hot rolled product moving longitudinally along a first axis at a first velocity V1. The apparatus comprises a curved guide with an entry end aligned with the first axis to receive the product, and with an exit end spaced radially from the first axis and orientated to deliver the product in an exit direction transverse to the first axis. The curved guide is rotatable about the first axis in a direction opposite to the exit direction of the product and at a speed at which its exit end has a second velocity V2 lower than V1 and such that the product is delivered from the exit end as a helical formation of rings and at a third velocity V3 equal to V1−V2. A cylindrical drum is arranged to axially receive the helical formation of rings and to rotate about the first axis in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the curved guide and at a speed such that the product is unwound from the drum at the third velocity V3. A receiver moves to and fro along a path parallel to the first axis to receive the product being unwound from the drum. A shroud is configured to partially encircle the drum, and rotatable interior rollers are circumferentially spaced around the interior of the shroud. The interior rollers are spaced radially from the surface of the drum and extend in parallel relationship with the first axis.
US08024943B2

The method of dividing a glass substrate into separate pieces includes producing a crack along a dividing line on the substrate and acting on the crack with an aqueous cutting liquid during or immediately after producing the crack. The aqueous cutting liquid used in the method has a special composition that reduces the breaking forces applied to the glass substrate in order to divide it. The aqueous liquid contains an ionic organic compound, which has a cation with a positively charged nitrogen atom and a hydroxyl anion. Quaternary ammonium hydroxide compounds are especially preferred as the ionic organic compound.
US08024942B2

The subject invention pertains to a method and apparatus for cooling. In a specific embodiment, the subject invention relates to a lightweight, compact, reliable, and efficient cooling system. The subject system can provide heat stress relief to individuals operating under, for example, hazardous conditions, or in elevated temperatures, while wearing protective clothing. The subject invention also relates to a condenser for transferring heat from a refrigerant to an external fluid in thermal contact with the condenser. The subject condenser can have a heat transfer surface and can be designed for an external fluid, such as air, to flow across the heat transfer surface and allow the transfer of heat from heat transfer surface to the external fluid. In a specific embodiment, the flow of the external fluid is parallel to the heat transfer surface. In another specific embodiment, the heat transfer surface can incorporate surface enhancements which enhance the transfer of heat from the heat transfer surface to the external fluid. In another specific embodiment, an outer layer can be positioned above the heat transfer surface to create a volume between the heat transfer surface and the outer layer through which the external fluid can flow.
US08024941B2

A method is provided of operating an adsorption refrigeration system. The system includes a primary adsorption pump which is arranged in communication with a primary chamber containing coolant, a secondary adsorption pump and a high fluid impedance conduit which places the secondary adsorption pump and primary chamber into communication. The method includes saturating the primary and secondary adsorption pumps with coolant while each pump is at its respective operational temperature. The pumps are then heated above their operational temperatures to desorb the coolant such that the coolant pressure in the primary chamber and the secondary adsorption pump substantially equalizes through the conduit while the primary chamber is cooled. The secondary adsorption pump is then cooled causing coolant gas to be adsorbed and, therefore, a reduction in temperature and pressure of the coolant in the primary chamber is effected. The primary adsorption pump is then cooled to an operational temperature causing adsorption of the coolant and, therefore, a reduction in temperature and pressure of the coolant in the primary chamber.
US08024924B2

The invention relates to a drive with an energy recovery and retarder function. The drive (1) comprises a hydrostatic piston engine (12) which is connected to an accumulator (16) for storing pressure energy and to a pressure limiting valve (19) for generating a braking action. Arranged downstream of the pressure limiting valve (19) is a cooler (45). The drive (1) also comprises a hydraulic motor (35) for driving a cooler fan (33), wherein the hydraulic motor (35) is acted on with a pressure medium which is delivered by the hydrostatic piston engine (12).
US08024917B2

A multi-functional power supply system for a Hall thruster including a thruster assembly for providing a plasma discharge and a cathode assembly for providing electrons. The cathode assembly includes an emitter, a keeper with a current limiting device, and a heater. A magnetic field source is operatively associated with the cathode assembly for generating a magnetic field to control the discharge. A plasma discharge circuit creates a plasma and accelerates the plasma to produce thrust. A power supply is connected to the keeper and the plasma discharge circuit and is connected to the heater through a switching device responsive to a predetermined condition for interrupting the power to the heater and simultaneously enabling the power supply to deliver power to the keeper and the plasma discharge circuit to initiate production of thrust.
US08024906B1

A bracket for use in retro-fitting metal clad buildings to facilitate attachment of new roof or wall panels of any desired profile, directly over existing ribbed or fluted panels of various configurations. Commonly known in the trades as a sub purlin or sub girt. Generally a one piece Z shaped metal bracket with a substantially vertical web between opposed top and bottom flanges in a parallel plane. The bottom flange and adjacent lower portion of the web contain a series of notches that allow the bracket to nest onto and over existing ribbed roof or wall panels. The top flange is automatically in position, lying flat and continuous, to receive and attach the new panels thereto. An ant-roll tab further connects the web to the existing roof panel. The solid portion of lower flange is preferred to be positioned directly above the underlying substructural support system members of the existing building to assure a structurally sound attachment of bracket to the building. Pre-punched holes in the solid portion of lower flange dictate required location, number and size of fasteners to be inserted through lower rib surface of existing panel into substructural system members.
US08024885B1

A unique, new and useful structure designed to simply and efficiently cover and protect the lens of a sight, especially a firearm sight such as the hooded models of the EO Tech Holosight type 511, 512, 551, and 552 models. A lens cover comprises a housing with a pair of lens openings, and a pair of lens covers, one for each lens opening. The housing has a recess for receiving the lens covers, and each lens cover is biased toward the recess and is moveable against its bias to a position in which it covers a respective lens opening in the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the recess and the lens covers are configured such that (i) the lens covers can be received and oriented in the recess in a predetermined relation with each other and (ii) the lens covers can be efficiently manipulated when they are not received in the recess in the predetermined relation to cause them to be reoriented and received in the recess in the predetermined relation. Further each lens cover is pivotally supported on the housing in a manner that enables the lens cover to be pivoted toward and into the recess and to be pivoted relative to the housing as the lens cover is moved against its bias and to a position in which it covers a respective lens. Also, the lens covers are offset in relation to their pivot axes in a manner that enables them to be received and oriented in the predetermined relation, and oriented in a manner that enables them to be efficiently manipulated and reoriented when they are not received in the recess in the predetermined relation.
US08024881B2

A display apparatus is disclosed that includes a screen and a frame system positioned to support the screen. The frame system includes a plurality of frame members, a hinge that couples the frame members together, and a lock that blocks relative movement of the frame members.
US08024877B2

The present invention relates to an electric fireplace flame curtain with flexible simulated charcoal bed, the flame curtain is a structure of vessel, comprises a front wall and a rear wall with transparent structure, an imaging mechanism disposed on the front wall of the vessel, a number of movable light-holding charcoals with a plurality of transparent surfaces disposed in the vessel. The essential effect of the present invention is to solve the monotone flame, dull appearance and poor visual effect of the exiting electric fireplace. Meanwhile, the problems such as constant charcoal flame brightness, lack of reality, bad simulative effect are solved as well. The present invention could simulate a plurality of independent charcoal burning spots, with various styles. The light-spots of the flame are sparkling intermittently with bright and shade, and the flame is of light-holding effect. The visual effect and the authenticity are both perfect.
US08024876B2

A method system for a novelty greeting card combined with an embodied 3-D sculpture model kit is contained within a postal envelope. The invention's items are at least one or more inscribed parallel planar rectangular sheets bound in dependant form to enable an open and close greeting card function. The envelope is inscribed with systematic directions to guide construction of the novelty card's embodied sculpture model kit. The card is signed by a sender including a recipient's name; said sender gives card as a gift to a recipient to apply methods of the invention's intent. As recipient deploys invention's construction system by implementing tools and parts embodied in novelty card. The sender's actual signature and recipient's name are conveyed though the method of construction and retained upon the final resulting sculpture of the invention. All construction elements, tools and parts derive solely from the planar sheets that comprise the invention.
US08024874B2

A wear member that includes a pair of legs defining a slot straddles the digging edge of a piece of excavating equipment. In one construction, the slot is formed at its front end with a pair of inclined surfaces and a laterally extending ridge that is fit within a complementary channel on the digging edge. A lock is received within an opening in the wear member to releasably secure the wear member to the digging edge.
US08024873B2

A resilient excavation bucket for use with a piece of machinery having an articulated arm. The excavation bucket comprises a resilient member and a rigid member. The resilient member has a digging edge adapted to deflect in response to pressure from impact with a material at least as rigid as the digging edge and to return to a substantially non-deflected condition upon release of the pressure. The rigid member is cooperatively associated with the resilient member and has a connection member adapted to pivotally engage a portion of the articulated arm of the piece of machinery. At least one of the resilient member and the rigid member at least partially defines a bucket cavity disposed at least partially between the digging edge and the connection member. Additionally, an excavation apparatus comprising a backhoe having an articulated arm and the resilient excavation bucket operatively associated with the articulated arm.
US08024864B2

A ratcheting cutting tool for plastic pipes having first and second, elongated rigid members pivotally mounted to each other. Each rigid member has a handle and the first rigid member additionally has an anvil at an end opposite from its handle. A spring-biased, knife blade member with a cutting edge and with a plurality of ratchet teeth is pivotally mounted to the first member. The tool further includes drive and catch pawls pivotally mounted to the respective rigid members. In operation, the handles of the rigid members can be repeatedly squeezed together to progressively move the cutting edge of the knife blade member in a step-by-step manner toward the anvil to cut through a plastic pipe positioned therebetween. A manually operated release mechanism is also disclosed wherein both the drive and catch pawls can be moved in one motion to release positions spaced from engagement with the ratchet teeth to permit the spring-biased knife blade member to be automatically returned to its open position after each cut.
US08024856B2

A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board is disclosed. A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, which includes: forming at least one interlayer connector on a first carrier, stacking at least one insulation layer on the first carrier such that the interlayer connector is exposed, removing the first carrier, and forming at least one circuit pattern on the insulation layer such that the circuit pattern is electrically coupled with the interlayer connector, can be used to increase the density of circuit patterns, as the method can provide electrical connection between circuit patterns and vias without using lands.
US08024853B2

A head gimbal assembly (HGA) connector pad alignment jig is disclosed. One embodiment provides an HGA testing jig for holding an HGA, the HGA testing jig including an opening at a location of the HGA connector pads. In addition, an HGA testing apparatus including a disk for testing the HGA and a controller with a plurality of pin connectors for providing control information to the HGA during a testing process. Thus, the present technology provides an alignment adjuster for adjusting the location of the pin connectors with respect to the connector pads to ensure a good electrical connection between the HGA connector pads and the pin connectors.
US08024846B2

A method for preparing a surface includes providing an article having an article surface, thereafter first processing the article surface to establish a first residual compressive stress state and a first surface roughness in the article surface, and thereafter second processing the article surface by surface compressive texturing to establish a second residual compressive stress state and a second surface roughness in the article surface. The second surface roughness is quantitatively less than the first surface roughness, and substantially no material is removed from the article surface in the step of second processing.
US08024841B2

A hinge includes a bracket, a shaft rotatably received in the bracket, a engaging member, a pressing member, and a driving member. The bracket includes a casing portion defining a receiving space therein. The receiving space includes a circular part and a slot connecting the circular part. The engaging member is received in the slot of the bracket. The engaging member includes a slope surface and a screw hole. The pressing member is received in the slot of the bracket. The pressing member includes a pressing portion pressing firmly against the shaft, and a driven portion engaged with the slope surface of the engaging member. The driving member includes a screw pole capable of screwing in the screw hole of the engaging member to move the engaging member toward the pressing member, for driving the pressing member to press firmly against the shaft.
US08024828B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an air cell which is capable of detecting that the upper end side and the lower end side of the air bag are nearer than a predetermined distance. This air cell has an air bag, a base member to which the lower end portion of the air bag is attached, an air chamber AR configured by the air bag and the upper surface of the base member, a thin film portion which forms the bottom surface of the air chamber and capable of deforming elastically in the up-and-down direction, an extending member configured to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the thin film portion, detecting means which is provided under the thin film portion and which detects downward deformation of the thin film portion.
US08024824B1

The present disclosure provides for individuals who may otherwise have trouble lifting themselves from the floor after a fall. Using the teachings of the present disclosure, such individuals may autonomously regain their footing, without the necessity of calling paramedics or others for help. An individual may crawl onto the seat of the device and then, using either a handcrank or an electric motor, lift himself to a sitting/standing position.
US08024823B2

A water conservation system comprising a reservoir for storing water; a toilet water tank for storing water, the toilet water tank is disposed below the reservoir; and a tube fluidly connecting the reservoir and the tank, wherein the tube is configured such that a first end of the tube reaches near a bottom surface of the reservoir, a second end of the tube reaches near a bottom surface of the tank, and an elevated portion with a crest that is oriented above the first end.
US08024819B2

The invention prevents leg chafing, and keeps the garment from riding up in the wearer's crotch area, by disposing weights on the garment. If the garment is an undergarment, then Modal® fabric, a bio-based fiber made by spinning reconstituted cellulose from beech trees, is especially preferred, as it is extremely soft, and wicks away moisture in an effective manner. It is an object of the invention to reduce leg chafing. It is a further object of the invention to teach a method of preventing garments from riding up into the wearer's crotch area.
US08024818B1

Apparatus for shading a user's neck. In some embodiments, a support device comprises a flexible, generally U-shaped structure with a laterally extending central portion to accommodate attachment of a proximal edge of a neckpiece, and opposing leg portions which extend from the central portion to engage the headwear. In further embodiments, the neckpiece preferably comprises a layer of flexible material with a proximal end supported adjacent a headwear and an opposing distal end configured to be suspended adjacent to a base of the user's neck. A support portion is formed from laterally extending first and second panels which fold together to form a V-shaped channel circumferentially extending in contact against an outermost rearward surface of the headwear. A flap portion extending from the second panel is moveable between a deployed state to cover the user's neck to a retracted state in which the flap portion is gathered into the channel.
US08028339B2

The present invention relates to a network device and a method for providing content compatibility between network devices having different respective digital rights management methods. The method includes exchanging security program lists of the network devices, comparing the security program list of one network device with the security program list of the other network device based on the exchanged security program lists, and installing a security program required for using content of the other network device according to the comparison result. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the network devices using the different respective DRM-based security programs can exchange content with one another and use the content of the other network device by using the predetermined security program update methods.
US08028337B1

A system and a method for profiling traffic on a computer network. Flows are observed traversing a communication link. Relative uncertainty values are computed for the dimensions of these flows. These relative uncertainty values are used to identify dominant feature values in the various flow dimensions. Flows having these dominant feature values are filtered.
US08028335B2

Various embodiments protect against undesirable activities, in at least some embodiments, by combining the protection of a data or message filter with the user's own knowledge and judgment. In at least some embodiments, data or a message that is suspected of being associated with an undesirable activity is identified and indicia is provided to a user that the message is suspect. The data or message is presented to the user in a protected environment that allows the user to access the data or message in full fidelity, but prevents them from interacting with the data or message in a manner which would expose them to the undesirable activity. After reviewing the data or message in the protected environment, the user can decide how the message should thereafter be treated.
US08028322B2

Methods and apparatus for providing content to users of a network that can be selectively recorded via the user's equipment. In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions are used to provide high-speed download of the requested content to the users. The user's equipment (e.g., set-top box) is equipped with a high-density recording device which can both record the content onto a selected medium (e.g., DVD) and optionally provide copyright protection via one or more means such as limiting the number of copies that can be made, and/or digital watermarking. The network operator can also restrict the establishment of the on-demand sessions and/or release of the content to subscribers based on parameters including prior purchase of the content by the user, and the timing of the release of the same content via other distribution channels such as rental and retail.
US08028316B2

A receiving device receives a plurality of first and second program information. The first program information is information relating to each of broadcasting scheduled programs within a predetermined time period from the date of transmission of a broadcasting signal by a broadcasting station apparatus. The second program information is information relating to a broadcasting scheduled program in the future after a predetermined time period from the date of transmission of the broadcasting signal. A controller in the receiving device stores, when there is a reservation based on the second program information, the reserved second program information in a reservation information storage. Thereafter, the controller compares the reserved second program information with a plurality of first program information newly received, and determines whether or not there is first program information that coincides with the second program information. The controller updates, when there is first program information that coincides with the second program information, information relating to the reserved program stored in the reservation information storage on the basis of the first program information.
US08028308B2

An optical disk transport device for an optical disk player includes a carrying roller, an optical disk guiding part located above the carrying roller, an elastic part for pressing the carrying roller towards the optical disk guiding part, and a motor for driving the carrying roller to rotate. The roll body of the carrying roller is of a bipyramidal structure with the diameter gradually decreasing from the two ends to the middle. The positions on the optical disk guiding part opposite to each pyramid of the carrying roller are provided with at least one rotatable driven roller. The ends adjacent to the middle of the carrying roller of each driven roller slant upwards, so as to make the driven rollers only contact the outer margin of the optical disk when the optical disk is inserted.
US08028303B2

The present invention is a multi-protocol object distribution system. The multi-protocol object distribution system can include one or more remote procedure call (RPC) transport protocol stubs; and, a meta-stub configured to select individual ones of the RPC transport protocol stubs through which distributed object services can be provided to requesting clients in the object distribution system. The RPC transport protocol stubs can include both a default RPC transport stub, and at least one other RPC transport stub which the meta-stub can select based upon changing conditions in the object distribution system. Importantly, the meta-stub can automatically select the default RPC transport stub by default.
US08028296B2

A facility for managing a synchronization mechanism that supports initialization, acquisition, release, and deletion operations is described. When a thread seeks to perform the acquisition operation, the facility permits performance of the acquisition operation only if the initialization operation has been performed more recently than the deletion operation. When a thread seeks to perform the deletion operation, the facility waits until any threads that are seeking to perform the acquisition operation or have performed the acquisition operation more recently than the release operation have performed the release operation before deleting the synchronization mechanism.
US08028293B2

Providing for scheduling tasks in a distributed system based on an inefficiency of each task on a particular machine as compared with available networked machines is described herein. By way of example, a distribution component can receive a plurality of tasks at a machine assigned by at least one independent agent. In addition, an ordering component can schedule each task on a machine as a function of non-decreasing inefficiency. Such a policy can be implemented locally at the machine, minimizing inter-device communication, while only marginally increasing completion time for the set of tasks. In such a manner, the subject disclosure provides for load balancing of distributed systems in a manner that utilizes fewer resources than conventional approaches.
US08028287B2

A method for performing a scheduling algorithm with minimum resource scheduling in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of scheduling (10) allocation units for a user or service in a scheduling frame, checking whether (20) the allocation units scheduled for a user or service in a particular scheduling frame meet a resource constraint, and releasing the allocation units (40) scheduled for a user or service for that particular scheduling frame for based on the result of the checking step for resource constraint. The invention also concerns a scheduler in a mobile communication system, a base station and mobile terminal comprising such a scheduler and a mobile communication system.
US08028284B2

A system is provided having a group of processors which performs coordinated processing, wherein data is transferred to the group of processors or from the group of processors. When data is transferred from an input queue, a ring buffer, to the group of processors, an identifier adding unit adds an identifier to the data as a tag, the identifier indicating a block that contains this data in the input queue. When data processed by any one of the processors included in the group of processors is transferred to an output queue, a block selecting unit selects one of blocks of the output queue as a block for storing the data, the one corresponding to the tag added to this data.
US08028279B2

A system for porting code from a native platform to a non-native platform is provided which utilizes a non-native, platform-specific layer of code and a platform-neutral layer of code. The platform-neutral layer substantially emulates the native platform of ported code and provides a platform-neutral interface to the ported code. Together, the platform-specific layer and the platform-neutral layer provide an execution environment in which the ported code operates as a kernel extension of the non-native platform. The platform-neutral layer of the execution environment is portable to other non-native platforms so that code can be ported to another non-native platform by replacing the platform-specific layer with a customized platform-specific layer, which is adapted to the other non-native platform.
US08028275B2

Methods and apparatus for configuring process, environmental, industrial and other control systems generate and/or utilize models representing configurations of control systems and/or the systems controlled by them. Records of changes to the models or the configurations represented by them are maintained, thereby, for example, providing bases for determining current states, prior states and histories of changes. Objects in the model have characteristics, such as an object type characteristic and an area characteristic. Users can have corresponding permissions. A security mechanism apparatus controls access by users to the objects. Composite objects are defined by definition objects and are displayed in encapsulated or expanded formats. Objects can include an edit control type identifier that determines how they are presented for editing. Functionality responds to user commands by transferring characteristics of a first object depicted by the graphical user interface to a second object. Configuration-time formulas contained objects are evaluated to constants prior to downloading to the control system.
US08028273B2

Methods, data processing systems, and program products supporting the insertion of clone latches within a digital design are disclosed. According to one method, a parent latch within the digital design is specified in an HDL statement in one of the HDL files representing a digital design. In addition, a clone latch is specified within the digital design utilizing an HDL clone latch declaration. An HDL attribute-value pair is associated with the HDL clone latch declaration to indicate a relationship between the clone latch and the parent latch according to which the clone latch is automatically set to a same value as the parent latch when the parent latch is set. Thereafter, when a configuration compiler receives one or more design intermediate files containing the clone latch declaration, the configuration compiler creates at least one data structure in a configuration database representing the clone latch and the relationship between the clone latch and the parent latch.
US08028262B2

Methods and systems improve mapping of LUT based FPGAs. In some embodiments, a topological sort is performed on a network to be mapped, whereby the network is represented as a Directed Acyclic Graph. The system locates feasible reconvergent paths existing from transitive fan-ins of individual nodes using a Reconvergent Path Locator for replicating fan-outs of the nodes in the DAG, and therefore improves the number of LUTs and the time consumed in the mapping process.
US08028259B2

Validation of full-chip power distribution networks can be performed very early, and continuously throughout the design cycle, to detect real physical power connection problems and enable early correction of power grid designs using early floor plan and power grid design data. Common power connection and distribution errors are automatically addressed as an integral part of the early chip floor planning and chip power build processes providing efficient solutions requiring no extra wiring resource to be implemented and reducing the runtime of required final full-chip physical design checks, and the overall design cycle.
US08028242B2

Configuring wires/icons in a diagram. The diagram may be an executable diagram such as a graphical program or a system diagram. The diagram may include a plurality of icons that are connected by wires, and the icons may visually represent functionality of the diagram. The diagram may be executable to perform the functionality. Displaying the diagram may include displaying a first wire in the diagram, where the first wire connects a first icon and a second icon. Data transfer functionality may be specified for the first wire and/or the first or second icon in the diagram. The data transfer functionality may be visually indicated in the diagram, e.g., by appearances of the first icon, the second icon, the first wire, and/or icons displayed proximate to these components of the diagram.
US08028236B2

A method for presenting system services can include the step of establishing a multitude of system service profiles. A request for the presentation of system services can be detected. One of the system service profiles associated with the request can be determined. For example, the system service profile can be determined based at least in part upon user identity. The system service profile can also be determined based at least in part upon server identity. At least one system service can be listed in accordance with the determined system service profile.
US08028231B2

A method for storing, organizing and providing remote electronic access to documents. A cover sheet including a standard set of identification data characterizing each document is developed and stored. A digital version of each document is created and stored by scanning each contract. Each digital version includes a scanned image and a searchable text file, wherein the text is overlaid with the image. An index of bookmarks identifying sections of the digital version of each document is generated. Selected fields of information are captured from the digital version of the document. The documents are organized and cross-referenced in a database that includes the captured information and additional information related to each document. Designated parties are alerted of critical dates associated with each document. Remote electronic access to the documents is provided over the internet.
US08028228B2

According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for improving the efficiency of data parsing. Data parsing can be applied to a variety of different types of data in various computer systems and appliances. Some of the methods and apparatus provided include techniques for scanning, verifying, calculating hash values, copying, and white space handling.
US08028227B1

The present invention provides a method, apparatus, processor-readable medium and signals for building a presentation by receiving user input identifying multimedia content to be included in a presentation and copying multimedia content identified by such user-input from a multimedia source to memory, for access by a presentation application. Copying may involve copying multimedia content from an application while the application is using the multimedia content. There is also provided a method, apparatus, processor-readable medium and signals for providing a presentation by identifying multimedia content previously identified by a user as to be included in the presentation and accessing and presenting at least some of the multimedia content previously identified by the user.
US08028224B2

An approach is provided for generating Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes. An LDPC encoder generates a short LDPC code by shortening longer mother codes. The short LDPC code has an outer Bose Chaudhuri Hocquenghem (BCH) code. According to another aspect, for an LDPC code with code rate of ⅗ utilizing 8-PSK (Phase Shift Keying) modulation, an interleaver provides for interleaving bits of the output LDPC code by serially writing data associated with the LDPC code column-wise into a table and reading the data row-wise from right to left. The above approach has particular application in digital video broadcast services over satellite.
US08028218B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling writing and reading of data in an array of A storage fields of a probe-based data storage device in which data is written to and read from the array of storage fields by a corresponding array of probes. One method provides error-tolerance by exploiting the inherent parallelism of the probe storage array. A user data block to be written to the A-field array is first coded to produce a plurality of C-byte codewords, such that r·C=k1A where r is the number of codewords and k1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1. A sub-blocks of k1 bytes are produced from the codewords by selecting successive bytes of each sub-block cyclically from the r codewords. The A sub-blocks are then written via respective probes to the corresponding storage fields of the storage field array.
US08028217B2

A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding high speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH) data are disclosed. For part 1 data encoding, a mask may be generated using a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) identity (ID) and a generator matrix with a maximum minimum Hamming distance. For part 2 data encoding, cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits are generated based on part 1 data and part 2 data. The number of CRC bits is less than the WTRU ID. The CRC bits and/or the part 2 data are masked with a mask. The mask may be a WTRU ID or a punctured WTRU ID of length equal to the CRC bits. The mask may be generated using the WTRU ID and a generator matrix with a maximum minimum Hamming distance. The masking may be performed after encoding or rate matching.
US08028208B2

Various embodiments are described herein for an apparatus and method for the wireless testing of Integrated Circuits and wafers. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a test unit external from the wafer and at least one test circuit that is fabricated on the wafer that contains the Integrated Circuit. The test unit transmits an RF signal to power the test circuit. The test circuit, comprising configurable circuitry, performs a series of parametric tests at the normal operating frequency of the Integrated Circuit and transmits the test results to the test unit for analysis.
US08028204B2

