US08097371B2
A hydrogen generator comprises a reformer which generates a hydrogen-containing gas from a steam and a material gas, a first gas supply device which supplies the material gas, a combustor which combusts an exhaust gas exhausted from the reformer to heat the reformer, a combustion air supply device which supplies air to the combustor, a second gas supply device which supplies another gas different from the material gas to the reformer or to a passage connecting the reformer to the combustor, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the combustion air supply device to increase an amount of the air supplied to the combustor (S103), in association with start of supply of the another gas from the second gas supply device (S104), in a state where the material gas is supplied from the first gas supply device to the reformer and the exhaust gas is combusted in the combustor (S101).
US08097358B2
A cylindrical rechargeable battery having an insulating gasket prevents an internal short circuit between a cylindrical can and a cap assembly generated by external factors. The cylindrical rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly; a cylindrical can which has one open side and receives the electrode assembly through the open side, and is electrically connected to the received electrode assembly; and an insulating gasket which is connected to the inner surface of the open side of the cylindrical can and includes a bent cover part; and a cap assembly which seals the open side of the cylindrical can and is electrically insulated from the cylindrical can by the insulating gasket, and is electrically connected to the electrode assembly. The cover part covers an outer surface of the open side of the cylindrical can.
US08097357B2
A battery can of the present invention ensures a stable and favorable contact with an electrode and thus makes it possible to obtain a highly reliable battery excellent in high rate discharge characteristics. The battery can having an opening, including a cylindrical side portion and a bottom portion, of the present invention is formed from a steel plate. The steel plate has an Ni—Fe alloy layer on the inner face side of the battery can. The Ni—Fe alloy layer has an oxide layer containing iron and having a thickness of 10 to 50 nm on the inner face side of the battery can.
US08097354B2
Cooling air intake port (52), cooling air exhaust port (55), and securing walls (86, 87), which contact and secure the side surfaces of one or more battery cells (72), may be defined within two battery pack housing halves (50, 80). When battery pack (99) is assembled, at least one cooling air passage (91, 92) is defined by the side surfaces of the battery cells, the interior surface of the battery pack housing, and the securing walls. The cooling air passage connects the cooling air intake port to the cooling air exhaust port. Further, the securing walls isolate or physically separate the cooling air passage from battery terminals (72a, 72b). By forcing cooling air through the cooling air passage, the battery cells can be effectively and efficiently cooled. In addition, if the battery terminals are isolated from the cooling air by the securing walls, the electrical contact areas of the battery cells are protected or shielded against outside moisture and foreign substances that may be introduced into the battery pack by the cooling air.
US08097352B2
A battery system that can prevent a battery from bursting and a battery safety alarm system therefore are provided. A battery system includes an optical fiber wound around an outer circumferential portion of a battery. The battery system detects an abnormality of the battery on the basis of a loss of the laser beam caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber. An alarm warns a user of the abnormality when the abnormality is detected.
US08097347B2
A light-emitting electrochemical cell includes at least two electrodes, and an electroluminescent material arranged between the two electrodes. The electroluminescent material includes a charged metal complex. The charged metal complex has at least one metal atom selected from the group consisting of Ir, Os, Pt, Re and Zn, with the proviso that the metal complex is different from [Ir(ppy)2(dtb-bpy)]+(PF6−) and [Os(bpy)2(dppe)]2+(PF6−)2.
US08097343B2
The present invention describes compositions and methods for trapping/capturing and/or destroying dangerous substances such as chemical and biological warfare agents. The present invention relates to dendritic polymers, specifically, to quaternary ammonium functionalized dendritic polymers and N-Halamine functionalized dendritic polymers. Such dendrimers are useful for the capture and neutralization of biological and chemical warfare agents.
US08097339B2
A method of forming and a resulting selectively polished fuser member. The method includes selectively polishing that portion of the fuser member surface not subject to rapid natural wear. The method further includes polishing both a surface region subject to rapid sheet edge wear and a surface region not subject to rapid sheet edge wear, and polishing the surface region not subject to rapid sheet edge wear more than the surface region subject to rapid sheet edge wear. The rapid natural wear corresponds to sheet edge wear on the fuser member surface.
US08097332B2
An indexable cutting insert (1) includes a base (8) and a coating layer, wherein the coating layer includes an inner sublayer and an outer sublayer, each of subsublayer constituting the inner sublayer is composed of a compound containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Group IVa elements, Group Va elements, Group VIa elements in the periodic table, Al, and Si, the outer sublayer is an alumina sublayer or a sublayer containing aluminum, and in portions of the outer sublayer participating in cutting, when an average thickness on the flank face (3) side is represented by A μm and an average thickness on the rake face (2) side is represented by B μm, A/B≦0.95.
US08097331B2
There is provided a mold release sheet (4) disposed between silica powder M and an inner face of an outer member 1b of a mold and made of expanded graphite. The mold release sheet has a gas permeability represented by the following equation (1) from 5.0×10−7 cm2/s to 1.0×10−4 cm2/s. Gas permeability=Q·L/(ΔP·A) (1). In this equation (1), Q is the gas flow rate (Pa·cm3/s), ΔP is the pressure difference (Pa) between two chambers, A is the gas transmission area (cm2) of the mold release sheet, which is the area of a passage that allows the two chambers to communicate with each other, and L is the thickness (cm) of the mold release sheet.
US08097322B1
A paper product comprising a first layer being a strip of absorbent paper; a second layer comprising a wet component sandwiched between a first protective sheet and a second protective sheet, wherein the second layer is divided into individual flat packages that are removably attached to each other at an edge of the flat packages; and a third layer being a strip of absorbent paper; wherein the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer; wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are embossed to form a weak bond between the respective layers in proximity to a perforation.
US08097316B2
A laminated resin tube is formed mainly of inexpensive materials and has improved low-permeable ability.The laminated resin tube has a plurality of laminated component resin tubes made of thermoplastic resins. At least one of the plurality of component resin tubes is a first low-permeable barrier tube made of polyamide 9T, and the rest of the component resin tubes include a resin tube made of polyamide 6 or polyamide 66.
US08097312B2
A web of fibrous material having windows covered by a transparent material, and which is modified by compression, shaving, or embossing, so as to maintain a substantially uniform thickness throughout the length of the web. When the web is then wound onto itself, the resulting roll will have a substantially circular cross-section.
US08097307B2
The invention relates to a method of strengthening stone and other construction materials. The inventive method is performed on the monument, building or statue in question or on any other object that has undergone deterioration. It achieves the formation of a mesoporous molecular sieve with an ordered topology in the pores of the altered substrate. The invention is advantageous in that: by considerably increasing the radius of the pores of the gel in relation to that of commercial binders, capillary pressure is significantly reduced and, with it, the risk of fractures in the material; by obtaining a binder having a uniform pore radius, the risk of fracture is prevented since it impedes the occurrence of stresses caused by pores of different sizes; by obtaining a mesoporous material with a given pore volume, the pores of the altered substrate are prevented from being blocked and, consequently, the damp-proofing of the building is impeded.
US08097302B2
Tin oxide having high mobility and a low electron concentration, and methods for producing layers of the tin oxide layers on a substrate by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) are disclosed. The tin oxide may undoped polycrystalline n-type tin oxide or it may be doped polycrystalline p-type tin oxide. When the layer of tin oxide is formed on a crystalline substrate, substantially crystalline tin oxide is formed. Dopant precursors for producing doped p-type tin oxide are also disclosed.
US08097301B2
A method of manufacturing an electrical insulation film includes (i) forming an R film containing at least one rare earth element R selected from the group including Sc, Y, La, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Lu on at least a portion of a surface of a metal substrate where an electrical insulation property is needed, (ii) hydrogenating the R film under an inert gas atmosphere, which contains a hydrogen gas, to form an RH2 film; and (iii) oxidizing the RH2 film to form an R2O3 film.
US08097290B2
Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of β-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated β-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high β-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low β-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals.
US08097288B1
A method of reducing an involuntary cull in production animals. The method comprising the step of administering to the production animals a composition comprising an effective amount of a pomegranate extract substantially derived from the whole fruits of pomegranate. The pomegranate extract can be in powder, liquid or solid form and mixed into foods as part of a regular regime of the production animals diet. When site specific treatment is needed such as with mastitis in milk cows the pomegranate extract may be injected directly to the site where treatment is desired.
US08097284B2
Various embodiments of this invention disclose a polarized dilute blue scorpion venom solution, a method for making a polarized dilute scorpion venom solution, and a method for administering dilute scorpion venom solution. The polarized dilute scorpion venom solution relieves pain, improves immune-system response, treats cancer, prevents cancer, improves quality of sleep, reduces inflammation, and minimizes negative biological response to chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
US08097283B2
The present invention is directed to synthetic nanoparticles useful as imaging agents for use in MRI, CT, Gamma-scintigraphy, or optical imaging techniques. The synthetic nanoparticles comprise at least one apolipoprotein that is not an apoB lipoprotein, at least one amphipathic lipid, and at least one metallic or non-metallic contrast agent linked through a chelator to a component of the nanoparticle, wherein the one metallic or non-metallic contrast agent is present in an amount of between 5% to about 50% (w/w) of the nanoparticle, and the nanoparticle has a diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 nm. Compositions and kits comprising the synthetic nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same are also provided.
US08097279B2
A matrix formulation for a soft chewable capsule is provided which includes a gel-forming composition, a plasticizer, a polymer modifier and water. The polymer modifier may be a carboxylic acid or other organic compound that alters the physical and/or chemical properties of the capsule formulation. A chewable soft capsule is also provided, having enhanced organo-leptic and processing properties. An active material may be delivered to a user using this dosage form. A method of forming the chewable soft capsule is also provided.
US08097277B2
The present invention provides dynamic charge state cationic polymers that are useful for delivery of anionic molecules. The dynamic charge state cationic polymers are designed to have cationic charge densities that decrease by removal of removable functional groups from the polymers. The present invention also provides interpolyelectrolyte complexes containing the polymers complexed to a polyanion. Methods for using the interpolyelectrolyte complexes to deliver anionic compounds are also provided.
US08097274B2
Provided herein are skin substitutes suitable for use in a living subject for purpose of repairing damaged tissues, methods of producing the skin substitutes and their uses. A biocomposite membrane comprising poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and at least one material selected from collagen and gelatin is provided. In one embodiment, the biocomposite is a 2-component membrane of PCL and gelatin. In another embodiment, the biocomposite is a 3-component membrane of PCL, collagen and gelatin. The bio-composite membrane may be used directly in vivo as a wound dressing, or as a support for cell growth on each side of the membrane to produce an in vitro cultivated artificial skin for future in vivo and/or in vitro applications.
US08097270B2
The use of nanoparticles of inorganic materials (e.g., synthetic smectite clays) in ophthalmic compositions is described. The nanoparticles are utilized as biologically inert carriers or depots for biocides. The nanoparticles are particularly useful in preventing or reducing the uptake of biocides from ophthalmic compositions by contact lenses, when the compositions are applied to the lenses.
US08097265B2
The invention relates to an aqueous foam disinfectant comprised of a special surfactant system, which consists of non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants, and of a synergistic disinfectant constituent, which consists of an antimicrobial agent having amino groups and of at least one additional antimicrobial agent.
US08097262B2
An enteral nutrient gel that is excellent at maintaining its solid matter (gel) form in the stomach, does not readily disintegrate or dissolve with a change in pH, is stable in its physical properties even during long-term storage, and can be passed through a feeding tube. The enteral nutrient gel contains agar, alginic acid and/or a salt thereof, soybean protein or a hydrolysate thereof, calcium, magnesium, dextrin, and, optionally, an oligosaccharide, a disaccharide and/or a monosaccharide. A solid composition containing 8 to 30 wt % protein, 2 to 25 wt % fats, and 40 to 70 wt % dextrin is used in preparing the enteral nutrient gel.
US08097258B2
Methods and compositions for reducing and/or inhibiting inflammation by topical application of dermatocosmetic compositions comprising effective amounts of extracts of Coriolus versicolor that have been hydrolyzed by an acid protease, preferably Rhizomucor miehei, and thereafter rendered substantially devoid of acid-protease activity.
US08097253B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for modulating proliferation, differentiation, migration, and adhesion of cardiovascular cell types.
US08097245B2
The disclosure relates to a solid glass matrix of polysaccharide, saccharides and polyols as delivery vehicle for preservation and post gastric administration of a probiotic. The delivery vehicle is capable of releasing the probiotic at their site of action. The present invention further includes methods of making and using the solid glass matrix delivery vehicle of the invention.
US08097243B2
The present invention provides an effective method for the transfection of dendritic cells by non-viral methods. The present invention provides this benefit by incubating dendritic cells and a specified transfection agent. The transfection agent comprises a polynucleotide and microparticles, with the microparticles being comprised of biodegradable polymer and cationic detergent. The dendritic cells and transfection agent are incubated for a time sufficient to transfect the dendritic cells with the polynucleotide.
US08097242B2
TADG-12 and CA125 are two proteins expressed with high specificity in ovarian cancer tumors. They thus would be potential antigens for immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. The invention is based on the discovery of peptides in TADG-12 and CA125 that can be used to induce an autologous T cell response that lyses ovarian cancer cells expressing TADG-12 or CA125. The peptides are contacted with dendritic cells in vitro to generate peptide-loaded dendritic cells. The peptide-loaded dendritic cells are contacted with T cells in vitro to amplify CD8+ T cells that recognize the peptide. At least one CA125 peptide and at least one TADG-12 peptide were found that amplified CD8+ T cells, even from cancer patients, that lysed autologous CA125-expressing or TADG-12-expressing tumor cells. The peptide-loaded dendritic cells can be administered to a cancer patient to amplify CD8+ T cells in vivo that attack the cancer cells. Alternatively, autologous CD8+ T cells can be amplified ex vivo and then infused into the cancer patient.
US08097235B2
In one aspect, there is disclosed a process of forming a hydrogen material including the steps of providing a metal hydride material, providing a Bronsted acid material, combining the metal hydride material and Bronsted acid material, and pyrolyzing the combined material forming a hydrogen storage material having a hydrogen release temperature less than the metal hydride material.
US08097229B2
Inorganic oxide substrates are functionalized with silicon-free organic functionalizing agents. The organic functionalizing agent has a bonding functional group for bonding to the substrate and a functionalizing moiety that is not bonded to the substrate for imparting a desired functionality to the substrate. The functionalized inorganic oxide substrates are manufactured by selecting a functionalizing agent and reaction conditions that allows the bonding functional group to bond to the inorganic material while leaving the functionalizing moiety available for providing the desired functionality. The functionalized inorganic oxides can be used as filler materials in polymers or to manufacture a supported nanoparticle catalyst.
US08097227B2
Processes are provided for recovering precious metals from refractory materials using thiosulfate lixiviants. The processes can employ heap leaching or lixiviants that include one or more blinding agents.
US08097225B2
A microfluidic cartridge that includes at least one reservoir for storing a reagent or the like for an extended period of time. In one illustrative embodiment, at least part of a wall of a reservoir includes a hydrophobic material, such as a polymonochlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) homopolymer and/or copolymer. The hydrophobic material may help reduce leaching, evaporation, diffusion and/or other transfer of the reagent or one of its components from the reservoir. When the reagent or the like is lyophilized, the hydrophobic material may help keep water, water vapor and/or other gases or liquids from entering the reservoir prior to use of the microfluidic cartridge.
US08097223B2
An autoclave waste fluid disposal device includes an outer housing container with a main inlet port for receiving waste fluids from an autoclave, and a main outlet port. A multi-chambered condenser inside the outer housing container includes an inlet tube connected to an innermost primary chamber. A secondary chamber envelopes the primary chamber and has an upper end sealed about the inlet tube and at least one secondary chamber outlet port. A tertiary chamber enveloping the secondary chamber has a closed lower end, an upper end sealed about the inlet tube, and at least one tertiary chamber outlet port in communication with the outer housing container. A coil tube encircles the multi-chambered condenser and has a first end connected to the main inlet port of the outer housing container and a second end connected to the inlet tube of the multi-chambered condenser.
US08097222B2
A microfluidic device for nucleic acid analysis includes a monolithic semiconductor body (13), a microfluidic circuit (10), at least partially accommodated in the monolithic semiconductor body (13), and a micropump (11). The microfluidic circuit (10) includes a sample preparation channel (18) formed on the monolithic semiconductor body (13) and at least one microfluidic channel (20, 22) buried in the monolithic semiconductor body (13). The micropump (11), includes a plurality of sealed chambers (40) provided with respective openable sealing elements (41) and having a first pressure therein that is different from a second pressure in the microfluidic circuit (10). In addition, the micropump (11) and the microfluidic circuit (10) are configured so that opening the openable sealing elements (41) provides fluidic coupling between the respective chambers (40) and the microfluidic circuit (10). The openable sealing elements (41) are integrated in the monolithic semiconductor body (13).
US08097220B2
Systems and methods for treating a fluid with a body are disclosed. Various aspects involve treating a fluid with a porous body. In select embodiments, a body comprises ash particles, and the ash particles used to form the body may be selected based on their providing one or more desired properties for a given treatment. Various bodies provide for the reaction and/or removal of a substance in a fluid, often using a porous body comprised of ash particles. Computer-operable methods for matching a source material to an application are disclosed. Certain aspects feature a porous body comprised of ash particles, the ash particles have a particle size distribution and interparticle connectivity that creates a plurality of pores having a pore size distribution and pore connectivity, and the pore size distribution and pore connectivity are such that a first fluid may substantially penetrate the pores.
US08097218B1
A system for generating electricity. The system includes a platform having a top surface. The platform floats on a body of water and includes a plurality of energy modules. Each energy module produces electricity from a different source of energy and is affixed to the platform. Each module contributes produced electricity to the system for storage and distribution. Modules may include wind turbines for generating electricity from wind, water-driven generators for generating electricity from water currents, solar panels for generating electricity from solar energy, an apparatus which floats on water and converts kinetic energy of wave movements into electricity, and an apparatus which extends below the water where the platform is located upon and generates electricity from differences in water temperature at various levels of water depth. An apparatus may be mounted on the platform which produces hydrogen and oxygen gases through a process of electrolysis.
US08097207B2
Method for reducing the segregated seams of a steel which has high mechanical strength and high wear resistance and whose composition comprises by weight: 0.30%≦C≦1.42%; 0.05%≦Si≦1.5%; Mn≦1.95%; Ni≦2.9%; 1.1%≦Cr≦7.9%; 0.61%≦Mo≦4.4%; optionally V≦1.45%, Nb≦1.45%, Ta≦1.45% and V+Nb/2+Ta/4≦1.45%; less than 0.1% of boron, less than 0.19% of (S+Se/2+Te/4), less than 0.01% of calcium, less than 0.5% of rare earths, less than 1% of aluminum, less than 1% of copper; the balance being iron and impurities resulting from the production operation. The composition further complies with: 800≦D≦1150 with D=540(C)0.25+245(Mo+3V+1.5Nb+0.75Ta)0.30+125Cr0.20+15.8Mn+7.4Ni+18Si. According to the method, the molybdenum is completely or partially replaced with double the proportion of tungsten so that W>0.21%, and Ti, Zr, C are adjusted so that, after adjustment, Ti+Zr/2≧0.2W, (Ti+Zr/2)×C≧0.07, Ti+Zr/2≦1.49% and D is unchanged at approximately 5%. Steel obtained and method for producing a steel workpiece.
US08097192B2
A die opening and closing device for a movable die plate and a fixed die plate includes a toggle link disposed between the movable die plate and a die tightening housing, a cross head for flexing the toggle link, and a motor-driven ball screw penetrating through the die tightening housing and inserted into the cross head, and this die opening and closing device is provided with die thickness adjusting means for adjusting the die thickness S when the die is tightened by extension of the toggle link, and ball screw rotation control means for controlling constant the cracking gap, and a foamed resin molding machine is presented, together with its operating method.
US08097180B2
Disclosed is a magnetic material comprising a crystal of ε-GaxFe2-xO3 (wherein 0
US08097176B2
Methods, materials, and systems for texturizing mold surfaces is disclosed. In one method and system of the invention, a first step involves generating a graphics file of a desired texture pattern. The graphics file is subsequently output to an ink jet printer, which is configured to print using an acid-etch resist ink. The acid-etch resist ink is formulated to provide optimal properties for ink-jet printing, while also providing excellent acid-etch resist and superior handling properties. The acid-etch resist ink is printed onto a sheet of a carrier substrate that allows the acid-etch resist to be transferred to a mold surface, after which the mold surface is etched with a strong acid.
US08097167B2
The present invention relates to a process of concentrating an aqueous suspension of solid particles comprising the steps of adding at least one organic polymeric flocculant to the suspension thereby forming flocculated solids in which the flocculated solids are allowed form a layer of solids and thereby forming a more concentrated suspension in which the process comprises the addition of an effective amount of an agent that is selected from the group consisting of free radical agents, oxidising agents, enzymes and radiation, in which the agent is applied to the suspension prior to or substantially simultaneously with adding the organic polymeric flocculant and/or the organic polymeric flocculant is added to the suspension in a vessel and the agent is applied to the suspension in the same vessel. The process is particularly suitable for solids liquid separation in which the flocculated solids are allowed to settle by sedimentation in a gravity thickener.
US08097163B1
A method and system for purifying production water obtained from oil and gas operations so that the purified water need not be disposed of by forced injection back into the geological formation but can be put to a beneficial use such as agriculture, irrigation, industrial or municipal or potable applications. The production water is treated in a ceramic microfilter after it has been pretreated (preferably by aeration and with a walnut shell filter) to remove volatile hydrocarbons and heavier oils, such as paraffins and asphaltenes, that could foul the ceramic filter. The permeate from the ceramic microfiltration can then be treated with activated charcoal or otherwise treated to meet the specific requirements for the intended beneficial use.
US08097148B2
Methods for cleaning and regenerating a working electrode in an electrochemical cell; method for measuring the concentration of a metal in a liquid sample in an electrochemical cell having a working electrode, the method including a step for cleaning and/or regenerating the electrode; and an assembly having an ultrasonic device in sonic communication with an electrochemical cell.
US08097145B2
The invention relates to methods and devices for the decontamination of fluid, particularly the removal of heavy metals and/or arsenic and/or their compounds from water, by means of electrolysis, wherein the water to be purified subjected to electrodes of different polarities. The invention can include means for control of the pH of the fluid. The invention can also include control systems that allow self-cleaning of electrodes, self-cleaning of filters, and automatic monitoring of maintenance conditions.
US08097139B2
A sensor element having a plate-like shape and extending in a longitudinal direction and having a chamfered portion at an edge between a main surface and a rear-end surface or between a main surface and a side surface of the sensor element. The sensor element includes a solid electrolyte layer, an insulating layer disposed on the solid electrolyte layer and constituting at least part of the main surface, and an electrode pad disposed away from the chamfered portion for connection to an outside circuit. Furthermore, the solid electrolyte layer and the insulating layer are exposed at the chamfered portion. Also disclosed are a gas sensor including the sensor element and a method of manufacturing the sensor element.
US08097138B2
The present invention provides oxygen partial pressure control apparatuses that can control the partial pressure of oxygen in atmospheric gases in processing apparatuses or the like to within the range of 0.2 to 10−30 atm, while maintaining low material and operational cost conditions. The present invention provides oxygen partial pressure control apparatuses in which air or pure oxygen is supplied to the inside of a heating furnace that can heat and maintain solid electrolytes at an operational temperature, wherein the heating furnace houses at least one oxygen pump comprising a solid electrolyte with a tubular structure and at least two oxygen sensors comprising a solid electrolyte with a tubular structure, wherein the at least one oxygen pump described above and the at least two oxygen sensors described above are placed in parallel such that the aforementioned air or pure oxygen serves as a purge gas that sweeps the surroundings of each solid electrolyte tube, and wherein they are connected such that a common process gas can flow through each solid electrolyte tube.
US08097134B2
Addressable bio/chem chips include a plurality of isolated test cells, each addressable by at least two electrodes for measuring electrical characteristics of probe/test molecule interactions. In one embodiment, electrodes are located within a channel to allow for four terminal measurement. In another embodiment, electrodes are arranged in rows and columns and interconnected with electrolyte pads used as test sites. In yet another embodiment, electrodes are arranged in cells, with each cell including a counter electrode surrounded encircled by working electrodes.
US08097133B2
A vacuum pumping system and method in conjunction with a sputter reactor having a vacuum-pumped magnetron chamber sealed to the target backing plate. A main sputter chamber is vacuum sealed to the target front and cryo pumped. A bypass conduit and valve connect the magnetron and main chambers. A mechanical roughing pump connected to the magnetron chamber pumps the main chamber through the bypass conduit to less than 1 Torr before the bypass valve is closed and the cryo pump is opened and thereafter continues to pump the magnetron chamber to reduce the pressure differential across the target. A pressure differential switch connected across the bypass valve immediately open it whenever the pressure differential exceeds a limit, such as 20 Torr, for example when there is a leak or an electrical failure. The bypass conduit is also used in a venting procedure.
US08097125B2
The invention relates to a composition comprising a (a) a temporary wet strength agent component capable of forming hemi-acetal bonds with the fibers of a tissue web to provide initial wet strength, subsequent rapid degradation of the initial wet strength when the tissue web contacts water; and (b) a sizing agent component capable of imparting water-repelling properties to the tissue web; such that the strength agent component and the sizing agent component are present in sufficient amounts so that when the composition is added to a tissue pulp slurry during a tissue-making process, tissue made from the tissue-making process exhibits a combination of (i) improved initial wet tensile, (ii) improved decay, and (iii) absorbency.
US08097121B2
A surface height of a protective tape joined to a wafer mounted and held on a separation table is detected, an operation amount of approaching a joining member to the protective tape until a separation tape wound around the joining member contacts the protective tape based on detected information, the joining member is operation controlled to approach the protective tape based on the calculated operation amount, the joining member and the separation table are relatively moved along a direction of a surface of the protective tape in a state of maintaining the height of the joining member to join the separation tape to the protective tape, and the separation tape is separated from the surface of the wafer integrally with the protective tape.
US08097120B2
Broadly speaking, the embodiments of the present invention provides an improved plasma processing mechanism, apparatus, and method to increase the process uniformity at the very edge of the substrate. In one embodiment, a plasma processing chamber comprises a substrate support configured to receive a substrate, and a plurality of tuning gas injection holes surrounding the edge of the substrate, wherein the tuning gas injection holes supplies a tuning gas to the edge of the substrate during plasma processing of the substrate.
US08097118B2
A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head having an ejection port-forming member in which an ejection port configured to eject liquid is formed, includes the steps of preparing a substrate including a base substrate; a first layer composed of a resin composition not containing a polymerization initiator but containing a compound that can be polymerized by irradiation with active energy rays under the presence of the polymerization initiator; and a second layer composed of an active energy ray-curable resin composition containing the polymerization initiator; pressing a mold, on which a pattern of the ejection port has been formed, against the first layer and the second layer; irradiating the second layer with the active energy rays while the mold is being pressed against the first layer and the second layer; bonding the second layer to another supporting substrate; and detaching the base substrate.
US08097098B2
The invention concerns martensitic stainless steel, characterized in that its composition in weight percentages is as follows: 9%=Cr=13%; 1.5%=Mo=3%; 8%=Ni=14%; 1%=Al=2%; 0.5%=Ti=1.5% with AI+Ti=2.25%; traces=Co=2%; traces=W=1% with Mo+(W/2)=3%; traces=P=0.02%; traces=S=0.0050%; traces=N=0.0060%; traces=C=0.025%; traces=Cu=0.5%; traces=Mn=3%; traces=Si=0.25%; traces=O=0.0050%; and is such that: Ms (° C.)=1302 42 Cr 63 Ni 30 Mo+20AI-15W-33Mn-28Si-30Cu-13Co+10 Ti=50Cr eq/Ni eq=1.05 with Cr eq (%)=Cr+2Si+Mo+1.5 Ti+5.5 AI+0.6W Ni eq (%)=2Ni+0.5 Mn+3O C+25 N+Co+0.3 Cu. The invention also concerns a method for making a mechanical part using said steel, and the resulting part.
US08097092B2
The present invention relates to a method of cleaning and after treatment of optical surfaces in an irradiation unit, said irradiation unit comprising a radiation source (1, 31) emitting EUV-radiation and/or soft X-rays, a first volume (40) following said radiation source (1, 31) and containing first optical components (3, 33) with said optical surfaces, and a second volume (41) following said first volume (40) and containing second optical components (38). The method comprises at least one cleaning step in which a first gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces, thereby forming volatile compounds with contaminations deposited on said optical surfaces, wherein said compounds are pumped out of the first volume (40) together with the first gas or gas mixture. In an after treatment step following said cleaning step the radiation source (1, 3) is operated once or several times in order to release residues of the cleaning step from the optical surfaces by irradiating said optical surfaces with said EUV-radiation or soft X-rays while the first volume (40) is separated from the second volume (41), wherein said released residues are pumped out of the first volume (40). With this method an improved cleaning result is achieved.
US08097090B2
Described herein are systems and methods for reducing cumulative deposition and unwanted secondary thermal reactions in pyrolysis and other thermal conversion processes. In an embodiment, a system comprises a device, referred to as a reamer, for removing product deposits between thermal conversion and condensation operations of a pyrolysis process. The reamer may comprise, but is not limited to, a mechanical reciprocating rod or ram, a mechanical auger, a drill bit, a high-temperature wiper, brush, or punch to remove deposits and prevent secondary reactions. Alternatively or in addition, the reamer may use a high-velocity curtain or jet (i.e., a hydraulic or pneumatic stream) of vapor, product gas, recycle gas, other gas jet or non-condensing liquid to remove deposits. Preferably, the reamer removes deposits during the pyrolysis process allowing for continuous operation of the pyrolysis process.
US08097078B2
An improvement in a mixture for forming into a body that is to be fired into a “whiteware ceramic product” wherein the mixture is a compound of clay and other minerals with a ferric oxide content of less than about 5.0% by weight of the dry mixture. The improvement includes adding to the mixture a binder in the form of a combination of protein and a vegetable flour with an equivalent gram strength of at least 30 grams and a protein content of 20-50% of the binder, where the binder is in the range of 0.05% to 0.50% by weight of the dry mixture.
US08097076B2
Low-VOC mixture of at least partially salified copolymers of at least one ethylenically unsaturated, phenyl-group-containing monomer and at least one α,β-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid and/or at least one α,β-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, of at least one water-soluble polyether, esterification products of at least one water-soluble polyether and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, and of a star polymer obtainable by esterifying a carboxylic acid containing at least 3 carboxyl groups with at least one water-soluble polyether, and use thereof as a wetting and dispersing agent, preferably for producing low-VOC pigment pastes or low-VOC paint systems.
US08097075B2
An ink set includes an oil-based ink composition containing a metallic pigment; and at least one oil-based ink composition selected from the group consisting of a chromatic color ink composition containing a chromatic color oil dye, a black ink composition containing a black oil dye, and a colorless and transparent ink composition that does not contain a colorant.
US08097063B2
A method of making steel in a vessel comprising providing a lance for blowing oxygen on the surface of the steel in the vessel, the lance joined to a lance carriage and in communication with an accelerometer, the accelerometer in signal communication with a data acquisition module and a computer; charging the vessel with materials for steel making; lowering the lance into the vessel and injecting oxygen into the materials; acquiring a signal from the accelerometer indicative of lance vibration; processing the vibration signal to determine component frequencies of lance vibration; comparing the levels of the component frequencies to desired operating values; and adjusting at least one steel making process parameter based on the level of at least one of the component frequencies. The steel making process parameter to be adjusted may be oxygen flow rate through the lance.
US08097062B2
Use of a composition comprising finely divided particles of (a) an electrically-conductive material; (b) one or more inorganic binders; and (c) zinc, wherein components (a), (b) and (c) are dispersed in a liquid vehicle, in the manufacture of an electrically-conductive pattern on a substrate for the purpose of increasing the resistivity of said electrically-conductive pattern.
US08097060B2
A filter includes a spacing member and a filter element having two layers laminated together with the spacing member such that the spacing member extends between the filter element layers. The spacing member spaces apart the filter element layers to define an opening between the filter element layers.
US08097058B2
Nozzle assembly for separating hydrocarbon emulsions and methods of separating hydrocarbon emulsions
A nozzle assembly and related methods for separating hydrocarbon emulsions in a fluid is provided. The nozzle assembly comprises an impingement plate into which hydrocarbon emulsions are ejected causing large emulsion particles in the fluid to be broken apart upon impact with the plate, thus allowing the various constituent components of the emulsion to be more easily separated. In certain embodiments, impact of the hydrocarbon emulsions into the impingement plate also expose clean surfaces on the various components of the emulsion fluid that can more easily interact with any surfactant that may be mixed with the fluid.
US08097055B2
A system for treating exhaust gas from an engine is disclosed. The system may include a housing with a first longitudinal axis, an inlet port, and an outlet port. The housing may define a first flow path. A fluid treatment element may be arranged in the flow path. The system may also include a conduit defining a second longitudinal axis and forming a second flow path. The conduit may have first and second tubular portions generally aligned with the second longitudinal axis. The first tubular portion may have a first cross-section, and the second tubular portion may have a second cross-section. An inner diameter of the second cross-section may be less than an inner diameter of the first cross-section. The centerpoint of the first inner diameter may be offset from the centerpoint of the second inner diameter in a direction generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis.
US08097040B2
The present invention relates to an improved osteosynthesis modular prosthesis, particularly for humerus osteosynthesis, characterize in that it comprises a cup element (7) having a convex surface suitable to be introduced within a bone cavity, particularly within the humerus glenoid cavity, and having a concave surface suitable to contain and keep joined all the bone fragments, particularly fragments of humerus epiphysial pa (2, 3, 4), permitting vascularization and the consequent recovery of bone tissue, a stem element suitable to be introduced within a diaphyseal channel, particularly within humerus diaphyseal channel, a coupling element (9), and coupling means (10, 11) suitable to fix ends of said coupling element (9) respectively at said cup element (7) and at said stem element (8).
US08097033B2
A prosthetic device and method to restore extraocular muscle function. The device includes a housing; a biasing component disposed in the housing; a proximal connector operatively connected to a proximal end of the biasing component; and a distal connector operatively connected to a distal end of the biasing component, wherein the proximal connector is configured for being secured with respect to an orbital bone and the distal connector adapted to be secured to the paralyzed or absent muscle stump, e.g. on the globe, or to the eyelid.