A method and system for performing one or more preventative maintenance functions for a data-processing apparatus. One or more notifications regarding daily maintenance functions can be generated in the form of a reminder when the data-processing apparatus begins operation. A history of the maintenance functions performed can be stored in a memory through remote data pushes. An email alert can be generated and transmitted to a user regarding incomplete maintenance functions in order to track the maintenance activities. The data-processing apparatus can be monitored in a consolidated manner and the occurrence of fault information stored and then rapidly retrieved to provide notifications indicative of such maintenance data.
US08028199B1

A method, device and computer product suitable for determining the source of failing to achieve a desired level of service quality in communication between at least two components in a distributed system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of developing a model of the distributed system, the model including at least configuration non-specific representations of types of managed components, and representations of relationships among the managed components, determining associated managed components within each route of data communication between the at least two components, augmenting the representation of the associated managed components with information associated with each of the routes of data communication, monitoring at least one performance criterion of the communication between the at least two components and determining a source of degradation when the performance criteria is indicated to be outside acceptable limits. The device discloses a processor which is capable of executing the method steps recited. The computer program product represents instructions, which when loaded into a computer system provide instruction for the computer system to execute the method steps recited.
US08028189B2

A technique for handling hardware errors in a computing system, such as a data storage facility, while avoiding a system crash. An interface is registered with an operating system of the computing system to process hardware errors. When a hardware error is detected, the interface checks an error register to identify the adapter that likely causes the error, and quarantines, e.g., blocks off, the offending adapter from the computing system. The interface then notifies the operating system that the error has been handled, thereby causing the operating system to bypass a system crash that would otherwise occur. The interface can be provided as a kernel extension of a device driver associated with the operating system.
US08028174B2

To control update of content in a programmable read-only memory in a system, the security status associated with the system is determined, where the security status is one of a secure mode and non-secure mode. In response to detecting that the system is in secure mode, a write to the programmable read-only memory is enabled. In response to detecting that the system is in non-secure mode, a write to the programmable read-only memory is disabled.
US08028170B2

A method of using a mobile telephone to authenticate a print medium, the mobile telephone being configured for printing on print media predetermined as authentic. The print media has coded data in the form of a plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion encoding a signature fragment. The mobile telephone has a printhead, a processing means, a print path extending past the printhead and a sensor adjacent the print path. The method comprising steps of using the sensor to sense the coded data provided on a surface of the substrate whilst the print medium is moving along the print path, using the processing means to interpret the plurality of coded data portions and determine the signature fragments from each of the coded data portions, determining a signature from the signature fragments, using the signature to assess the print medium authenticity, and using the printhead to print onto the print medium in the event that it is authentic.
US08028165B2

A trusted platform field upgrade system comprises a trusted platform module (TPM) having a volatile memory, the volatile memory having a flag for verifying physical presence in a non-ownership state of the TPM, the TPM configured to enable a field upgrade to the TPM in an operating system (OS) environment based on assertion of the physical presence flag.
US08028159B2

In a hybrid peer-to-peer file sharing network including a receiver peer and a provider peer, the receiver sends the provider a ticket [710] obtained from a server authorizing the receiver to obtain a data object O. The receiver obtains a root value of a hash tree for the object, verifies its digital signature, and sends the provider peer a request for a block of data object O and a request for a corresponding set of hash values from the hash tree [714]. The receiver receives from the provider peer the block of O and the corresponding set of hash values of the hash tree [716] that do not contain any hash value in the local hash tree. The receiver sends the provider an acknowledgement of receipt [718], obtains a block key from the provider [720], decrypts the block, verifies the integrity of the block using the subset of hash values and the local hash tree for O, and updates the local hash tree by adding the subset of hash values to the local hash tree, as well as any newly calculated hash values [722]. The provider may submit to a server the acknowledgements as proof of its service to the receiver.
US08028151B2

A method, system and processor for improving the performance of an in-order processor. A processor may include an execution unit with an execution pipeline that includes a backup pipeline and a regular pipeline. The backup pipeline may store a copy of the instructions issued to the regular pipeline. The execution pipeline may include logic for allowing instructions to flow from the backup pipeline to the regular pipeline following the flushing of the instructions younger than the exception detected in the regular pipeline. By maintaining a backup copy of the instructions issued to the regular pipeline, instructions may not need to be flushed from separate execution pipelines and re-fetched. As a result, one may complete the results of the execution units to the architected state out of order thereby allowing the completion point to vary among the different execution pipelines.
US08028147B2

A method for storing and retrieving blocks of data having different dimensions is disclosed. The method can include receiving a first data segment to be stored in a block storage device where the first data segment has an address. The method can also include determining if the first data segment conforms to a standard dimension and sorting the first data segment according to the destination address if it does not have a standard dimension. The method can further include placing a non-standard data segment into a unfilled block allocation and placing a second non-standard data segment into the unfilled block allocation when the second data segment has the destination identifier. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08028141B2

A method, computer program product and computer system for assigning logic storage entities of a storage device to multiple partitions of a computer system, which includes associating each logic storage entity to one of the partitions that are allowed to access the logic storage entity; configuring a partition supervisor to control accesses of the partitions to the logic storage entities, so that the partitions can share resources when accessing the logic storage entities; and providing an interceptor in the partition supervisor, so that a request or a response between a select logic storage entity and a select partition is intercepted if the select partition is not allowed to access the select storage entity.
US08028136B2

A program, method and system are disclosed for managing a snapshot backup restore through a hardware snapshot interface, i.e. a hardware-driven snapshot restore, based upon a software-driven snapshot backup, e.g. created with software such as volume shadow copy service (VSS). When conventional hardware-driven snapshot restores are performed using a snapshot backup that was created using the VSS-based software such as copy services, data access issues can arise, due to the operating system assigning of a new disk signature to the disk being restored. This problem can be overcome by temporarily storing the original disk signature and then overwriting the new, incorrect disk signature after initializing the restore. This can ensure that the operating system identifies the source LUNs (and accordingly, the drive letter and mount points of the disk) using the same disk signature as before the restore.
US08028133B2

The present disclosure describes a unique way for each of multiple processes to operate in parallel and use the same shared data without causing corruption to the shared data. For example, during a commit phase, a corresponding transaction can attempt to increment a globally accessible version information variable and store a current value of the globally accessible version information variable for updating version information associated with modified data regardless of whether an associated attempt by the corresponding transaction to modify the globally accessible version information variable was successful. As an alternative mode, a corresponding transaction can merely read and store a current value of the globally accessible version information variable without attempting to update the globally accessible version information variable before such use. In yet another application, a parallel processing environment implements a combination of both aforementioned modes depending on a self-abort rate of the transaction.
US08028131B2

According to one embodiment of the invention, a processor comprises a memory, a plurality of processor cores in communication with the cache memory and a scalability agent unit that operates as an interface between an on-die interconnect and both multiple processor cores and memory.
US08028130B1

A method and apparatus for implementation of a pipeline structure for data transfer. A request is received from a first domain to access a second domain during a first clock cycle. A pipeline structure is used to perform at least a portion of the request during a subsequent clock cycle.
US08028123B2

A method for flash memory management comprises providing a head pointer configured to define a first location in a flash memory, and a tail pointer configured to define a second location in a flash memory. The head pointer and tail pointer define a payload data area. Payload data is received from a host, and written to the flash memory in the order it was received. The head pointer and tail pointer are updated such that the payload data area moves in a circular manner within the flash memory.
US08028121B2

Provided are a method and apparatus for wear-leveling of a nonvolatile data storage device, whereby a wear-leveling effect is maximized by storing an age value indicating a write time in each data unit of the nonvolatile data storage device and detecting a static data area based on age values. The method includes storing an age value indicating a write time in each unit assigned to write data therein, reading an age value stored in a unit, and determining a static data area based on the read age value. Accordingly, a static data area can be correctly detected without additional overhead, and a wear-leveling effect of the entire storage device can be increased by moving data to and from the static data area, thereby extending the lifespan of the storage device.
US08028112B2

An I/O device is provided to accurately synchronize clocks between nodes to have a device driving signal directly made out from the clocks, so that operation timing can be synchronized between the nodes regardless of a processing flicker on a host computer and a delay in a communication channel, and so that sending and receiving of a communication frame between the nodes, updating of contents of the communication frame, etc. can be efficiently performed. The I/O device comprises receiving means for receiving information including at least contents instructing an input and output time to a device, time tag generating means for generating a time tag indicative of the input and output time included in the received signal to output the same to device control means, and clock means for generating a clock signal indicative of the present time, wherein the device control means compares the input and output time indicated by the time tag output from the time tag generating means with the present time indicated by the clock signal output from the clock means to output designated data to a device or input data from the device at the input and output time.
US08028110B1

Transferring I/O from a first storage device coupled to a storage area network to a second storage device coupled to the storage area network includes blocking I/O operations for a first port of the first storage device coupled to the storage area network, where the first port is associated with an identifier, coupling the second storage device to the storage area network via a port associated with the identifier and reestablishing a connection between the host and the first port to cause I/O operations by the host to be routed to the second storage device. Transferring may also include, following blocking I/O operations for the first port of the first storage device, coupling a second port of the first storage device to the storage area network and migrating data from the first storage device to the second storage device through the second port of the first storage device without host/application disruption.
US08028107B2

A serial to parallel I/O circuit apparatus includes M sequential logic circuits and each of them includes a first D-type flip-flop for receiving one bit of input data, and the output of each the first D-type flip-flop connects to the input of a first D-type flip-flop of a next stage. A second D-type flip-flop receives one bit of enable control signal, and the output of each of the second D-type flip-flops connects to the input of a second D-type flip-flop of a next stage. A multiplexer contains two input terminals and an enable control signal receiving terminal, wherein one input terminal is used to receive the input data received by the first D-type flip-flop, and the enable control signal receiving terminal receives the enable control signal received by the second D-type flip-flop. A D-type latch outputs the data, and the output data is fed back to another input terminal of the multiplexer so as to be selected as a data output when a next set of data are input.
US08028100B2

An automated processing system that includes providing an intelligent module with a composite connection for transmitting information and configuring the intelligent module within the automated processing system for automatic recognition.
US08028099B2

An industrial control system provides a programmable logic controller communicating with I/O modules which provide an electrical interface to controlled equipment and which support web servers for communication of I/O data directly with the Internet. The programmable logic controller communicates with the I/O modules over a control-network which may be separate from or shared with the Internet communications. A lock-out system prevents collisions between web clients writing to I/O and allows the programmable logic controller to limit web access to critical I/O points.
US08028088B2

A system and method for providing service assurance in a data network is provided. Resource control points are positioned throughout a data network, such as an IP data network. The resource control points obtain network topology information and correlates that information with information associated with a particular service session. The resource control points utilize the correlated information to generate quality service records and to provide status information regarding the network topology and particular sessions. The information collected by the resource control points may also be utilized to provide reports regarding resource management for services within the data network, the path used by the session across the data network, fault information for the session in the context of the network topology and congestion information as concerns the resources in the data network used by the session.
US08028067B2

Methods of operating a portable communications device so as to provide communications security and user identification and authentication. In one embodiment, the method comprises placing the device in communication with an untrusted network, and using its security apparatus for creating associations with one or more security devices on the network. Traffic between the associated devices may be encrypted and protected for e.g., data confidentiality and integrity protection. In one variant, the security apparatus comprises a software entity disposed at least partly within the software stack of a host, and a removable security card. The portable device may be untrusted (e.g., have an untrusted operating system) and also be physically unsecure.
US08028065B2

A device, system, and method are directed towards managing and tracking of cross-domain user activities through use of a beacon. As a user of a client device requests content from different domain services managed by a common entity, they may receive a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to a beacon in at least one of the different domains. In one embodiment, the beacon is a single pixel image. The client device may also receive a Match-ID. A beacon server in one of the other domains may receive the request for the beacon, and store in a domain log the Match-ID, and other information about the client device, which domain service provided the URL, and/or other related user activities. The different domain logs may then be employed for use in searching for matching Match-IDs, joining common user or client device activities, and for tracking other cross-domain user activities.
US08028054B1

A system and method for coordinated bringup of a storage appliance in a storage appliance cluster. The repaired storage appliance, during its initialization, sets a variety of state values in a predetermined memory location comprising a state data structure, which is detected by a remote direct memory access read operation by the surviving storage appliance. By the use of the RDMA operations, the repaired storage appliance and surviving storage appliance coordinate the bringup and giveback of data servicing functionality.
US08028050B2

Restoration is provided in a communication system having two or more VPN endpoints coupled together through a network comprising a number of nodes interconnected through edges. VPN endpoints coupled through the network are adapted to communicate through a single connection with multiple other VPN endpoints. The single connection may be a VPN hose connection. A restoration topology, comprising backup edges corresponding to primary edges in the network, is determined for the network. A given primary edge is replaced with one or more backup edges if the given primary edge fails. A graph may represent the network and a tree may represent the connections in the network for VPNs connecting the VPN endpoints. The graph can be reduced to a second graph by determining shortest paths between each node in the tree and creating the backup edges from the shortest paths. The second graph can be reduced to a third graph by adding additional backup edges from tree nodes having non-tree edges to least common ancestor nodes. The third graph can be used to create a two-edge connected tree.
US08028048B2

In a distributed computing network having computers interconnected with each other, a method and apparatus of providing policy based provisioning of middleware components to provide a solution for a service. With this invention, the middleware components that are necessary to provide the solution are determined. Then, the configurations of the computers are determined so as to satisfy a selected configuration policy for a selected solution. Finally, the necessary middleware components are installed on the configured computers so that the solution can be provided. Some of the selected configuration policies are: maximization of server utilization policy, provisioning of software components requiring external access based on availability of external resources, and minimization of total time to install said determined components. The progress of installation of the middleware components can also be monitored to make any necessary adjustments in the configuration of the virtual machines so that the selected configuration policy can be satisfied.
US08028045B2

A configuration server provides a gateway for joining and exploring different networks to find and/or configure automation devices. The configuration server can be used for presentation and configuration interactions within a common web browser via, for example, a self-contained software application such as a configuration applet. The gateway can be based on open standards and implemented with small devices and/or with heterogeneous automation networks. The configuration server provides exploration of different network types and a list of attached devices to a configuration applet. The gateway enables links to automation devices to inspect their parameters and/or send configuration commands. In one instance, the configuration applet and the automation network devices are based on Java and IEC 61499, respectively. The configuration server can be utilized to discover both legacy and extended devices to help support manufacturing operators to easily maintain their automation systems.
US08028044B1

Methods, systems, and computer program products implementing a sizing infrastructure module that receives from a calling application program input requirements for a data storage system. A configuration for the data storage system is computed based on the input requirements, and the configuration is returned to the calling application program.
US08028030B2

A method and system for supervising electronic text messages in an enterprise allows for storing organizational information related to the enterprise, identifying a source and a target of the electronic text message, invoking communication screens between the identified source and target, each of the invoked communication screens being determined by the organizational information for the identified source and target, analyzing the electronic text message by a set of rules corresponding to said invoked communication screens to provide a supervisory score, and applying supervisory action to the electronic text message based on the supervisory score, including any of blocking transmission, redirecting the electronic text message to a supervisor or a supervisory file, and copying the electronic text message to the supervisory file.
US08028026B2

Propagating messaging preferences of one or more users from a recipient mailbox to a perimeter network administering e-mail content blocking and routing. A content filtering application located outside a trusted network receives messaging preferences information from within the trusted network regarding the mail recipients. This messaging preferences information may be utilized to allow certain pre-authorized messages from particular senders to bypass content filtering. Moreover, the messaging preferences information may be hashed to further protect the information on the perimeter network and to speed in review and comparison of the messaging preferences information. In addition, other types of user-specific information may be propagated to the perimeter network for use with other applications other than messaging.
US08028020B2

In a real-time collaboration server, a control unit manages a collaboration mode. The control unit operates a virtual client that maintains a virtual screen reflecting the status of the collaboration (e.g., the contents of a shared desktop or whiteboard). The virtual client renders collaboration data within the virtual screen. New clients are synchronized with an ongoing collaboration by packing and sending them a copy of the virtual screen. The control unit maintains a queue of collaboration data to be sent to participating clients. Each client may have a pointer identifying the queued data it is processing. The queue may be collapsed (e.g., when it reaches a maximum size) by sending a copy of the virtual screen to one or more clients that have not yet consumed old data in the queue; those clients are then updated to skip the queue entries embodied in the virtual screen.
US08028017B2

Disclosed are a method, a system and a computer program product for dynamically allocating and/or de-allocating resources and/or partitions that provide I/O and/or active storage access services in a supercomputing system. The supercomputing system can include multiple compute nodes, high performance computing (HPC) switches coupled to the compute nodes, and active non-volatile storage devices coupled to the compute nodes. Each of the compute nodes can be configured to communicate with another compute node through at least one of the HPC switches. In one or more embodiments, each of at least two compute nodes includes a storage controller and is configured to dynamically allocate and de-allocate a storage controller partition to provide storage services to the supercomputing system, and each of at least two compute nodes includes an I/O controller and is configured to dynamically allocate and de-allocate an I/O controller partition to provide I/O services to the supercomputing system.
US08028009B1

A method and apparatus for different embodiments of incremental garbage collection of data in a secondary storage. In one embodiment, a method comprises locating blocks of data in a log that are referenced and within a range at a tail of the log. The method also includes copying the blocks of data that are referenced and within the range to an unallocated segment of the log.
US08028007B2

Large messages in the form of hierarchically structured documents are processed in a streaming fashion using the ultimate consumer read requests as the driving force for the processing. The messages are partitioned into fixed length segments. The segments are processed in pipeline fashion. This processing chain includes simulating random access of hierarchical documents using stream transformations, mapping streams to a transport's native capabilities, composing streams into chains and using pipeline processing on the chains, staging fragments into a database and routing messages when complete messages have been formed, and providing tools to allow the end user to inspect partial messages.
US08028001B2

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate access to documents via a set of content selection tags. According to one embodiment, information is received from a content reader. For example, a content controller may receive information from a content reader via a Web site. A set of content selection tags are then established based on the received information, each content selection tag being associated with a hierarchical tag domain. It is then arranged for the content reader to receive an indication of a document tag in accordance with the set of content selection tags. For example, a content controller may retrieve one or more documents based on a set of content selection tags and document tags and transmit indications of the retrieved documents to a content reader via a Web site.
US08027997B2

Disclosed is a technique for processing a base model. The base model is received. Then, the base model is used to create a ViewType comprising a ViewType object, one or more ViewList objects corresponding to classes in the base model, and one or more ViewElem objects corresponding to attributes in the base model.
US08027996B2

In a networked computer system that includes multiple interconnected nodes, a commitment control mechanism allows designating certain portions of a record in an in-memory database as mandatory and other portions of the record as secondary, and performs mandatory commitment control once all the mandatory portions are available even if one or more secondary portions are not yet available. The secondary portions may be under separate commitment control that is asynchronous to the commitment control for the mandatory portions, or may be under no commitment control at all. The result is a commitment control mechanism that performs commitment control for portions of a record that are marked mandatory even when one or more of the portions marked secondary are not available.
US08027995B2

A method for communication is disclosed and may include storing media and meta-data associated with the stored media. The storing may occur at a first location associated with a first communication device. A channel guide including representations of the stored media may be presented, based on the meta-data associated with the stored media, on a television in a second location. The presenting may occur when the first communication device is communicatively coupled to a second communication device at the second location. In response to receiving a selection via the presented channel guide, at least one media file corresponding to the received selection may be displayed based on the meta-data associated with stored media, on the television and/or a media player in the second location. The first communication device may be a media processing unit.
US08027990B1

A query prefix is received from a user device. A user identifier is determined based on the user device. A user category is determined based on the user identifier. A node representing the query prefix is located in a query graph. Descendent nodes of the located node that represent queries are located. Each node has one or more user category specific frequency measures and each user category specific frequency measure is associated with a user category. The queries represented by the located nodes are ranked based on the associated user category specific frequency measure associated with the identified user category. The ranked queries are sent to the user device.
US08027981B2

A method, system and program product for classifying data elements into different levels of a business hierarchy. The method includes identifying data elements to be classified into one or more levels of a business hierarchy, selecting a first logic decision tree for evaluating the data elements identified for classification into the hierarchy and executing the first tree for recursively evaluating each data element identified until the first tree has been traversed. Further, the method includes dynamically creating configurable anchor point classifications for the data elements evaluated through the first tree and assigning a respective anchor point classification to each data element evaluated, such that, a respective anchor point classification assigned to a data element evaluated links the data element to a lowest level of the hierarchy, and where the anchor point classification conveys classification information as to each higher level of the hierarchy that the data element belongs to.
US08027977B2

A generalized discriminative training framework for reconciling the training and evaluation objectives for document similarity is provided. Prior information about document relations and non-relations, are used to discriminatively train an ensemble of document similarity classification models. This result is a model set that can be used to compute similarity between seen documents in the training sets and new documents. The measure of similarity forms the basis of recommending documents to a user as well as being able to obtain metadata information such as keywords and tags for new documents not having such information.
US08027976B1

A solution is provided that allows end users to search documents in multiple remote content repositories in an enterprise environment, while maintaining security of those documents. Additionally, end users are able to search for a document without knowing which server or directory it is stored under. This is accomplished by installing a search agent on the end user's machine. The search engine collects the metadata of authorized documents located in different repositories via a web protocol (such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP) and stores them in the user's local memory as “searchable links”. This solves the enterprise content search problem through the creation of searchable links of remote content objects in an end user's local machine while allowing emerging desktop-search technology to index them.
US08027975B2

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for analyzing information about a user are presented which include obtaining at least one search result based on at least one search terms describing the user; presenting the at least one search result to the user; receiving an indication from the user of the desirability of a search result; and performing an action based on the desirability of the search result. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are also presented for determining a reputation score representing the reputation of a user which include collecting search results from data source, determining an effect on the reputation of the user of the search results from the data source, and calculating a reputation score for the user based on the determined effect on the reputation of the user from the search results from the data source.
US08027966B2

A system and method of searching a database in which documents of different languages are included. The system includes a synonym or keyword dictionary which is bi-directional and allows for translation of keywords between a first language and other languages. The translated words keywords for the document are stored in an inverted index which is then used for searching, either in a selected language, a second language or in all languages, as determined by the user. This use of multiple searching and a translated synonym dictionary avoids the need for translation of the entire document and avoids inaccuracies which may result from translations.
US08027960B2

A content management system (CMS) uses an element deletion mechanism to maintain referential integrity of dynamically assembled elements in a repository. Element properties such as probability, popularity and recent usage that are not explicit relationships between parent documents and child elements are logged. A deletion policy is then defined in terms of the logged element properties. When a request to delete an element is received, the deletion mechanism checks the logged properties against the deletion policy. If the element's logged properties satisfy the deletion policy, the element is deleted from the repository. If the element's logged properties do not satisfy the deletion policy, the element is not deleted. In this manner referential integrity may be enforced for elements that are dynamically assembled.
US08027959B2

Irregular links and relationships in a data set may relate to fraudulent actions or identify deception or risk assessment or knowledge generation but may be identified by simple superficially unlinked actions. Thus, for example a claimant may claim through an address using one telephone number but contact the insurer for that claim using a different telephone number. By pooling all the information received, including all telephone numbers, unusual or irregular or fraudulent leads can be identified by establishing telephone numbers or other gateway cluster nodes for each dataset such that supposedly unrelated claims can be matched and therefore be more closely scrutinized. The information processor arrangement may create a cascade of clusters for an as presented data set which can be configured through cluster nodes to allow better identification of suspect activity or for better analysis profiling.
US08027955B2

Database management is described. A source data structure is copied to create a new data structure. Changes to the source data structure that occur during and after creation of the new data structure are accumulated in a file before they are added to the new data structure. Changes included in the file are subsequently applied to the second data structure.
US08027949B2

The present invention provides a method and system for constructing one or more a comprehensive summaries of event sequence(s). The present invention approaches the problem of finding the shortest yet most comprehensive summary of an event sequence by transforming this summarization problem into a concrete optimization problem and provides a computer-implementing technique for solving this optimization problem to construct and/or form the basis for constructing the summaries. The summaries describe an entire event sequence while at the same time reveal local associations between events of that sequence. In certain embodiments, the segmentation of the event sequence produced in accordance with the present invention is itself a summary of the event sequence. In other embodiments, the segmentation produced forms a basis for one or more summaries.
US08027944B1

The invention includes systems and methods for facilitating collaborative or cooperative problem solving and inquiry based projects.
US08027935B1

Systems and methods which operate to reserve an amount of value associated with a value bearing indicia (VBI) request or requests are shown. Embodiments facilitate completion of a multiple VBI session without failing due to insufficient value balance once the session has begun. Additionally or alternatively, embodiments facilitate later or subsequent (e.g., scheduled) completion of a VBI session, whether a session for a single VBI or multiple VBI, without failing due to insufficient value balance. Value reservations may be made automatically and/or manually. Embodiments provide various reservation priority levels, such as to individual users, user groups, user systems, sessions, types of sessions, jobs, etc., in order to facilitate completion of various desired operations without failure due to insufficient value. Value reservation techniques according to embodiments do not introduce additional transactions into a normal VBI session flow.
US08027915B2

A computer-implemented method of providing advertising to a client includes establishing a billing experience between a client and a provider, providing advertising opportunities to the client on at least one of a continual basis and a periodic basis, evaluating a credit risk associated with the client at least one of periodically and upon occurrence of an event, and modifying the billing experience automatically based on the credit risk associated with the client.
US08027909B2

A data processing system is disclosed that provides an efficient market for: (1) the provision of loans and lines of credit between lenders and those seeking loans and lines of credit, and (2) the sale of loans between loan pool traders. One embodiment of the present invention comprises: receiving at a data processing system a lending criteria from each of a plurality of lenders; compiling a first set of statistics in the data processing system based on the lending criteria from each of the plurality of lenders; and outputting from the data processing system the first set of statistics to a first lender at a price that is based on a measure of fees incurred with respect to the first lender.
US08027902B2

According to one embodiment, a method of managing messages in a trading network is provided. A set of user relationships between a first user and one or more second users authorized to act on behalf of the first user is stored. A trading message regarding a trading order submitted on behalf of the first user is received from a trading system. The trading message is communicated to the first user. Each of the second users is identifying from the set of user relationships. For each of the identified second users, a carrier message is generated that includes the trading message and routing information associated with that second user. For each of the identified second users, the respective carrier message is communicated toward a user application associated with that second user based at least on the routing information included in the respective carrier message.
US08027900B1