US08097025B2
A fastener and a bone fixation assembly for the internal fixation of vertebral bodies such as a pedicle screw is provided which allows a detachable tulip to be provisionally locked to a pedicle screw in a first position, while securely locking the tulip assembly to the pedicle screw when in a second position. According to one exemplary embodiment, the tulip assembly includes a tulip body, a coupling saddle, and an expansion ring serving as a fastener. The fastener secures the tulip body to the pedicle screw, while the coupling saddle provides a means to provisionally lock the tulip body at an angle relative to the pedicle screw via an interference fit. Incline planes on the walls of the tulip body provide means to rotationally lock a rod within the tulip assembly, and fully lock the tulip assembly to at an angle relative to the pedicle screw.
US08097022B2
A spinal stabilization system includes a first stabilization member and a second stabilization member engaged to one another in end-to-end fashion. A flexible coupling member allows the spinal stabilization members to be assembled and attached to the spinal column to dynamically support of the stabilized levels of the spinal column.
US08097014B2
Relatively pain free vaginal dilation is obtained by inserting into the vaginal canal a variable rigidity vaginal dilator having an inflatable balloon, in a manner that avoids insertion into the urethra. Air is introduced into the balloon. When the patient has gained confidence in the pain free use of the dilator, the balloon is deflated to remove the air and water is introduced into the balloon to expand it so that it contacts the vaginal canal and exerts a pressure thereon. This contact is maintained for a period of up to about 15 minutes. The pressure and/or contact time is stepwise sequentially increased to a maximum of about 12 atmospheres and a contact time of up to about 45 minutes, in accordance with a regimen and instructions established by the patient's healthcare provider and tailored to the patient's specific needs. A preferred embodiment of the dilator and a kit employing same, useful in the method of the invention, are disclosed.
US08097009B2
Endovascular stent insertion methods are provided. In one embodiment for end-to-side anastomosis the method includes disposing an endovascular stent in a transparent sheath; inserting a guide wire through a guide needle into first and second blood vessels; sliding the endovascular stent into both the first and second blood vessels along the guide wire and the guide needle to dispose in a position between spaced first and second blood vessels; and pulling the sheath when an intermediate annular marker band of the endovascular stent seen through the transparent sheath is substantially disposed between the first blood vessel and the second blood vessel to release the endovascular stent so that the endovascular stent is adapted to expand to securely hold the facing ends of the first and second blood vessel together.
US08097005B2
A suture system includes a plurality of double-stranded needles connected in sequence with a single-stranded needle at each end. The double-stranded suture needles incorporates two suture strands into a single needle. The suture system of the present invention facilitates the implantation of valve prostheses.
US08097001B2
A medical instrument comprises a tubular introducer member, an operative element, an elongate shifter connected at a distal end to the operative element, a handle, at least one stop component, and an override. The shifter and the operative element are movable relative to the tubular member, while the first part of the handle is fixed to a proximal end of the tubular member and the second part of the handle is fixed to a proximal end of the shifter. The stop component is disposed on the first part or second part to limit relative motion of the first part and the second part and concomitantly to stop travel of the operative element at a predetermined location relative to a distal end of the tubular member. The override enables a user to override or passivate the stop component and thereby permit travel of the operative element past the predetermined location.
US08096984B2
A cell delivery catheter having one of more apearutres is used to positon and deliver cells to an implant site in a patient.
US08096983B2
A mechanism for optimizing insulin infusion rate of a CSII pump for each patient. A continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy uses a continuous subcutaneous insulin pump, which includes: determining a circadian variation curve representing sympathetic nerve activity and that represents parasympathetic nerve activity of a target patient; acquiring an inflection point of each of the circadian variation curves representing the two types of nerve activity; detecting a time that corresponds to the inflection point; and employing the time as a point at which the insulin infusion rate of the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump is changed.
US08096978B2
The present invention relates to a handheld mechanical injection device by which set doses of a liquid medicament can be injected from a medical reservoir. The medicament is expelled through an injection needle by release of a power reservoir in the device, the power reservoir being fully or partially released by actuation of a user operable release member being positioned at or near an upper end of the injection device, the upper end being that end of the injection device which is opposite the injection needle.
US08096968B2
Apparatus and methods deliver vasoconstrictive agents simultaneously with capnic gases. The capnic gases can enhance the effectiveness of the vasoconstrictive agent, lower the dosage of drug or concentration of agent necessary to achieve a therapeutic result, or both. Exemplary capnic gases include carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, and dilute acid gases.
US08096945B2
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to disposable speculums, and more particularly to disposable vaginal speculums having single-sided support and operating mechanisms. In an embodiment, a speculum includes an upper member having an upper blade and a hinge assembly; a lower member having a handle and a lower blade, wherein a combined smoke channel light guide directs light from a light source in the handle to a distal end of the lower blade for smoke removal; and a linear support member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongated body therebetween, the linear support member vertically moveable within a track positioned in the lower member.
US08096943B2
A flexible endoscope includes an elongate flexible extrusion. A central lumen extends longitudinally through the center of the extrusion, and a plurality of other longitudinally extending lumens are spaced around the central lumen. An optical fiber is inserted within the central lumen and is coupled to its inner surface. This optical fiber serves as a compression member and conveys light through the flexible endoscope. A first pair of tension members extend through lumens on opposite sides of the central lumen. Applying a tension force to one of these tension members causes a distal tip of the flexible endoscope to bend in a first direction, while applying a tension force to the opposite tension member causes the distal tip to bend in an opposite direction. Providing a second pair of tension members in lumens disposed orthogonal to the first pair enables bending of the distal tip relative to orthogonal axes.
US08096942B2
A first and a second pumps for supplying a gas to a balloon for fixation mounted at an outer circumference portion at a tip end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope and a balloon for fixation mounted at an outer circumference portion at a tip end portion of an overtube into which the endoscope is inserted and a control portion for controlling pressure in the respective balloons by operating the first and the second pumps are provided, and the control portion controls display of balloon inflation/deflation display portions and balloon during operation display portions of a remote controller on the basis of inflation-state information detected by a state detection output portion detecting inflation states of the respective balloons.
US08096935B2
A system for controlling the speed of a rotary blood pump. The system oscillates the speed of the pump to produce pulsed pressure at the outlet of the pump. The speed is oscillated synchronously with the natural cardiac cycle. The natural cardiac cycle is determined using a pulsatility index calculated from the back EMF produced by the pump or an impedance sensor.
US08096933B2
A centrifuge with an electric motor (46), composed of a centrifuge outer frame (47), a heavy liquid collecting tank (18), a lower hollow shaft (22), centrifugal units, an upper hollow shaft (38), and a light liquid collecting tank (41). The heavy liquid collecting tank, the lower hollow shaft, the upper hollow shaft, and the light liquid collecting tank are all fixed to the centrifuge outer frame, the centrifugal units are fixed between the upper hollow shaft and the lower hollow shaft, the motor is connected to the upper hollow shaft and drives the upper hollow shaft to rotate, the upper hollow shaft is fixed to two or more centrifugal units connected in series and drives the centrifugal units to rotate, a hollow portion of the upper hollow shaft communicates with the light liquid collecting tank, centrifugal units are fixed to the lower hollow shaft and drive the lower hollow shaft to rotate, the heavy liquid collecting tank is a casing formed between the centrifuge outer frame and the centrifugal units. The centrifugal of the present invention is simple in structure, small in volume, low in power consumption, thorough in separation, convenient in operation, and high in practicability.
US08096927B2
A shaft-mounted clamp includes a pair of clamp members that are pivotably coupled to one another at one end, each clamp member including a through-hole for receiving the shaft to which the clamp is to be mounted. At least one of the clamp members includes a push rod that extends through the opposite clamp member, and which has a distal end portion that is contacted by an article supported on the shaft to increase the engagement of at least one of the clamp members on the shaft. A coupling device may be provided at one of the clamp members for suspending an article therefrom. The clamps may be readily repositioned along the shaft by squeezing the clamp members together (such as against the biasing force of a spring) to more closely align the through-holes with one another and thereby release the engagement of the clamp members with the shaft.
US08096922B2
A device for use with an exercise apparatus consisting of at least one hanging, length-adjustable and lockable rope (10, 11) which at its lower end has a gripping means (13, 14), e.g., a gripping loop. A vibration means (12; 16) is designed, when attached via a rope engaging member (8, 9) to a portion of such rope, to impart to the rope and thus its gripping means (13, 14) a vibratory motion.
US08096911B2
There is provided an eccentric oscillating gear mechanism including an internal gear, an external gear meshing with the internal gear, a crankshaft for moving the external gear eccentrically, and a carrier for supporting rotatably the crankshaft, the internal gear and the carrier being made to rotate relatively, wherein a cylindrical tube body, which penetrates the eccentric oscillating gear mechanism in an axial direction, is supported rotatably on the carrier.
US08096910B2
Wheels of a dump truck are each provided with a travel assembly for transmitting an output of an electric motor to the wheel via a reduction gear unit. The travel assembly is provided with a cooling circuit for cooling lube oil. The cooling circuit has an oil cooler and a recovery oil passage for guiding lube oil from a side of the gear unit to the cooler. The recovery oil passage has an intra-spindle recovery line inserted on a side of an inner periphery of a spindle, a suction pipe extending from the recovery line to a space surrounded by the spindle, the wheel and two spindle-supporting bearings, and communication holes formed in the wheel to communicate the side of the reduction gear unit with the space.
US08096902B2
A substantially hollow exercise and rehabilitation device is disclosed, and is useable by athletes and others in training and/or rehabilitation sessions to develop stronger and more precise movements. A user typically stands in a pool of water approximately chest-deep and moves the device through the water in an approximation of a proper swing for a sport, or in a motion designed to rehabilitate or strengthen one or more muscles or muscle groups. The device includes holes that tend to minimize turbulence that a solid device would generate, yet provides both resistance and good haptic feedback to the user. The holes are adjustable in size to provide variable resistance. These features develop or redevelop strength and consistency in the user's movement. Analogous training benefits are obtained for many activities, such as batting, golfing, and tennis, and for rehabilitation and strength training using devices in the shape of tools and other instruments.
US08096901B2
A basketball training aid designed to teach a user how to correctly grip, set up, and release a basketball. The device includes a material that wraps around the top (prone side) of the hand and bottom half of the underside (supine side) of the hand, without limiting wrist extension and flexion during a basketball shot. The glove includes a splint support material on top of the index, middle, and ring fingers, running from the middle of the digits to the bottom half of the top (prone side) of hand. The splint support material prevents premature finger flexion at the base of the fingers during the release of the shot, ensuring an open hand at follow through. Additionally, the design encourages proper finger separation and proper extension of wrist joint on set up, keeps the ball off the palm of the hand, and promotes proper position for dribbling a basketball effectively.
US08096899B2
Presently disclosed embodiments concern an isocyanate-modified composition which includes A) from about 65 to about 99 weight % (based on the total weight of the isocyanate-modified composition) of a base polymer having either hydroxyl groups or amine groups or mixtures thereof, and B) from about 1 to about 35 weight % (based on the total weight of the isocyanate-modified composition) of a blocked isocyanate. The presently disclosed embodiments also include a golf ball made from the isocyanate-modified composition, and a method of making a golf ball using the isocyanate-modified composition, such as by injection molding.
US08096897B2
Golf clubs and club-heads for same are disclosed. An exemplary club-head has a hollow body and a face plate. The body defines a front opening and a face support, wherein the face plate is affixed to the face support and covers the front opening. The “face portion” of the club-head has a face area (Af, in mm2) and a face mass (Mf, in grams), wherein Af≧5400 mm2, and in a plot of Mf as a function of Af, Mf is below Mf=0.0072(Af)+18. At least a portion of the face plate can be made of composite. E.g., the face plate can include a composite plate made of carbon fiber and cured epoxy resin. The strike face of the face plate can include a composite plate and a cap bonded to the composite plate on the strike face. The cap can be made of a metallic material, such as (but not limited to) titanium alloy or stainless steel.
US08096887B2
A constant velocity joint for a drive system comprises: an outer race having a plurality of guide grooves formed in an axial direction in the inner spherical surface of the outer race; an inner race having a plurality of guide grooves formed in an axial direction in the outer spherical surface of the inner race, said guide grooves of the outer race and the inner race together forming a plurality of ball guide tracks; a plurality of balls disposed in the ball guide tracks; and a cage installed between the inner spherical surface of the outer race and the outer spherical surface of the inner race, said cage having a plurality of windows for retaining the balls therein. Each guide groove of the outer race is shaped to have a longitudinal cross section formed with two circular regions with different centers, a first circular region disposed at a first lateral side of the outer race and a second circular region disposed at a second lateral side of the outer race, and a linear region tangentially extending between these two circular regions, and each guide groove of the inner race is shaped to have a longitudinal cross section formed with two circular regions with different centers, a first circular region disposed at a first lateral side of the inner race and a second circular region disposed at a second lateral side of the inner race, and a linear region tangentially extending between these two circular regions.
US08096884B2
Disclosed are gaming machines, including related methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a game of chance. Peripheral devices, such as a bill acceptor and ticket printer, are consolidated in a central region of the gaming machine, behind a moveable door of the machine. Doors of the machine, including a door having a display, are moveable in directions along a longitudinal axis of the machine between open and closed positions. An adjustable button panel is moveable to a plurality of positions along the longitudinal axis, independent of the moveable doors. An array of networked displays on one or more gaming machines are controlled to simultaneously output lighting patterns, including synchronized patterns, associated with various events. Designated lighting patterns can also be output on light borders disposed around groups of buttons and other input devices on the button panel. A player interface is coupled to receive player input for setting parameters defining the audio and video presentation of game data on the machine. Contributing to the audio presentation, one or more speakers situated in an upper region of the cabinet are oriented at a downward angle.
US08096873B2
In accordance with one or more embodiments, an account is established for a player of a gaming device. The balance of the account is increased if a predetermined condition is satisfied. An example of a condition the satisfaction of which may result in an increase in the balance is a player's obtainment of an outcome that corresponds to both (i) a first payout that is displayed on a payout schedule of the gaming device, and (ii) an amount by which the balance of the account is to be increased. Disbursements from the account may be made if a predetermined condition is satisfied. A disbursement may be in the form of a payout, bonus, or other benefit. An example of a condition the satisfaction of which may result in a disbursement is the obtainment by the player of a predetermined number of consecutive non-winning outcomes. Thus, in one or more embodiments, currency may be accumulated for a player during a gaming session of the player and utilized to fund payouts provided to the player at times in which the player may be becoming discouraged and contemplating discontinuation of play of the gaming device.
US08096870B2
A display displays a frame of image associated with a unit game, a counter to be reset under a prescribed condition increments a count value along with execution of the unit game, and a controller determines by an external input an upper limit of a number of bet pieces of monetary value as a condition for acquisition of an insurance pay in the unit game, pays out a prescribed number of pieces of monetary value for the play result of the unit game to be a special play result, accepts, within a range of the upper limit of the number of bet pieces, a bet of monetary value as the condition for acquisition of the insurance pay, and gives the insurance pay for the count value having reached a preset upper limit count value in the unit game having the bet of monetary value as the condition for acquisition of the insurance pay.
US08096860B2
An automated system and method for breaking a primal cut of meat into smaller components includes a conveyor for advancing the primal cut from a first end of the system to a second end of the system, at least one automated cutting assembly for performing a first cut and a second cut to separate the primal cut into three sub-components, and a guide for orienting the primal cut on the conveyor. In some embodiments, the guide is configured to align with a spinal groove in the primal cut. In some embodiments, the at least one automated cutting assembly includes a first automated cutting assembly for performing the first cut and a second automated cutting assembly for performing the second cut.
US08096858B2
The invention provides a polishing pad conditioner that enables stabilization of brazing metal melting point, minimization of abrasive grain detachment by uniformizing and stabilizing abrasive grain brazing condition, and enhancement of flatness by minimizing thermal deformation of the metal support. The polishing pad conditioner is fabricated by brazing multiple abrasive grains to the surface of a metal support with brazing metal, wherein the composition of the brazing metal expressed in mass % is such that 70%≦Ni+Fe≦90% (provided that 0≦Fe/(Ni+Fe)≦0.4), 1%≦Cr≦25%, 2%≦Si+B≦15% (provided that 0≦B/(Si+B)≦0.8), and 0.1%≦P≦8%.
US08096857B2
A power tool, in particular a right-angle grinder, includes a motor and a gear, the motor and/or the gear embodied as a mountable function module. The gear is embodied as a mountable function module, with a gear input shaft supported in a gearbox, and the gear input shaft is fixed in the gearbox via at least one detent connection.
US08096855B2
An accessory with a hub for mounting on rotary tool mandrels of different types is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rotary tool accessory includes a work portion and a hub portion operably connected to the work portion for rotating the work portion. The hub portion includes a first mandrel mounting portion on a first side of the hub portion for mounting with a first mandrel type and a second mandrel mounting portion on a second side of the hub portion for mounting with a second mandrel type, wherein the second mandrel type is different from the first mandrel type.
US08096852B2
Polishing pads used in CMP machines are consumable components that are typically replaced after a specific number of wafers have been processed. The life of a polishing pad is optimized by controlling the rate of material removal from the polishing pad by the conditioning disk. The conditioning disk removes enough material so the polishing surface can properly process the wafers but does not remove any excess material. Preventing excess material removal extends the life of the polishing pad. During CMP processing, the controller receives data concerning the torque applied to the conditioning disk and the torque applied to the arm to sweep the conditioning disk across the polishing pad. Based upon the detected operating conditions, the system can predict the rate of material removal and adjust the forces applied to the conditioning disk so that the life of the polishing pad is optimized.