A financial instruments trading system provides a front end user interface comprising dynamically generated tradescreens that enable the trader to calculate the effects of a hypothetical trade or transfer of a financial instrument on the corresponding portfolio and on aggregate holdings of the financial instrument in that portfolio before the trade or transaction is actually executed. The tradescreens display financial information characterizing the current status of the portfolio and the current status of all holdings of the financial instrument in the portfolio. The tradescreens further include fields for entry of information characterizing the hypothetical trade or transfer, and routines for calculating the revised values of the displayed financial information for the portfolio and the holdings of the financial instrument that reflect changes that will occur in the event that the hypothetical trade or transfer is executed. Each tradescreen further enables the trader to submit the trade or transfer for execution from the tradescreen. The tradescreens are dynamically generated by a server based on portfolio data maintained in a portfolio database, and are customized to the selected financial instrument and the type of action to be taken. The submission of a trade or transfer causes data entered into the tradescreen to be communicated to the server, where the tradescreen calculations are replicated and the portfolio database and a general ledger are updated to reflect the trade or transfer. The server also dynamically generates reports describing various aspects of the portfolio's holdings based on the data stored in the portfolio database.
US08027893B1

News information is received. It is determined if the news information contains a reference to a company. It is further determined if the news information matches criteria associated with the company. Securities are automatically trade upon determining that said news information contains a reference to the company and determining that said news information matches criteria associated with the company.
US08027891B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to interactively displaying account activity. An analysis of financial transactions associated with a financial unit can be performed by a spending analysis tool, which can display the analysis via a website. The analysis can include, for example, a spending analysis and a budget analysis. The financial transactions are associated with merchants. At least one of the financial transactions is associated with first merchant, a first merchant category, and a member of the financial unit. The spending analysis tool changes the merchant category associated with the at least one of the financial transactions to another merchant category based on a selection of a user.
US08027889B1

Price searching via a mobile device reading display screen graphics is provided. A system for obtaining pricing information comprises at least one subsystem that electronically reads a price of a product using a mobile device scanning a display screen, at least one subsystem that searches for other available products and price data to compare to the electronically read price and product data, at least one subsystem that compares the price data of the other products to the electronically read price data, and at least one subsystem that presents purchase options based upon results of the comparison of the price and product data.
US08027885B2

Managing bid pricing information comprises receiving transaction information and item data from a buyer, generating a bid invitation containing entries relating to the transaction information and item data, and making the bid invitation available to a plurality of potential bidders, receiving from one or more of the potential bidders bid invitations containing a complex pricing structure and corresponding complex pricing amounts, and selecting a winning bidder based on the complex pricing amounts.
US08027877B2

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing advertisements to mobile devices. In an embodiment, an approximate position of a mobile device along a path can be determined based at least partially on data identifying the mobile device within a cellular coverage region. A service can be selected at least partially based on the approximate position, and an advertisement relating to the selected service can be sent to the mobile device.
US08027875B2

This invention generally relates to a method for measuring the effectiveness of an advertising method that facilitates purchases involving or assisted by a website. More particularly the method discloses how to measure the advertising effectiveness of widely distributed resealable packets of liquid that bear website addresses to prompt or facilitate direct access to websites. Data derived from the packet's manufacturing, distribution and website access is used in measuring the advertising effectiveness disclosed in this method.
US08027873B2

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving an indication that a passenger is boarding a carrier for a first segment of a travel itinerary, determining an amount of travel reward points to associate with the first segment, and outputting, at a time substantially concurrent with the boarding of the carrier for the first segment, the amount of the travel reward points to a travel reward system so that the travel reward points are available for redemption by the passenger on a second segment of the travel itinerary.
US08027866B2

Purchases made by customers of a supplier of interest from other suppliers are estimated based upon panelist data regarding purchases made by panelists from the supplier of interest and from the other suppliers, and based upon customer data regarding purchases made by the customers from the supplier of interest. The panelists are a subset of the customers. A linear relationship between the purchases made by the panelists from the supplier of interest and the purchases made by the panelists from the other suppliers is determined. Based upon the customer data and the linear relationship, the purchases made by the customers from the other suppliers are estimated.
US08027861B2

A task management system is disclosed for providing shared task management among a variety of users and allows users to create and share task-lists and tasks. Users can invite others to join task-lists and can assign responsibility for tasks to other users. In various embodiments, the system implicitly sets permissions for every task-list and task, and these permissions are automatically changed or updated by the system in response to users interacting with the system. In another embodiment, users can explicitly set these permissions. Thus, the task management system is configured so that there is no single administrator of the system; rather each user may be an administrator of certain tasks and task-lists and thus set the related task and task-list permissions. Thus, the system is configured to operate in the absence of explicitly set permissions, but is also flexible to allow for users to change and modify permissions explicitly.
US08027860B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for planning demand of a product, such as a configurable product. In one embodiment, a method is provided for planning demand for a configurable product in a managed supply chain. The method may comprise the steps of storing data relating to the possible combinations of characteristics defining configurable products, wherein product dependent characteristic data and product independent characteristic data are stored dependently with respect to one another, and converting a planning demand for a configurable product into a planning demand for an actual combination of characteristics defining a configured product.
US08027853B1

A user may be identified and authenticated to an institution system and may adjust the annual miles driven estimate for their vehicle. The annual miles driven estimate is used in the determination of the premium for the vehicle insurance for the vehicle. The premium for the vehicle insurance may be revised based on the adjustment by the user to the annual miles driven estimate. In an implementation, the user may reduce the annual miles driven estimate to zero to indicate that they are not driving the vehicle. The user may keep some elements of the vehicle insurance coverage and the vehicle insurance policy may remain active although the annual miles driven estimate is zero.
US08027849B2

A method to schedule resources in delivery of healthcare to a series of patients is provided. The method comprises the steps of identifying an availability of the series of resources to deliver the healthcare to each patient; calculating a predicted duration to deliver the healthcare to each patient; calculating a schedule including a block of time dependent on the predicted duration for each resource to deliver healthcare to the patient, the block of time including a start time and an end time; calculating a confidence level in the schedule, the confidence level including a probability that one or more of the resources will not be available for the block of time of the schedule or calculating a likelihood that one or more resources will be available for the block of time in the schedule; and outputting the schedule and the confidence level in the schedule for display.
US08027841B2

Systems and methods provide security intelligence knowledge of network communications. Particularly, VoIP packetized data being communicated over the network, together with other types of data communications over the network, is monitored and detected. From the VoIP packetized data, select portions or streams of the VoIP packetized data are identified. The select packetized data is then matched to a fingerprint or other indicia that indicates that the data is suspect for security intelligence knowledge purposes. The matched data is translated for purposes of taking security precautions based on the content of the security intelligence knowledge so gleaned.
US08027836B2

A speech processing system includes a multiplexer that receives speech data input as part of a conversation turn in a conversation session between two or more users where one user is a speaker and each of the other users is a listener in each conversation turn. A speech recognizing engine converts the speech data to an input string of acoustic data while a speech modifier forms an output string based on the input string by changing an item of acoustic data according to a rule. The system also includes a phoneme speech engine for converting the first output string of acoustic data including modified and unmodified data to speech data for output via the multiplexer to listeners during the conversation turn.
US08027835B2

A speech processing apparatus which can playback a sentence using recorded-speech-playback or text-to-speech is provided. It is determined whether each of a plurality of words or phrases constituting a sentence is a word or phrase to be played back by recorded-speech-playback or a word or phrase to be played back by text-to-speech. When each of the plurality of words or phrases is to be played back in a first sequence using the determined synthesis method, it is selected whether to playback each of the plurality of words or phrases in the first sequence or a sequence different from the first sequence, based on the number of times of reversing playback using recorded-speech-playback and playback using text-to-speech. Each of the plurality of words or phrases is played back in the selected sequence using the selected synthesis method.
US08027834B2

The present invention discloses a method for training an exception-limited phonetic decision tree. An initial subset of data can be selected and used for creating an initial phonetic decision tree. Additional terms can then be incorporated into the subset. The enlarged subset can be used to evaluate the phonetic decision tree with the results being categorized as either correctly or incorrectly phonetized. An exception-limited phonetic tree can be generated from the set of correctly phonetized terms. If the termination conditions for the method have been determined to be unsatisfactorily met, then steps of the method can be repeated.
US08027830B2

The invention concerns a method for source language comprehension designed for a listener mastering a target language, which consists in causing the listener to listen to a statement, consisting of a series of several contents, in the source language and in displaying simultaneously with the listening of the statement a succession of notations marking the succession of contents in the source language, showing a notation marking a content only as from the time when it is being heard and showing, a series of inscriptions in the target language which corresponds to the full statement. The method is characterized in that it consists in showing the whole series of inscriptions before the beginning of the statement.
US08027828B2

A method, apparatus and method for compiling a hardware design for performing hardware emulation using synchronized processors is described. The apparatus comprises a plurality of processors defining a processor group for evaluating data regarding a hardware design and a synchronizer for synchronizing the operation of the processor group while emulating at least a portion of the hardware design. The method comprises providing a synchronization signal to a plurality of processors defining a processor group for evaluating data regarding a hardware design, receiving a ready signal from the processor group, and providing an execution signal to the processor group, where the execution signal causes the processor group to evaluate a submodel. The method for compiling the hardware design comprises converting at least one high-level construct into a sequence of operations and identifying a sequence of operations that comprise at least one conditional submodel.
US08027827B2

Device, system, and method of storage controller having simulated volumes. For example, an apparatus for data storage management includes: a storage controller to manage access to one or more physical volumes, the storage controller including a simulation module to simulate access to one or more simulated volumes.
US08027822B2

A wellness system monitors the controlled progress of patients under surveillance and includes a server base station which is generally off-site, a web-site interface and a local station at the point-of-use, which is generally a health or fitness center. A unique data base is created for each user and goals and objectives may be set with progress monitored. Typically, the user will respond to a survey or questionnaire to populate his specific database. This is combined with a professional assessment and an automated measurement of vital statistics such as weight, blood pressure and body composition as measured at the local station. Other data may be entered manually such as height, age and the like. In a more comprehensive system the invention is designed to monitor other data such as cholesterol and blood glucose, as well. The locally input data may be updated at will by the user or on behalf of the user by professional personnel.
US08027819B2

According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a fracture prediction device for a spot welded portion can be provided. For example, the device may include an input arrangement configured to input all or some of a material strength, a plate thickness, a nugget diameter of a spot welding, a plate width of a joint, and a rotation angle of the joint in a tension test, based on a cross tension test and/or a shear tension test at a spot welded joint. The device can also include a first calculation arrangement configured to calculate a fracture strength parameter of the spot welded portion. A parameter storage arrangement may also be provided which can be configured to store the fracture strength parameter by each steel type. Further, the device may further have a second calculation arrangement configured to determine a fracture of the spot welded portion.
US08027813B2

A system and method of calculating estimated image profiles. The system and method includes providing lens characteristic data and performing simulation calculations for various levels of aberration components using the lens characteristic data. A response surface functional relation is built between selected variables of the lens characteristics, in particular the lens aberration components, and the Image Profile using the simulation calculations. Evaluation is then performed on the arbitrary specified aberration values of a lens in relation to the response surface functional relations to provide a calculated estimate of the Image Profile for the specified aberration values. A machine readable medium and exposure apparatus are also provided.
US08027805B2

Exemplary methods, systems, and products are described for executing an overall quantity of data processing within an overall processing period that include executing repeatedly through a series of iterations a portion of the overall quantity of data processing that can be completed in a set processing period, wherein each iteration includes the set processing period and a variable delay period and calculating the variable delay period for an iteration in dependence upon the set processing period, a portion of the overall quantity of data processing performed during the set processing period of the iteration, the overall quantity of data processing, and the overall processing period.
US08027803B2

The present invention relates to a traveling direction measuring apparatus usable as a pedestrian navigation system in locations where it is difficult to obtain high positioning accuracy such as inside buildings or around multistory buildings where a GPS cannot be used. An acceleration detecting section (1) detects 3-axes acceleration of the traveling direction measuring apparatus, which varies with the walking of the pedestrian. An acceleration data acquiring section (2) obtains 3-axes acceleration data repeatedly by the number of prescribed times or more, said 3-axes acceleration data varies with the walking of the pedestrian. A first gravity acceleration calculating section (3) calculates, when the pedestrian is walking with holding the traveling direction measuring apparatus in a generally fixed attitude, gravity acceleration by averaging acceleration data sets during several steps obtained by the acceleration data acquiring section (2). A first moving direction estimating section (4) estimates the moving direction of the pedestrian from frequency components corresponding to the duration of one step of the acceleration data sets projected on a plane perpendicular to the gravity acceleration calculated by the first gravity acceleration calculating section (3).
US08027798B2

A method and apparatus are provided for calibrating digital thermal sensors. A processor chip with a plurality of digital thermal sensors receives an analog voltage. A test circuit coupled to the processor chip receives a clock signal and a register coupled to the test circuit outputs a value on each clock cycle to a digital thermal sensor in the plurality of digital thermal sensors. The digital thermal sensor transitions an output state in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor equaling a temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor. The value of the register at the point of transition is used to calibrate the digital thermal sensor. An incrementer increments the value of the register on each clock cycle in response to the value of the register received in the digital thermal sensor failing to equal the temperature threshold of the digital thermal sensor.
US08027796B2

A method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of: separating an eddy current signal into an X-axis component and a Y-axis component to obtain signal waveform data of the respective components; excluding predetermined low-frequency components respectively from the respective signal waveform data thus obtained; calculating a noise voltage value V1 defined by the following Equation (1) based upon voltage values X(i) and Y(i) of the signal waveform data of the X-axis component and the Y-axis component from which the low-frequency components have been excluded; and calculating an S/N ratio by dividing a voltage value D of an eddy current signal corresponding to a predetermined artificial flaw by the noise voltage value V1: V ⁢ ⁢ 1 = π / n · ∑ i = 1 n ⁢ ( X ⁡ ( i ) 2 + Y ⁡ ( i ) 2 ) 1 / 2 ( 1 ) where n represents the number of samplings of the signal waveform data.
US08027793B2

A method and system of validating data regarding measured hydrocarbon flow. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems including a flow computer coupled to a metering tube and configured to measure fluid flow through the metering tube, and a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system coupled to the flow computer. The SCADA system is configured to perform a validation on data provided by the flow computer regarding fluid flow. The flow computer is configured to perform the validation on the data regarding fluid flow, and the if the validation is successfully completed by the flow computer, the SCADA system refrains from performing the validation.
US08027790B2

A structured computer-implemented method (1000) based on graphical user interfaces for interpretation and mapping of data from a controlled-source electromagnetic survey, featuring capability to store electromagnetic data in layers (1004), each layer having the same internal structure for ease of comparison, editing, display and other manipulation by an assortment of software tools (1005) useful to an interpreter. Thus, different layers might contain actual data (1001) from different surveys and simulated results (1002) based on different resistivity models or inversion results (1003), all pertaining to the same subterranean survey region.
US08027789B2

A wireless tracking device located in a vehicle, the device including a positioning system to periodically determine a location of the device, a processor connected to the positioning system to receive a vehicle sensor input indicating the vehicle status, a scanner to scan for an available wireless area network access point, and a wireless radio connected to the processor to transmit data to the available wireless area network access point.
US08027785B2

A relative positioning system enabling a user to return to a starting position or some other point on the user's path. The system may include an array of accelerometers. The output from the accelerometers may be integrated to quantify movement of the array. The various movements of the array may be reconstructed to determine a net two or three dimensional translation. The current location of the array may be compared to a reference point to derive at trajectory directing the user to the reference point, such as an originating point. The trajectory may be continuously or periodically updated. Applications may include various displays presenting images, numbers, pointers, paths, vectors, or data by digital screens, watch faces, or other devices integrated with or remote from the processor calculating the vector back to the point of origin.
US08027761B1

An improved local positioning system (10) utilizing two fixed sonic transmitters (16A,16B) and an omni directional audio receptor (20) mounted on an automated lawn mower (12). Distance between each audio transmitter and the mower is measured by transmitting an RF trigger pulse (88) from the mower to each of the sonic transmitters. Upon being triggered, the first transmitter (16A) sends out an audio pulse which is received by an audio sensor, condenser microphone (22) and the time it takes is measured by a counter (62). Likewise the second transmitter (16B) is later triggered and the time it takes that pulse to be received is measured by the counter (62). The counts are converted to distances and the x-y coordinate which is the location of the mower is calculated by simple trigonometry. The location data which is relative to the sonic transmitters (16A,16B) is available to the microprocessor computer board (72) which utilizes the information to output control signals to a steering and control interface (74). A temperature sensor (76) is also read by the computer to adjust the distance calculation according to those conditions. With the location information, the computer (72) can be programmed to record a path as the mower (12) moves by manual remote control or operate in automatic mode to follow a previously recorded path.
US08027754B2

An on-vehicle device with a storage unit that includes a transfer unit that transfers data stored in the storage unit to another on-vehicle device of equal capability that is also equipped with a storage unit. In the on-vehicle device, the transfer unit is configured by a data transfer jack provided to each of the on-vehicle device and the another on-vehicle device, and a data transfer cable for connecting the transfer jacks.
US08027753B2

A microscope control unit which is composed of a bracket-shaped support frame having a support area, a pillar standing vertically erect on the support area, and a support arm, which emanates from the upper end of the pillar and is aligned parallel to the support area.
US08027739B2

A medical device having at least one glass coating between a first and second component. The glass coating forms a portion of a strong, hydrothermally stable joint between components or provides insulation, or tailors an impedance and/or capacitance of an electrode.
US08027730B2

The present invention involves methods and systems for treatment of brain disorders using neuromodulation of brain networks. Treatment of one or more brain networks associated with a brain disorder is realized with a consideration of network dynamics and coupling effects such as indirect stimulation of non-target regions. A brain modulation system (BMS) increases, decreases, or otherwise modulates network regional activity in a differential manner. Therapy may aim to maintain electrical or chemical (relative) characteristics within a specified range. Therapy is initiated/adjusted using network functional imaging data including the use of brain network modeling. Linking rules may guide in the setting and subsequent adjusting of the therapy related to regions of brain network. Novel techniques are described for deterring the emergence of neural adaptation and of unintentional/indirect modulation arising from connectivity between network structures.
US08027726B2

This document discusses, among other things, cardiac rhythm management systems, devices, and methods providing an exercise test interface. A patient exercise episode is identified using at least one predetermined criteria. Data associated with the episode is obtained. A summary of the episode is displayed for a user. The displayed summary includes at least one prognostic indicator obtained from the data associated with the episode. Examples of prognostic indicators include, among other things, ectopic beats, runs of ectopic beats, rate of decrease of heart rate during a post-exercise recovery portion of the episode, a maximum attained heart rate for comparison to a maximum age-predicted heart rate, as well as other prognostic indicators.
US08027725B2

A method and system for verifying capture in the heart involves the use of pacing artifact templates. One or more pacing artifact templates characterizing a post pace artifact signal associated with a particular pace voltage or range of voltages are provided. A pacing artifact template is canceled from a cardiac signal sensed following a pacing pulse. Capture is detected by comparing the pacing artifact canceled cardiac signal to an evoked response reference. Fusion/pseudofusion detection involves determining a correlation between a captured response template and a sensed cardiac signal.
US08027723B2

A device and method for delivering electrical stimulation to the heart in a manner which provides a protective effect against subsequent ischemia is disclosed. The protective effect is produced by configuring a cardiac pacing device to intermittently switch from a normal operating mode to a stress augmentation mode in which the spatial pattern of depolarization is varied to thereby subject a particular region or regions of the ventricular myocardium to increased mechanical stress.
US08027716B2

The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments, including the use of neurophysiology-based monitoring to: (a) determine nerve proximity and nerve direction to surgical instruments employed in accessing a surgical target site; (b) assess the pathology (health or status) of a nerve or nerve root before, during, or after a surgical procedure; and/or (c) assess pedicle integrity before, during or after pedicle screw placement, all in an automated, easy to use, and easy to interpret fashion so as to provide a surgeon-driven system.
US08027715B2

A method and apparatus to track non-linear internal target movement based on movement of an external marker.
US08027714B2

A variable magnet system for manipulating a magnetic catheter is described. In one embodiment, a cluster of electromagnets is configured to generate a desired magnetic field. In one embodiment, one or more poles of the cluster are moveable with respect to other poles in the cluster to allow shaping of the magnetic field. In one embodiment, one or more magnetic poles can be extended or retracted to shape the magnetic field. In one embodiment, the electromagnets can be positioned to generate magnetic fields that exert a desired torque and/or movement force on the catheter. In one embodiment, the catheter guidance system includes a closed-loop servo feedback system. In one embodiment, a radar system is used to determine the location of the distal end of the catheter inside the body, thus, minimizing or eliminating the use of ionizing radiation such as X-rays. The catheter guidance system can also be used in combination with an X-ray system (or other imaging systems) to provide additional imagery to the operator. The magnetic system used in the magnetic catheter guidance system can also be used to locate the catheter tip to provide location feedback to the operator and the control system. In one embodiment, a magnetic field source is used to create a magnetic field of sufficient strength and orientation to move a magnetically-responsive catheter tip in a desired direction by a desired amount.
US08027710B1

An imaging system is provided for use with minimally invasive surgery. The imaging system comprises a platform which is anchored to a wall of a patient cavity. The platform comprises a plurality of transceivers which transmit energy toward the surgical site and receive reflected energy. The transceivers transmit rasterized image information to a computer which then displays the image information in real time, enabling a surgeon to view the surgical site on a display device. The transceivers can transmit and receive different types of energy, and the computer can then combine image information from the various different energy types to provide overlaid images of the surgical site. In addition, the computer controls the relative positions of the transceivers so that the images provided to the surgeon will not be affected by movement of the platform or by movement of structures (i.e., organs) at the surgical site.
US08027709B2

A probe assembly for examining a sample, the assembly including a probe, a fiber optic cable for communicating signals to and/or from the probe, an emitter for emitting radiation to irradiate the sample and an electro-magnetic radiation detector for detecting radiation which is transmitted or reflected from the sample. The emitter includes a frequency conversion member which emits radiation in response to being irradiated with input radiation which has a different frequency to that of the emitted radiation. At least one of the emitter or detector is located in the probe. The probe is particularly for use as an endoscope or for imaging teeth. The invention also extends to a method of imaging teeth, and apparatus for imaging diseased teeth, for example, teeth with caries or suffering from periodontal disease.
US08027705B2

An apparatus and a method for providing information during a call by delivering the current state and changes of state of a mobile device by tactile information, and which does not interfere with the phone conversation. The apparatus for providing information during a call comprises an information-sensing unit sensing at least one among information about the state of a mobile device and the state of a phone conversation, an information-analysis unit analyzing the sensed state information, a tactile information-generating unit generating tactile information corresponding to the sensed information, which was analyzed by the information-analysis unit, a tactile information-outputting unit delivering the tactile information to a user, and a driving unit generating a driving signal which drives the tactile information-outputting unit by converting the tactile information.
US08027699B2

The present invention provides systems and methods for band amplification with a shared amplifier. In an exemplary embodiment, the wireless band amplification device has with an amplifier with an input port and an output port. The wireless band amplification device also provides two circulators, the first circulator in communication with the input port of the amplifier and the second circulator in communication with the output port of the amplifier. Additionally, two duplexer devices are provided in communication with both circulators. The input port of the amplifier is enabled to receive at least a first frequency band downlink signal and a first frequency band uplink signal. In an alternate embodiment, the input port of the amplifier can be further adapted to receive a second frequency band downlink signal and a second frequency band uplink signal. Additionally, the input port of the amplifier can be further adapted to receive a third frequency band downlink signal and a third frequency band uplink signal.
US08027691B2

A method and apparatus for providing position profiles in mobile value added services is disclosed. Users define, manage and use position profiles with mobile value-added services and utilize the personal position profile in context sensitive value-added services. The method includes defining at least one location profile associated with a user of a mobile terminal and storing the at least one location profile remote from the mobile terminal. A system for providing location profiles includes a mapping service provider, a node in a wireless network for providing location services to a user of a mobile terminal and an interface between the server and the mapping service provider, where the user defines at least one location profile and causes the at least one location profile to be stored at the node.
US08027687B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and UE providing wireless communication services, and a method of determining the operation mode of a base station, that is, the connection mode (access mode) of a cell, based on which UE's connection is allowed by a base station in an evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) that has evolved from a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, and it may be an object of the present invention to provide a process of determining the connection mode of a cell by checking the existence of a subscriber group identity if it is determined that the connection mode of a cell is not allowed for one or more UEs belonging to a particular subscriber group.
US08027685B2

A terminal device including a radio unit that adopts code division multiple access (cdma), which device omits unnecessary cell search by extending an in-zone cell monitoring cycle and a re-selection cycle in a case where under fixed conditions during cell search, when a physical layer and an RRC of the radio unit determine that a mobile phone remains still.
US08027678B2

A method for selecting a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) for a wireless device, comprising: generating a first list of WLAN identifiers for a first group of one or more wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) accessible at a first geographic location and storing the first list in the wireless device; generating a second list of WLAN identifiers for a second group of one or more WLANs accessible at a second geographic location and storing the second list in the wireless device; selecting one of the first and second lists as an active list; and, scanning for WLANs identified by the active list to identify an available WLAN for the wireless device.
US08027666B2

A method for authenticating a terminal subscriber identity module in an IM domain includes: sending an AV request to an HSS by the S-CSCF; sending a request message for acquiring the AV to a home device of the UE upon receiving the AV request by the HSS; allocating an SQN for the UE upon receiving the request message, generating an AV based on the SQN, and sending the AV to the HSS by the HLR; sending the AV to the S-CSCF by the HSS; and authenticating the terminal subscriber identity module of the UE according to the AV by the S-CSCF. A system for authenticating a terminal subscriber identity module in an IM domain includes: UE, an S-CSCF, a home device of the UE and an HSS. The invention enables a USIM subscriber to use IM services without changing the USIM card.
US08027665B2

A system includes a mobile device providing a plurality of applications and an agent providing first and second authentication procedures for authenticating a user of the mobile device to first and second applications running on the mobile device. A first application is enabled by authenticating a user through a first authentication procedure, and a second application is enabled by authenticating a user through a second authentication procedure. The agent authenticates the user to the first application following the first authentication procedure, and the agent authenticates the user to the second application following the second authentication procedure.
US08027656B2

Aspects of a method and system for a distributed transceiver for high frequency applications may include generating a second signal from a first signal by frequency-translating the first signal via a plurality of conversion stages. Each of the plurality of conversion stages may frequency-translate a corresponding input signal by a local oscillator frequency or by a fraction of said local oscillator frequency. The first signal may be the corresponding input signal to an initial stage of a the plurality of conversion stages, an output signal of a previous one of the plurality of conversion stages may be the corresponding input signal to a subsequent one of the plurality of conversion stages, and the second signal may be an output signal of a final stage of the plurality of conversion stages.
US08027652B2

A radio front end utilizes at least one band pass filter to pass only the appropriate frequency band. Once the desired frequency band has been isolated it is converted to a digital format in an analog to digital converter and a digital signal processing device interprets the signal.
US08027646B1

A communication system is supplied for filtering and attenuating a receive signal in between a bi-directional antenna system and a bi-directional base station system. In the communication system, a first circulator is configured to receive a receive signal from a first bi-directional link coupled to the bi-directional antenna system and circulate the receive signal to a first uni-directional link. A signal processing system is configured to receive the receive signal from the first uni-directional link, filter and attenuate the receive signal, and transfer the receive signal to a second uni-directional link. A second circulator is configured to receive the receive signal from the second uni-directional link, circulate the receive signal to a second bi-directional link coupled to the bi-directional base station system, receive a transmit signal from the second bi-directional link, and circulate the transmit signal to a third uni-directional link. Additionally, the first circulator is configured to receive the transmit signal from the third uni-directional link and circulate the transmit signal to the first bi-directional link coupled to the bi-directional antenna system.
US08027643B2

The present invention relates to radio base stations including a standardized interface CPRI between a Radio Equipment (RE) and a Radio Equipment Controller (REC). The present invention also relates to a method. The problem addressed is how to convey calibration information from the RE to the REC, when the capacity is occupied by radio IQ samples. The solution is to suppress the IQ samples to get capacity for the calibration information. Various embodiments of the invention focus on reducing the negative impact the suppression of IQ data may have on detecting the signals received.
US08027640B2

Methods and systems are described in which the feedback between a transmitter and collocated receiver is reduced so that the overall feedback loop gain is less than 0 dB. Audio is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver through a primary RF link while RSSI or TOA information to determine the separation between the end devices is exchanged using an ancillary RF link. The total loop gain is calculated using the gain of each end device and the separation. If the distance is less than a threshold distance, the gain of one or more components in the transmitter and/or receiver is reduced.
US08027639B2

A system and method for enabling secure short-range communication. A close proximity transmitter is used that is designed with a relatively poor radiator as compared to a conventional transmitter supporting conventional transmissions such as mobile phone communications, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth communication. The close-proximity transmitter and the conventional transmitter are selectively activated based on a communication mode.
US08027638B2

An apparatus for an ear of a user comprising a custom-fitted, in-the-ear earmold, receiver electronics detachably connected to the earmold and amplifier electronics detachably and electrically connected to the receiver electronics. In some embodiments, the amplifier electronics include a wireless communications module with wireless communications electronics disposed in the wireless communications module, wherein the wireless communications electronics support wireless communications between the user and a device. Such teachings in various examples are applied to occluding and non-occluding hearing device embodiments. Additional systems and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
US08027636B2

Wireless repeaters comprising antennae having high electrical isolation are presented. Multi-band antennae are placed on opposing sides of a conductive ground plane to achieve high electrical isolation, preferably higher than 30 dB. The antennae are preferably placed at a distanced from the ground plane that is less than 0.5 wavelengths of a frequency associated with frequency bands to which the antennae are responsive. The presented antennae system reduces the minimum amount of isolation required for stable operation.
US08027624B2

A developer apparatus includes a toner carrier roller with plural rows of convex sections arranged in width and circumferential directions of the roller. Top surfaces of the convex sections coincide with a curved surface of a single cylinder shaped like the roller. Convex section extending surfaces obtained by extending the top surfaces of the convex sections in the width direction overlap between convex sections belong to the same row and do not overlap between convex sections belonging to different rows. A width in the circumferential direction of a restriction nip formed by contact of an elastic abutting member of a restriction member with the roller is smaller than a spacing between two convex sections belonging to convex section rows that are adjacent in the circumferential direction.
US08027618B2

A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a rotatable supporting member to support a number V of developing devices. A drive transmission mechanism is provided in which each time one of the number V of engaging portions on a rotary member is disengaged from and engaged with an electric actuator, a gear portion of a rotatable supporting member gear which is rotated in synchronism with the rotary member is engaged with a driving member such that the rotatable supporting member is rotated by an angle W which satisfies (360°/V) and stopped.
US08027617B2

In the case where image formation is performed by using a part of a plurality of image forming units, an associated image bearing member of a remaining part of the plurality of image forming units is rotated together with an intermediary transfer member or a recording material carrying member while a voltage of a polarity opposite to that of polishing particles is applied to an electric charge imparting member.
US08027604B2

An image forming apparatus includes data conversion, charging, exposure, developer supply, image density calculation, determination and voltage change mechanisms. The data conversion mechanism converts image data into printing data. The charging mechanism charges an image carrier. The exposure mechanism forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier based on the printing data. The developer supply mechanism supplies a developer to the image carrier having the electrostatic latent image with an electrostatic force. The image density calculation mechanism calculates an image density of an image having a predetermined number of lines in the printing data. The determination mechanism determines whether a voltage to be applied to the developer supply mechanism is changed based on a calculation result by the image density calculation mechanism. The voltage change mechanism changes the voltage to be applied to the developer supply mechanism based on a determination result by the determination mechanism.
US08027601B2

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller to fix a toner on a recording medium; a heater to heat the fixing roller; an alternating current (AC) power source to generate an AC electric power such that the heater heats the fixing roller according to the AC electric power; a unit interposed between the heater and the AC power source to selectively supply the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater so as to control the heater to heat the fixing roller; a relay including a first relay contact point disposed on a first AC power supply line between the AC power source and the unit and a relay coil to open and close the first relay contact point; the relay selectively supplying the AC electric power from AC power source to the heater and the power control switch; a direct current (DC) power supplier to supply a DC power to the relay coil; and a thermoswitch interposed on a DC power supply line between the DC power supplier and the relay coil to control the supply of the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater and the unit according to an temperature of the fixing roller.
US08027588B2

In one embodiment a system and method pertain to generating a pump from a received optical signal, inputting the generated pump into a phase-sensitive oscillator, and amplifying a carrier component of the pump to generate an optical carrier having the same phase and polarity of an optical carrier of the received optical signal.
US08027578B2

An optical apparatus includes a shake detection unit to detect shaking applied to a camera; an image blur correction driving unit for driving a lens and correcting image blur caused by the shaking; and a selection unit configured to select whether correction of image blur is to be permitted or inhibited. If image blur correction is permitted, the image blur correction driving unit operates in accordance with a first driving characteristic. If image blur correction is inhibited, the image blur correction driving unit holds the lens near an optical axis in accordance with a second driving characteristic.
US08027576B2

The invention comprises a method of and apparatus for coupling a lens port to a housing for an underwater camera. The method comprises the steps of providing an inwardly castellated ring and a co-operating outwardly castellated ring, the rings comprising part of or being positioned one on the housing and the other on the lens port. At least one of the rings is rotatable and the outwardly castellated ring can be passed through the inwardly castellated ring. Rotating at least one ring holds the outward castellations against the inward castellations to thereby hold the lens port to the housing.
US08027573B2

An integrated lamp and heater assembly comprises in one embodiment a table lamp and heater intended to be positioned on a table, such as an end table, coffee table, nightstand, or the like and in another embodiment a free-standing floor lamp and heater. The integrated lamp and heater assembly is intended to be positioned proximate to a chair, a bed or other area that is desirous of being illuminated and being provided with a supplemental flow of heated air.
US08027571B2

A system for heating a subsurface formation is described. The system includes a plurality of elongated heaters located in a plurality of openings in the formation. At least two of the heaters are substantially parallel to each other for at least a portion of the lengths of the heaters. At least two of the heaters have first end portions in a first region of the formation and second end portions in a second region of the formation. A source of time-varying current is configured to apply time-varying current to at least two of the heaters. The first end portions of at least two heaters are configured to have substantially the same voltage applied to them. The second portions of at least two heaters are configured to have substantially the same voltage applied to them.
US08027570B2

A disk unit-integrated display capable of increase in conveyance efficiency and reduce in conveyance cost of a disk unit, a holding member and a first circuit board unitized with each other can be obtained. This disk unit-integrated display includes the disk unit having a drive portion, the holding member for supporting the disk unit, the first circuit board arranged between the disk unit and the holding member and having an opening at a position corresponding to the drive portion of the disk unit.
US08027559B2

An image reproducing apparatus is connected to a display device via a video data transmitting unit and a file data transmitting unit and is driven by a battery. The image reproducing apparatus calculates a first electric power required to transmit video data to the display device and a second electric power required to transmit file data to the display device, and acquires a remaining amount of electric power in the battery. Then, the image reproducing apparatus judges whether the acquired remaining amount of electric power in the battery is equal to or larger than the first electric power, is equal to or larger than the second electric power but smaller than the first electric power, or is smaller than the second electric power, and determines whether the image data is to be transmitted as the video data or the file data.
US08027546B2

An image processing apparatus includes an input device, an encoder, a memory, a first allocator, a data block size determination mechanism, a second allocator, and a processor. The input device receives image data of a given data size and transmits the image data in N data blocks. The “N” represents a first given number. The encoder encodes the N data blocks transmitted from the input unit. The memory stores the N data blocks encoded by the encoder. The first allocator allocates, before encoding, N memory areas of a specified memory size within the memory. The determination mechanism determines whether each of the N data blocks is larger than the memory size. The second allocator dynamically allocates an additional memory area within the memory when the determination mechanism determines that one of the N data blocks is larger than the memory size. The processor retrieves the image data for processing thereof.
US08027545B2

A method and apparatus for encoding and/or decoding depth image-based representation (DIBR) data are provided. The encoding method includes: converting 3-dimensional (3D) volume data into adjustable octree data with predetermined labels given to nodes; by referring to the labels, encoding nodes of the adjustable octree from the root node to leaf nodes by a modified breadth-first search (BFS) method allocating priorities among children nodes; and generating a bitstream with predetermined header information and encoded node data. The decoding method includes: extracting header information containing at least resolution information of an object, from a bitstream and decoding the header information; calculating the number of nodes by using the resolution information of the header, and by a modified BFS method allocating priorities among children nodes, decoding each node of a tree from the root node to leaf nodes; and restoring an adjustable tree by using decoded nodes. According to the method and apparatus, a huge amount of 3D volume data can be encoded with a high efficiency, and volume data with an arbitrary resolution as well as volume data with a fixed resolution can be encoded with a high efficiency. Accordingly, with a small amount of data, 3D volume data with a high picture quality can be restored. In addition, since a progressive bitstream is generated, 3D volume data can be shown progressively when decoding is performed.
US08027544B2

Processing data which belong to different classes and label data indicating the classes to which the processing data belong are input (S20). A distance relationship between the processing data is calculated (S22). An interclass separation degree between the classes is set (S23). The distance relationship is updated based on the label data and the interclass separation degree (S24). A data mapping relationship which approximates the updated distance relationship is calculated (S25).
US08027537B1

A method of distinguishing an object in an image. The method including the steps of detecting an image with an optical device where the image includes at least one object. Identifying at least one object using a central processing unit (CPU) that includes a central processing algorithm (CPA) and uses a majority voting analysis of multiple inputs to analyze at lest one object with the CPA. The image selected by the CPU is then displayed on the optical device.
US08027533B2

A method of automated image calibration that corrects for non-uniform illumination and calibrates color that is simple, fast, automated, accurate and reliable. A gray balance algorithm is applied to correct for non-uniform illumination and a color calibration algorithm is then applied to calibrate the human subject data. The system has been applied in multiple clinical sites with different instruments.
US08027528B2

A method is for calculating a height of a chuck top. A height of the top surface of the chuck top which corresponds to an arbitrary position specified on the XY coordinate plane by a computer is calculated in each of the four quadrants based on a coordinate transformation formulas. The method includes setting, by using the computer, a conical model in which two adjacent points other than the center point of the chuck top which correspond to the specified coordinates in a predetermined quadrant of the XY coordinate plane are obtained on a circumference having the center point of the chuck top as the origin and specifying an arbitrary point in the predetermined quadrant by using the computer and calculating a height of the arbitrary point of the chuck top based on the conical model, the coordinate transformation formulas and the specified coordinates.
US08027523B2

An image processing apparatus includes a face detector detecting face images from still-image frames successively extracted from a moving-image stream in accordance with image information items regarding the still-image frames, a face-feature-value calculation unit calculating face feature values of the face images in accordance with image information items regarding the face images, an identity determination unit determining whether a first face image in a current frame and a second face image in a previous frame represent an identical person in accordance with at least face feature values of the first and second face images, and a merging processor which stores one of the first and second face images when the first face image and the second face image represent an identical person, and which stores the first and second face images when the first face image and the second face image do not represent an identical person.
US08027521B1

The present invention is a method and system to provide a face-based automatic gender recognition system that utilizes localized facial features and hairstyles of humans. Given a human face detected from a face detector, it is accurately localized to facilitate the facial/hair feature detection and localization. Facial features are more finely localized using the geometrically distributed learning machines. Then the position, size, and appearance information of the facial features are extracted. The facial feature localization essentially decouples geometric and appearance information about facial features, so that a more explicit comparison can be made at the recognition stage. The hairstyle features that possess useful gender information are also extracted based on the hair region segmented, using the color discriminant analysis and the estimated geometry of the face. The gender-sensitive feature vector, made up from the extracted facial and hairstyle features, is fed to the gender recognition machines that have been trained using the same kind of gender-sensitive feature vectors of gallery images.
US08027516B2

An image forming apparatus includes a movable member that moves cyclically in synchronization with an image forming process and a position detector. The position detector includes a scale, an image sensor, a signal processor, and a position computing unit. The scale is attached to the movable member and includes a plurality of optical marks formed in line at a substantially constant interval. The image sensor captures data relating to at least one optical mark at a time. The signal processor computes a coordinate of the optical mark with respect to a reference position. The position computing unit computes a distance traveled by the optical mark based on a number of the optical marks that pass the reference position and the coordinate of the optical mark with respect to the reference position.
US08027514B2

An object recognition apparatus sets each of keypoints extracted from a typical image and one of keypoints extracted from an input image, having scale invariant features similar to each other, as a typical corresponding point and an object corresponding point matching with each other, and produces a position vector directed from a typical reference point of the typical image to each typical keypoint. The apparatus determines a position of an object reference point in the input image from a position of each object corresponding point and the vector of the typical corresponding point matching with the object corresponding point. When the positions of the object reference point are concentrated, the apparatus judges that an object picture having the object corresponding points in the input image matches with the typical image, and the apparatus recognizes the picture as an object indicated by the typical image.
US08027505B2

An automated cosmetic applicator uses wide-angle cameras, a high-resolution camera, and a differential lighting process to capture images of a body. Software analyzes these images to identify large and small features of the subject and to use these features as landmarks to create in computer memory a corresponding map that is highly accurate and data rich with pixel-level data about the subject's color, light value and texture characteristics. The rich images may be used for tracking the device on the skin, for making accurate corrections to skin, for simulating possible cosmetic enhancements and selecting a desired correction, and for use in other applications such as video games and animations.
US08027503B2

A diaphragm of a speaker device, formed into an elongated configuration, has a recessed shape and includes a voice coil arrangement part extending in its longitude direction. The voice coil arrangement part has a gap with a constant width in its lateral direction and includes a voice coil supporting part for supporting a voice coil and an expanded part provided at a position along it.
US08027501B2

A headphone includes a hanger and two speaker units respectively disposed at the two ends of the hanger. Each speaker unit includes a first shell; a second shell engaged with the first shell, a first air passage being formed between the first shell and the second shell, a second air passage being formed on the second shell, the second air passage having an opening direction different from an opening direction of the first air passage; a cover engaged with the second shell and having a plurality of holes on the cover; and a speaker disposed between the first shell and the second shell. When the speaker outputs sound, airflows generated by the speaker are exhausted through the first air passage, the second air passage and the holes so that the amount of air exhaust is stable and the output audio is of high quality.
US08027500B2

A narrow profile speaker unit comprises at least one speaker outputting sound towards an internal surface and through a duct with an output terminus, such as a slot, having a narrow dimension, effectively changing the cross-section of the speaker's audio output wave. A pair of speakers may face one another, outputting sound towards a common output slot. Multiple pairs of speakers may be used to form an inline speaker unit for increased sound output. A slotted speaker unit may include multiple speakers facing the same direction, towards a groundplane or reflecting surface, and having parallel apertures for allowing sound radiation. The speaker units may be integral with or attached to electronic appliances such as desktop computers or flatscreen devices, or may be used in automobiles or other contexts.
US08027496B2

Hearing aid fitted with a central processing unit (1) having peripherals (3E, 3A) connected to its input and output respectively. Each peripheral includes an identification unit (5) having an the output connected to a first input of a comparator (9). A second input of the comparator is connected to a read-only identification memory (11) containing identification features of the peripherals. An output of the comparator drives a configuration memory (15). As a result, the hearing aid self-identifies its current configuration based on the identification of the peripherals.
US08027495B2

A binaural hearing device system comprises a reception device (1) for one ear with at least two input acoustical/electrical converters (3a, 3b). Via a communication link (5) a signal (A1) which depends on both input converter's output signals is transmitted to a second device (7) for the other ear which comprises at least an output electrical/mechanical converter.
US08027494B2

With stereophonic sound images of multi-channel audio signals well maintained, 2-channel system audio signals are created. An acoustic image creation system includes: a left-rear localization processing means 2 for outputting a left-rear localization signal by summing together a left signal 101 and a left-rear signal 103, among audio input signals including the left signal 101, a right signal 102, the left-rear signal 103, and a right-rear signal 104, and processing the summation result with a rear localization processing filter; a right-rear localization processing means 3 for outputting a right-rear localization signal by summing together the right signal 102 and the right-rear signal 104, and processing the summation result with a rear localization processing filter; and an acoustic image creation means 4 for creating the surround sound image signals from the left signal 101, the right signal 102, the left-rear localization signal 103, and the right-rear localization signal 104.
US08027492B2

An armature for a receiver comprising a first and a second leg portion each having a thickness and a width and connected to each other, and a connection portion in communication with the first and second leg portions. The connection portion has a width greater than the width of the first and second leg portions individually. The connection portion reduces the stiffness of the armature and minimizes magnetic reluctance of the connection between the first and second leg portions. According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second leg portions are integrally formed with the connection portion and the connection portion includes a least a portion having a thickness less than the thickness of the first and second leg portions individually to reduce the stiffness of the armature. According to another aspect of the invention, the first and second leg portions are separately formed and attached to the connection portion in a way that reduces the stiffness of the armature.
US08027489B1

A multi-voltage biasing system with over voltage protection has an amplifier with a stage including at least one output device and one cascode protection device having a predetermined maximum recommended voltage; a biasing network is selectively responsive to a plurality of different supply voltages at least one of which is higher than the maximum recommended voltage for providing to the stage a bias voltage to operate the cascode device and output device below their maximum recommended voltages.
US08027485B2

An audio processing system which allows a surround sound system to utilize the transmission bandwidth efficiently by adaptively transmitting a supplementary data from a secondary source in addition to the audio signals of a primary source. The system consists of a transmitter component, capable of transmitting audio signals from a primary source and adaptively inserts supplementary data of the secondary source in the reserved communication bandwidth. The transmitter inserts headers in the channels used by the supplementary data to allow the receivers to identify the channel allocation between the primary source and the secondary source. Another part of the audio processing system is that of a receiver component which is capable of discriminating between data from the primary source and data from the secondary source. The primary source may comprise of audio signals from mono, stereo or surround sound music source, or voice signals such as that of a television channel while the supplementary data may comprise of advertisements, community information, public service information or even computer data.
US08027480B2

A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
US08027476B2

A sound reproduction apparatus capable of providing a target sensation of sound localization to a listener by using a standard head-related transfer function is provided. In a microphone amplifying section, only the high frequency components of a left sound pickup signal and a right sound pickup signal, which are input from a dummy head microphone, are delayed by a delay circuit. Consequently, since the reproduction sound of the low frequency components having small individual differences can be output earlier, a listener in a reproduction sound field space can perceive the sensation of sound localization by the reproduction sound of the low frequency components that arrive earlier. As a result, even when a standard head-related transfer function is used, it becomes possible to enable the listener in the reproduction sound field space to perceive the target sensation of sound localization.
US08027467B2

An elliptic curve multiplication method comprises three stages. In the first stage, randomly selected point representations are stored in variables. In the second stage, a right-to-left loop is executed that modifies the variable values in dependency of a multiplier. In the last stage, the result is calculated from the modified variable values.
US08027465B2

An apparatus that can secure an electronic device and be inserted into a conventional cup holder is described. The cup holder, for example, is inside of an automobile. The electronic device being held can be a variety of devices that include a digital music player. One embodiment of the invention includes a spool about which connecting cable can be wound. Adapting sleeves that fit around the base of the apparatus can be used to adapt electronic device holder to cup holders of different sizes and shapes.
US08027458B1

In accordance with one embodiment, a method for operating a telephonic voice content system is provided. The method, comprises in a non-live agent mode, interacting with a caller by receiving an utterance from the caller, performing a machine selection of voice content to play to the caller based on the utterance, and playing the machine-selected voice content to the caller; and upon receiving a request to speak to a live agent from the caller, switching to a live agent mode wherein a live agent holds a conversation with the caller, and selects voice content to play to the caller based on the conversation; and switching to the non-live agent mode and playing the live agent-selected voice content to the caller.
US08027452B2

A method for exploitation of location proximity to derive a location of an employee in a corporation utilizing instant messaging or automatic telephone calls is provided. A search request for a location of an employee is received. A look up of coworkers of the employee in a corporate database is performed. A list of neighbors of the employee is extracted from the coworkers, and the list of neighbors of the employee is generated in accordance with the proximity of neighbors in the list of neighbors to a workspace of the employee. The list of neighbors is presented, in response to the search request. The list of neighbors is polled to locate the employee via instant messaging and/or automatic telephone calls. The location of the employee is received, in response to polling the list of neighbors. The neighbors are alerted that the employee has been located.
US08027447B2

The present invention allows incoming calls to be processed based on calendar information obtained from an electronic calendar of a called party. When an incoming call intended for the called party is received, a service node may retrieve the calendar information for the called party and process the call based on the calendar information. The call processing may result in forwarding the call or invoking an interactive voice response system (IVR) by forwarding the call to the IVR, and providing instructions based on the calendar information to the IVR. The IVR may then provide messages based on the calendar information to the caller as well as provide options to the caller, retrieve responses from the caller, and instruct the service node to process the call based on the responses. The IVR may also allow the caller to schedule an appointment on the electronic calendar of the called party.
US08027441B2

A method of accounting for activities in a system comprising a telephone handset, including associating use of the telephone handset with a user, allowing the user to perform a call through use of the telephone handset without providing billing information relating to the call, communicating unbilled call information to at least one user computer associated with the user through a network, and prompting the user to input billing data relating to the unbilled call information at the at least one computer associated with the user.
US08027434B2

A rotating anticathode X-ray generating apparatus which is configured such that an X-ray is generated by an irradiation of an electron beam emitted from a cathode includes a rotating anticathode with an electron beam irradiating portion to generate the X-ray through the irradiation of the electron beam so that a direction of the electron beam is set equal to a direction of a centrifugal force caused by a rotation of the rotating anticathode; and a film for covering at least the electron beam irradiating portion so as to prevent an evaporation of a material making the rotating anticathode.
US08027428B2

A CT system is disclosed for phase-contrast and absorption imaging with a plurality of emitter-detector systems. In at least one embodiment, there are at least two emitter-detector systems and the at least two emitter-detector systems have a different distance between radiation focus and detector and there is a computational element for calculating phase-contrast images on the basis of the solution to the intensity transport equation. Moreover, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for phase-contrast and absorption imaging using such a CT system by comparing attenuation images recorded at different distances of a detector from a multiplicity of projection angles by solving the intensity transport equation and reconstruction or comparison of two tomographic and three-dimensional image data records, reconstructed from projections, which were recorded at different distances.
US08027427B2

A method for scanning a stream of objects includes continuously acquiring raw data of the stream of objects using an X-ray system, that includes a detector. The raw data of the stream of objects is rebinned into at least one two-dimensional sinogram. A leading edge and a trailing edge of a first object of the stream of objects is determined from the at least one two-dimensional sinogram and a three-dimensional image of the first object is reconstructed using the at least one two-dimensional sinogram.
US08027421B2

A serial protocol and interface for data transmission from a data transmitter 12 to a data receiver 14 where the propagation delay may be up to several clock cycles long and may be varying slowly. The data receiver provides a clock to the data transmitter. A synchronization signal provided by either the receiver or the transmitter initiates a frame of data transmission at a transfer rate controlled by the clock. The synchronization signal coordinates the transmission of a data header followed by a predetermined number of data bits, known as the frame length. The data receiver uses the header bits to determine the times to sample the subsequent data bits. The length of the frame is limited to provide sufficient likelihood the propagation delay line characteristics have not changed enough to cause a bit error. The system resynchronizes at the beginning of each frame.
US08027420B2

A circuit is provided for transferring a signal from a fast clock domain to a slow clock domain. The circuit includes a fast clock domain configured to receive an input signal and, responsively, transfer an intermediate signal. The circuit also a slow clock domain configured to receive the transferred intermediate signal from the fast clock domain and, responsively, generate an output signal. The circuit further includes a first synchronizer disposed in the slow clock domain and a second synchronizer disposed in the fast clock domain. The first synchronizer, operating with a slow clock, is configured to receive the intermediate signal and, responsively, provide the output signal as a transferred signal which is synchronized to the input signal. The second synchronizer, operating with a fast clock, is configured to receive a feedback signal from the first synchronizer for acknowledging synchronization of the output signal to the input signal.
US08027419B2

This invention provides a method of detecting time alignment of an analog audio signal and a digital audio signal in a hybrid radio system. The method comprises the steps of filtering the analog audio signal to produce a filtered analog audio signal, filtering the digital audio signal to produce a filtered digital audio signal, and using the filtered analog audio signal and the filtered digital audio signal to calculate a plurality of correlation coefficients, wherein the correlation coefficients are representative of time alignment between the analog audio signal and the digital audio signal. An apparatus for performing the method is also provided.
US08027416B2