US08096846B2
The auto-fastening skeg system comprises a skeg receiver and a skeg. The skeg has a male component that cooperates with a cavity of the skeg receiver. The cavity has front and rear ends, a spring disposed at said front end and at least one dowel disposed between the front and rear ends. The male component includes a front tip and at least one locking wedge, said locking wedge corresponds in number to the number of dowels. When the male component is set in the cavity and the locking wedge is aligned with the dowel of the receiver, the spring pushes the front tip of the male component against the rear wall of the cavity of the receiver and the locking wedge against the dowel providing a locking mechanism that holds the skeg to the receiver.
US08096840B2
Provided are a conductive contact holder and a conductive contact unit that enable a test to be performed in a precise temperature environment. For this objective, a construction includes a holder substrate that individually receives plural conductive contacts, and a floating member attached to the holder substrate such that a distance from a surface of the holder substrate is varied within a predetermined range by an external force. The floating member has plural hole sections into which a front end section of each of the conductive contacts received in the holder substrate is inserted. A gap between the holder substrate and the floating member forms at least a part of a passage of fluid introduced from outside of the conductive contact holder.
US08096836B2
An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts. Each contact comprises an upper contact and a lower contact. The upper contact has a retention portion and a contact portion. The lower contact has a soldering portion and a planar board extending upwardly from the soldering portion. The lower contacts fixed to different parts of upper contacts, respectively, so as to have a larger neighbor distance than that of the upper contacts.
US08096833B2
A plug assembly includes a shielded housing having an upper shell, a lower shell and a center plate held between the upper and lower shells. The upper shell has at least one upper plug chamber, and the lower shell has at least one lower plug chamber. The center plate is positioned between, and provides shielding between, the upper and lower plug chambers. A plurality of plugs are received in corresponding plug chambers. Each of the plurality of plugs have a plug insert with shield members defining plug quadrants, and each of the plurality of plugs have a plurality of terminals held by the plug insert. The plurality of terminals are arranged in pairs in each of the plug quadrants.
US08096830B2
A connector for a coaxial cable that includes a connector body and a deformable sleeve. The deformable sleeve and the connector body have cooperative structure for engaging the deformable sleeve with the receiving end of the connector body for securing a cable in the connector body. The deformable sleeve has a front section connected to a rear section by a web. The deformable sleeve is movable from a first position, wherein the front end of the deformable sleeve is separably attached to the receiving end of the connector, to a second position, wherein the cable is compressively secured in the connector body. The web stretches and/or breaks when the deformable sleeve moves into the second position.
US08096827B2
The invention relates to a distributor system including a support device and a plurality of contact supports which are arranged in the support device, the support device having at least one holding device in which at least one of the contact supports is held by a holding section fitting into the holding device. The invention also relates to a method for the production of a distributor system including a support device and a plurality of contact supports which are arranged in the support device, including the following steps: provision of a support device having at least one holding device, provision of at least one contact support having a holding section fitting into the holding device, and insertion of the contact support into the holding device.
US08096824B2
A connector for connecting a tube within a receptacle. A latching component fits within the receptacle, and receives a plug member to which the tube is connected. One end of receptacle is adapted, for instance, to be attached to a tube on a motor drive unit of a breast pump assembly, or formed integrally therewith. The opposite end of receptacle receives components of the connector therein. The plug member is inserted into the latching component and has means thereon that engage corresponding means on the latching component such that the plug member is releasably secured within the latching component in a rotatable manner.
US08096823B2
An electrical connector comprising a manipulative lever operative to engage with a mating electrical connector, which has a body portion and a pair of end portions connected respectively with both ends of the body portion and supported respectively by a pair of supporting structures provided in a conductive shell covering partially an insulated housing, wherein each of the end portions of the manipulative lever comprises an elongated portion stretching to be bent from the body portion and a top end portion stretching further from the elongated portion so as to extend as a whole in a first direction from an end portion to a central portion of the insulated housing, the top end portion protrudes from the elongated portion in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary central axis of the elongated portion to form a stepped portion between the elongated portion and the top end portion, and a stopper member provided in the supporting structure engages with the stepped portion so as to prevent the end portion of the manipulative lever from getting out of the supporting structure when the end portion is shifted in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US08096818B2
A wiring system includes a wiring module and a functional module. The wiring module in at least one embodiment includes elongated holes or openings which are configured to engage or lock with prongs on a functional module to create a lockable connection. The wiring module and the functional module form both a physical and an electrical connection. In another embodiment, there is an adapter which is configured to connect the wiring module and the functional module or unit together.
US08096812B2
The socket releasably couples a packaged integrated circuit to a circuit board. The socket includes a clamp, a latch, and an array interconnect. The clamp is configured to be pivotally coupled to a circuit board. The latch is configured to be coupled to the circuit board and configured to releasably hold the clamp in a predetermined position. The array interconnect configured to be coupled to the printed circuit board. In use the latch releasably holds the hinged clamp in the predetermined position to clamp both a packaged integrated circuit between the clamp and the array interconnect, and the array interconnect between the packaged integrated circuit and the circuit board.
US08096803B2
Apparatus for enhancing combustion of an undesired chemical to minimize the formation of smoke during operation of a flare stack for the discharge of a flare feedstream includes a plurality of high-pressure air nozzles spaced apart below and around the periphery of the stack outlet. Each nozzle is directed toward the stack outlet and in the direction of the feedstream's movement. High-pressure air from the nozzles forms a plurality of high-velocity air jets to produce a moving air mass that draws additional atmospheric air into the air mass moving toward the stack outlet to enhance combustion of the flare feedstream. Analytical means determine the stoichiometric oxygen requirements, and an air-flow valve controls the flow rate of the high-pressure air to the nozzles. Air flow control means adjust the mass flow-rate of high-pressure air based on minimum oxygen requirements determined by the analytical means, whereby the oxygen content of the air flow at the stack outlet meets or exceeds the requirement for the complete combustion of the feedstream.
US08096797B2
A gear compressor or supercharger for compressing compressible fluids such as air, having a pair of intermeshing helical lobed rotors. A plenum or cavity is provided at a rear end of the gear compressor, situated rearwardly of said rotors and below an respective axis of rotation of each of said rotors, which spans at least a distance between said respective longitudinal axis of rotation of each of said rotors. In a preferred embodiment the plenum is in direct fluid communication with high pressure fluid which is discharged from said high pressure discharge port. The above modification improves the efficiency of the compressor, particularly at high revolutions.
US08096795B2
An oil pump rotor for use in an oil pump includes an inner rotor having (n: “n” is a natural number) external teeth, an outer rotor having (n+1) internal teeth meshing with the external teeth, and a casing forming a suction port for drawing a fluid and a discharge port for discharging the fluid, such that in association with meshing and co-rotation of the inner and outer rotors, the fluid is drawn/discharged to be conveyed according to volume changes of cells formed between teeth faces of the two rotors. For a tooth profile formed of a mathematical curve and having a tooth addendum circle A1 with a radius RA1 and a tooth root curve A2 with a radius RA2, a circle D1 has a radius RD1 which satisfies Formula (1) and a circle D2 has a radius RD2 which satisfies both Formula (2) and Formula (3), RA1>RD1>RA2 Formula (1) RA1>RD2>RA2 Formula (2) RD1≧RD2 Formula (3) a tooth profile of the external teeth of the inner rotor includes at least either one of a modification, in a radially outer direction, of the tooth profile, on the outer side of the circle D1 and a modification, in a radially inner direction, of the tooth profile, on the inner side of the circle D2.
US08096792B2
The present invention provides a scroll type fluid machine realizing reduced attachment space in a casing and improvement in workability at the time of assembly and the like by using a plurality of ball coupling mechanisms. A plurality of ball coupling mechanisms are disposed between a casing and a rear side of an orbiting scroll. Each of the ball coupling mechanisms includes first and second thrust receivers (reception plates), a sphere, and a cylindrical ring. A thrust load to be applied to an end plate of the orbiting scroll is received between the first and second thrust receivers (reception plates) and the sphere. The cylindrical ring disposed between the first and second thrust receivers displays a so-called rotation preventing effect in such a manner that its outer peripheral surface makes a rolling contact with inner peripheral surfaces of cylindrical portions in association with an orbiting motion of the orbiting scroll.
US08096783B2
An apparatus (1) includes a housing (2), an air feed duct (21) a volute (5), an impeller (4), and a motor (3) for driving the rotation of the impeller (4) so as to generate a centrifugal air flow in the volute (5). The housing (2) has a first part (18a) where wall is intended, after assembly, to extend around the motor (3), espousing the shape of this motor (3) in such a way as to lie at a substantially constant distance from this motor (3); and a second part (18b, 19) where wall is intended, after assembly, to extend around the volute (5), espousing the shape of this volute (5) so as to lie at a substantially constant distance from this volute (5). The housing (2) internally forms a salient axial lump (20) which, after assembly, sits close to the hub (10) of the impeller (4).
US08096780B2
Single piece dual jet pump comprising at least one pressurized fluid inlet orifice and 2 separate outlet orifices which are built has two separate jet pumps. Fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel tank, a reservoir within said tank, a pump for supplying the engine with fuel drawn from the reservoir and such a single piece dual jet pump designed to allow the filling of the reservoir with fuel from at least two different locations in said tank outside the reservoir.
US08096778B2
Structural beam of a wind turbine blade comprising a body-root and a body-trunk in the form of a box with a section decreasing towards the blade tip, comprising various piles each formed by various layers of carbon fiber impregnated with a synthetic resin, located on the upper and lower areas, intercalated between various layers of fiber glass impregnated with synthetic resin arranged along its perimeter, including between two piles, at least one layer of reinforcing material on each of the side areas enveloped by an adhesive resin film.The invention also comprises a procedure for the manufacture of the structural beam which, amongst other stages, includes the application of the layers mentioned onto a mold and the beam curing process.
US08096776B2
A turbine blade assembly, in particular of a gas turbine, is provided. The turbine blade assembly includes a turbine disc with rotor blades inserted into notches of the turbine disc and locking plates that are placed inside circular grooves with rims in the turbine disc and in the rotor blade. The edges of the locking plates that are oriented towards the center of the turbine disc are castellated by providing teeth and accordingly a part of the rim of the circular groove of the turbine disc is also castellated by providing gaps and whereby the gaps of the rim match the teeth of the locking plates. The locking plates have a spring-back force to provide both locking and sealing capabilities during engine operation.
US08096772B2
A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine having an internal cooling system in fluid communication with cooling channels positioned in the inner endwall is disclosed. The cooling system in the inner endwall may include cooling channels extending outwardly from the leading edge, trailing edge, pressure side and suction side toward the edges of the inner endwall. The cooling channels may be serpentine cooling channels and may be two or more serpentine cooling channels coupled together in series. The cooling channels may exhaust cooling fluids from the inner endwall through a plurality of orifices on an outer surface facing the opposing endwall and on the sides surfaces of the endwall. The pressure side and suction side midchord modulus serpentine flow circuits may receive cooling fluids from one pass of an internal midchord cooling channel and may exhaust those cooling fluids into another pass of the midchord cooling channel.
US08096771B2
A gas turbine engine hollow turbine airfoil having pressure and suction sidewalls extending chordwise between leading and the trailing edges. The trailing edge includes a pressure sidewall lip and a suction sidewall lip, and a breakout distance between the pressure sidewall lip and the suction sidewall lip. A cooling fluid channel extends spanwise through the airfoil for supplying a cooling fluid to the airfoil. Flow channels are provided extending chordwise between the cooling fluid channel and the suction sidewall lip and include a metering section, an internal diffusion section and a breakout slot. The interior diffusion section includes a spanwise dimension and a widthwise dimension perpendicular to the spanwise dimension, wherein the spanwise dimension continuously increases extending in the chordwise direction, and the widthwise dimension continuously decreases extending in the chordwise direction.
US08096766B1
An air cooled turbine airfoil, such as a rotor blade, with a sequential impingement cooling circuit that provides a high level of cooling with a low amount of cooling air. The airfoil is formed of a spar and shell construction in which the spar is formed from a series of alternating layers that form the cooling circuit with the shell forming the gap for the impingement cooling channels. Two different layers form the impingement cooling channels with a third layer being a separation layer. The impingement cooling circuit includes a first impingement circuit to cooling a forward half of the pressure side wall, a second impingement cooling circuit to cool the aft half of the pressure side wall, and a third impingement cooling circuit to cool the entire suction side wall. The spent cooling air is collected and channeled through a series of exit holes in the trailing edge to discharge the cooling air form the airfoil.
US08096763B2
A method for converting kinetic energy in horizontal currents of naturally occurring fluids above ground into mechanical energy. A circulating element is guided in a closed cycle and is arranged substantially in a plane parallel to the ground. The circulating element has two lengthwise adjustable traction ropes/chains fastened in two opposite positions. The ropes/chains have buoyancy elements at their free ends. The buoyancy elements have cross-sections for the current to impact. In an embodiment, a traction rope/chain fixed to a section of the circulating element facing the horizontal current is adjusted to be longer than the traction rope/chain fixed to a section of the circulating element facing away from horizontal current. The lengths of the two traction ropes/chains in the region of the points of return of the circulating element are reversed upon which the course of the circulating element relative to the horizontal current is reversed, when seen in the direction of circulation of the circulating element.
US08096749B2
A guided fluid driven turbine to upgrade the efficiency in converting fluid kinetics into rotation kinetics by having a specific directional guide unit adapted to a fluid driven turbine for the fluid to be guided the open-end, specific directional guide unit extending from its head along the load side of the turbine, thus to change the fluid pressure on the load surface of the turbine.
US08096745B2
A three wheeled cart for transporting heavy rolls of paper to and from unwinders and reminders. The operator stands at the rear end where he can start and stop the cart, steer it, and control the carriage at the front end for lifting the paper roll from the floor and/or into a processing machine. The steerable rear wheel is driven electrically from a twist type throttle on a steering handle that can be moved from an active position to a stowed position. In the stowed position the cart is secured by the same motor-brake that drives the single rear wheel.
US08096731B2
A connection assembly for connecting sub-sea lines and devices includes a stab receptacle assembly and a stab assembly. The stab receptacle assembly includes a receptacle body and an outlet assembly, which in turn, includes an adapter nipple configured for attachment to the first sub-sea line. A swivel flange secures the adapter nipple to the first side of the receptacle body. The use of the adapter nipple and swivel flange eliminates a difficult weld between the adapter nipple and the receptacle body. The connection assembly further includes a stab assembly that has a base, a line end connected to the base and a stab body connected to the base. The stab body is configured for insertion into the stab receptacle. The line end is configured for connection to the second sub-sea line.
US08096722B2
A writing instrument that includes a barrel, which includes a window in the side of the barrel, a movable writing tip, a moving member that is connected to the tip, and a side button designed to collaborate with the moving member. The moving member can be moved through the window between a first position, where the tip is retracted and the second position, where the tip is exposed.
US08096711B2
A rotating flow diverter has a lubricated sealed bearing assembly for isolating bearing elements from wellbore fluids under pressure. The sealed bearing assembly is supported between an outer bearing housing and an axially rotatable quill. The bearing assembly further has bearing elements with a bearing lubricant under pressure and a seal assembly. The seal assembly has at least one sealing element which comprises a body, the body having an outer peripheral wall, an inner sealing surface having a plurality of sealing lips and an annular cavity, and a loading ring for compressionally fitting within the annular cavity to urge the sealing surface radially inwardly for sealing engagement with tubulars.
US08096702B2
An decorative element container module and a watch assembly incorporating the module are provided. The decorative element case module may include as walls lower and upper crystals, an outer ring for receiving an upper lip of the watch case body so as to secure the outer ring and for securing the upper crystal, and an inner ring including an upper portion for holding the upper crystal and a lower portion for securing the lower crystal. The outer and inner rings may have annular sloping walls to provide a unified reflecting surface for reflecting light to the decorative element container. The components of the module may be secured together and to the watch assembly without adhesive or glue, and may be disassemblable to facilitate removing and/or replacing decorative elements contained inside. The upper and lower crystals may have an anti-static coatings for discharging static electricity.
US08096700B2
A method and apparatus for regulating the temperature of the cavitation medium for a cavitation chamber is provided. The cavitation medium is pumped through the cavitation chamber through a pair of chamber inlets and an external conduit connecting the two inlets. An external heat exchanger is used to regulate the cavitation medium temperature, the heat exchanger being either directly or indirectly coupled to the conduit. The cavitation medium can be circulated through the heat exchanger during chamber operation or, once the desired cavitation medium temperature is achieved, operation of the circulation system can be suspended. The heat exchanger can be used to lower the temperature of the cavitation medium to a temperature less than the ambient temperature; to withdraw excess heat from the cavitation medium; or to heat the cavitation medium to the desired operating temperature. The heat exchanger can utilize heated heat exchange fluid, cooled heat exchange fluid, thermoelectric coolers, heat sinks, refrigeration systems or heaters. The cavitation medium circulation system can be configured to include a filter and/or a degassing chamber.
US08096697B2
A backlight module and a wire positioning/holding device for the frame structure thereof are disclosed. The backlight module mainly includes a frame and a light source module. The light source module is disposed on the lateral side or on the bottom of the frame. The wire holding device mainly includes a main body and a winding pillar. A first guide slot is disposed on the main body, and the first guide slot has an inlet end and an outlet end. The winding pillar extends from the main body and is situated at one side of the first guide slot. The winding pillar and the main body together form a wire holding portion. The wire holding portion is disposed corresponding to the outlet end of the first guide slot to receive the wires of the light source module coming out of the outlet end. Moreover, the wire holding portion and the outlet end of the first guide slot are situated on opposite sides of the winding pillar.