A machine-readable medium thereupon stored a design structure; the design structure includes a receiver for a data communications system. The receiver includes a data path for receiving a data signal from a data channel, the data path comprising an automatic gain control (AGC) loop; and, a signal detector for generating a data valid signal indicative of the validity of the data signal in response to detection of the data signal on the channel exceeding a threshold and in dependence upon gain information from the AGC loop in the data path.
US08027404B1

A circuit detects symbols communicated between multiple transmitting antennas and multiple receiving antennas (MIMO). Distance blocks are coupled in a sequence according to an ordering of the transmitting antennas. The respective distance block associated with each transmitting antenna determines a distance value for each pairing of one or more candidates and a symbol in a constellation. A respective selector block is coupled between each successive pair of distance blocks in the sequence. The respective selector block selects the one or more candidates for the successive distance block as a limited number of the pairings having smaller ones of the distance values. A limit block coupled to the selector blocks provides the limited number to each selector block. An identifier block selects the pairing having a smaller one of the distance values from the last distance block in the sequence.
US08027403B2

The present invention relates to an equalizing structure (10) and method for a receiving device of a wireless communication system, in which two or more information signals are transmitted in parallel from one or more transmitters, wherein for the information signals transmit information is modulated onto carrier signals according to a modulation scheme, whereby all possible data symbols are represented as constellation points in the signal constellation of the modulation scheme and whereby the equalizing structure (10) performs, for each information signal, a maximum likelihood detection in order to determine a constellation point with a minimum Euclidean distance to a received signal vector as a most likely received signal vector by searching over the whole set of possible transmit signals, Sm, the equalizing structure (10) comprises means (11) for detecting channel estimation information in the information signals and means. (31) for calculating the product of channel matrix, H,n, and transmit signal vector, sm, based on the channel estimation information detected by the detecting means (11), wherein the calculating means (31) calculates the product of channel matrix, Hm, and transmit signal vector, s,n, in at, least two steps, wherein in the first step a partial product of channel matrix, Hm, and transmit signal vector, sm, based on at least one or a part of the channel estimation information detected by the detecting means (11) is calculated. The reference signals used for channel estimation are sent from the different transmitter antennas with time offset from each other.
US08027399B2

Pilot transmission and channel estimation techniques for an OFDM system with excess delay spread are described. To mitigate the deleterious effects of excess delay spread, the number of pilot subbands is greater than the cyclic prefix length. This “oversampling” may be achieved by using more pilot subbands in each symbol period or different sets of pilot subbands in different symbol periods. In one example, a first set of pilot subands may be received in a first symbol period, and a second set of pilot subands may be received in a second symbol period. The first set of pilot subands and the second set of pilot subbands may be staggered in frequency.
US08027396B2

Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for signal transmission and reception according to a pre-processing scheme in a MIMO mobile communication system. The method includes: inputting a symbol; and pre-processing the input symbol according to a pre-processing matrix corresponding to pre-processing matrix information and transmitting the pre-processed symbol through a corresponding transmission antenna, wherein the pre-processing matrix is determined in accordance with a number of transmission antennas and a rate used in the MIMO mobile communication system.
US08027392B2

A method for transmitting information between at least two transceivers TRA and TRB linked together by a communication channel, said information being carried by means of at least one carrying signal Csg having an operating frequency, includes, according to the invention, a frequency selection step in the course of which said operating frequency is dynamically selected among frequencies comprised within at least a first and a second non-adjacent frequency intervals.
US08027390B2

A system to extend an operating bandwidth of a signal generator comprises a signal generator, an output port, a first transmission line extending between the signal generator and the output port, a mixer adapted to receive a first signal from the signal generator, a local oscillator adapted to provide a second signal to the mixer to beat against the first signal, a second transmission line extending from the mixer to transmit a plurality of output signals of the mixer, and one or more channels couplable between the first transmission line and the second transmission line. The one or more channels include a first coupler having a length adapted to couple one or more of the output signals within a band of frequencies from the second transmission line to the channel, a second coupler having a length adapted to couple the one or more of the output signals from the channel to the first transmission line, and a filter arranged between the first coupler and the second coupler.
US08027389B2

A transmission circuit (101) for transmitting data onto a transmission line, and a mask circuit (102) for generating a mask signal (105) for removing a reflected wave based on a transmission timing notification signal (104) supplied form the transmission circuit (101) are provided. For example, a timer circuit (301) causes the mask signal (105) to be effective only for a predetermined time immediately after transmission. A logic circuit (302) is used to remove a reflected wave from the received signal (106) based on the mask signal (105), and a resultant masked received signal (107) is input to a reception circuit (103).
US08027386B2

A method for staggercasting, includes encoding a first signal representing content using encoding having successive independent decoding segments and encoding a second signal representing the content using encoding having successive independent decoding segments respectively corresponding to the independent decoding segments of the first encoded signal. A composite signal including the first and second encoded signals is generated in which the first encoded signal is delayed with respect to the second encoded signal. If an error is detected in the composite signal during a portion of an independent decoding segment of the delayed first encoded signal, then the corresponding independent decoding segment of the received second encoded signal is decoded to produce the content, otherwise, the received delayed first encoded signal is decoded to produce the content.
US08027383B2

A method for processing a compressed signal of digital video is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a decompressed signal by decompressing the compressed signal of digital video, (B) generating a filtered signal by spatial filtering the decompressed signal, wherein the spatial filtering is arranged to reduce mosquito noise within the decompressed signal and (C) generating a video signal by adding synchronization information to the filtered signal, the synchronization information being suitable for synchronizing a video display to the filtered signal.
US08027366B1

A physical layer (PHY) packet aggregation technique may be used to reduce the percentage of PHY overhead in data transmission in order to achieve better PHY efficiency and higher throughput. Higher layer packets in an upper layer data queue may be fragmented into appropriate small-size sub-packets, which include a body encapsulated by a MAC header and an FCS field. The sub-packets are then concatenated to form the data field of an aggregated PHY packet. Since each of the sub-packets contains its own MAC (Media Access Control) header and FCS (Frame Check Sequence) field, the receiver can identify and flag erroneous sub-packets on an individual basis. The receiver may transmit a block ACK, which includes the acknowledgement status for each of the sub-packets in the aggregated PHY packet, to the transmitter. The transmitter may resend only the erroneous sub-packet(s).
US08027360B2

The art of present discloses a method and system for enabling mobile network operators to collect charging information from various other network elements; and indeed, is intended to exploit the resiliency of open network architecture and lessen the requisite dependency on proprietary network elements services and billing systems. The Open Charging (OC) middleware platform and gateway system interacts with proprietary network elements and effectually creates a unifying, enabling layer in mobile networks. Indeed, the art is directed at permitting mobile subscriber access to, among others, third party content and services with the simplicity and convenience of such charges appearing on either mobile phone bill, or decremented from said mobile subscriber's pre-paid account.
US08027359B2

The present embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses that facilitate communication between two or more devices. Some of these methods identify a first communication to be transmitted and generate a first plurality of frames such that bit data of each of the frames of the first plurality of frames is different than the bit data of each of the other frames of the first plurality of frames, and that a first frame of the first plurality of frames include at least a first portion of the first communication. The first plurality of frames can then be transmitted.
US08027357B2

a communication system comprises a plurality of downstream transmission systems configured to transmit downstream wireless communications to an area having a plurality of sectors over a plurality of downstream channels to a plurality of users in the plurality of sectors and a plurality of upstream receiver systems configured to receive upstream wireless communications over a plurality of upstream channels from the plurality of users in the plurality sectors. In an embodiment, the plurality of upstream channels comprise multiple contention channels associated with each of the plurality of sectors and a plurality of bearer channels associated with each of the plurality of sectors and the plurality of upstream receiver systems are further configured to receive a plurality of requests from the plurality of users over the multiple contention channels for access to the plurality of bearer channels.
US08027356B2

A method for performing random access in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes transmitting a preamble for random access in uplink, receiving a random access response message including back-off information as a response to the preamble, and performing back-off using the back-off information when the random access has failed.
US08027348B2

Disclosed herewith is a network that can connect as many VPNs as possible to itself. In order to realize such a network, in the frame transfer method of the present invention, which enables a transfer path to be formed between nodes in the network so as to transfer frames, a terminal for transmitting frames or node located outside the transfer path, upon transmitting a frame through the transfer path, writes the transfer path selection information related to the transfer path and the output line information related to the output line from the terminating node of the transfer path in the frame according to the destination information set in the frame and transmits the frame to the destination. The starting node of the transfer path decides the transfer path used for transferring the frame according to the transfer path selection information set in the frame to transmit the frame while the terminating node of the transfer path decides the output line used to output the frame therefrom according to the output line set in the frame, thereby transmitting the frame to the output line.
US08027346B1

A method and system schedule data for dequeuing in a communication network. The communication network includes an eligible scheduling node, a scheduling context structure, and an existence of data structure. In response to determining that an eligible scheduling node does not contain at least one child identifier in the scheduling context structure, an eligible child is selected for dequeue from the existence of data structure. At least one eligible child from the existence of data structure is absorbed into the scheduling context structure. The at least one eligible child includes the child selected for dequeue. Absorbing a child includes removing the child identifier from the existence of data queue and adding the child identifier to the scheduling context structure.
US08027341B2

A network switch that has a plurality of input ports that receive data packets. An external interface is connected to the plurality of input ports. The external interface externally transmits the data packets for processing, and receives the data packets after processing. A memory management unit is connected to the external interface and a plurality of output ports are connected to the memory management unit.
US08027336B2

A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests including receiving a first directory assistance request from at least one Voice over IP device and identifying the requested information on a database. The requested information is formatted in the database in accordance with a format required by the Voice over IP device and is then a notification message is transmitted to indicating its availability. A second request is received from the Voice over IP device for retrieval of the formatted requested information, which is in turn transmitted to the Voice over IP device via the web server.
US08027335B2

A method of establishing a voice communication session with a multimedia access device employable in a multimedia communication system. In one embodiment, the method includes initiating a session request from a first endpoint communication device employing an instant messaging client and coupled to a packet based communication network. The method also includes processing the session request including emulating the instant messaging client for a second endpoint communication device coupled to said packet based communication network. The second endpoint communication device is a non-instant messaging based communication device. The method still further includes establishing a voice communication session between the first and second endpoint communication devices in response to the session request.
US08027327B2

An apparatus includes a first node configured to transmit both data frames and requests for channel reservations to a local contention neighborhood of a network. The first node is configured to compete with other nodes of the neighborhood for reservations to the channel. The first node is configured to dynamically update a stored value of an access priority for the first node and to transmit said requests with a rate that depends on the stored value.
US08027321B2

A method and system for interconnecting a DSL network and a radio communication network are disclosed. The DSL network carries data transmitted in the radio communication network so that the radio communication network and the DSL network are interconnected. The xDSL is adopted to perform the base station transmission. The scheme may function as a radio extension of the wire access of the DSL network and is suitable to fixed wireless, nomadic connectivity, laptop and mobile access applications.
US08027319B2

Methods and systems are presented for implementing wireless number portability in a wireless communications network, in which an originating switching component determines whether a called number is ported or not based on profile information from a home location register without querying a number portability database.
US08027308B1

The invention discloses a method of optimizing handoff time in a wireless communication system from a first base station to a second base station through a dynamic data source control, the method comprising determining a communication delay between a network service node of the wireless communication system and the second base station; setting a scheduling delay for the second base station; determining a handoff delay based on the communication delay and the scheduling delay and indicating said handoff delay to a mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device performs the handoff from the first base station to the second base station on expiry of the handoff delay so determined.
US08027307B2

An apparatus and method for managing a packet transmission delay for TCP/IP-based communications in a mobile communication system are provided, in which a BSC imposes no delay on a packet directed to an MS or a packet transmitted from the MS and sends the packet to the MS or corresponding MS, if it is determined that the MS starts to perform a handover during communications with the MS, and delays a packet directed to the MS or a packet transmitted from the MS and sends the delayed packet to the MS or corresponding MS, if it is determined that the MS has completed the handover during the packet transmission with no delay. Advantageously, timeout occurrences caused by too long a time delay are reduced, thereby preventing decreased throughput during the TCP/IP-based handover.
US08027306B2

Mechanisms for improving the proposed high rate packet data (HRPD) system are provided. Approaches proposed are including PilotGroupID in the sector parameter message to convey the pilot group information, encoding to enable shortened NeighborList messages, improvements on RoutUpdateRequest message for request updates on multiple carriers, inclusive of the channel record of the reference pilot in the RouteUpdate message when the message sent in the connected state, using pilot drop timer of a Candidate Set pilot as a trigger for sending RouteUpdate, encoding the TrafficChannelAssignment message to shorten the message in certain situations, limiting the usage of auxiliary DRC cover in some situations to avoid confusion in determining the serving sector and processing OverheadMessages. Updated Indication and OverheadMessagesNeighborList Initialization in the idle state.
US08027305B1

A method providing communication services to a mobile device is presented. In the method, a number of radio access networks are coupled with a packet data network by way of a number of access nodes. Each of a number of packet data flows between the mobile device and the packet data network are facilitated by way of the one of the radio access networks and one of the access nodes. State information regarding the packet data flows is exchanged between those of the access nodes facilitating at least one of the packet data flows so that each of those nodes possesses the state information for each of the packet data flows. One of the access nodes is then selected for facilitating one of the packet data flows based on the state information.
US08027304B2

Handoffs must be fast for wireless mobile nodes without sacrificing the security between a mobile node and wireless access points in an access network. A secure session keys context approach is shown having all the good features, like mobility and security optimization, of the currently existing proposals of key-request, pre-authentication, and pre-distribution but also providing improved scalability for the access network and for the mobile node. The new approach is compared to the existing proposals including memory requirements and especially how to reduce memory usage using a “just-in-time” transfer of security information between access points and a mobile node during a handover.
US08027294B2

Embodiments of the present invention may provide an apparatus and a method for transmitting an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access (OFDMA) symbol in an OFDMA system. A bandwidth limit parameter for generating an OFDMA symbol may be adaptively determined based on the received signal quality of a receiver. An OFDMA symbol may be generated based on the bandwidth limit parameter and transmitted to the receiver. According to embodiments, when the received signal quality of the receiver is bad, the bandwidth limit parameter may be first adjusted before the modulation scheme is changed to have a lower data rate. In such a case, the downlink date rate may be maintained with enhancing the received signal quality of the receiver.
US08027291B2

A cellular communication network node comprises signal processing logic arranged to transmit at least one direct signalling channel indicator bit. The signal processing logic, upon receipt of a message to be transmitted, sets at least one direct signalling channel indicator bit to indicate that a direct signalling channel is active in at least one unit of resource. The signal processing logic re-allocates the at least one unit of resource for use by at least one channel other than the direct signalling channel when no direct signalling channel messages are to be transmitted.
US08027288B2

A first beacon slot is selected by a wireless communications device in a repeating time interval. Accordingly, beacons of the wireless communications device are transmitted during the first beacon slot. However, when an announcement of the first beacon slot selection of step is not received from a remote device within a predetermined amount of time, a second beacon slot is selected. Upon this selection, beacons of the wireless communications device are transmitted during the second beacon slot instead of the first beacon slot.
US08027281B2

An optional short SACCH is used when the network detects high error rate in the normal SACCH channel. The communication returns to normal mode when the network detects that the link quality has improved. In the short SACCH message only the most relevant information fields are sent. The extra bits are used for channel coding so that in the channel conditions where the most robust AMR codings still work, the BLER of short SACCH is still tolerable.
US08027255B2

The invention includes a method and apparatus adapted for managing packets within a Radio Access Network (RAN). A method includes receiving a packet within the RAN, determining a packet priority assigned to the packet, and managing the packet within the RAN based on the packet priority of the packet and a condition of the RAN. The packet priority assigned to the packet is based on at least one characteristic of the packet, which is determined based on packet contents of the packet. The at least one characteristic associated with the packet comprises information available at or above the network layer. The packet priority may be assigned to the packet within the RAN and/or outside of the RAN. The management of the packet within the RAN may include managing assignment of RAN resources to the packet (e.g., processor resources, radio resources, and the like), directing an access device to use a proscribed resource allocation, managing scheduling of the packet for transmission over the air interface of the RAN, and the like, as well as various combinations thereof.
US08027250B2

A channel information detector, a method of detecting channel information and a communications node is provided for general communications networks. In one embodiment, the channel information detector includes (1) an information retriever configured to extract data unit parameters from a plurality of data units progressing through a protocol stack and (2) an information analyzer, coupled to the information retriever, configured to collectively analyze the data unit parameters to deduce channel information therefrom.
US08027249B2

Methods for using a detector to monitor and detect channel occupancy are disclosed. The detector resides on a station within a network using a framed format having a periodic time structure. When non-cooperative transmissions are detected by the network, the detector assesses the availability of a backup channel enabling migration of the network. The backup channel serves to allow the network to migrate transparently when the current channel becomes unavailable. The backup channel, however, could be occupied by another network that results in the migrating network interfering with the network already using the backup channel. Thus, the detector detects active transmission sources on the backup channel to determine whether the backup channel is occupied. Methods for using the detector include scheduling detection intervals asynchronously. The asynchronous detection uses offsets from a reference point within a frame.
US08027248B2

An apparatus, network and techniques for minimizing wireless network downtime associated with a wireless switch failure are disclosed. Access ports are adopted to multiple wireless switches wherein one switch operates to exchange data and control traffic with the access port and remaining switches operate to exchange control traffic with the access port. In the event of a link failure between the wireless switch exchanging data and control traffic with the access port, the access port remains adopted to remaining switches and exchanges data and control traffic with one of the remaining switches.
US08027242B2

In an apparatus and method, time-varying signals are processed and encoded via a frequency domain linear prediction (FDLP) scheme to arrive at an all-pole model. Residual signals resulted from the scheme are estimated. Quantized values of the all-pole model and the residual signals are packetized as encoded signals suitable for transmission or storage. To reconstruct the time-varying signals, the encoded signals are decoded. The decoding process is basically the reverse of the encoding process.
US08027239B2

A data recording and reproducing device includes: a light emitting element that generates light and emits the light toward an optical recording medium; a light emission control section that feedback-controls an emitted light quantity from the light emitting element; a light attenuating drive section that includes a light attenuating section, and inserts the light attenuating section into an emission path of the light when reproducing data from the optical recording medium and retracts the light attenuating section from the emission path when recording data onto the optical recording medium; and a shock detecting section that detects a shock of a magnitude causing the light attenuating drive section to switch between the insertion and retraction. When the shock detecting section detects the shock during data recording, the light emission control section lowers a control target value of the emitted light quantity from a value set at the time of shock detection.
US08027233B2

An LPP detection unit detects an LPP from a wobble signal. A correction unit obtains a difference set by performing processing of calculating a difference in signal level between an LPP-present sync pattern portion and a non-LPP sync pattern portion having the same polarity, and executes correction on an RF signal at a timing when the LPP is detected, by using the difference set. The LPP-present sync pattern portion is a sync pattern portion obtained when the LPP is detected at the timing of the sync pattern portion positioned at the head of a sync frame of the RF signal. The non-LPP sync pattern portion is a sync pattern portion obtained when no LPP is detected at the timing of the sync pattern portion of the sync frame. In the case of reproducing information recorded on a DVD-R/RW optical disk, the occurrence of errors due to the effect of the LPP can be reduced.
US08027229B2

In a device for controlling a focus to an optical disc having a land section and a groove section, the control is performed so as to avoid a focus step difference at a land-area/groove-area switching point.When performing write-in or readout of data to an optical disc on which a land area and a groove area are continuously formed, using an optical pickup, there are provided a land learning unit (1) for determining a focus position in the land area, a groove learning unit (2) for determining a focus position in the groove area, and a focus position calculation unit (3) for determining a focus position in an area where the land area and the groove area are switched, and the focus position of the optical pickup is moved so that it is located at the third focus position when the switching signal is inverted according to the switching between the land area and the groove area.
US08027218B2

A processor includes a cache memory that has an array, word lines, and bit lines. A control module accesses cells of the array during access cycles to access instructions stored in the cache memory. The control module performs one of a first discrete read and a first sequential read to access instructions in a first set of cells of the array that are connected to a first word line and selectively performs one of a second discrete read and a second sequential read based on a branch instruction to access instructions in a second set of cells of the array that are connected to a second word line. The second word line is different than the first word line.
US08027215B2

A two-terminal memory cell including a Schottky metal-semiconductor contact as a non-ohmic device (NOD) allows selection of two-terminal cross-point memory array operating voltages that eliminate “half-select leakage current” problems present when other types of non-ohmic devices are used. The NOD structure can comprise a “metal/oxide semiconductor/metal” or a “metal/lightly-doped single layer polycrystalline silicon.” The memory cell can include a two-terminal memory element including at least one conductive oxide layer (e.g., a conductive metal oxide—CMO, such as a perovskite or a conductive binary oxide) and an electronically insulating layer (e.g., yttria-stabilized zirconia—YSZ) in contact with the CMO. The NOD can be included in the memory cell and configured electrically in series with the memory element. The memory cell can be positioned in a two-terminal cross-point array between a pair of conductive array lines (e.g., a bit line and a word line) across which voltages for data operations are applied.
US08027214B2

Sensing circuits for determining the state of memory cells include a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier includes an imbalanced cross-coupled latch (ICL), a first gate field effect transistor (FET) between a bit line (BL) and a first output node, and a second gate FET between a bit line inverse (BLB) and a second output node. The ICL includes a first pull down FET between the first output node and an enable FET connected to electrical ground, and a second pull down FET between the second output node and the enable FET. Channel widths of the second pull down FET and the second gate FET are greater than channel widths of the first pull down FET and the first gate FET to enhance the ability to detect a one (1) and a zero (0) stored in a memory cell connected to the sense amplifier.
US08027205B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a strobe signal generator for receiving a write command and generating a write strobe signal that defines an activation period variably according to an operation frequency, and a data transfer unit for transferring data from an external device to an internal data line in response to the write strobe signal.
US08027202B2

A method of programming a flash memory device controls a channel boosting level to ensure device properties. The flash memory device is programmed in an Incremental Step Pulse Program (ISPP) manner by applying a program voltage to a selected memory cell and a pass voltage to unselected memory cells. The programming is performed by varying the pass voltage so that a gap of a predetermined range is maintained between a channel voltage and a word line voltage of the unselected memory cell.
US08027198B2

A nonvolatile trap charge storage cell selects a logic interconnect transistor uses in programmable logic applications, such as FPGA. The nonvolatile trap charge element is an insulator located under a control gate and above an oxide on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The preferred embodiment is an integrated device comprising a word gate portion sandwiched between two nonvolatile trap charge storage portions, wherein the integrated device is connected between a high bias, a low bias and an output. The output is formed by a diffusion connecting to the channel directly under the word gate portion. The program state of the two storage portions determines whether the high bias or the low bias is coupled to a logic interconnect transistor connected to the output diffusion.
US08027197B2

A nonvolatile memory device having a three-dimensional structure includes first word line stacks in which first word lines are stacked; second word line stacks in which second word lines parallel to the first word lines are stacked; first connection lines connecting the first word lines; and second connection lines connecting the second word lines. Each of the first connection lines connects the first word lines located at a common layer, each of the second connection lines connects the second word lines located at a common layer and at least one second word line stack is disposed between a pair of the first word line stacks.
US08027195B2

Techniques for the reading and writing of data in multi-state non-volatile memories are described. Data is written into the memory in a binary format, read into the data registers on the memory, and “folded” within the registers, and then written back into the memory in a multi-state format. In the folding operation, binary data from a single word line is folded into a multi-state format and, when rewritten in multi-state form, is written into a only a portion of another word line. A corresponding reading technique, where the data is “unfolded” is also described. The techniques further allow for the data to be encoded with an error correction code (ECC) on the controller that takes into account its eventual multi-state storage prior to transferring the data to the memory to be written in binary form. A register structure allowing such a “folding” operation is also presented.
US08027179B2

An inverter circuit having a primary circuit with a first choke for periodically connecting a primary winding to a DC voltage present at an input of the inverter circuit, a secondary circuit with a secondary winding, the secondary winding arranged in series with a first capacitor and connected via a full bridge consisting of four switching elements to a AC voltage present at an output of the inverter circuit via a second choke, and a transformer, wherein the primary circuit and the secondary circuit are electrically isolated by the transformer.
US08027178B1

A power conversion apparatus with adjustable leading-edge-blanking (LEB) time and an over current protection (OCP) method thereof are provided. In the OCP method, a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal is generated according to the loading status of an electronic device to switch a power switch in the power conversion apparatus and thus the power conversion apparatus to supply an output voltage to the electronic device. A variable or fixed LEB signal is generated according to the PWM signal and the rising and falling edges of a spike signal induced at turn-on instant of the power switch. The PWM signal is constantly/continuously generated to switch the power switch during an enabling period/phase of the variable or fixed LEB signal, and whether an over current is produced in the power conversion apparatus is constantly detected to determine whether to activate an OCP mechanism during a disabling period/phase of the variable or fixed LEB signal.
US08027174B2

An advantage of the present invention is to provide an adapter power supply which varies a link voltage of DC power serving an input power of a DC/DC converter according to variation of a load current estimated by measuring a secondary current using a lossless current measurement technique at a primary terminal of a transformer of the DC/DC converter and thus presuming a load current of an output power.An adapter power supply according to present invention may include an AC/DC converter converting a commercial AC power into a DC power; a DC/DC converter including a transformer composed of a primary terminal and a secondary terminal in order to output an output power by converting a link voltage of the DC power; and a controller presuming a load current of the output power through a primary current of the transformer and varying the link voltage of the DC power according to variation of the estimated load current.
US08027173B2

An apparatus for providing an AC voltage includes a synthesizer for generating at least one periodic output voltage signal, each periodic output voltage signal having an output frequency. The synthesizer is supplied by an input AC voltage having an input frequency, and is configured such that each output frequency differs from the input frequency.
US08027171B2

Provided is a power feeding structure of an electrostatic chuck including a lower insulation layer, an electrode layer and a surface insulation dielectric layer formed on an upper surface side of a metal substrate in order from the metal substrate, in which the lower insulation layer, the electrode layer and the surface insulation dielectric layer are not cracked easily. The power feeding structure of an electrostatic chuck includes: a through hole formed through an upper surface and a lower surface of the metal substrate; a power feeding terminal disposed in the through hole for supplying a voltage supplied from a lower surface side of the metal substrate to the electrode layer formed on the upper surface side of the metal substrate; and an insulation holding member formed of an electric insulating material for insulating an inner wall of the through hole from the power feeding terminal and for holding the power feeding terminal, and the power feeding terminal includes a power feeding end portion that protrudes to the upper surface side of the metal substrate, and a tip of the power feeding end portion is positioned at the electrode layer side with respect to an interface between the electrode layer and the lower insulation layer, and on and under an interface between the electrode layer and the surface insulation dielectric layer.
US08027169B2

A multilayer printed wiring board includes one or more resin layers having via-holes and a core layer having via-holes. The via-holes formed in the one or more resin layers are open in the direction opposite to the direction in which the via-holes formed in the core layer are open. A method for manufacturing a multilayer printed wiring board includes a step of preparing a single- or double-sided copper-clad laminate; a step of forming lands by processing the copper-clad laminate; a step of forming a resin layer on the upper surface of the copper-clad laminate, forming openings for via-holes in the resin layer, and then forming the via-holes; and a step of forming openings for via-holes in the lower surface of the copper-clad laminate and then forming the via-holes.
US08027164B2

A mounting configuration for a plurality of printed circuit boards that are arranged one above the other and equipped with electrical components. The printed circuit boards are fixed in a housing assembly formed with a bottom and a top for receiving the printed circuit boards. Engagement holes are positioned congruently in the printed circuit boards, the housing bottom, and the housing top, such that the printed circuit boards, the housing bottom and the housing top can be fixed relative to one another by way of at least one fastener.
US08027160B2

A system for removing heat from an electronic component associated with an information handling system is disclosed. The system may comprise a mass providing a heat sink to the electronic component and a set of extended surfaces for transferring heat from the mass. The set of extended surfaces may define a primary flow direction for a cooling fluid. A first subset of the set of extended surfaces may have a first length measured in the primary flow direction. A second subset of the set of extended surfaces may have a second length measured in the primary flow direction. Each of the first and second subsets of extended surfaces may include one or more extended surfaces. The second subset of extended surfaces may be generally proximate the hotspot of the electronic component. The second length may be less than the first length such that the flow rate of the cooling fluid through the second subset of extended surfaces is greater than a flow rate of the cooling fluid through the first subset of extended surfaces.
US08027156B2

A keyboard includes a keyboard unit and casing. The keyboard unit is rectangular and includes a first and second surface, the first surface including at least one key disposed thereon, the second surface including a protrusion portion that protrudes therefrom. The protrusion portion includes an engagement hole open toward a first direction that corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the rectangle. The casing includes a third surface on which the keyboard unit is mounted, the third surface including an insertion or through hole into which the protrusion portion is insertable, the casing including an engagement protrusion provided at a position opposed to the engagement hole of the protrusion portion that is inserted into the through hole, the engagement protrusion being engaged with the engagement hole of the inserted protrusion portion when the keyboard unit is moved in the first direction. A method of assembling the keyboard is also described.
US08027154B2

A panel board retrofit kit, and method of selecting a panelboard retrofit kit, for replacing a panel board having a switching device in an enclosure is disclosed. The panel board retrofit kit has a first dead front plate having a first aperture, and a second dead front plate having a second aperture. The second aperture of the second panel board dead front plate is configurable to overlap at least a portion of said first aperture of said first dead front plate. The disclosed panelboard retrofit kit and method enable replacement of an installed panel board without removing or replacing the panel board enclosure.
US08027149B2

A capacitor comprising a cylindrical casing sidewall extending to closed first and second end walls and an anode assembly housed therein including a first, second and third anodes is described. Each anode comprises an anode sidewall extending to first and second anode end walls and a conductive lead extending therefrom. The anodes are in a side-by-side relationship within the casing with their respective sidewalls parallel to each other. The cathode of the capacitor may include a first conductive substrate supporting a cathode active material. The conductive substrate is wrapped around the anodes, and the cathode active material is disposed on the substrate at locations such that the respective sidewalls of the anodes are opposed by cathode active material. A separator is positioned between the side-by-side anodes and the cathode. The open volume within the casing is filled with an electrolyte, and the casing is hermetically sealed.
US08027141B2

In a process for discharging a test mass that is free-floating in a surrounding electrode casing on board a satellite, the electrode casing is enclosed by a vacuum tank, and has one or more first electrodes for the application of electrostatic forces and/or moments to the test mass. In addition, the electrode casing also has one or more second electrodes for modulating alternating voltages (particularly, high frequency voltages) for measuring purposes onto the test mass as well as one or more light-emitting elements, which irradiate the test mass, the electrode casing and/or the electrodes particularly with ultraviolet light for generating a photoelectric effect. Automatically and iteratively, a test mass charge of the test mass is determined. A control operation for eliminating the determined test mass charge is carried out until the test mass charge has reached a defined target value.
US08027138B2

A capacitor sharing surge protection circuit for protecting multiple ports from harmful energy surges, such as electrostatic discharge (ESD) and cable discharge events (CDE), is provided. The protection circuit includes a plurality of diodes with respective cathodes and anodes. Each anode of the plurality of diodes is coupled to one of the plurality of ports. A bypass capacitor is coupled between the cathodes of the plurality of diodes and ground. In an embodiment, a bulk capacitor is further coupled between the cathodes of the plurality of diodes and ground.
US08027135B2

A fault current limiter (FCL) includes a series of high permeability posts (1) for collectively define a core for the FCL. A DC coil (2), for the purposes of saturating a portion of the high permeability posts (1), surrounds the complete structure outside of an enclosure in the form of a vessel (3). The vessel (3) contains a dielectric insulation medium (4). AC coils (5), for transporting AC current, are wound on insulating formers (6) and electrically interconnected to each other in a manner such that the senses of the magnetic field produced by each AC coil (5) in the corresponding high permeability core are opposing. There are insulation barriers (7) between phases to improve dielectric withstand properties of the dielectric medium.
US08027129B2

A sensor includes a sensor stack and a layer of high resistivity material having a precursor within the sensor stack. When a current is applied at the precursor, a current confining path is formed through the layer of high resistivity material at the precursor. The shape of the current confining path is adjustable by adjusting a thickness of the layer of high resistivity material.
US08027128B2

Embodiments of the present invention help to increase yaw stiffness while achieving higher peel stiffness and lower roll stiffness and pitch stiffness in a suspension supporting a head slider. A gimbal according to an aspect of the present invention has a securing point where the gimbal is secured to a load beam in the front and securing points where the gimbal is secured to the load beam in the rear. The gimbal tongue pivots on a dimple contact point. A front ring is secured at the securing point to support the gimbal tongue. The rear ring is secured at the securing points to support the gimbal tongue. The rear ring provides the gimbal tongue with higher yaw stiffness than the front ring. The front ring provides the gimbal tongue with higher peel stiffness than the rear ring.
US08027120B2

A magnetic tape device comprises a plurality of magnetic heads for recording or reproducing data to a magnetic tape including a data recording area, a tape running mechanism for making the magnetic tape run on the magnetic heads, and a controller for controlling a recording and reproducing operation of the magnetic heads for the magnetic tape while running. The controller includes a recording controller to control the recording and reproducing operation of the magnetic heads so as to record recording target data including a redundancy without recording the recording data and data which is the same as at least a part of the recording target data as redundant data, these data not being recorded in data recording areas adjacent with each other.
US08027115B2

A data recording apparatus and a data recording system of the present invention includes buffer memories 2a to 2c that accumulate data in a plurality of channels transferred from an external appliance on a channel basis, a data selector 3 that reads the data accumulated in the buffer memories 2a to 2c, and a data drive 4 that records the data read by the data selector 3 onto a magnetic tape, wherein the data selector 3 selectively reads the data accumulated in the buffer memories 2a to 2c, and outputs the data in an order of recording onto a magnetic tape in the tape drive 4. According to such a configuration, a data recording apparatus that can be realized at low cost and a recording system using the data recording apparatus can be provided.
US08027112B2

A system for removing low frequency disturbance signals from a control system output. The system includes a controller, a mixer, a feedback loop, and a low pass filter. The controller generates a control signal. The mixer is connected to the controller and receives the control signal from the controller. The feedback loop connects an output of said mixer to an input of the mixer. A low pass filter in the feedback loop allows low frequency disturbance signals in the control signal output from the mixer to pass through the feedback loop and to be added to the control signal by said mixer for handling by the controller.
US08027111B2

Methods and apparatus for detecting L-bit sync words occurring at N-bit intervals in PPM-encoded servo pattern read signals read in magnetic tape drives. A soft output detector processes the PPM-encoded servo pattern read signal to produce a series of soft output samples corresponding to respective bits encoded in the servo pattern. A sync word detector then produces block correlation values for respective positions of a sliding L-sample block in the series of soft output samples by (i) calculating at each block position bit correlation values indicating correlation between respective samples and corresponding bits of the sync word and (ii) summing each bit correlation value minus a predetermined function of the corresponding sample value. The sync word detector then detects a sync word at the block position with the maximum block correlation value in an (N+L−1)-sample sequence of the series of soft output samples.
US08027106B2

An image capturing module is provided. The image capturing module includes: a lens assembly supporting at least one lens, moving along an optical axis of light indicating an image of a subject, and comprising guiding protrusions for guiding the moving the optical axis; a module supporting unit comprising guiding holes to which the guiding protrusions are inserted to guide the lens assembly; a lens driving unit comprising a winding vibration type piezoelectric motor and a piezoelectric motor supporting member, wherein the winding vibration type piezoelectric motor is disposed on the module supporting unit and moves the lens assembly along the optical axis and the piezoelectric motor supporting member supports the winding vibration type piezoelectric motor; a pressurizing member interposed between the piezoelectric motor supporting member and the module supporting unit; and a plurality of ball assemblies interposed between the module supporting unit and the lens assembly.
US08027097B2

A rear attachment lens detachably attached to an image side of a main lens system to change a focal length of an entire system so as to become longer than a focal length of the main lens system includes one or more positive lenses GMp. One among the one or more positive lenses GMp is a positive lens P1. The Abbe number, a partial dispersion ratio, and a partial dispersion ratio difference of a material of the one or more positive lenses GMp and of the positive lens P1, and a focal length of the positive lens P1 are correctly defined so that chromatic aberrations are appropriately corrected, when predetermined conditions are satisfied.
US08027079B2

A method of fabricating the flexible color display medium module includes the steps of: forming a flexible substrate on a rigidly substrate; forming a color filter film comprising a plurality of color filter patterns; forming the display medium layer on the color filter film; and separating the flexible substrate from the rigidly substrate. Since the display medium layer is immediately disposed on the color filter film, the accuracy of aligning the display medium layer and the color filter film may be improved and the parallax resulted from the light passed through the display medium layer and the color filter film may be reduced.
US08027077B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost moveable mirror with 2 axes of movement that is suitable for use in an optical application where a relatively large tip of tilt of a mirror is needed in a known series of positions repeatably and rapidly. This object is achieved by providing a planar structure with 4 bending actuators that can be produced through MEMs based manufacturing. The moveable mirror is flexibly connected to the bending actuators so it can be moved on 2 axes. The bending actuators are designed to have substantial length to increase the angular movement of the mirror. Hard stops are provided to provide repeatable and accurate positioning of the mirror for selected positions.
US08027076B2

At least a part of a first thrust-direction force generated by air resistance received by at least one surface of reflection surfaces arrayed in a rotating direction of a polygon mirror 35 and tilted with respect to a rotation axis 35p of the polygon mirror 35 is canceled by a second thrust-direction force generated by air resistance received by a surface tilted with respect to the rotation axis 35p in a direction opposite to the surface where the first thrust-direction force is generated.
US08027063B2

An image forming apparatus includes a coordinate converter that corrects an image position in one pixel unit by converting a coordinate, a gradation value converter that corrects the image position in less-than-one pixel unit by converting a gradation value, an image outputting unit that forms a detection toner image including an intermediate gradation pixel onto an image bearing member that can bear a toner image, and a light reflection characteristic detector that detects a light reflection characteristic of the detection toner image. The gradation value converter is adjusted in accordance with a detection output of the light reflection characteristic detector.
US08027052B2

A printing apparatus includes a CPU that determines whether or not to use operation information included in paper information received from another printing apparatus. If it is determined to use the operation information, the received paper information is registered as the paper information of Type 2. In addition, the CPU included in the printing apparatus selects one of a plurality of pieces of paper information and controls a printer unit such that the printer unit performs a printing process in an operating state based on the operation information included in the selected piece of paper information.
US08027050B2

A computer storing a print control program, the program, and a recording medium containing the program according to the present invention control access from the computer to a printer in the kernel mode.When access is made from an application program (4) to a printer (69), a spooler (65) operates. An access request is detected in response to an event occurring when the spooler (65) operates. A common interface driver (7) controls data output to the printer (69) at a filter (41) or the spooler (65) according to a control condition previously registered in a control condition database (36).
US08027043B2

A method and system for auditing security stock usage including displaying one or more data on a graphical user interface (GUI); extracting a first set of information into a first log file from the one or more data displayed on the GUI; commencing a print run on a printer; extracting a second set of information into a second log file after the print run terminates; and determining a number of sheets of security stock used from the first log file and the second log file.
US08027042B2

A multi-beam interferometer, typically for use in Optical Coherence Tomography, comprising a multiple beam source, the source being arranged so as to provide, in use, a plurality of beams of light for use in the interferometer, the source comprising: a light source arranged to, in use, emit a beam of light; and a rattle plate comprising a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface facing one another, the second reflective surface being only partially reflective.
US08027041B1

Systems and methods for multispectral imaging.
US08027039B2

Provided herein are methods for imaging subwavelength structures in three dimensions and with high resolution. The methods comprise illuminating subwavelength structures with an illuminating wavelength of light and detecting the self-image generated thereby at a distance distal to the structures. Also provided is a method for confining propagating light to a sub-diffraction limit dimension by illuminating a surface of a metal structure with subwavelength features with a wavelength of coherent light such that light propagating from the features is confined to a dimension that is a sub-diffraction limit thereof.
US08027036B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting particles on a glass surface and a method thereof, and more specifically, to an apparatus for detecting particles on a glass surface and a method thereof for exactly inspecting particles which may be created on a glass surface where micro circuits are deposited. The apparatus for detecting the particles on the glass surface in accordance with the present invention comprises laser beam irradiators for detecting particles on a glass substrate on upper and lower sides of the glass substrate at certain intervals, respectively, and wherein the irradiators are configured so that beams emitted from the laser beam irradiators can be irradiated in a direction vertical to a transferring direction of the glass substrate, thereby exactly detecting particles detached to the glass surface without exception.
US08027032B2

A microscopy imaging system includes a first light source for providing a first train of pulses at a first center optical frequency ω1, a second light source for providing a second train of pulses at a second center optical frequency ω2, a modulator system, an optical detector, and a processor. The modulator system is for modulating a beam property of the second train of pulses at a modulation frequency f of at least 100 kHz. The optical detector is for detecting an integrated intensity of substantially all optical frequency components of the first train of pulses from the common focal volume by blocking the second train of pulses being modulated. The processor is for detecting, a modulation at the modulation frequency f, of the integrated intensity of the optical frequency components of the first train of pulses to provide a pixel of an image for the microscopy imaging system.
US08027020B2

An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which forms an image of a first pattern in a first exposure area and which forms an image of a second pattern in a second exposure area; and an adjusting device which adjusts a surface positional relationship between a surface of the substrate and a first image plane for forming the image of the first pattern thereon and which adjusts a surface positional relationship between the surface of the substrate and a second image plane for forming the image of the second pattern thereon when a shot area on the substrate is subjected to multiple exposure with the image of the first pattern and the image of the second pattern via the projection optical system. The substrate can be subjected to the multiple exposure satisfactorily and efficiently.
US08027019B2

Embodiments of a drain in a lithographic projection apparatus are described that have, for example, a feature which reduces inflow of gas into the drain during a period when no liquid is present in the drain. In one example, a passive liquid removal mechanism is provided such that the pressure of gas in the drain is equal to the ambient gas pressure and in another embodiment a flap is provided to close off a chamber during times when no liquid needs removing.
US08027013B2

A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A liquid crystal layer is located between the first and the second substrates. A first transparent heating layer is attached on the first substrate. A second transparent heating layer is attached on the second substrate. Each of the first and second transparent heating layers includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes.
US08027012B2

To provide a liquid crystal display panel which can be produced at low cost by using inexpensive alkali glass for at least an opposing glass substrate, which is free from troubles in a liquid crystal display due to panel warpage attributable to the thermal treatment since such treatment is not required in the production process, and further which is free from panel warpage which tends to bring a trouble in a liquid crystal display derived from the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient by change in ambient temperature at the time of use.A liquid crystal display panel comprising an array glass substrate and an opposing glass substrate facing it, in which a liquid crystal is filled between such substrates, and an ultraviolet curable resin is sealed at a peripheral area, wherein the above opposing glass substrate is an alkali glass substrate, and the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the above array glass substrate and the above opposing glass substrate is at most 35×10−7/° C.
US08027007B2

An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a thin film transistor having a signal line of dual layered structure of a copper compound and copper, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor.
US08027004B2

A liquid crystal display according to an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate, a plurality of gate lines formed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines formed on the substrate to intersect the gate lines, and a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the substrate. In the liquid crystal display, the pixel electrode includes a first main side substantially parallel with the gate line, a second main side substantially parallel with the data line, a first oblique side making a first oblique angle with respect to the first and second main sides, and a second oblique side making a second oblique angle with respect to the first and second main sides. The first oblique angle and the second oblique angle are different from each other.
US08026999B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a liquid crystal panel, and a manufacturing method thereof. The substrate of a LCD panel comprises a first substrate, a color filter layer comprising color resins and a black matrix and formed on one surface of the first substrate, a transparent layer formed on the color filter layer and having a planar surface, and an array structure layer formed on the planar surface of the transparent layer or on the other surface of the first substrate.
US08026996B2

A display device includes a display panel having first and second opposing glass substrates forming a display surface, a transparent member, a first adhesive material bonding the transparent member to the entire display surface of the display panel, and a plate-like member disposed on a rear side of and supporting the display panel. A second adhesive material different from the first adhesive material is disposed between a rear surface of the transparent member and a front surface of the plate-like member so as to fixedly bond the transparent member and the plate-like member to one another.
US08026986B2

A projection type display device is provided to display high quality images. In the device, a WB-PBSW 2 is inclined to liquid crystal display devices 1r, 1b, 1g and has wire grids 2a parallel with a first substrate 11. One of directions of projection lines obtained by projecting the wire grids 2a on a second substrate 12 vertically, the one direction being directed to a direction where one extension surface of the polarization spectroscopic surface intersects with another extension surface of the second substrate when the one direction is turned in the counterclockwise direction by 90°, is defined as X-axis. If the liquid crystal display devices 1r, 1b, 1g are a type of first twist (normal twist), device reference line vectors are located at 225°±10° in the counterclockwise direction in view from the first substrate 11. In case of a second twist (reverse twist) type, the device reference line vectors are located at 315°±10° in the counterclockwise direction in view from the first substrate 11.
US08026984B2

A multimedia television is provided. The multimedia television includes a video playback apparatus, an audio processing device, M front loudspeakers, a rear audio playback apparatus, and a mixing device. The video playback apparatus is used for displaying a video signal. The audio processing device processes an audio signal into a multi-channel audio signal consisting of M front sub-audio signals and N rear sub-audio signals. Each front loudspeaker plays back one corresponding front sub-audio signal. And, the mixing device mixes the N rear sub-audio signals into a mixed audio signal, which is then wirelessly transmitted to the rear audio playback apparatus. After the mixed audio signal is processed into N rear sub-audio signals, N rear loudspeakers in the rear audio playback apparatus playback the N rear sub-audio signals.
US08026978B2

A camera module includes a lens unit; a holder which houses the lens unit therein and is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; a coil provided on the holder; a yoke, four main magnets and two flat plate-shaped auxiliary magnets which provide a magnetic field to the coil, in which the yoke has a roughly rectangular and relatively thin box shape of which bottom side is opened so that the yoke is defined by four side wall portions and a top plate portion, and the yoke also has an opening formed in the top plate portion for receiving the holder; upper and lower leaf springs respectively attached to the upper and lower cylindrical end portions of the holder for supporting the holder so as to be displaceable along the optical axis direction; and a base which supports the yoke and the lower leaf spring. In the camera module, the coil is formed into a roughly cylindrical shape having two opposite outer circumferential flat surfaces, each of the four main magnets has a triangle block shape and they are respectively arranged at the four corner portions inside the yoke, and the two auxiliary magnets are respectively arranged on a pair of the opposite side wall portions of the yoke so as to face the corresponding outer circumferential flat surfaces of the coil, respectively.
US08026975B2

In an image capturing apparatus for carrying out TV-AF type autofocus control, a difference is provided between an AF frame set for a particular object detected in an image, for example, for a person's face, and a normal AF frame in the band of frequency components for use in the generation of an AF evaluation value. Specifically, an AF evaluation value is generated for the AF frame set in the face region based on components in a frequency band with the highest frequency lower than for the normal AF frame.
US08026972B2

A camera according to the present invention includes a picture-taking lens unit including a picture-taking optical system having a bending optical system which optically bends incident light and an optical finder unit including a finder optical system having a bending optical system which optically bends incident light. A pre-bending optical system and a post-bending optical system in the bending optical system of the optical finder unit are arranged adjacent to a pre-bending optical system and a post-bending optical system in the bending optical system of the picture-taking lens unit, respectively. The body of the camera is therefore decreased in size.
US08026956B2

An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion unit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in a two-dimensional matrix, the photoelectric conversion elements converting received light into electric charge and accumulating the electric charge; a reset processing unit for performing a reset process, the reset process being a process of removing electric charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion elements of the photoelectric conversion unit in a first sub-frame period among the first to N-th sub-frame periods, the N being a natural number of two or more, the first to N-th sub-frame periods being obtained by dividing each frame period of a frame rate corresponding to a normal exposure time into an N number of periods in the first to N-th order; and a pixel signal readout unit for reading out a pixel signal in a non-destructive manner, the pixel signal being an electric signal corresponding to an amount of electrical charge accumulated in each of the photoelectric conversion elements in each of the first to N-th sub-frame periods.
US08026952B2

An image capturing device and the image preprocessing method thereof. The image preprocessing technique receives digital image consisting of luma data and chrominance data, integrates the chrominance data of adjacent rows to generate integrated chrominance data, buffers the luma data and the integrated chrominance data in a group of line buffers, and generates pre-processed chrominance data by making adjacent rows share the same integrated chrominance data. The luma data from the line buffer group form an image with the pre-processed chrominance. The image may be displayed on a display.
US08026945B2

The present invention describes systems and methods of incorporating detailed snapshots of targeted areas of interest into a video or digitized recording of the overall scene including metadata to link the snapshots to the time and location in the overall scene from which the snapshot was acquired. A single fixed high-resolution scene camera or a fixed standard resolution scene camera of analog or IP connected type is used, co-located with at least one pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera or by using the same scene camera in a mode where less than full resolution of the scene camera is used for video but snapshots of areas are captured by the same camera where higher resolution thereof is used for snapshots than for video. The area of interest is selected by the object-tracking feature of an intelligent video system, operated without human intervention, by electronically-implemented identification of the existence of area-specific subjects or targets of interest in the scene image field.
US08026944B1

A method and apparatus for providing an improved Internet camera is described. The method of keeping a refreshed image from a camera on a user's system comprises sending the image to the user's system and refreshing the image periodically. The method further comprises after a period of time, degrading the image.
US08026938B2

When printing is performed by dividing a thermal printer head into segmented blocks, the number of dots to be printed in one line is changed, depending on the case, high-speed printing with a small division number of the segmented blocks, or low-speed printing with a large division number of the segmented blocks. When the division number of the segmented blocks is large and printing is performed at a low speed, paper feeding within one line is performed by multiple pitches to prevent the paper sheet from halting in one line, and energization is performed for each pitch to prevent occurrence of gaps between dots and between lines, by increasing the number of dots to be printed in one line. In the multiple pitches in one line, the ratio of energization amount to be fed in each pitch is changed to reduce a difference in density among pitches in one line. Accordingly, when printing is performed by using segmented blocks of the thermal printer head, even though the division number of the segmented blocks is large and printing is performed at a low speed, printing without generating a gap between dots is possible.
US08026928B2

A method to realize efficient remote control of the server in a client with a limited display function, while maintaining a GUI-based image and minimizing a data transfer amount from the server, includes: receiving a command concerning a control operation to request an operation of the server from the client; in response to reception of the command, dividing an image displayed on a display screen of the server and detecting a change in the image in each of the divided areas; based on the detected change of the image, generating data of an image for status display to be displayed on the client; and transmitting the data of the image for status display to the client.
US08026927B2

A display that includes at least one gray level being provided to a plurality of pixels that illuminates each of the pixels with the gray level. The display applies corrective data for the pixels so as to reduce the mura effects of said display for those characteristics generally visible by the human visual system and so as not to reduce the mura effects of the display for those characteristics generally not visible by the human visual system.
US08026920B2

Methods and systems for applying visual effects to active content, such as buttons, comboboxes, video, edit fields, etc., wherein interactivity of the active content are retained thereafter. Also, the present disclosure provides a mechanism for developers to build new visual effects and have them applied to active content.
US08026913B2

A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.
US08026912B1

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for efficiently creating and accessing an A-Buffer with a GPU. The A-Buffer is organized in arrays of uniformly-sized tiles. Each array represents a group of pixels, and each tile within an array includes the set of fragments at a specific depth complexity that are associated with the pixels in the pixel group represented by the array. The size of the tiles may be selected to be the minimum necessary for efficient memory access. The GPU determines the number of tiles in each array by calculating the maximum of the depth complexity associated with the pixels in the pixel group represented by the array and creates a corresponding prefix sum image to allow the GPU to efficiently locate the array associated with a given pixel group in the A-Buffer for addressing purposes. Advantageously, structuring the A-Buffer by both pixel proximity and depth complexity improves memory locality, thereby improving the overall rendering performance of the graphics pipeline.
US08026910B2

Apparatus are provided including assets defining 3D models, including 3D icons and scenes, and animations of the 3D models. An offline optimization engine is provided to process data to be acted upon by a graphics engine of a target embedded device. A graphics engine simulator is provided to simulate, on a computer platform other than a target embedded device, select functions of a target embedded device running a graphics engine including API calls that directly calls API functions of a hardware level API of the target embedded device.
US08026908B2