US08096693B2
A light guide plate includes: a plate surrounded by two main surfaces and a plurality of end surfaces connecting the main surfaces, one of the end surfaces designated as an entrance surface, one of the main surfaces designated as a reflection surface; a first reflection element provided in a first region of the reflection surface separated from the entrance surface, and configured to reflect a light incident from the entrance surface in a first angle with respect to the reflection surface; and a second reflection element provided in a second region of the reflection surface between the entrance surface and the first region, and configured to reflect the light in a second angle different from the first angle with respect to the reflection surface.
US08096691B2
An optical irradiation device incorporating a cluster of LEDs arranged so that shaped facets of adjacent LEDs come together to increase the packing density of LEDs in the cluster. A light guide collects light emitted by the LEDs. Two or more light guides and LED clusters may be arranged in series to produce a single light beam. A heat pipe is provided to conduct heat away from the LEDs. The heat pipe may be annular and contain an inner storage space for batteries or the like.
US08096690B2
A light source or signaling module for the emission of an illuminating or signaling beam along a main direction, of the type including a light source, a luminous flux recovery mirror made up of a set of reflecting tiles, each reflecting tile being formed of a conical segment with two focal points, the first of which is located on the light source and a second focal point which is located, with respect to the reflecting tile, in a direction parallel to the main direction, each reflecting tile forming an image of the light source. The parameters of the conical segments with two focal points made up of the reflecting tiles are adjusted to confer upon the second focal points pre-determined photometric characteristics, and the images from the light source are directly visible.
US08096688B2
In an in-vehicle illumination device including: a room lamp section provided with a first light source section, and a light guide plate that guides a light of the first light source section from an end surface thereof and emits the light from a front surface thereof; a first switch for use by the room lamp section; and a vanity mirror section provided with a mirror, when the first light source section is turned on through operation of the first switch, a mode change is made to a room lamp illumination mode in which a first illumination light comes from the room lamp section, and also when the vanity mirror section is in use, the first light source section is turned on, and a mode change is made to a vanity mirror illumination mode in which a second illumination light comes from the room lamp section. The resulting in-vehicle illumination device can be excellent in practicality with the smaller size, and can achieve improvement in terms of design.
US08096686B2
A lighting fixture is provided that includes a ceiling pan having an opening with a trim received therein. The trim includes a ring with a spring clip attached thereto. The spring clip includes first and second legs having a first end joined at an apex and second free end opposite the first end. The second free ends are fixed to the trim to bias the spring clip in a downward direction to engage a top surface of the ceiling pan and bias the trim in an upward direction toward the ceiling pan. In one embodiment, the ends of the spring clip are fixed to the trim by a screw. In another embodiment, the spring clip is a torsion spring engaging the trim and includes first and second legs with a portion extending therefrom and received in an aperture in the trim. The ends are oriented at an inclined angle with respect to the legs such that when the legs are attached to the trim, the legs are biased in a downward direction with respect to the ceiling pan. The torsion spring clip can be retrofit to the trim ring.
US08096684B2
The device for influencing a light beam includes a primitive element and a housing which is arranged at a rotatable arm and which is rotatable with respect to the primitive element by means of one of the several drive units, and into which a light source for generating a light beam may be introduced, wherein at least one control electronics for operating the device is arranged in the rotatable arm or in the housing.
US08096682B2
An LED lighting device includes a receptacle comprising first and second bossed holes each having internal threads, and two opposite shoulders each formed lengthwise along a central line of an inner surface of either side of the receptacle; a cover plate comprising apertures and threadedly secured to the receptacle to form a housing; PCBs each supported by the shoulder and the first bossed holes and fastened in the receptacle by driving threaded fasteners therethrough into the first bossed holes; parallel elongated members each with the housing mounted thereon; units of LEDs electrically connected to the PCB wherein each unit of LEDs is fastened in the aperture; a waterproofing member filled in the housing for protecting the PCB; longitudinal and transverse frame members mounted on one surfaces of the elongated members; and a panel box mounted on the frame members, the panel box being electrically connected to the PCBs.
US08096681B2
An LED lamp includes a lamp frame, a reflector received in the lamp frame, a plurality of LED modules received in the lamp frame and an envelope covering an opening of the lamp frame. The lamp frame is made of a material with a good heat conductivity and thermally connects the LED modules. The reflector includes a plurality of interconnecting reflecting cells, each reflecting cell separating a corresponding LED module from others. Each LED module faces to a corresponding reflecting cell and light emitted therefrom is reflected by the reflecting cell to radiate out of the envelope.
US08096675B1
The instant invention discloses a device and method to mix and match LED die at a LED emitter or array level in an array to obtain a consistent average weighted wavelength, and/or desired flux, reducing the spread of a color range and therefore reducing the observed LED color range. The mixing of different wavelength and flux LED's expands the color gamut of the LEDs available to be used in a particular luminaire with a given color specification.
US08096673B2
An auto-controlling power saving system for solar energy street lamps includes at least one street lamp, each street lamp having a light source at an upper end thereof; a battery set; at least one solar plate installed at an upper end of the light source for absorbing solar energy; the absorbed solar energy being converted into electric power which is transferred to the light source for lighting up the light source or is stored in the battery set; a main controller for controlling all electric powers of the elements of the system for power management; the main controller controlling actuation, de-actuation and illumination of all street lamps; the main controller being connected to the battery sets of the street lamps and the related elements used; the main controller having a plurality of power control modes for power management and illumination control of the street lamps.
US08096667B2
In one aspect, the invention provides a light control film having an indicium visible at a range of viewing angles. The light control film comprises a light input surface and a light output surface opposite the light input surface. The control film further comprises alternating transmissive and absorptive regions disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. Each absorptive region has a height and a length, wherein the heights of the absorptive regions corresponding to the indicium are different that the heights of the absorptive regions that surround the absorptive regions corresponding to indicium.
US08096664B2
A projector for emitting projection light in a projection direction used in a floor set-wall projection and floor set-floor projection modes. The device includes an aspheric reflection mirror, which reflects light from a light source in the projection direction, and a case, which accommodates the mirror. The mirror reflects the projection light to emit the projection light through an opening in the case. The case includes a first setting surface, which is arranged adjacent to a floor when in the floor set-wall projection mode, and a second setting surface, which is arranged adjacent to the floor when in the floor set-floor projection mode. The second setting surface in the floor set-floor projection mode is located immediately below the mirror and bulges to a location that is in alignment with or frontward from a front end of the mirror.
US08096660B2
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving communications between humans and devices. The invention provides a method of modulating operation of a device, comprising: providing an attentive user interface for obtaining information about an attentive state of a user; and modulating operation of a device on the basis of the obtained information, wherein the operation that is modulated is initiated by the device. Preferably, the information about the user's attentive state is eye contact of the user with the device that is sensed by the attentive user interface.
US08096649B2
A contact leveling surface for an ink jet imaging member comprising a low adhesion coating, wherein when the low adhesion coating is disposed on a contact leveling surface, jetted drops of ultra-violet gel ink exhibit a low sliding angle with the contact leveling surface, wherein the low sliding angle is less than about 1° to less than about 30°.
US08096648B2
A phase change ink melting assembly for use in a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink melt perimetric constraint having an open top and a melted ink egress positioned at a bottom of the perimetric constraint. The open top is sized to receive a leading end of an ink stick fed downwardly therethrough. The perimetric constraint includes an interior through path with egress at the bottom and a plurality of melted ink flow paths intermediate the open top and the melted ink egress. The assembly includes a heater for heating the perimetric constraint to a phase change ink melting temperature.
US08096640B2
In one embodiment, a print bar includes: a substrate having a longer part and a shorter part extending along and parallel to the longer part such that each end of the longer part extends past each end of the shorter part; and multiple printhead dies on the longer part of the substrate. In another embodiment, a modular print bar includes a first module including multiple printhead dies joined together end to end and a second module including multiple printhead dies joined together end to end. The second module is lapped together end to end with the first module.
US08096633B2
An object of the invention is to provide a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus capable of determining a type of droplet to be ejected through each nozzle at an arbitrary ejection timing, with consideration of not only an influence of droplet ejections at preceding and following ejection timings, but also crosstalk between a nozzle column and another nozzle column.A data generation circuit of the liquid droplet ejecting apparatus includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a droplet type determination unit. The first storage unit stores therein information on a plurality of types of droplets. The second storage unit stores therein time-sequence information of a type of droplet which information associates each ejection timing of each nozzle with one of the types of droplets. The droplet type determination unit determines a type of droplet to be associated with an arbitrary ejection timing of each nozzle, with reference to an ejection plan of the nozzle included in the time-sequence information, and a type of droplet associated with the arbitrary ejection timing of another nozzle.
US08096630B2
The present invention provides an automated system for refilling printer ink cartridges. The system includes a computer with memory provided to store information relating to a plurality of ink cartridges, and a user interface that is connected to the computer and can receive a model number of a particular ink cartridge to be refilled. Moreover, the system employs a vacuum chamber with one or more needles provided to add ink into the ink cartridge. The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum pump that draws a suction on the vacuum chamber to reduce pressure in the vacuum chamber. In operation, the computer controls the vacuum pump to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber to a specific pressure based on the model number of the ink cartridge, and once this pressure is reached, ink is added to the ink cartridge by the needle accordingly.
US08096629B2
Presented herein is a novel sliding door system that that enables adjustment of at least two sliding doors relative to each other such that surfaces of the sliding doors create a substantially flush surface a support onto which the sliding door mechanism is mounted. The system includes at least one inner and outer sliding door slidably coupled to corresponding guide rails. The guide rail that is coupled to the outer sliding door is selectably moveable by a sliding door mechanism between a first and a second position. In the first position, a user can slide outer and inner sliding doors along said guide rails, whereas in the second position, a surface of the outer sliding door is substantially flush with a surface of said inner sliding door.
US08096627B2
A latch apparatus for a cover and a housing is mounted on at least one side in a front of the housing. The latch apparatus includes a bracket rotatably attached to at least one outer side in a front of the housing and a linkage coupled to the bracket. When the bracket is rotated in a first direction, the linkage applies a force on the cover relative to the housing for detachment of the cover from the housing.
US08096622B2
A method is disclosed for controlling a mine fire by delivering a water-absorbent polymeric composition to a rock structure involved in a fire and infusing the polymeric composition into the rock structure. The polymeric composition may also be used to create a seal across a mine entry for controlling underground mine fires.
US08096601B2
A rear window for a flexible rear roof section of an openable roof vehicle. The rear window is comprised of a transparent plastic material such as a polycarbonate material, and a fastening section that connects the rear window to the flexible covering of the open roof vehicle. The fastening section forms a single piece with the rear window and is offset relative to the plane of the rear window.
US08096597B2
Apparatus (10) for pet waste disposal including a portable waste collection receptacle (12) disposed on a handle (13), characterized by a heat source (14) mounted together with the waste collection receptacle (12), capable of incinerating waste (15) disposed in the waste collection receptacle (12).
US08096584B2
Techniques are described for authenticating security documents having security images that incorporate multiple security features. The techniques may produce robust template matching results in situations of lighting unevenness, even with stronger occluding objects. The techniques may be particularly useful in validating a security document having a security image composed of one or more “virtual” retroreflective images formed over a background of a repeating retroreflective image. The virtual retroreflective images within the security image provide strong signals that may dominate analysis and validation of the background retroreflective image, thereby resulting incorrect authentication. The techniques provide a modified normalized cross-correlation analysis that masks out the strong signals contributed by the additional security features, such as the retroreflective virtual images, while still allowing for fast and efficient template matching to be performed with respect to the background image.
US08096579B2
A motor vehicle includes at least one first crash sensor for measuring a motion variable of the motor vehicle, arranged in a safety zone of the motor vehicle, and at least one second crash sensor for measuring a motion variable, arranged in a crash zone of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including an ignition protection device controllable via an ignition signal and a control unit for ascertaining the ignition signal as a function of the measured motion variables or, in each instance, as a function of a time average of the measured motion variables over at least one first time interval.
US08096573B2
The invention relates to a gliding board including a structural beam defining a longitudinal direction and having a gliding surface bordered on each side with a lateral running edge, each running edge having an edge body and an anchoring blade, the anchoring blades of the two running edges being oriented opposite one another. An inextensible connecting element locally connects the anchoring blades, at least along a portion at least of the length of the beam, and the connecting element is oriented in the extension of each of the blades.
US08096566B2
Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to the transportation of loads. A strong and flexible platform has a plurality of ball casters attached to its underside to carry a load by dragging the platform along the ground. The plurality of ball casters on the bottom allow it roll while the flexible platform allows it to match the contour of the ground surface. The platform is outfitted with a removable rigid frame, handles, and grommets. A wagon attachment can be attached on top of the platform to transport loose loads such as leaves and other yard waste, and a rigid tub can be inserted into the wagon attachment for denser loads such as soil and sand. The platform can be pulled by hand, animal or vehicle.
US08096565B2
A roll-out cart includes a bottom wall having front, rear and side walls extending upwardly to define an upper interior. The rear wall is taller than the front wall and each of the side walls has an upper edge angled downwardly from the rear wall to the front wall. At least one support extends upwardly and rearwardly from an upper end of the rear wall to a handle. A base portion extending downwardly from the bottom wall includes a plurality of base walls including side portions each having corrugated portions below the side walls.
US08096551B2
A medium transportation apparatus is provided with a plurality of medium transportation units, a drive source, a sun gear connected to the drive source, a planetary gear engaging the sun gear for transmitting a drive force to one of the medium transportation units according to a rotational direction of the sun gear, and a rotational load member for applying a rotational load to the planetary gear. The rotational load member is disposed on an outer side relative to a rotational shaft of the planetary gear in a radial direction of a rotational shaft of the sun gear.
US08096544B2
A sheet containing device includes a supporting part that supports a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are different types of media, and the first sheet and the second sheet are stacked on one another; a feeding member that is located at a front end of the supporting part and that feeds the first sheet and the second sheet in correspondence with rotation of the feeding member; a sheet operating member that selectively prevents one of the first sheet and the second sheet from being fed by the feeding member.
US08096538B2
An apparatus is provided for organizing and cleaning fasteners used in a dynamoelectric machine. The apparatus includes a frame having a first end wall and a second end wall opposed to the first end wall, and a plurality of shelves connected to and located between the first end wall and the second end wall. At least one of the shelves includes a plurality of concave regions, that are configured to retain at least one of the fasteners. A mounting region is provided for the attachment of a fastener clamp. The fasteners from the dynamoelectric machine can be stored on the plurality of shelves and displayed.
US08096533B2
A stacked packing column for heat and/or mass transfer has individual horizontal layers including a lower layer that has a greater density that initiates an accumulation, in particular flooding, and that is 1.5 to 10, preferably 2 to 3 times, greater than the density of an overlying upper layer. The upper layer forms oblique flow channels having lower sections that are more vertically aligned than respective upper sections. The lower sections of the flow channels have a larger cross section than the upper sections, and the sections of larger cross section open into the lower layer.
US08096532B2
Hot water is pumped by a suction pump and introduced into a carbon dioxide (CO2) gas dissolver through solution flow rate adjusting means and then poured into a bath. The CO2 is introduced into the CO2 gas dissolver through gas flow rate adjusting means, and the quantity of bubbles in an artificial carbonated spring in a take-out pipe is measured. The solution and gas flow rate adjusting means are controlled via a control device using a relationship expression between a preliminarily set quantity of bubbles and carbon dioxide concentration to obtain a desired concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the carbonated spring. Since the carbon dioxide gas flow control means is provided between the carbon dioxide gas dissolver and a carbon dioxide gas supply source, a high concentration carbonated spring can always be manufactured, even if the pressure of supplied carbon dioxide gas changes or membrane permeation changes.
US08096529B2
A semitrailer landing gear, particularly for supporting trailers, including a supporting element, which can be telescopically displaced in the height thereof and which has an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the outer sleeve having a fastening flange for placing on a vehicle. The aim of the invention is to develop semitrailer landing gears with a reduced weight as well as with favorable manufacturing costs. To this end, the invention provides that at least one lateral wall of the outer sleeve and/or of the inner sleeve is provided with an angled wall section extending in an axial direction.
US08096528B2
A chain sprocket for link chains, for example, round link chains or profiled steel chains, has chain pockets for horizontal chain links. Chain pockets for vertical chain links are also provided. The chain pockets for the vertical chain links are separated from one another by teeth. The tooth flank surface of the tooth that a vertical chain link contacts under the effect of a load is dimensioned and profiled in a special manner. The dimensioning is such that up to a defined chain load the vertical chain link does not contact the tooth flank with its nose. A contact between the tooth flank surface and the nose of the respective chain link occurs only above a defined chain load.
US08096527B2
An extension rod for a jack arm comprises a connecting rod having a first joint and a second joint formed at the respective ends of the connecting rod. A first locking hole and a second locking hole are formed in the first and second joints, respectively. The extension rod also comprises a lockup mechanism comprising an elastic body configured to connect to either the first joint or the connecting rod and a lockup bolt formed on the elastic body, and configured to engage the first locking hole.
US08096521B1
An outboard motor and steering system motion stabilizer is disclosed that positively locks the outboard motor and steering system in the proper position for trailering. The disclosed stabilizer device effectively isolates the road-to-trailer-to-motor shock transfer that is delivered to the lower unit of the outboard motor by traditional transom savers that brace the outboard motor to the trailer. The disclosed stabilizer device is adjustable to fit many different outboard motor brands and sizes with hydraulic tilt and trim systems.
US08096519B2
A collapsible folding stand for use with a portable table saw or other object that is attached to the stand and is capable of being manipulated between open and closed positions. In the closed position, the stand is generally vertically oriented with the object attached to a top frame. To open the stand a locking mechanism is released which enables a folding mechanism supporting the top frame to unfold in a manner whereby the rear legs having wheels that separate from forward side struts which contact the ground, with the center of gravity of the object being positioned between the wheels and the front ground contact points so that the weight of the object tends to separate the same and bring the top frame into a generally horizontal position. To move the rolling stand to its closed position, the user needs only to lift the handle and the top frame will then move to its generally vertical closed position.
US08096504B2
Integrated aircraft structure in composite material that comprises a skin and stringers (1), with the skin comprising a string part (5) and a basic skin (3), which structure further comprises U-shaped elements (15) each of which comprises in its turn two L-shaped sections (4a+5a and 4b+5b) together with the skin part (5), in such a way that these U-shaped elements (15) fulfill two structural functions in said structure at the same time, acting as frame feet and as skin, providing an integrated fuselage structure without rivets or joints. The invention also relates to a manufacturing process of an integrated aircraft structure in composite material.
US08096502B2
An aircraft cabin that comprises a plurality of compartments (5) for passengers each having side walls (7a, 7b, 15) and accessible via a doorway (9) in one of the side walls (7a, 7b, 15). The compartments (5) include door assemblies for closing the doorways (9) and creating enclosed spaces and chair and other furniture interactively arranged in the compartment (5).
US08096498B2
An inlet door assembly includes an inlet door rotatable about an axis of rotation.
US08096495B2
A spindle includes two end portions, spaced apart from one another, with the two ends being of substantially equal diameters. The two ends are configured to interact with a support structure that is designed to hold a roll of web material. The spindle also includes a widened portion located between the two end portions. At a portion spaced from the widened portion, the spindle is configured to receive a removable member.
US08096494B2
The device to position tubular winding cores on a common supporting and rotating shaft comprises: supporting members for said shafts AS and gripping and handling members 23A, 23B of the winding cores A parallel to the axis of said shaft AS.
US08096492B2
A pulverizing and coarse powder classifying apparatus including: a mechanical pulverizer that pulverizes a powder raw material, a cyclone that collects pulverized powder, and a coarse powder classifier that separates coarse powder from the collected powder, wherein the coarse powder classifier is a cyclone classifier including a dispersion chamber equipped with a center core and used for dispersing the powder, and a classification chamber equipped with a separator core, and wherein the center core has at its center a fine powder discharge pipe.
US08096487B2
An automated sprayer for spraying the walls of a shower enclosure with a liquid cleanser is disclosed. The sprayer includes a bottle suitable for containing the liquid, a housing, a pump located in the housing wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the bottle, a rotatable dome-shaped spray head extending away from an opening in a surface of the housing, a spray nozzle positioned such that an outlet of the spray nozzle is positioned within an opening in a side wall of the rotatable spray head wherein the spray nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump, a motor located in the housing, and a transmission operably coupled to a shaft of the motor, the rotatable spray head, and the pump. The transmission transfers rotational motion of the shaft of the motor to drive the pump and cause rotation of the rotatable spray head such that the liquid is sprayed radially away from and around the housing thereby providing a circular spray pattern that contacts the walls of the shower enclosure.
US08096486B2
An air freshener of the invention includes a rotating box, a fixed base disposed on the rotating box, the rotating box rotating with respect to the fixed base, and a perfume box filled with a perfume, which can rotate with the rotating box. The rotating box has an annular shape in cross section and has an internal space for receiving and embedding the perfume box therein. Air holes are formed in the fixed base for exposing a portion of the perfume box when the rotating box is rotated with respect to the fixed base. The air freshener of the invention is applicable to be used inside a car or a room, and is capable of both refreshing the air and adjusting the release amount of the diffused perfume vapor.
US08096479B2
A multifunctional identification label comprises a paper substrate formed from a cellulose furnish including 1 to 2.5 percent of a wet strength resin and a rosin size. A front side of the substrate is machine glazed, coated with a print receptive coating, and printed with a bar code. The back side of the substrate has a coating comprising one or more pigments selected from the group of clay, magadite and mixtures thereof, a binder, and 1 to 2.5 parts by dry weight of pigment of a salt. A conductive ink antenna is printed on the back side coating. A RFID chip is secured to the back side of the coated substrate and electrically connected to the antenna. Embodiments of the invention include a pressure sensitive adhesive label including RFID and bar code identification, a ticket adapted for printing on both sides incorporating RFID identification, and an RFID insert.
US08096476B2
An article sales data processing apparatus comprises a first reading unit configured to read an article identification code from a first medium attached to an article, a second reading unit configured to read the article identification code from a second medium attached to the article, a determination unit configured to determine whether the article identification code is the code read by the first reading unit or the code read by the second reading unit, and a control unit configured to separately display, on a display unit, article sales data obtained from the article identification code determined to have been read by the first reading unit and article sales data obtained from the article identification code determined to have been read by the second reading unit.
US08096467B2
A transaction product includes a plurality of puzzle segments, four skin components, and a machine-readable account identifier. The four skin components each couple and form a hinge between at least two of the plurality of puzzle segments such that the transaction product is configured to be successively folded about the plurality of hinges to undergo a closed chain of transformations from an initial configuration to a plurality of intermediate configurations and back to the initial configuration. The four skin components are each positioned on an external surface of the transaction product when the transaction product is in the initial configuration. The machine-readable account identifier is coupled to at least one of the puzzle segments and links the transaction product to an account or record for tracking a value associated with the transaction product.
US08096460B2
A surgical device includes a loading unit having proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion of the loading unit is configured to be attached to an actuation apparatus. The surgical device further includes a flexible shaft interconnecting the proximal portion and the distal portion of the loading unit. Additionally, the surgical device has a tool assembly disposed in mechanical cooperation with the distal portion of the loading unit. The tool assembly is configured to articulate upon activation of the actuation apparatus.
US08096455B2
Arrangement for providing and controlling operation of a dual sided opening roof mount cargo box (10) for a carrying vehicle. A dual sided opening roof mount cargo box (10) is provided and which has a lid portion (30) releasably hinge-connected at two lateral sides to a bottom portion (32) of the cargo box (10) for alternate pivotation at each of the two lateral sides between open and closed configurations. The bottom portion (32) is adapted to be mounted to a carrying vehicle and the lid portion (30) is manufactured from a semi-flexible material sufficiently pliable to permit two opposite end regions thereof to be at different relative distances from the bottom portion (32) of the cargo box (10) during transition between the open and closed configurations. A pair of spring-biased struts (50) are also provided, each operatively interposed between the lid portion (30) and the bottom portion (32) of the cargo box (10), and one each of the pair of spring-biased struts (50) being located at the two opposite end regions of the cargo box. An expansively directed force is imposed on the lid portion (30), utilizing the pair of spring-biased struts (50), across a substantial entirety of travel of the lid portion (30) during operator induced movement from the closed configuration to the open configuration and thereby assisting the operator to smoothly open the cargo box (10).
US08096452B1
A clothing wrinkle removal apparatus includes a housing that has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall that is attached to and extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The housing includes a cover that is removably coupled to the perimeter wall to cover an access opening into the housing defined by an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The housing has an air passage opening therein. An item of clothing is positioned within the housing with a quantity of water and placed in a microwave oven with the cover on the housing. The microwave is turned on to heat the water and the item of clothing to remove wrinkles from the item of clothing.
US08096449B2
The dispensing appliance for a multiple cartridge or syringe comprising a housing configured to receive the cartridge that has an internal thread and a rotatable portion that has a complementary thread, the internal thread and the rotatable portion cooperating in such a manner that by mutual rotation thereof, the rotatable portion is continuously displaceable relative to the housing in the dispensing direction. The housing is configured to receive the cartridge that has two adjacent storage containers, and a thrust force of the rotatable portion is transmitted to a multiple ram without any pressure relief. This arrangement allows dispensing even highly viscous materials from cartridges with little manual force under high pressure and in a precisely metered manner.
US08096445B2
An electric soap dispenser that includes sensors for detecting the presence of an object. The dispenser can be configured to dispense an amount of liquid soap, for example, upon detecting the presence of an object. The dispenser can include various features for enhancing the performance thereof. For example, the dispenser can include an additional button for manual operation of the pump. Additionally, the dispenser can detect the voltage of a power supply and compensate for a drop in voltage of the power supply so as to produce more uniform dispensations of the liquid product.
US08096441B2
In a multilayer pressure container constructed by covering a thin wall container made of synthetic resin or the like with a resin-impregnated fiber-reinforced layer and subsequently curing the impregnating resin, the present invention provides a sealing structure for a high-pressure container which allows sealing measures to be phased in during assembly before curing. The sealing structure for a high-pressure container 1 includes a resin liner 2 adapted to contain gas or liquid; a fiber-reinforced plastic layer 3 adapted to reinforce an outside face of the resin liner 2; and a metal mouthpiece 4 used to pour and discharge the gas or liquid, protruding outside the fiber-reinforced plastic layer 3, wherein a filler neck 21 for the gas or liquid is formed on the resin liner 2, protruding outward from inside the high-pressure container, coupling structures 23 and 43 are formed on a protrusion of the filler neck 21 and the mouthpiece 4, and the mouthpiece 4 is coupled with the resin liner 2 by means of the coupling structures 23 and 43 so as to cover the filler neck 21.
US08096430B2
A rack for holding articles includes a plurality of sets of vertical battens, a plurality of sets of horizontal battens that are clamped together with the plurality of sets of vertical battens, a long connecting screw piece that extends through each set of horizontal and vertical battens, and a supplementary connecting screw that connects the front horizontal batten and the front vertical batten. The screw piece defines a pivot axis for folding the battens.
US08096425B2
An extraction system and process for extracting bitumen from a slurry containing bitumen, solids and water. The system comprises a cyclone separation facility for separating the slurry into a solids component stream and a bitumen froth stream with the bitumen froth stream including water and fine solids. The bitumen froth stream is then delivered to a froth concentration facility for separating the bitumen froth stream into a final bitumen enriched froth stream, and a water and fine solids stream. The final bitumen enriched froth stream is suitable for further processing. The system of the present invention is preferably mobile so that the cyclone extraction facility and the froth concentration facility can move with the mine face at an oil sands mining site, however, it is also contemplated that the system can be retrofitted to existing fixed treatment facilities to improve the operational efficiency of such fixed facilities.
US08096423B2
One embodiment is a unique replaceable filter element. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits shall become apparent from the following description and drawings.
US08096420B2
A universal blister package for the distribution of medical instruments includes a tray having a resilient film and a retainer having a resilient film. The tray and the retainer are shaped and dimensioned for selective engagement in a manner creating a storage space between the film of the tray and the film of the retainer for accommodating a medical instrument between the tray and the retainer.
US08096419B2
The present invention provides photosensitizing agents obtained by reducing a single double bond in the porphyrin macrocycle of a sulphonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin, preferably a disulphonated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin such as TPPS2a. The resulting sulphonated meso-tetraphenyl chlorins include compounds of formula I: (wherein X is —SO3H; n, p, q and r are each independently 0 or 1; and the sum of n, p, q and r is an integer from 1 to 4, preferably at least 2, e.g. 2 or 4) isomers and isomer mixtures thereof. The compounds of the invention and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts find particular use as photosensitizing agents in the photochemical internalization of molecules and in photodynamic therapy.
US08096414B2
A medical implement dispensing and disposal system. The medical implement dispensing and disposal system comprises a container having an open end with a dispensing chamber and a disposal chamber defined within the container. A cover is configured to substantially close the open end of the container. The cover defines a disposal opening in communication with the disposal chamber. A dispensing opening is defined in either the container or cover and in communication with the dispensing chamber. A biasing assembly is positioned in the dispensing chamber and configured to provide a biasing force toward the dispensing opening.
US08096411B2
The invention provides a dispensing container including an outer casing having an open end, a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and an interior compartment, wherein the outer casing further includes a depressible button in the top or bottom and at least one projection adjacent to the depressible button that extends into the interior compartment; and an inner tray slidably received within the interior compartment of the outer casing. The inner tray includes a first end received within the outer casing, an opposing second end extending outwardly from the outer casing, a flexible locking tab positioned proximal to the first end, and an opening adjacent to the flexible locking tab, the flexible locking tab including a first segment extending toward the second end of the inner tray and a second segment extending transversely from the first segment. The second segment is positioned to engage the projection.
US08096410B2
An adjustable item transport includes a deck for supporting items, a transport element for transporting the items along the deck on a transport path, a plurality of support elements rotatably supporting the transport element, and an adjustment member. Each support element may include a plurality of recesses configured to receive the transport element. Each recess corresponds to an operating position of the transport element. The adjustment member may include a handle portion, a first guide portion adjacent to a first edge of the transport element, and a second guide portion adjacent to a second edge of the transport element. Movement of the handle portion substantially perpendicular to the transport path engages one of the first guide portion and the second guide portion with a respective edge of the transport element to move the transport element between recesses in the support element to change the operating position of the transport element.
US08096406B1
A method for controlling the retention time of a casting retained in a mold comprises providing a vibratory shakeout conveyor having a conveying surface, placing the mold on the conveyor; and imparting a vibratory force to the conveyor at a predetermined angle to the conveying surface whereby the predetermined angle determines the retention time of said casting in said mold. A plurality of sensors for detecting mold position and media breakdown may also be employed to detect appropriate mold retention time.
US08096399B2
Coin lock comprising a lock housing (1) with two coin openings (2, 3) for insertion of coins (A, B) which enable operation of the coin lock, a bolt piece (8) which is connected to a bolt (9) and is arranged in the lock housing and able to move between a forward and a rear position, and a first and a second coin sensing device, each of which comprises a first (31, 31′, 34-, 34′) and a second (32, 32′, 35; 35′) carrier device to carry a coin with a predetermined minimum diameter, inserted through one of the coin openings, and a hook (14, 15) which; in absence of a coin with the predetermined minimum diameter, borne by the carrier device, and engaging with the bolt piece, prevents the bolt piece from being moved to the forward position, and which, in the presence of a coin with the predetermined minimum diameter, borne by the carrier device, allows the bolt piece to be moved into the forward position. The carrier devices (31, 31′, 32, 32′, 34, 34′, 35, 35′) of the first and second coin sensing devices are arranged at the same side of the bolt piece (8).
US08096392B2
A light weight brake assembly for bicycles is disclosed. Some embodiments of the invention are designed to enhance assembly adjustability, for example to accommodate geometric variations that occur with various bicycle frame and wheel geometries. Some embodiments of the invention are designed to allow for a brake leverage that can be non-linear and capable of multiplying during brake actuation so that braking force increases more rapidly than brake lever force applied by the user. Some embodiments of the invention are designed to provide a brake sensitivity that is adjustable in use. Some embodiments provide for a quick-release functionality, for example by quickly increasing the gap between the two brake pads so that the wheel can be easily/quickly removed.
US08096390B2
Drum brake shoe, particularly for a motor vehicle, in which a brake cable (64) has an end terminal (66) for attachment to a lever (50) that acts on the shoe (4), this shoe comprising a rigid web one edge of which is formed with a cut-out (90) providing access to the cable (64) attachment end terminal (66) to make it easier to detach this cable.
US08096388B2
An elevator system has a data receiving unit that receives service state data transmitted from a control device of an elevator. A pulse modulation unit separates the service state data received by the data receiving unit into first information data and second information data, pulse-modulates the first information data by using the second information data, and creates an LED blinking pattern. An LED drive unit drives a visible light LED placed in a cage of the elevator or on a platform of the elevator in response to the LED blinking pattern created by the pulse modulation unit.
US08096387B2
A fail-safe power control apparatus for supplying power between an energy source and the motor of a transport system. The power control apparatus includes a power supply circuit, which has at least one converter containing controllable change-over switches, and the power control apparatus has a controller for controlling the converter change-over switches, a data transfer bus, at least two controllers adapted to communicate with each other, and a control arrangement for controlling a first braking device, and possibly a control arrangement for controlling a second braking device.
US08096380B2
A transfer robot that is safe and produced at low cost is provided. A transfer robot (100) includes a base (7) fixable to a floor surface, a link mechanism provided on the base (7), an arm rotatably attached to the base (7) by the link mechanism, casters attached to a lower surface of the arm and used to move the arm, and a holding section provided on an upper surface of the arm to hold a carriage (13). The link mechanism includes a motor, a first reduction mechanism rotated by the motor, and a second reduction mechanism coupled to the first reduction mechanism and rotating the arm.
US08096372B2
An improved cutter for fixed cutter drill bits includes a base portion with a longitudinal axis that extends through a center of the base portion and a cutting face which is generally centered with the base portion. The cutting face has a periphery edge geometry comprising a first arcuate segment and a second arcuate segment spaced apart and arranged opposite each other with linear edge segments disposed there between forming sides of the cutting face. The cutting face spans a maximum edge-to-edge dimension L in a first direction that corresponds to a major axis of the cutting face. The cutting face spans a maximum edge-to-edge dimension W in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, and W is less than L.