In a video or other screen display apparatus, a surround to the actual screen is provided whose light output is variable in order to compensate for the effect of ambient (room) illumination on apparent contrast and chroma of the displayed image. The relationship between ambient light level and the surround illumination is an inverse power function. This provides the effect of making the viewer perceive that the entire room is brighter than it actually is, resulting in a desirable change in his perception of brightness. Thereby, the chromaticity of the surround is variable to allow a match to the calibrated white point of the video display. The apparatus includes an ambient light sensor whose output signal is provided to a control system driving the illuminated surround.
US08026896B2

A portable electronic apparatus including a main body having a display unit on a surface and a protruding holding unit. The holding unit includes a pointing device and switches that are operated by a same hand holding the holding unit. The pointing device includes one of a stick type pointing device and a trackball type pointing device that performs pointing operations including moving a cursor displayed on the display unit. The switches are for setting or canceling instructions given by the pointing device with click operations. The holding unit is also configured to be folded toward a side of the main body. When it is folded, an electric power supply is automatically turned off or put in a standby state and when the holding unit is unfolded to its original position, the electric power supply is a turned on or put in an operating state.
US08026895B2

A backlight controller for controlling a backlight unit having a plurality of light sources arranged in a grid layout for illuminating a liquid crystal panel, the backlight controller including: a first calculator configured to calculate an average value and a standard deviation of control values for controlling the light sources, the control values being obtained from a feature quantity of an input image; a second calculator configured to calculate a ratio of the standard deviation to the average value; and a gain controller configured to control a gain to be applied to the control values based on the ratio calculated by the second calculator.
US08026887B2

A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel, a timing controller to generate a dynamic charge share control signal to indicate a time at which the gray level of a data voltage is changed from a white gray level to a black gray level and a time at which the polarity of the data voltage is inverted, and to detect weakness patterns and generate a dot inversion control signal for widening a horizontal polarity inversion time of data voltages when the weakness patterns are input, wherein the liquid crystal display panel includes first and second liquid crystal cell groups whose polarity is inverted every 2 frame periods, and a polarity inversion time of the first liquid crystal cell group and a polarity inversion time of the second liquid crystal cell group overlap.
US08026886B2

A grey tone display and a driving method are described. The display comprises a light influencing layer, an electrode pad located adjacent to the layer at one side of the layer in order to define a pixel in the layer, an n-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a p-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a first control line connected to the drain terminal of the n-channel field effect transistor, a second control line connected to the drain terminal of the p-channel field effect transistor, a third control line connected to the gate terminals of the n-channel field effect transistor and the p-channel field effect transistor, and a control circuit for supplying control signals to the first, second and third control lines. By this configuration, the voltage of the electrode pad can be arbitrarily controlled by adjusting the input level at the gate terminals.
US08026874B2

In a display apparatus including a correction unit and a switching transistor, the correction unit operates in a non-light emission period such that a correction voltage for eliminating an effect of a variation in a characteristic of a driving transistor is stored in a storage capacitor. The switching transistor is disposed between one current terminal of the driving transistor and a light emitting element. The switching transistor turns off during the non-light emission period thereby to electrically disconnect the light emitting element from the one current terminal of the driving transistor thereby preventing a leakage current from flowing through the light emitting element during the period in which the correction unit operates, and thus preventing the correction voltage from having an error due to the leakage current.
US08026873B2

Apparatus for providing an analog drive transistor control signal to the gate electrode of a drive transistor in a drive circuit that applies current to an EL device, the drive circuit including a first supply electrode of the drive transistor and the EL device connected to a second supply electrode of the drive transistor, comprising a measuring circuit for measuring the current passing through the supply electrodes at different times to provide an aging signal representing variations in the characteristics of the drive transistor and EL device caused by operation of the drive transistor and EL device over time; a compensator for changing a linear code value in response to the aging signal to compensate for the variations in the characteristics of the drive transistor and EL device; and a linear source driver for producing the analog drive transistor control signal in response to the changed linear code value.
US08026869B2

A plasma display driving method and apparatus that can reduce the occurrences of dropout, on a displayed image, caused by misaddress when the environment temperature becomes low. In the inventive plasma display, the environment temperature is determined, and during a charge adjustment interval, the ultimate voltage, which the drive waveform of a scan electrode voltage reaches at the end after continuously varying in the negative direction, is changed in accordance with the determined environment temperature in such a manner that if the environment temperature becomes lower, the ultimate voltage is directed in the positive direction.
US08026859B2

A dual- or quad-ridged horn antenna with an embedded impedance matching network is provided herein. According to one embodiment, the horn antenna may include at least one pair of ridges arranged opposite one another for guiding an electromagnetic wave there between. A transmission line is coupled to a first one of the ridges for supplying power to, or receiving a signal from, a feed region of the horn antenna. To reduce impedance mismatches between the transmission line and the ridges, an impedance matching network is embedded within a second one of the ridges at the feed point. The impedance matching network reduces impedance mismatch and extends the operational frequency range of the horn antenna by providing a sufficient amount of series capacitance between the transmission line and the ridges at the feed region. As set forth herein, the impedance matching network is preferably implemented as an open-circuit transmission line stub or capacitive stub.
US08026855B2

A feed element and a parasitic element are formed on the ends of a board. The feed element is formed on the surface of the board, and the parasitic element is formed on the back of the board. A circuit region of the board is mounted with a radio communication circuit. The feed element is connected with a signal line, and the parasitic element is connected with a GND line. A slit is provided between the feed element and the circuit region, and a slit is provided between the parasitic element and the circuit element.
US08026849B2

A system (105) determines a power level for transmitting to a neighboring node in a wireless network. The system (105) receives a message indicating a three-dimensional position and orientation of the neighboring node and a type of directional antenna of the neighboring node that transmitted the message. The system (105) determines the power level for transmitting to the neighboring node based on the three-dimensional position and orientation of the neighboring node and the type of the directional antenna.
US08026840B2

A biometric radar system and method for identifying a person's positional state are generally described herein. The biometric radar may phase adjust a sequence of radar return signals received through two or more receive antennas to remove at least some phase noise due to the stationary objects. The biometric radar may also segment the phase adjusted radar return signals into a plurality of multi-resolutional Doppler components. Each multi-resolutional Doppler component may be associated with one of a plurality of biometric features. The biometric radar system may also combine and weight the segmented radar returns for each biometric feature to generate weighted classifications for a feature extraction process.
US08026839B2

A receiver that selectively samples a received signal in order to suppress an interference component of the signal while recovering a desired component. The selective sampling may be accomplished by low cost, low complex analog or digital circuitry. The receiver includes a first input that receives a first signal, including a desired signal component and an interference signal component and a second input that receives a second signal including the interference component only. The first and second signals are then provided to the sampling circuitry. First, the phase of the interference component of the both the first and second signals is aligned. Next, the points in a wave cycle that the second signal is at a power minimum are detected. Finally, first signal is sampled close to the point when the second signal is at the power minimum to recover the desired signal component and suppress the interference component.
US08026826B2

A door bell includes a case and a frame is located within the open space of the case. An electro-magnetic valve is connected to the frame and controls two hit pins and a circuit board is connected to the frame and electronically connected to the electro-magnetic valve. Two resilient members are mounted to the hit pins which hit a sound plate located beneath the hit pins to generate sound. The sound is amplified by two sound boxes. The circuit board transfers alternative current into direct current so that no hulky part projecting from the door bell.
US08026825B2

An alarm pull station includes a housing, an alarm indicator carried within the housing, an alarm activation mechanism carried within the housing, such that the alarm activation mechanism is adjacent to the alarm indicator, and configured to generate an alarm signal, and a sensor carried within the housing such that the sensor is configured to generate a signal in response to a sensed condition and the alarm indicator is activated in response to the signal generated by the sensor.
US08026823B2

A PLC includes a first and second module. The first module having terminal positions and/or connectors behind a door located on its front side as well as having a display, and with the second module having a display unit. For servicing the first module, status messages for terminal position and/or connector of the first module are transmitted via a communication link to the second module and are displayed by a display of the second module.
US08026810B2

A device for controlling and monitoring an installation that is composed of sequentially disposed sub-sections in a chain so that each sub-section lies between a forward sub-section and a rearward sub-section, with the exception of the terminal sub-sections of the installation. Each sub-section is connected to a first control unit and a second control unit and the control units of the sub-sections communicate at least partially with one another, with the sub-sections, and/or with a higher-level control center. Increased safety requirements are satisfied with the novel device, while at the same time being cost-effective, in that the first control unit is also connected to the forward sub-section and the second control unit is also connected to the rearward sub-section.
US08026809B2

A monitoring method and a monitoring device for a motor-driven door, wherein a stationary unit and a monitoring device mounted on the movable door communicate bidirectionally with one another, wherein data and/or signals of at least one door safety sensor are relayed to the stationary unit, and wherein a waking device is automatically wakened cyclically or is wakened by a vibration sensor and wakes the control device, which in turn wakes the transmitter/receiver and actively queries the stationary unit assigned individually to it as to whether the monitoring device must remain active or be switched back to a power-saving idle state.
US08026807B1

A monitoring system includes at least one fixed location monitoring station, a remote central station and a communications link interconnecting the monitoring station with the remote central station. The monitoring station includes a processor coupled to an input device for retrieving subject identification definition data and subject location definition data. The processor also retrieves physiological parameter sampling data from the subject and determines whether the physiological parameter sampling data lies within boundary limits of the identification definition data and also determines whether the location of the monitoring station lies within boundary limits of the location definition data. In the event the sampling data and the fixed location are within boundary limits, the processor may actuate an access control to permit the subject to enter or exit a controlled premises. Transaction logs including out of boundary conditions as well as in boundary conditions and the location of the monitoring station are transmitted to a remote central station.
US08026804B2

The apparatus is applicable to a communications network, wherein, via an information processing platform of a network server end, the system is connected to a network surveillance device installed in a monitored environment, in which the information processing platform processes and saves event message about the environment acquired by the network surveillance device, and generates corresponding notification messages. Via a browsing authorization certification mechanism, the system allows a user having been identified as a certified user to connect to the information processing platform via a communication terminal device for monitoring message information. Using the system, a certified user is capable of the following: accessing or receiving surveillance message information via the information processing platform, receiving notification message from the information processing platform, accessing the information processing platform to manage and maintain user authorized certification information, and/or selectively switching on/off connection between the network surveillance device and the information processing platform.
US08026799B2

A collision determination apparatus detects a current value of a lateral acceleration of a subject vehicle for calculating a collision risk index, and the collision risk index is used to determine the risk of collision of the subject vehicle with a front object. As the collision risk index takes the lateral acceleration of the subject vehicle into account, the collision risk index correctly represents a risk of collision of the subject vehicle with the front object when the subject vehicle is traveling in a condition that is under an influence of the lateral acceleration.
US08026788B2

A thin-film resistor with a layer structure with a Ti layer and a TiN layer is described, wherein a layer thickness of the Ti layer and a layer thickness of the TiN layer are selected such that a resulting temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) is smaller than 1000 ppm/° C.
US08026780B2

A resonator filter working with surface acoustic waves is disclosed. The transfer function of this filter features a phase rotation of at least 400° within a passband.
US08026777B2

Disclosed are energy conditioner structures, method of making and using them wherein the structure comprises a sequence of conductive layers including a first A layer, a G layer, and a first B layer; wherein said first A layer, said G layer, and said first B layer are each conductive, and are conductively isolated from one another in said energy conditioner structure; wherein said first A layer includes a first A layer main body and a first A layer tab, said first B layer includes a first B layer main body and a first B layer tab, and said G layer includes a G layer main body and a G layer first tab; wherein said G layer is in a plane between a plane containing said first A layer and a plane containing said first B layer; where the main body of at least one of said first A layer and said first B layer opposes a portion of said G layer main body; wherein two of said first A layer tab, said first B layer tab, and said G layer first tab are on a first side of said energy conditioner, and the remaining one of said first A layer tab, said first B layer tab, and said G layer first tab is on a second side of said energy conditioner, and said second side is opposite from said first side; and said method comprising applying electrical energy to one of said first A layer, said G layer, and said first B layer.
US08026776B2

An acoustic wave device includes a ladder-type filter in which resonators are connected in a ladder configuration. In the acoustic wave device, series-connected resonators are connected in a parallel line in the ladder-type filter, and the resonators connected in the parallel line have mutually different resonance frequencies.
US08026759B2

A multistage amplifying circuit includes a first amplifying circuit that either samples a first analog voltage input or amplifies a difference between the first analog voltage and a first digital voltage converted from the first analog voltage, in response to a control signal. A second amplifying circuit either samples a second analog voltage input or amplifies a difference between the second analog voltage and a second digital voltage converted from the second analog voltage, in response to the control signal. A common amplifier receives output voltages of the first amplifying circuit and the second amplifying circuit and either resets the output voltage of the first amplifying circuit and determines an output voltage by using the second amplifying circuit, or resets the output voltage of the second amplifying circuit and determines an output voltage by using the first amplifying circuit, in response to the control signal.
US08026745B2

In an embodiment, an integrated circuit comprises core circuitry and at least one driver circuit. The core circuitry is powered by a first supply voltage during use, and comprises a control circuit configured to generate a pull up control signal, a pull down control signal, and at least one reference voltage. The driver circuit is powered by a second supply voltage during use, the second supply voltage having a greater magnitude than the first supply voltage. The driver circuit is connected to a pad to be connected to a pin on a package of the integrated circuit. The driver circuit comprises a cascode connection of a first transistor and a second transistor, and a capacitor coupled between a first gate terminal of the first transistor and a second gate terminal of the second transistor. The first gate terminal is coupled to receive the pull down control signal.
US08026734B2

A dual tip test probe assembly for use in both cantilever and vertical probe applications includes first and second elongated test probes, each having a body portion and a tip portion with a tip configured to make contact with a device under test. An electrically-insulating material is disposed between but not in contact with the body portions of the first and second elongated test probes to electrically isolate the first and second elongated test probes. The first and second elongated test probes are held in alignment with respect to each other so that the tip of the first elongated test probe is adjacent to and not in contact with the tip of the second elongated test probe for making simultaneous contact with the device under test. The dual tip test probe assembly provides a low inductance and a small, stable footprint for testing small and/or non-flat test points.
US08026731B1

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for obtaining an image of the impedance properties of an object by inferring a measure of straight-line path impedance along a plurality of paths from a plurality of current amplitude and phase measurements made between combinations of electrodes placed at selected points, and/or from measurements of the intensity of the electromagnetic signal emitted when an alternating current is made to resonate along the straight line path.
US08026718B2

An aspect of the present invention provides a magnetic sensor which is operated better at a high temperature range not lower than 300° C. compared with a conventional magnetic sensor. A operating layer having a heterojunction interface is formed by laminating a first layer made of GaN whose electron concentration is not more than 1×1016/cm3 at room temperature and a second layer made of AlxGa1-xN (0
US08026716B2

The invention concerns a device for the qualitative or quantitative measurement of a magnetically labelled analyte. The device includes a coil arrangement for measuring the analyte from a sample absorbed in a test base. The coil arrangement includes at least one measuring coil and a reference coil arranged in connection with it. From the signal of the coil arrangement a change in inductance correlating to the content of the magnetically labelled analyte is arranged to be detected. The change in inductance is arranged to be detected from a change (ΔA, Δφ) in amplitude and/or phase appearing in the output signal of the coil arrangement, which is arranged to be measured at the frequency of the input signal. In addition, the invention also relates to a corresponding method.
US08026707B2

A circuit is provided including an output stage with a pair of transistors. Further provided is a control circuit in communication with the output stage. The control circuit is capable of controlling a duration in which at least one of the transistors is actuated for reducing an in-rush current.
US08026696B2

A battery pack comprising a power cell for providing power to a load or for receiving a charge from a charger, a first protection circuit for protecting from overvoltage and/or overcurrent conditions, and a second protection circuit for protecting from overtemperature conditions. The protection circuits independently control one or more electronic switching devices, through which passes substantially all of the current supplied by the power cell. When overvoltage and/or overcurrent conditions exist, the first protection circuit causes at least one of the switching devices to move to a non-conducting condition. Similarly, when an overtemperature condition exists, the second protection circuit causes at least one of the switching devices to move to a non-conducting condition.
US08026695B2

A method of operating battery power management unit (PMU) in over-discharge situation is disclosed. Furthermore, a power management unit (PMU) and a device comprising a power management unit (PMU) are disclosed. The power management unit (PMU) is part of a system, comprising a battery and a safety circuit connected to the battery. The state of the safety circuit of the battery is determined and the on/off control of the device is made inactive while the safety circuit remains active. Thereby avoiding an application run on the device to go into an active state, i.e. to be turned on, at a moment when the battery has not returned to its normal operation mode.
US08026682B2

The invention specifies a circuit arrangement (1, 20) for controlling a brushless electric motor (37) with a control chip (2), particularly a microcontroller, which has a number of PWM contacts (8), which can be used to output a PWM signal, and a number of commutation contacts (5,5′, 6,6′, 7,7′), which can be used to output a commutation signal. In this case, provision is made for at least one commutation contact (5,5′, 6,6′, 7,7′) to be alternately controllable as an input and an output, for the at least one commutation contact (5,5′, 6,6′, 7,7′) to have its output electrically connected to a PWM contact (8), and for the commutation contact (5,5′, 6,6′, 7,7′) connected in this manner to be able to be contacted for the purpose of tapping off a control signal. Such a circuit arrangement (1,20) increases the control options for a given control chip (2). The number of PWM sources required is reduced.
US08026673B2

Methods and apparatus for simulating resistive loads, and facilitating series, parallel, and/or series-parallel connections of multiple loads to draw operating power. Current-to-voltage characteristics of loads are altered in a predetermined manner so as to facilitate a predictable and/or desirable behavior of multiple loads drawing power from a power source. Exemplary loads include LED-based light sources and LED-based lighting units. Altered current-to-voltage characteristics may cause a load to appear as a substantially linear or resistive element to the power source, at least over some operating range. In connections of multiple such loads, the voltage across each load is relatively more predictable. In one example, a series connection of multiple loads with altered current-to-voltage characteristics may be operated from a line voltage without requiring a transformer.
US08026669B2

A display device includes a display unit in which display elements provided with pixel circuits are arranged so as to have a sequence of three different colors in a row direction and the colors are shifted in a column direction by 1.5 columns. A scanning line is provided in every row of the display unit, a signal line is provided in every column of the display unit, and a column control circuit outputs a display signal for every column. The positions of the pixel circuits are displaced in the row direction with respect to the arrangement of the display elements, and are thus aligned in the column direction and also connected to the signal line only on one side of the signal line. No inversion of the pixel circuit pattern occurs and variations of the circuit characteristics in every row are suppressed.
US08026665B2

Disclosed are a novel deuterated aryl amine compound capable of enhancing thermal stability, hole transporting capability, luminescence efficiency, etc. of an organic light emitting diode at the time of being used as a hole-injecting layer, a preparation method thereof, and an organic light emitting diode using the same.
US08026650B2

An energy harvester circuit is provided. The energy harvester circuit includes a harvesting module for extracting energy from an ambient source. A bias flip module manages the manner in which voltage across the harvesting module transitions when input current from the harvesting module changes direction so as to allow a majority of the charge available from the harvesting module to be extracted. A voltage transitioning module is shared amongst one or more DC-DC converters for efficient energy management.
US08026640B2

The invention relates to an electric machine which comprises a first machine part (30), comprising a stator element (31) and a rotor element (32) and being configured as a rotary actuator which interacts with a rotary movement of the rotor element (32). The electric machine (40) also comprises a second machine part (20), comprising a primary part (1) and a secondary part (2) and being configured as a linear actuator which interacts with a linear movement of the secondary part (2). The rotor element (32) of the first machine part (30) and the secondary part (2) of the second machine part (20) are interlinked. The secondary part (2) of the second machine part (20) can be rotated and is configured as an external rotor. Such a secondary part (2) allows to generate a higher power of a secondary machine part (20) acting as the linear motor. The secondary part (2) is mounted in the center thereof in relation to the primary part (1).
US08026633B2

A wall-mountable electrical power supplying device for mounting to a wall surface about a standard wall-mounted power receptacle, and supplying electrical power to a group of electrical appliances located in an environment. The wall-mountable device includes a base housing portion having a bottom surface and a 3D interior volume. A power-ring subassembly is supported within the base housing portion, has a central aperture defining the boundaries of 3D interior volume, and is adapted for supporting a plurality of electrical receptacles and one or more electronic circuits. An electrical power supply plug is integrated with the base housing portion, and is adapted for plugging into a standard wall-mounted power receptacle, and supplying electrical power to the power-ring subassembly. A power-ring housing portion covers the power-ring subassembly, and has a set of plug apertures allowing appliance power plugs associated with the electrical appliances to plug into the electrical receptacles mounted behind the plug apertures.
US08026630B2

A system and method for supplying voltage to electrical loads in the onboard electrical system of a motor vehicle are provided. The onboard electrical system consists of at least two onboard electrical system regions. The first onboard electrical system region has an electric generator, a vehicle battery, as well as one or more first electrical loads. The second onboard electrical system region has a double-layer capacitor or a so-called supercap and one or more second electrical loads. Between the two onboard electrical system regions, a blocking device is provided, in particular, a semiconductor diode or a power switch, which permits a current flow from the first onboard electrical system region into the second electrical system region and largely prevents a reverse current flow from the second onboard electrical system region into the first onboard electrical system region. The output voltage of the electric generator is raised and the supercap is charged when a first threshold value of the electric voltage in the second onboard electrical system region is undershot.
US08026624B2

A twin-spool gas turbine turbojet comprising a high-pressure rotor; a low-pressure rotor; a low-pressure rotor shaft connected to a fan housed in a fan casing; and a fixed cowl element centered on the axis of the engine, upstream of the fan, on which there is mounted an electric current generator designed to take mechanical power off the low-pressure rotor shaft and convert it into electrical power.
US08026623B2

A wind turbine generator, an active damping method thereof, and a windmill tower in which vibrations of the wind turbine generator itself or the windmill tower can be reduced at low cost are provided. The acceleration due to vibrations of a nacelle is detected with an accelerometer attached to the nacelle. In an active damping unit, a pitch angle of windmill blades for generating a thrust on the windmill blades so as to cancel out the vibrations of the nacelle is calculated on the basis of the acceleration, and the pitch angle is output as a blade-pitch-angle command δθ* for damping. On the other hand, in a pitch-angle control unit, a pitch angle of the windmill blades for controlling the output to be a predetermined value is calculated, and the pitch angle is output as a blade-pitch-angle command θ* for output control. The blade-pitch-angle command δθ* for damping is combined with the blade-pitch-angle command θ* for output control using a subtracter. The pitch angle of the windmill blades is controlled on the basis of the resulting blade-pitch-angle command after combining.
US08026609B2

Provided, is a reliable semiconductor device with a layered interconnect structure that may develop no trouble of voids and interconnect breakdowns, in which the layered interconnect structure comprises a conductor film and a neighboring film as so layered on a semiconductor substrate that the neighboring film is contacted with the conductor film. In the device, the materials for the conductor film and the neighboring film are so selected that the difference between the short side, ap, of the rectangular unit cells that constitute the plane with minimum free energy of the conductor film and the short side, an, of the rectangular unit cells that constitute the plane with minimum free energy of the neighboring film, {lap−anl/ap}×100=A (%) and the difference between the long side, bp, of the rectangular unit cells that constitute the plane with minimum free energy of the conductor film and the long side, bn, of the rectangular unit cells that constitute the plane with minimum free energy of the neighboring film, {lbp−bnl/bp}×100=B (%) satisfy an inequality of {A+B×(ap/bp)}<13. In this, the diffusion of the conductor film is retarded.
US08026608B2

An electronic package includes a first layer having a first surface, the first layer includes a first device having a first electrical node, and a first contact pad in electrical communication with the first electrical node and positioned within the first surface. The package includes a second layer having a second surface and a third surface, the second layer includes a first conductor positioned within the second surface and a second contact pad positioned within the third surface and in electrical communication with the first conductor. A first anisotropic conducting paste (ACP) is positioned between the first contact pad and the first conductor to electrically connect the first contact pad to the first conductor such that an electrical signal may pass therebetween.
US08026594B2

A sensor device having small variations in sensor characteristics and improved resistance to electrical noise is provided. This sensor device has a sensor unit, which is provided with a frame having an opening, a movable portion held in the opening to be movable relative to the frame, and a detecting portion for outputting an electric signal according to a positional displacement of the movable portion, and a package substrate made of a semiconductor material, and bonded to a surface of the sensor unit. The package substrate has an electrical insulating film on a surface facing the sensor unit. The package substrate is bonded to the sensor unit by forming a direct bonding between an activated surface of the electrical insulating film and an activated surface of the sensor unit at room temperature.
US08026586B2

A semiconductor package comprises a substrate having bond fingers on an upper surface thereof and ball lands on a lower surface thereof; at least two chip modules stacked on the upper surface of the substrate, each of the at least two chip modules including a plurality of semiconductor chips having first connection members and stacked in a manner such that the first connection members of the semiconductor chips are connected to one another, the chip modules being stacked in a zigzag pattern such that connection parts of the chip modules project sideward; and second connection members electrically connecting the connection parts of the respective chip modules to the bond fingers of the substrate.
US08026578B2

A barrier film formed on top of a substrate, a barrier film formed so as to cover a functional element region fabricated on top of a substrate, or a barrier film formed on both a substrate and a functional element region, wherein the barrier film includes at least one layer of a silicon nitride film formed by laminating two or more silicon nitride layers having different Si/N composition ratios.
US08026576B2

There is provided a wiring board. The wiring board includes: a semiconductor substrate having a through hole and covered with an insulating film; a through electrode formed in the through hole; a first wiring connected to one end of the through electrode; and a second wiring connected to the other end of the through electrode. The semiconductor substrate includes: a semiconductor element and a first guard ring formed to surround the through hole. The semiconductor element includes a first conductivity-type impurity diffusion layer having a different conductivity-type from that of the semiconductor substrate and is electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring.
US08026575B2

The present invention provides a technology that makes it possible to enhance the gain and the efficiency of an RF bipolar transistor. Device isolation is given between a p+ type isolation region and an n+ type collector embedded region and between a p+ type isolation region and an n type collector region (an n+ type collector extraction region) with an isolation section that surrounds the collector extraction region in a plan view and is formed by embedding a dielectric film in a groove penetrating an isolation section, a collector region, and a collector embedded region and reaching a substrate. Further, a current route is formed between an emitter wiring (a wiring) and the substrate with an electrically conductive layer formed by embedding the electrically conductive layer in a groove penetrating a dielectric film, silicon oxide films, a semiconductor region, and the isolation regions and reaching the substrate, and thereby the impedance between the emitter wiring and the substrate is reduced.
US08026571B2