US08096368B1
A hand-driven receiving bracket for galvanized or steel pipe used with yard fences, gateposts, pet pens, and the like comprises a round galvanized pipe and three (3) downwardly directed triangular steel plates. The bracket is then driven into the ground such that the top of the pipe is flush with the ground surface. After driving, the receiver bracket is ready for fence posts, gateposts, and other ground style devices. A plate device that sits atop the bracket and can be driven with a large sledgehammer provides a large flat surface that is suitable for impact and spreads such impact over the entire bracket, thus preventing damage. Alternately, a sliding hammer that slides upon a tall steel pipe which connects to the top of the bracket is used to drive the bracket into the ground and comprises a twist lock mechanism that engages the bracket and spreads the impact to prevent damage. When driven flush, it also is removed and replaced with a permanent fence or gateposts.
US08096366B2
Compositions are described which are useful in many applications such as fire extinguishing or refrigeration. The compositions may include a hydrochlorofluorocarbon such as 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane, a dispersant such as CF3I, and an inert gas such as argon, and may in some embodiments be held under pressure. For example, some fire extinguishing compositions may be composed of 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane, CF3I, and argon.
US08096362B2
Phase-controlled well flow control. A well system includes a flow control device which regulates flow of a fluid in the well system, the flow control device being responsive to both pressure and temperature in the well system to regulate flow of the fluid. A flow control device includes a flow regulator for regulating flow of a fluid through the flow control device, and an actuator which is operative to actuate the flow regulator in response to a predetermined relationship between a phase of the fluid and both pressure and temperature exposed to the actuator. A method of controlling a phase change of a fluid in a well system includes the steps of: flowing the fluid through a flow control device in the well system; and adjusting the flow control device in response to both pressure and temperature in the well system.
US08096360B2
Methods and compositions of fracturing formations are provided. The fracturing fluid includes an enzyme breaker that decreases the viscosity of the fracturing fluid over time. The enzyme breaker can be used in environments having a pH value ranging from about 7 to about 12.
US08096357B2
The apparatus of the present invention provides a top drive supported tool for making up and running casing strings into a borehole. The tool comprises a fill-up and circulation assembly and a launcher assembly that is adapted to cooperate with a connectable cement wiper plug assembly for launching wiper plugs that control cement placement in the annulus between a casing string and a borehole containing the casing string. The tool of the present invention shortens or eliminates delays in well operations, thereby improving integrity of cement liners formed by placing cement slurry in a targeted interval.
US08096353B2
An oilfield apparatus includes an oilfield element made of a composite that includes a matrix material; and a plurality of functionalized graphene sheets dispersed in the matrix material. A method of oilfield operation includes selecting an oilfield apparatus having an oilfield element, wherein at least a portion of the oilfield element is made of a composite comprising a plurality of functionalized graphene sheets dispersed in a matrix material; and using the oilfield apparatus in an oilfield operation, thereby exposing the oilfield element to an oilfield environment. A method for modifying a functionalized graphene sheet includes obtaining the functionalized graphene sheet; and subjecting the functionalized graphene sheet to atom transfer radical polymerization to attach polymers on surfaces of the functionalized graphene sheet. The polymers attached to the surfaces of the functional graphene sheet may comprise co-polymers or magnetic particles.
US08096352B2
A centralizer for tubular elements is provided which includes an inner part formed by a first material having high mechanical performance and chemical stability and an outer part arranged on said inner part, formed by a second material. The second material may be an autolubricating material. The second material may further possess a low coefficient of friction. The second material may additionally possess lower mechanical performance and chemical stability than the first material.A method of manufacturing the centralizer is also provided, including steps of injecting the first material on a tubular element to form the inner part on the tubular element and injecting the second material to form the outer part on the formed inner part.
US08096350B2
An adjustable depth air sparging well system having a fixed depth or secondary air injection point and an adjustable depth or primary air injection point for injecting compressed air into saturated or groundwater regions of the soil's subsurface to remove volatile contaminants from the soil's subsurface. At least one flow-through air sparge packer which is slidably mounted within the well casing of the air sparging well system allows a user to adjust the depth at which the adjustable depth air injection point is set. The flow through air sparge packer is available in one, two and one half and five foot lengths.
US08096344B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for sequentially direct chill casting a composite ingot made of metals having similar freezing ranges. Poor adhesion between the layers and low reliability of casting are addressed by adjusting the position of secondary cooling (created by applying water streams to the emerging ingot) relative to the upper surfaces of the molten metal pools compared to the conventional positions of first application of the secondary cooling. This can be achieved by moving one or more walls of the mold (when the secondary cooling emanates from the bottom of such walls), or adjusting the height of the molten metal pools within the mold and moving cooled divider walls between the pools. The relative temperatures and conditions of the metals at positions where they meet at the metal interface may therefore be optimized.
US08096340B2
A child safety blind having a head rail, a bottom rail, at least one ladder tape, a plurality of slats, a tilt wand and a pair of registry clips. At least one ladder tape extends horizontally between the head rail and the bottom rail, and the ladder tape comprising a plurality of steps. The slats extend horizontally between the head rail and the bottom rail, and each of the slats extends through one corresponding step of the ladder tape. The tilt wand is linked with ladder tape and operative to operative to drive the steps of the ladder tape to turn the slats with an angle. The pair of registry clips is operative to lift the bottom rail and the slats at two side portions thereof while holding the bottom rail and the slats therein.
US08096338B2
An application for an apparatus that holds a sheet of material as it is applied to a surface of a vehicle. The apparatus includes support arms for holding the sheet of material in position against the surface of the vehicle while the sheet of material is applied to the surface. The apparatus is adjustable to compensate for various heights of vehicles, various application angles and application of the sheet to various surfaces of the vehicle including a top surface and a side surface.
US08096336B2
The apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus is equipped with the XYZθ-movement mechanism can move at least one of the first and second attraction stages in a vertical direction so as to adhere the first and second substrates to each other via the sealing agent, and then move the first and second attraction stages relatively to each other in a horizontal direction on the basis of an ordered movement amount, so as to align the first and second substrates with each other, and a control device that can move the first and second substrates relatively to each other by a predetermined amount more than the ordered movement amount while aligning the first and second substrates with each other by the XYZθ-movement mechanism, so as to set the first and second substrates at target positions.
US08096328B2
A tire inflation apparatus for inflating a tire mounted on a rim comprises an inflation head mounted to a moveable inflation shaft of a head position cylinder and an assist cylinder mounted to a frame member, with the frame member and assist cylinder positioned above the inflation location. The assist cylinder includes a moveable assist shaft operatively connected to the inflation shaft by a moveable cross member whereby the head position cylinder and assist cylinder cooperatively operate to selectively position the inflation head. The inflation head is positioned in a retracted position by vertical upward extension of the assist shaft and positioned in a tire engaging position by vertical downward retraction of the assist shaft. A fluid passage in the inflation shaft may deliver pressurized gas into a tire inflation cavity of the inflation head for inflating a tire when the inflation head is sealed against the tire.
US08096327B2
A system for filling pre-charged aerosol cans comprising a frame, a power actuator on the frame having an output member that extends forcibly downwardly through a stroke of fixed length and retracts upwardly, a combined reservoir and filling head supported in the frame generally below the output member, the filling head having a cylindrical dispensing bore and an outlet below the bore adapted to be coupled to the valve of the aerosol can, a dispensing piston with a lower face operable in the bore to create hydraulic pressure on liquid received in the bore from the reservoir, a set of cooperating elements for coupling a dispensing piston to the output member selectively at a plurality of predetermined fixed spacings from the output member, whereby the volume of fluid displaced from the dispensing chamber by the dispensing piston is regulated to fill cans of different capacity while the output member of the power actuator traverses its stroke of constant length.
US08096324B2
To restrain abnormal deformation of a bellows due to a pressure difference between the inside and outside thereof, an outside gas type accumulator includes a pressure difference regulation mechanism (21) having a movable plate (22) supported by a coil spring (23) on the oil port (4) side of a bellows cap (8), the plate (22) moves together with the cap (8) in a state of being supported by the spring (23), during normal operation, the plate (22) moves together with the cap (8) to be brought into contact with a seal (13) at zero-down time, and the plate (22) keeps contact with the seal (13) and the cap (8) moves to a position where liquid pressure and gas pressure balances while compressing the spring (23) when the liquid and the charged gas expand thermally.
US08096321B2
An electrohydraulic valve assembly having an inflow channel, a working channel and an outflow channel, including first and second valves each having a magnetic regulating device for applying a regulated activation force to the respective valve. The valves are arranged in parallel so that either can provide the hydraulic connection between the inflow, working and outflow channels. In the case of error detection, the active valve is deactivated and the until then passive valve is activated and vice-versa. The deactivating of a valve device moves the valve piston to a hydraulic neutral position by means of a second stage.
US08096317B2
A water powered hose reel operated by household water pressure. The hose reel has a traversing hydraulic motor for use in retrieval of a flexible hose. The hose reel includes a spool carried by and enclosed within an enclosure, the spool having a hub with a pair of flanges at opposing ends configured for proper alignment of the hose during storage, take-up and pay-out of the hose. The enclosure is configured for receiving the spool so as to rotate within the enclosure. A hydraulic motor allows take-up of the hose by use of a reciprocating traversing motor driving a rack attached to the spool by a series of gears. Disengagement of the motor allows for manual pay-out of the hose.
US08096316B2
A valve system for use in a system including a first source of a first pressurized fluid and a second source of a second pressurized fluid includes a valve housing including a first inlet port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with the first source, a second inlet port adapted to be placed in fluid connection with the second source and an outlet port. The valve system further includes a backflow prevention system to prevent flow of the first pressurized fluid through the second inlet and to prevent flow of the second pressurized fluid through the first inlet port. The valve system is adapted to provide a fluid path between at least the first inlet port and the outlet port to enable fluid to be drawn from the outlet port to the first inlet port. Several of the valve systems of the present invention provide for flow from the first inlet port to the outlet port and concurrent flow from the second inlet port to the outlet port.
US08096310B2
An umbrella frame structured for use in a strong wind conditions such as those conditions frequently encountered on a boat traveling at relatively high speeds. An umbrella frame assembly includes a reinforcing assembly connected thereto in a supportive, operative orientation thereby providing a stable support for an umbrella canopy which can remain open even during travel of the boat. The frame assembly can be modified to support canopies of varying shapes and sizes and the frame assembly can be easily removed, for storage purposes, from a supporting base which may be mounted on or connected to a boat.
US08096308B2
The case (1) for cosmetic products, typically in the form of paste or compact powder cakes, comprises a hollow base (2, 3) having an upper opening (16), a cover (15) closing said upper opening and a support (4) arranged inside said hollow base, said support comprising at least a first support surface (7) and a second support surface (8), the first and second support surfaces each comprising at least one compartment (10) intended to receive a cosmetic product (9), is characterized in that the support cooperates in a mobile manner with said hollow base so that the support can be turned inside the hollow base to present said first support surface or said second support surface through the upper opening.
US08096302B2
Systems and methods incorporate implant structures, and/or implantation devices, and/or surgical implantation techniques, to make possible the treatment of physiologic conditions, such as sleep disordered breathing, with enhanced effectiveness.
US08096295B1
A solar panel includes an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold spaced apart from the inlet manifold, and a plurality of pipes having a first end in open fluid communication with the inlet manifold and a second end in open fluid communication with the outlet manifold. A box-shaped cover formed of a polycarbonate material is disposed in ensleeving relation to the plurality of pipes. The box-shaped cover has a length at least slightly less than the distance between the inlet and outlet manifolds so that opposite ends of pipes in the plurality of pipes are exposed to ambient. The cover substantially prevents ventilation of the plurality of pipes and thus allows water temperatures in the panel to rise higher than possible in the absence of such cover. The exposure of the opposite ends of the pipes to ambient prevents water temperatures in the panel from exceeding a predetermined temperature.
US08096284B2
In a method for determining a rail pressure setpoint value for a high-pressure rail of an internal combustion engine, the rail pressure setpoint value is modified to a maximum degree using a maximum gradient for changing the rail pressure setpoint value, and the maximum gradient is read from a characteristics map as a function of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. The operating parameters include an engaged gear of a gear-change transmission.
US08096278B2
A compensation shaft for a multi-cylinder engine comprising at least three bearing pegs (1a, 1b, 2b) and unbalanced masses (3a, 3b, 3c) arranged respectively in a region of each bearing peg (1a, 1b, 2), wherein at least one of the bearing pegs (1a; 1b; 2) as mounting element possesses an enhanced mounting lash “s”, so that this bearing peg participates in the mounting of the compensation shaft only after a pre-defined flexion of the compensation shaft has taken place.
US08096277B2
An intake manifold for an internal combustion engine comprising an engine head in which there are obtained a number of cylinders; the intake manifold comprises a central body, wherein there are obtained an intake chamber which receives the intake air and a number of conduits each of which connects the chamber to a corresponding cylinder of the internal combustion engine; first passage through holes obtained in the central body for fastening the intake manifold to the engine head by means of first fastening screws screwed into the engine head; a common rail which receives the pressurized fuel and is connected to a number of injectors, each of which injects the fuel into a corresponding cylinder; second blank threaded fastening holes obtained in the central body for fastening the common rail to the central body itself by means of the second fastening screws screwed into the central body and, for each second fastening hole, a metallic reinforcement bracket, which presents a first assembly through hole arranged over and coaxially to a corresponding first fastening hole in order to be locked onto the central body by the corresponding first fastening screw and a second assembly through hole arranged over and coaxially to a corresponding second fastening hole in order to be locked onto the central body of the corresponding second fastening screw.
US08096269B2
It is an object of the invention to provide an engine system using a small-sized heat exchanger having a high efficiency and a stable performance for heating and vaporizing a hydrogen medium supplied to a reactor vessel. The engine system includes an engine having an intake pipe for taking in air for combustion thereinto and an exhaust pipe for exhausting exhaust gas therefrom, a reactor vessel with a catalyst supported therein for decomposing a hydrogen medium which contains hydrogen in molecules thereof and of which the hydrogen can be taken out by a chemical reaction, a hydrogen medium tank storing the hydrogen medium, a high-pressure pump for pressurizing and transporting the hydrogen medium, a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the hydrogen medium in a liquid state, a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the hydrogen medium in a gas state, and a back pressure valve for depressurizing and vaporizing the hydrogen medium, disposed in a hydrogen medium flow path between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the reactor vessel is disposed in the exhaust pipe so that the reactor vessel can exchange heat with the exhaust pipe, and wherein the high-pressure pump, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger are arranged in the hydrogen medium flow path for transporting the hydrogen medium from the hydrogen medium tank to the reactor vessel in this order from an upstream side in the hydrogen medium flow path.
US08096258B2
A collapsible catamaran is described, comprising two hulls (1) and a frame (4) which connects the two hulls (1) in a detachable manner and carries plug-in noses (3) which engage in plug-in receptacles (2) of the hulls (1). In order to provide advantageous plug-in connections it is proposed that the plug-in noses (3) each comprise a guide tube (17) with at least one rubber-elastic clamping ring (18) which encloses the guide tube (17) on the outside, rests on an axial abutment (23) and can be subjected to axial pressure with the help of an actuator (22) penetrating the guide tube (17).
US08096247B2
A system for forming multiple patterned, tufted articles, includes a tufting machine having a series of distinct machine sections each adapted to form a desired patterned, tufted articles and each operable independently of the other machine sections. A system control can be programmed with pattern parameters for each of the patterned tufted articles to be formed, and will control the machine sections to form each of the patterned tufted articles.
US08096243B2
A sub-caliber bullet with an aerodynamic shape has long-range accuracy due to a high muzzle velocity and reduced time of flight to a target. The bullet has a forward portion, a mid-portion and an aft portion. The forward portion has a density in excess of 10/cm3 while the mid-portion has a lower density. The bullet has an aspect ratio of at least 5:1 and a diameter, d, that satisfies a Power Law equation: d=D*(x/L)n where D is a maximum bullet diameter, L is the length, x is a distance rearward from a nose of the bullet and n is a Power Law exponent that is between 0.5 and 0.75. In some embodiments, a blind bore extends into the mid-portion from the aft portion and a sustainer propellant within the blind bore ignites as the bullet exits a gun muzzle to provide a velocity boost and to overcome aerodynamic drag.
US08096242B2
A squib includes a cup body and a closure plug for holding a plurality of electrode pins insulated from one another and closing the opening of the cup body, and further includes, in the cup body, ignition powder and an ASIC component formed by molding a resin around electric circuits including an ASIC and a capacitor, a heating element connected to the ASIC and located at the top of the resin molding of the ASIC component, and connection electrodes located at the bottom of the resin molding for connecting the ASIC to the electrode pins. The squib includes a cylindrical metal fixture having at the center of its top an opening of a size sufficient to expose the heating element and being fixed to the closure plug in a state covering the top circumferential periphery and side surface of the ASIC component and pushing the connection electrode of the ASIC component against the electrode pins. With the squib thus constructed, electric current can be reliably supplied to the electric circuits incorporated in the squib, and upon operation of the squib the resin molding and its broken pieces are effectively prevented from flying in all directions.
US08096220B2
Embodiments are directed to a modular saw guard system for a power saw having a top and a vertically adjustable blade, the system comprises a riving knife mechanism, a blade guard mechanism that is releasably mounted to the riving knife mechanism when the riving knife mechanism is at least in its extended position, the blade guard mechanism generally covering the blade and being adjustable to enable a work piece to be moved into cutting position by the blade and a kickback prevention mechanism that is releasably mounted to the riving knife mechanism when the riving knife mechanism is at least in its extended position, the kickback prevention mechanism being configured to engage a work piece as it is being cut by the blade and apply resistance to prevent the work piece from being expelled in the reverse direction.