A manufacturing method for a semiconductor-device isolation structure comprises providing a substrate with at least one shallow trench isolation structure, performing a salicide process that forms a recess on the surface of the shallow trench isolation structure, forming a cap film covering the substrate and filling the recess, performing an etching process to remove the cap film outside the recess, and forming a contact etch stop layer covering the substrate and filling the recess. Due to the filling recess with the cap film first, the contact etch stop layer covering the substrate and filling the recess does not have seams or voids.
US08026570B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a control signal system for avoiding failure to check an indefinite signal propagation prevention circuit, for facilitating a check included in an automated tool, and for facilitating a power shutdown control inside a chip. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, power shutdown priorities are provided by independent power domains (Area A to Area I). A method for preventing a power domain having a lower priority from being turned OFF when a circuit having a high priority is turned ON is also provided.
US08026569B2

In one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device has a photodiode over a P-type substrate, an NPN transistor formed over the P-type substrate, an N+-type buried region provided right under the NPN transistor as being buried in the P-type substrate, and a P+-type buried region formed in the N+-type buried region.
US08026567B2

A thermoelectric structure for cooling an integrated circuit (IC) chip comprises a first type superlattice layer formed on top of the IC chip connected to a first voltage, and a second type superlattice layer formed on the bottom of the IC chip connected to a second voltage, the second voltage being different from the first voltage, wherein an power supply current flows through the first and second type superlattice layer for cooling the IC chip.
US08026563B2

A spin transistor comprises a spin injector for injecting, from a first nonmagnetic electrode carriers with a spin parallel to a spin band forming the band edge of a first ferromagnetic barrier layer, to a second nonmagnetic electrode layer, as hot carriers. It also comprises a spin analyzer whereby, due to spin-splitting at the band edge of a second ferromagnetic barrier layer, the spin-polarized hot carriers are transported to a third nonmagnetic electrode when the direction of the spin of the carriers injected into the second nonmagnetic electrode is parallel to that of the spin of the spin band at the band edge of the second ferromagnetic barrier layer, whereas the hot carriers are not transported to the third nonmagnetic electrode in the case of antiparallel spin. A memory element is also provided that comprises such a spin transistor.
US08026555B2

According to an exemplary embodiment, a bipolar/dual FET structure includes a bipolar transistor situated over a substrate. The bipolar/dual FET structure further includes an enhancement-mode FET and a depletion-mode FET situated over the substrate. In the bipolar/dual FET structure, the channel of the enhancement-mode FET is situated above the base of the bipolar transistor and the channel of the depletion-mode FET is situated below the base of the bipolar transistor. The channel of the enhancement-mode FET is isolated from the channel of the depletion-mode FET so as to decouple the enhancement-mode FET from the depletion mode FET.
US08026543B2

A phase-change memory device has an oxidation barrier layer to protect against memory cell contamination or oxidation. In one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a molding layer disposed over semiconductor substrate, a phase-changeable material pattern, and an oxidation barrier of electrically insulative material. The molding layer has a protrusion at its upper portion. One portion of the phase-changeable material pattern overlies the protrusion of the molding layer, and another portion of the phase-changeable material pattern extends through the protrusion. The electrically insulative material of the oxidation barrier may cover the phase-changeable material pattern and/or extend along and cover the entire area at which the protrusion of the molding layer and the portion of the phase-change material pattern disposed on the protrusion adjoin.
US08026542B2

Methods for forming memory devices and integrated circuitry, for example, DRAM circuitry, structures and devices resulting from such methods, and systems that incorporate the devices are provided.
US08026533B2

The light emitting device 100 includes a light emitting element 101, a package for arranging the light emitting element 101, and an electrically conductive wire 106 for connecting an electrode disposed on the package and an electrode of the light emitting element. The package includes a support member 108 having a mounting portion to arrange the light emitting element 101 and defining a recess 103 to house a semiconductor element 102 which is different than the light emitting element, and a light transmissive member 107 covering at least the light emitting element 101. The package defines a hollow portion 111 between the light transmissive member 107 covering the opening of the recess 103 and an inner wall defining the recess 103.
US08026503B2

A phase-change memory cell structure includes a bottom diode on a substrate; a heating stem on the bottom diode; a first dielectric layer surrounding the heating stem, wherein the first dielectric layer forms a recess around the heating stem; a phase-change storage cap capping the heating stem and the first dielectric layer; and a second dielectric layer covering the first dielectric layer and the phase-change storage cap wherein the second dielectric layer defines an air gap in the recess.
US08026502B2

A phase-change nonvolatile memory (PRAM) is constituted of a semiconductor substrate, a lower electrode, a first interlayer insulating film having a first hole, an impurity diffusion layer embedded in the first hole, a second interlayer insulating film having a second hole whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the first hole, a phase-change recording layer, and an upper electrode. The impurity diffusion layer is constituted of two semiconductor layers having different conductivity types, wherein one semiconductor layer is constituted of a base portion and a projecting portion having a heating spot in contact with the phase-change recording layer, while the other semiconductor layer is formed to surround the projecting portion. A depletion layer is formed in proximity to the junction surface so as to reduce the diameter of the heating spot, thus reducing the current value Ireset for writing data in to the phase-change recording layer.
US08026500B2

A paper carrying device includes a carrying path, a light sensor, a contact sensor, and a judgment section. Both of the light sensor and the contact sensor output a presence-signal indicating that paper exists at a predetermined position in the carrying path or an absence-signal indicating that paper does not exist at the predetermined position. The judgment section judges that a signal output from the light sensor is an error when the light sensor outputs the presence-signal while the contact sensor outputs the absence-signal.
US08026499B2

Several methods of calibrating a wavelength-modulation spectroscopy apparatus configured to measure a concentration of an analyte in a sample gas are disclosed. Each of the methods allows for calibration and recalibration using a relatively safe gas regardless of whether the sample gas for which the concentration of the analyte can be determined is a hazardous gas. In one embodiment of the invention, calibration that is sample-gas specific is accomplished by determining a first slope coefficient and calibration function for the sample gas, after which a scaling factor can be determined based on the first slope coefficient and a second slope coefficient for the same or a different sample gas and used in a subsequent calibration (or recalibration) to scale the calibration function. In other embodiments of the invention, calibration that is not sample-gas specific is accomplished to allow for the determination of the analyte concentration in variable gas compositions and constant gas compositions.
US08026498B2

A calibrating apparatus for lens carrier, includes a carrier, a driving unit, a first-dimension detector, and a control unit. The driving unit is capable of moving the carrier in a first-dimension direction. The first-dimension detector is capable of generating a corresponding first-dimension positional signal for the carrier according to a condition of whether detecting the carrier. The control unit is capable of receiving the first-dimension positional signal. The control unit determines whether the driving unit performing a first-predetermined driving operation based on the first-dimension positional signal for the carrier received when starting to calibrate. Finally, a position of the carrier in the first-dimension direction is adjusted based on the first-dimension positional signal for the carrier received after performing the first-predetermined driving operation.
US08026495B2

A charged particle beam exposure system has a blanking aperture array (31) having groups of apertures (53) controlled by shift registers (75), wherein different inputs (C) to the shift registers influence a different number of apertures. Charged particle beamlets traversing the apertures are scanned across a charged particle sensitive substrate in synchronism with a clock signal of the shift registers.
US08026492B2

A focused ion beam device is provided, including: an ion beam column adapted to house a gas field ion source emitter with an emitter tip and an emitter area for generating ions, a heating means adapted to heat the emitter tip, one or more gas inlets adapted to introduce a first gas and at least one second gas to the emitter area, an objective lens adapted to focus the ion beam generated from the first gas or the second gas, and a controller adapted to switch between a first emitter tip temperature and a second emitter tip temperature for generating an ion beam of ions of the first gas or an ion beam of ions of the at least one second gas.
US08026488B2

A method for positive emission tomography (PET) target image segmentation is provided. The method comprises capturing and digitizing image data of a selected target, determining an initial concentration ratio based on an initial source background ratio and an initial volume estimate of the selected target employing a concentration ratio table, determining a desired threshold from the initial concentration ratio and the initial volume estimate employing a threshold table, and determining a final volume estimate of the selected target based on the determined desired threshold.
US08026479B2

Systems and methods for analyzing compounds in a sample. In one embodiment, the present technology is directed towards a method of analyzing a sample, comprising: emitting ions from the sample; selectively filtering the emitted ions for at least one designated trigger ion; fragmenting the designated trigger ions; scanning for a designated trigger ion fragment; and upon detecting the designated trigger ion fragment, scanning for at least one confirmatory ion fragment.
US08026476B2

When the analyzer provides the mass and composition formula of the product ion, which is probably produced in the process of a dissociation, through the input unit, based on known information, a composition formula list is created in the database. When a product ion is obtained in an MSn analysis, the data processor checks whether or not the ion's mass exists in the composition formula list, and in the case where it does, the composition formula corresponding to the mass is determined. Then, based the mass difference between the precursor ion and product ion or other factors, the precursor ion's composition formula is deduced, and if it is possible to ultimately narrow down the candidates for the target ion's composition formula, the analysis is terminated. Accordingly, if the composition formula list is available, the refinement operation for the candidates for the composition formula can be omitted.
US08026469B2

The invention provides a photoelectric conversion device, in which a decrease in sensitivity and a crosstalk between wirings are suppressed. Plural pixel columns are arranged in one direction, plural pixels are arranged in a different direction to the one direction in a column manner in the pixel column, and the pixel includes a photodiode PD, a reset transistor M4 for resetting the photodiode PD, and a source follower input transistor M3 for receiving a signal from the photodiode PD. An independent readout wiring 16 is individually provided for each pixel. The reset transistor M4 and the source follower input transistor M3 included in one pixel column or another pixel column are arranged between the photodiode column in one pixel column and the photodiode column in another pixel column arranged adjacent to the one pixel column.
US08026462B2

A fastening element for attaching a part such as a cooking hob to a supporting element, such as a frame supporting/surrounding the cooking hob, can include a spring secured to the supporting element. In one implementation, the fastening element can be secured by engaging a locking element of the spring into a first recess in the supporting element. In the mounted state, the spring has at its free end a gripping portion for holding the part, and the spring being embodied, as an element which is bent in a leaf-shaped manner. For ease in mounting the spring, the spring can have at the other end a width-reduced end that can penetrate a second slit-shaped recess in the supporting element. The width-reduced end and the slit-shaped recess are narrower than the region of the spring that is bent in a leaf-shaped manner.
US08026461B2

Clamping means which may be used with soldering pliers, having a first element (18) and a second element (20) relatively displaceable by the action of a screw (10) that can be rotated about an axis (XX) by the action of a motor (M); a nut (12) cooperating with the screw (10) and which can be driven in the direction of the screw axis (XX), the screw being coupled to the first element (18); first guiding means (34L) defining linear guidance parallel to the axis (XX) of the screw to prevent rotation of the nut (12) in a first phase of displacement of the nut; and second helicoidal guiding means (34H) extending with the axis (XX) of the screw (12) and which has an thread inverted in relation to the screw thread to allow the nut (12) to rotate in the same direction of rotation as the screw (10) in a second nut displacement phase; in addition to a compensation system (46) arranged between the first element (18) and a mobile support (14) coupled to the nut (12) in order to reinitialize the position of the first element (18) in relation to the second element (20).
US08026435B2

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for selectively displaying song lyrics in a rhythm-action game. In one aspect this is accomplished by determining a number of vocal cues to be displayed on a display in communication with a game platform, where the vocal cues are each associated with a lyric. Provided a number of areas available to display a set of lyrics, either before run-time or determined at run-time, the game platform determines, based on a lyric priority associated with each lyric, which of the lyrics associated with each vocal cue to display when the number of vocal cues exceeds the number of areas available.
US08026424B2

Hybrid pepper cultivar designated ‘E 499531’ which is a Sweetbite type and suitable for covered cultivation and open field, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499531’ and to the plants of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499531’. The invention also relates to methods for producing a pepper plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the hybrid cultivar ‘E 499531’ with itself or another pepper cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing other pepper cultivars derived from the hybrid ‘E 499531’.
US08026422B2

A soybean cultivar designated 84134405 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 84134405, to the plants of soybean 84134405, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 84134405 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 84134405 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 84134405, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 84134405 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 84134405 with another soybean cultivar.
US08026406B2

An absorbent structure comprising a silicone foam having pore walls and a plurality of hydrophilic particles anchored to the pore walls of the foam. Some of the hydrophilic particles have an anchored portion firmly anchored to the pore walls and an exposed portion extending outwardly away from the pore walls upon which the anchored portion is secured.
US08026400B2

Purified chlorinated alkenes are produced by a process in which a mixture of i) a first chlorinated alkene that has at least one beta-chlorine substituent and no alpha-chlorine substituents and ii) a second chlorinated alkene that has at least one alpha-chlorine substituent is contacted with chlorine in an amount sufficient to further chlorinate the second chlorinated alkene, but which is insufficient to cause conversion of more than 20% of the first chlorinated alkene. The resultant reaction product may be easily enriched to provide a chlorinated alkene product wherein a) the weight percentage of chlorinated alkenes having at least one beta-chlorine substituent and no alpha-chlorine substituents, based on the total weight of the chlorinated alkenes present in the enriched chlorinated alkene product compared to b) the weight percentage of chlorinated alkenes having at least one beta-chlorine substituent and no alpha-chlorine substituents, based on the total weight of the chlorinated alkenes present in the mixture prior to chlorination is increased by at least 0.25 wt. %.
US08026398B2

Catalyst comprising a combination of oxidized metals and processes for cleaving phenylalkyl hydroperoxides in the presence of the catalyst.
US08026389B2

The present invention provides active ingredients and herbicide formulations, as well as the production processes therefor. The active ingredient of the invention is a dry, solid ammonium salt of glyphosate, having high purity (95 to 100%) and low humidity (<1.0% m/m), and is useful as “technical salt” for the preparation of dry, solid, and water-soluble herbicide formulations of the invention. The production process of said active ingredient comprises a solid/liquid/solid reaction between a solid ammonium salt and solid glyphosate acid, both solid being dispersed in an organic liquid medium. The products of the invention are highly water-soluble and are useful for controlling crop weeds.
US08026388B2

Synthesis of biphosphonate compounds can be advantageously carried out in a solvent/diluent comprising a compound of formula (3) wherein R is hydrogen or a C1-C6 alkyl group; each of R1 is a C1-C6 alkyl group or both R1 groups are linked to form a C1-C3 alkylene group; and R2 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl group, a C1-C6 alkoxy group, or is linked together with R to form a C3-C7 carbon ring.
US08026384B2

The present invention relates to a new process for the synthesis of alkyl phosphinic acids, and more particularly to a coupling reaction between an alkylhalide and a hypophosphorous acid derivative in the presence of an amine and an amineoxide.
US08026376B2

Novel forms of [R-(R*,R*)]-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-β,δ-dihydroxy-5-(1-methylethyl)-3-phenyl-4 -[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-1-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt designated Form XX, Form XXI, Form XXII, Form XXIII, Form XXIV, Form XXV, Form XXVI, Form XXVII, Form XXVIII, Form XXIX, and Form XXX, characterized by their X-ray powder diffraction, solid-state NMR, and/or Raman spectroscopy are described, as well as methods for the preparation and pharmaceutical composition of the same, which are useful as agents for treating hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and Alzheimer's disease.
US08026370B2

According to the present invention, a compound represented by the following formula (I) having a superior PPARα agonist action and concurrently showing a hypolipidemic action can be provided, and further, a compound useful as a synthetic intermediate for the compound can be provided.
US08026367B2

The present invention relates to selected (R)-arylalkylamino derivatives of formula (I), in which R, R1 and Ar are as defined in the claims. These compounds show a surprising potent inhibitory effect on C5a induced human PMN chemotaxis. The compounds of the invention absolutely lack of CXCL8 inhibitory activity. Said compounds are useful in the treatment of pathologies depending on the chemotactic activation of neutrophils and monocytes induced by the fraction C5a of the complement. In particular, the compounds of the invention are useful in the treatment of sepsis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, idiopathic fibrosis, glomerulonephritis and in the prevention and treatment of injury caused by ischemia and reperfusion.
US08026364B2

A compound having the general structure shown in Formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salt and/or solvates thereof are useful in treating diseases or conditions mediated by NK1 receptors, for example various physiological disorders, symptoms or diseases, including emesis, depression, anxiety and cough.
US08026359B2

Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, R9a, R9b, G, W, X, Y, and Z are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen comprising applying an effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08026355B2

Oligonucleotides directed against the survivin gene are provided for modulating the expression of survivin. The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding the survivin. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of survivin expression and for the treatment of diseases associated with either overexpression of survivin, expression of mutated survivin or both are provided. Examples of diseases are cancer such as lung, breast, colon, prostate, pancreas, lung, liver, thyroid, kidney, brain, testes, stomach, intestine, bowel, spinal cord, sinuses, bladder, urinary tract or ovaries cancers. The oligonucleotides may be composed of deoxyribonucleosides or a nucleic acid analogue such as for example locked nucleic acid or a combination thereof.
US08026347B2

Methods of synthesizing sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, as well as compounds useful therein, are disclosed. Particular inhibitors are compounds of formula I:
US08026346B2

The invention features a tribonectin and a method of tribosupplementation carried out by administering tribonectins directly to an injured or arthritic joint.
US08026343B2

The present invention relates to an antibody binding to human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) where the antibody is able to modulate the differentiation status of dendritic cells and prolong the graft survival. In addition, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody, and method of using them for the treatment of disease.
US08026339B2

A polysulfone is provided with a nitrogen-containing functional group having an affinity to an acid, an electrolyte membrane using the polysulfone, and a fuel cell including the electrolyte membrane. In particular, the polysulfone includes a nitrogen-containing functional group that has an affinity to an acid, such as a phosphoric acid, thereby having an excellent acid retaining ability. In an electrolyte membrane including the polysulfone and an acid, the amount of the retained acid can be controlled. Therefore, the electrolyte membrane has a high ionic conductivity and a high mechanical strength. A polysulfone blend of polysulfone and a thermoplastic resin prevents the dissolution of polysulfone by phosphoric acid, so that an electrolyte membrane using the polysulfone blend has an improved durability. A cross-linked reaction product of polysulfone, a cross-linking agent and a polymerization product of polysulfone, a thermoplastic resin, and a cross-linking agent strongly resist a phosphoric acid. Thus, a fuel cell using these polymerization products has a long lifetime and can operate at a high temperature and at a high efficiency.
US08026332B2

A sealing material for optical elements with excellent transparency, crack resistance, and heat resistance which can produce a cured product of the sealing material and a sealed optical element are provided. The sealing material for optical elements comprising a compound with a ladder structure, which contains a repeating unit of the following formula (A) in the molecule as a major component, the compound being obtained by condensing a compound (1) shown by the formula, R1Si(OR3)P(X1)3-p, and a compound (2) shown by the formula, R2Si(OR4)q(X2)3-q, at a molar ratio of 1:9 to 10:0 in the presence of a phosphoric acid catalyst, wherein R1 represents a group having a reactive functional group, R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 individually represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, X1 and X2 individually indicate a halogen atom, p and q individually represent an integer from 0 to 3, and l, m, and n individually represent 0 or an arbitrary integer, provided that l and n are not 0 at the same time.
US08026327B2

Water-in-oil emulsions, compositions, and methods that include a vinyl polymer that includes ethylene oxide-containing side chains and alkyl-Y-containing side chains, wherein Y is O or NR, wherein R is H or CH3, and wherein the alkyl group of the alkyl-Y-containing side chain has at least 4 carbon atoms on average in a cyclic, branched-, or straight-chain configuration and optionally including one or more heteroatoms.
US08026322B2

A Polymerisation process and a loop reactor comprising polymerising olefins in a liquid diluent to produce a liquid slurry containing particles of normally solid polymer within the loop reactor, allowing the polymer to settle in a settling leg, periodically opening a 180° rotating product take-off valve located at the end of the settling leg to allow a charge of particles to flow out of the settling leg, the product take-off valve being operated by a pneumatically driven double-acting actuator, the pneumatic system being regulated by a system comprising pneumatic control valves, the improvement which consists in using automatic control valves, which are automatic v-ball valves.
US08026315B2

The present invention relates to a process for producing water-absorbing polymeric particles by polymerizing a monomer solution, which comprises removing the polymer gel from the reactor when the gel temperature is at least 50° C. and the monomer conversion is not more than 90 mol %, and also to a process for producing hygiene articles.
US08026305B2

Polymer articles and processes of forming the same are described herein. The processes generally include providing an ethylene based polymer, blending the ethylene based polymer with a modifier to form modified polyethylene and forming the modified polyethylene into a polymer article, wherein the polymer article exhibits a haze that is at least about 10% less than a polymer article prepared with a similarly modified polyethylene.
US08026275B2

The present invention provides novel 2,6-diisopropyl phenol2,6-diisopropyl phenol analogs and sterile, stable pharmaceutical compositions of 2,6-diisopropyl phenol 2,6-diisopropyl phenol and analogs thereof useful as an antioxidant in the treatment of ischemic injury including stroke and other cerebral injury. 2,6-diisopropyl phenol or its analogs are administered in a dosage effective to produce blood levels and brain levels of the drug that can prevent free radical damage associated with ischemic injury.
US08026268B2

The invention relates to antioxidants or radical scavengers and their reaction products. The invention provides compounds and compositions for use in methods for scavenging radicals or for modulating the immune response comprising urocanic acid or salts, derivatives, functional equivalents and analogues thereof.
US08026262B2

This invention relates to non-steroidal compounds that are modulators of androgen receptor, and also to the methods for the making and use of such compounds.
US08026261B2

The present invention relates to novel derivatives of deferiprone. In particular, the present invention relates to fluorinated derivatives of deferiprone or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising same, processes for the manufacture thereof and their use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases caused by the presence of free iron or iron accumulation in neural tissues and in diseases wherein excess iron must be removed or redistributed.
US08026258B2

The invention relates to a compound of formula (I): Wherein m, n, X, Y, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined herein. The invention also relates to the use of same in therapeutics.
US08026244B2

There are disclosed novel compounds of Formula (I) wherein L, R1, X and Y are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; together with processes for their preparation, compositions containing them and their use in therapy. The compounds are inhibitors of the enzyme MPO and are thereby particularly useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of neuroinflammatory disorders, cardio- and cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disorders and peripheral artery disease and respiratory disorders.
US08026239B2

A method of treating a malignant tumor selected from the group consisting of leukemia, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, oral cancer, lung carcinoma, breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, and melanoma by administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of at least one compound represented by formula (1) wherein A, X, Q, R1-3, and n are defined herein.
US08026237B2

Compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the activity of receptors are provided. In particular compounds and compositions are provided for modulating the activity of receptors and for the treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of disease or disorder directly or indirectly related to the activity of the receptors.
US08026235B1

Discloses is a benzoxazine benzimidazole derivative, represented by Chemical Formula 1, functioning as an antagonist to the vanilloid receptor-1, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same, and the use thereof. The benzoxazine benzimidazole derivative can be useful for preventing or treating a disease associated with antagonistic activity of vanilloid receptor-1, without hyperthermia: wherein, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification.
US08026233B2

Compounds of formula (I): in which A, B, X, Ar1, R8 and R4 have any of the meanings given in the specification, are inhibitors of p38 useful in the treatment and prevention of various disorders mediated by p38.
US08026232B2

Disclosed is a benzothiophene oxide derivative represented by the general formula (wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents one or more groups selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkenyl group, an amino group, a heterocyclic group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an oxo group and the like; R3 represents an alkylamino group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group or the like; and m and n are the same or different and each represents an integer of 1-6) or a salt thereof, which is useful as a prodrug of a benzothiophene derivative or a salt thereof.
US08026229B2

The present invention relates to the use of 2-alkoxyestrogen sulfamates of general formula I wherein R1 and R2 independently represent H, methyl, C1-C4 acyl, benzoyl R3 represents C1-C4 alkyl or a group of formula CnFmHo, wherein n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, m>1, and m+o=2n+1, R4 and R5 in each case represent H or, together, a methylene group or an additional double bond, R6 represents H, R7 represents OH, OC1-C4-alkyl, OC1-C11-acyl or OSO2NR1R2, the dashed lines in the B and C rings of the steroid skeleton additionally representing up to two double bonds, for the production of a medical drug for the treatment of tumor diseases which can be affected positively by inhibiting the tubulin polymerization. The inventive compounds are distinguished by the 2-alkoxy substitution in conjunction with the 17-hydroxy substitution. They have a special effect with regard to inhibiting tubulin polymerization and can be used, for example, for the treatment of prostate cancers.
US08026227B2

Compositions and methods for reducing, preventing, mitigating, and/or delaying the onset of, attenuating the severity of, and/or hastening the resolution of, for example, one or more chemotherapy-associated toxicities in a subject receiving one or more chemotherapeutic agents.
US08026207B2

It is intended to provide a novel peptide which can exert higher antifungal effect also on a patient whose organ function is impaired with no side effect problems. The peptide comprises the following amino acid sequence: (1) SEQ ID NO:1: Lys -Arg-Leu-Phe-Arg-Arg-Trp-Gln-Trp-Arg-Tyr, (2) SEQ ID NO:2: Arg-Arg-Trp-Gln -Trp-Arg-Met-Lys-Lys-Tyr, (3) SEQ ID NO:3: Lys-Arg-Trp-Gln-TTp-Arg-Leu-Tyr, or (4) SEQ ID NO:4: Lys-Arg-Leu-Phe-Lys-Tyr, an antifungal agent comprising the peptide, a composition having a fungicidal and/or growth inhibitory action against fungus containing an effective amount of the peptide as an active ingredient, a medical apparatus/device which contains the peptide, whereby a fungicidal action is conferred, and a fungicidal and/or growth inhibiting method against fungus comprising administering the peptide and the like.
US08026195B2

The present invention relates to N-cycloalkyl-thiocarboxamide or N-cycloalkyl-N-substituted carboximidamide derivatives of formula (I) wherein A and B represent a 5-membered heterocyclyl groups, T represents an oxygen, sulphur or amino derivatives, Z1 represents a cycloalkyl group and Z2 and Z3 represent various substituents, their process of preparation, their use as fungicide active agents, particularly in the form of fungicide compositions, and methods for the control of phytopathogenic fungi, notably of plants, using these compounds or compositions.
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