US08096219B2
This invention is a work carriage used with a cutting tool's table surface to make straight-line cuts. The device responds to the need for cutting a wide range of angles and positions on workpieces of different sizes and shapes more accurately, consistently, and safely. The invention consists of a main support which rides on a slide attached to the table surface's guide slot using a wedging action to fill the width of the guide slot. Clamps hold the workpiece to the main support along a t-shaped channel. Once set up, the main support moves precisely along the slide parallel to the guide slot and cutting plane. The main support also has threaded holes to attach workpiece stops and a fence, as needed, for making consistent cuts. A secondary support is used to provide the necessary support with a larger workpiece that has a center of mass beyond the main support.
US08096211B2
The present invention relates to a digital power torque wrench of indirect transmission, which is composed of an eccentric driving module, a sensing module, a ratchet module and a control module. The eccentric driving module is used for transmitting power to the sensing module and the ratchet module for driving the ratchet module rotate accordingly and thus transferring the momentum of the rotating to fasten a workpiece, such as a bolt or nut. The sensing module is capable of detecting the deformation of the ratchet module as it is rotating against an increasing resistance during the fastening process, and converting the detected deformation into a signal to be received by the control module. The control module is capable of quantifying the signal for converting the same into a numerical signal representing a torque detected by the sensing module and then sending the numerical signal to a display device for displaying. With the aforesaid digital power torque wrench of indirect transmission, not only the detection can be achieved in a rapid manner without being troubled by wear-and-tear and noise, but also it is ease to maintain and can be manufactured with comparatively less cost.
US08096210B2
A tool includes a base ring which defines a multiple of bores, each of the multiple of bores sized to receive one of a multiple of socket assemblies. A slide ring mountable to the base ring to rotate the multiple of socket assemblies.
US08096203B2
A chain type transmission assembly doesn't have the problem that the chain interferes with the transmission assembly, the thickness of the links of the chain of the transmission assembly is precisely calculated by an equation, so that the chain can be prevented from interfering with the outer surface of the screw, thus substantially improving the efficiency and service life of the transmission assembly.
US08096201B2
A ball screw device includes an elongated screw shaft and a ball nut having helical grooves for receiving ball bearing members, a housing is attached to the ball nut and includes a bore for receiving the screw shaft, and includes one or more slots communicative with the bore of the housing, and one or more wiper members are changeably engaged into the slots of the housing and include a wiper element engaged into the bore of the housing for engaging into the groove of the screw shaft and for removing or wiping off the dirt from the helical groove of the screw shaft and for preventing the ball nut and the screw shaft from being damaged by the dirt.
US08096199B2
A volatilizable substance can be sampled from a surface using a hand-held sampler employing a probe that comprises a supply tube in fluid communication with a pressurized gas supply and an outlet proximate to a target surface, a recovery tube having an inlet proximate to the target surface and being in fluid communication with a collector or analyzer and a skirt of varied depth. The probe is brought into contact with the surface, preferably in at least three points, gas flows out through the supply tube onto the surface, the volatilizable substance is volatilized, uptaken in to the gas and a fraction of the gas flows back through the recovery tube to the collector or analyzer, the remainder flowing under the skirt to prevent ingress of contaminants.
US08096198B2
An electronic metering apparatus for metering liquids with a drive with an electric motor, at least one displacer device with a displacer element, which is connected and/or connectable to the drive, an electric mode key and an electric parameter key for changeover between different menus, a pair of electric control keys, arranged next to each other, for navigation in the menus, setting of parameters and controlling the dislocation of the displacer element, wherein the two control keys control the navigation in the menus, the setting of parameters and the dislocation of the displacer element in different directions, an electronic display device for displaying menus and parameters, an electric control unit, which is connected to the electric motor, the electric mode key, the electric parameter key, the electric control keys and the electric display device, and which controls the display of menus and parameters by the display device as well as the dislocation of the displacer element corresponding to the actuation of the mode key, the parameter key and the control keys, and an electric power supply.
US08096194B2
A measuring apparatus (10) comprises a transducer (11) for measuring preload and torque of a screw. The transducer in turn comprises a first and second sensor element formed by two axially spaced annular zones (16, 17) of a hollow body (15) which are provided with respective load-cell sensors (18, 19). The two zones are separated by an annular zone (20) of the hollow body with a wall with a greater thickness and in which internally there is provided a non-rotating coupling seat (21) with the threaded-hole element (22) in a part of which the screw is tightened.
US08096193B2
A turbine flow meter comprises a flow pipe which includes an axial through bore and a meter cartridge which is positioned in the through bore. The meter cartridge includes a tubular cartridge housing through which a fluid to be measured is directed and a rotor which is rotatably supported in the cartridge housing. The cartridge housing is slidably received in a first portion of the through bore and comprises an outer diameter which is less than the diameter of that portion of the through bore. The meter cartridge is retained in the through bore by a retainer, which in turn is retained in the through bore by a ring seal.
US08096188B2
A mechanical-to-electrical sensing structure is provided with first and second movable blocks. A first hinge is coupled to the first and second movable blocks and configured to resist loads other than flexing of the first hinge. At least a first gage link is separated from the first hinge and aligned to provide that a moment tending to rotate one of the first or second blocks relative to the other about the first hinge applies a tensile or compressive force along a length of the first gage link. Electrochemistry is used to define the at least first gage.
US08096180B2
Techniques capable of suppressing fixation between a movable electrode and a fixed electrode in an inertial sensor and preventing the inertial sensor from malfunctioning are provided. The movable electrode, the fixed electrode provided so as to face the movable electrode, a peripheral conductor facing both the movable electrode and the fixed electrode, and a demodulation circuit and a voltage adjustment circuit which adjust the electric potential of the peripheral conductor so that the electric potential of the peripheral conductor becomes the same as the electric potential of the movable electrode are provided, and a change in the capacitance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode is detected.
US08096174B2
A vehicle includes an ABS, which controls braking force on wheels, and a tire condition monitoring apparatus, which detects the internal air pressure of tires. The dynamic rolling radius of the tires is computed based on signals from rotation sensor units of the ABS. The weight of a load carried by the vehicle is computed based on the dynamic rolling radius of the tires and the internal air pressure of the tires detected by the tire condition monitoring apparatus. When computing the load weight, a load weight determination map, which previously sets the relationship among the internal air pressure of the tires, the dynamic rolling radius of the tires, and the weight of the load carried by the vehicle, is used.
US08096169B2
A test device for testing the integrity of a seal has a clear t-shaped liquid reservoir with three ends. A guide adapter is connected to the first end of the liquid reservoir and extends axially therefrom along an axis of the reservoir. A shaft adapter is connected to the second end of the body, opposite the first end. A test shaft with first and second ends extends axially through the first and second ends of the body and test and shaft adapters along the axis. The first end of the shaft is adapted to be connected to the rotating shaft of pump assembly.
US08096168B2
The invention relates to a method for verifying the leakproofness of a container used for accommodating preferably liquid media as well as a plastic container that is composed of several segments (22a, 24). The invention further relates to a method for producing a container from several segments and a container comprising a closed barrier layer. The disclosed container is composed of at least two segments (22a, 24) which are joined together circumferentially at the edges of the faces thereof by means of one respective welded connection (16, 17) such that an enclosed space is formed. An inner pressure that is different from the ambient pressure is applied within the enclosed space while a change in pressure is monitored.
US08096167B2
The present invention provides a leakage detector enabling accurate and stable detection for occurrence and a position of leakage in a buried fluid pipe line and also making it possible for even those not so skilled in the leakage detection work to use the detector. The leakage detector 1 according to the present invention comprises a vibration detector 2 having a pickup 6 incorporating a piezoelectric element; a main body 4 of the detector incorporating voltage amplifiers 31, 37 for voltage-amplifying an output signal and a plurality types of noise removing units 33, 34, 35 for removing noises from the output signal, and a headphone 5. The main body 4 of the detector has a display unit 15 for displaying data for detected vibration sounds on a predefined screen.
US08096166B2
An output signal of a knock sensor is converted by an A/D conversion part in a specified knock determination range. In a time-frequency analysis part, data of frequency, time, and vibration intensity are extracted at the same time from an output signal of the knock sensor and the time-varying patterns of vibration intensities in multiple frequency ranges are extracted. A knock determination part computes lengths (crank angle, or time period) from a starting point to a latest terminating point of the time-varying patterns of vibration intensity in at least two frequency ranges, which rise at a same time. The knock determination part executes a knock determination based on whether the lengths are greater than a knock determination threshold.
US08096162B2
The invention relates to a novel design of hydraulic processing pincers for processing workpieces, with a tool which, in a first tool part, has an axially displaceable tool plunger which, with a first end or with a tool provided there and an opposite work rest, forms a working region or a working gap and can be moved with the first end towards and away from the work rest, and made up of a hydraulic actuating device for applying a force to the tool plunger via a movable pressure-transmitting element, said force moving said tool plunger in the direction of the work rest. The piston and/or the piston rod are/is designed with a cavity in which the tool plunger is accommodated in its initial position at least over part of its length.
US08096161B2
The invention relates to a method for rolling strips in the roll stand of a rolling mill, wherein said roll stand consists of two axially displaceable working rollers which are provided with a CVC-grinding or a similar contour and whose curved profile is expressed in a third or higher-order polynom and, simultaneously with simple handling of working rollers with large possibilities of adjusting the profile and flatness, the aim of said invention is to homogenize the working rollers wear. For this purpose, the increased cyclic shifting of the working rollers is induced or forced by a cyclic variation of the setting values of the curve of the working cylinders from one strip to another in a predetermined part of the adjustment range thereof, wherein the combined the action of the two adjustment systems (the curve of the working cylinders and the shift thereof) enables the parabolic effects of said two adjustment systems to supplement each other with a high approximation, thereby ensuring the flatness and, in addition, optimally homogenizing the working roller wear.
US08096158B2
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for cropping the ends of or for separating test pieces from rolled strip wound into bundles. An apparatus is disclosed which, by means of an outwardly pivotable bottom roller (2) and guide devices (5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14) for guiding the strip end to the shears, also makes it possible to process strips which are thicker or of greater firmness and are wound into bundles (10). Furthermore, a method is specified, which allows a reliable sampling and, if appropriate, inspection of the sample from strips wound into bundles, a closed bundle being obtained again after sampling.
US08096147B2
This invention provides an inexpensive and rapid method for fabricating a high-anisotropic-etch ratio, shaped glass structures using a novel photosensitive glass composition. Structures of the photosensitive glass may include micro-channels, micro-optics, microposts, or arrays of hollow micro-needles. Furthermore, such shaped glass structures can be used to form a negative mold for casting the shape in other materials.
US08096143B1
A portable wine box bar has an insulated chamber with an open top, an insulated cover for the open top, and a horizontal shoulder on the inside wall near the top. A rigid panel fits on the shoulder. A support affixed to the panel supports bag-in box containers of wine with outlets supported above the panel high enough to allow containers to be supported on the panel while filling from the outlet. Perforations in the panel and a drip tray below the tap outlet capture spills. A panel aperture permits access to items such as soft drinks stored in the chamber. When not in use, the panel may be inverted and returned to the shoulder. With the cover in place it is insulated, secure, and transportable.
US08096136B2
A heat dissipation device includes a base, a fin group mounted on a top of the base, a fan mounted on a top of the fin group, a hollow fan duct mounted on the fan and a thermoelectric cooler secured on the fan duct. The thermoelectric cooler includes a cooling module having the Peltier effect and extending through a sidewall of the fan duct, and a heat sink enclosed by the fan duct and thermally contacting with the cooling module. The cooling module has a cold surface located at an inner side of the fan duct, and the heat sink thermally contacts with the cold surface of the cooling module. An airflow generated by the fan first flows through the heat sink and then reaches the fin group via the fan.
US08096133B2
A combustor liner includes a forward end and an aft end, the aft end having a reduced diameter portion and a cooling and dilution sleeve overlying the reduced diameter portion thereby establishing a cooling plenum therebetween. A plurality of cooling and dilution air entry holes are formed in the cooling and dilution sleeve and a plurality of cooling and dilution air exit holes formed adjacent an aft edge of the liner such that, in use, cooling and dilution air flows through the cooling and dilution air entry holes, and through the plenum, exiting the cooling and dilution air exit holes, thereby cooling and dilution tuning the aft end of the combustor liner without having to remove the transition piece.
US08096130B2
A gas turbine engine fuel conveying member in fluid flow communication with at least one fuel nozzle, the fuel conveying member having at least first and second member portions sealingly engaged to one another, and means for conveying fuel defined at a junction between the first and second member portions. The means for conveying fuel is defined by at least part of two different walls of each of the first and second member portions.
US08096124B2
An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, and at least one turbocharger driven by exhaust from the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and at least two turbochargers driven by exhaust from the second exhaust manifold. The exhaust manifold may further have an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with only the first exhaust manifold. A number of turbochargers that receives exhaust from the first exhaust manifold may be less than a number of turbochargers that receives exhaust from the second exhaust manifold.
US08096115B2
A pump drive of an automatic transmission with a hydrodynamic torque converter driven by a drive motor and with an oil pump driven by a pump wheel of the torque converter. The pump wheel of the torque converter is connected to a converter hub that extends from the pump wheel in the direction opposite the drive motor and is mounted radially by way of a converter hub bearing in or on a wall of the automatic transmission fixed with respect to the transmission housing and radially encloses a section of a pump drive shaft of the oil pump. The pump drive shaft is radially centered in the converter hub and, on its side facing toward the drive motor, is connected to the converter hub by a driving profile.
US08096114B2
An engine has a crankcase, and a cylinder which extends from an upper portion of the crankcase toward a front side. In a space which is formed at an upper side of a horizontal plane which substantially horizontally extends from a bottom surface of the crankcase, a catalyst storage chamber is arranged in such a manner that an axis of the catalyst converter is in a direction of a crankshaft. The space is arranged just below a front surface of the cylinder and forward of a front surface of the crankcase.
US08096110B2
A control system comprising an ammonia (NH3) storage level determination module that determines a NH3 storage level in an exhaust system, a desired NH3 storage level determination module that determines a desired NH3 storage level based on an exhaust temperature, and a nitrogen oxide (NOx) mass flow rate control module that controls a NOx mass flow rate based on a difference between the NH3 storage level and the desired NH3 storage level. A method comprising determining a NH3 storage level in an exhaust system, determining a desired NH3 storage level based on an exhaust temperature, and controlling a NOx mass flow rate based on a difference between the NH3 storage level and the desired NH3 storage level.
US08096104B2
An exhaust nozzle assembly provides fluidic thrust vectoring of the primary stream to enhance aircraft maneuverability. The exhaust nozzle assembly includes a cooling air passage that supplies cooling air. A vector opening injects cooling airflow into the exhaust passage to the primary stream. A cover plate is movable to partially block the vector openings and adjust the location of injection of the cooling airflow into the exhaust passage.
US08096102B2
An pickup comprising offset pickup tines for the feeding of balers or harvesters. The tines are mounted to a rotating tine bar and arranged such that a plurality of elongate tines are connected to the trailing edge of the tine bar at the end portions and a plurality of elongate spaced-apart rotor tines are connected to the leading edge of the tine bar at the central portion.
US08096097B2
An apparatus for encasing product in a tubular material with a handle is described. The apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a delivery conveyor, a ram located on a first side of the delivery conveyor, a product horn located at a side of the delivery conveyor opposite the ram, the product horn having a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent the delivery conveyor and the second end remote from the delivery conveyor, a sealer configured to form tubular seamed casing about the product horn, a printer in data communication with a scale, a clipper located at the second end of the product horn, and a plurality of tag handles feeding through the printer and to the clipper.
US08096087B2
A support assembly connectable to a base structure preferably disposed in an attic or other like location of a house, dwelling, and/or other building to provide or facilitate storage and or standing, walking, or crawling thereon. The support assembly comprising at least one or a plurality of mounting devices and at least one overlying member having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein the lower surface is removably connectable to the mounting devices. The mounting devices comprising an upper portion and an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism being removably connectable to the base structure.
US08096082B2
A portable changing room that is inflatable. The portable changing room includes an inflatable skeleton, a valve, and a removable cover. A pump is used to inflate the inflatable skeleton. The changing room is used for privacy in outdoor environments.
US08096078B2
A live animal trap including an enclosure having an open end; a door for covering the forward opening; a hinge for door motions between first and second positions, the door covering the opening in the first position and opening the enclosure in the second position, the door pivoting toward the first position upon enclosure righting and upon inversion counter-pivoting to the second position; a slide shaft; a slide sleeve facilitating slide shaft motions between third and fourth positions, the slide shaft holding the door open while in the third position, the slide shaft releasing the door while in the fourth position, the slide shaft sliding toward the third position upon down tilting the enclosure and sliding toward the fourth position upon up tilting the enclosure; and having an animal contact member attached to the slide shaft's rearward rear end.
US08096073B2
A firearm having a barrel and a whistle, wherein when the firearm is discharged air is forced through the whistle to cause a whistle sound. In one particular embodiment, the whistle comprises a barrel port, a channel, and a whistle port and wherein when the firearm is discharged a bullet traveling down the barrel forces air through the barrel port, the channel, and the whistle port to cause a whistle sound. In another embodiment, the whistle is associated with a firearm attachment and the firearm attachment is removably couplable to the firearm. In a further embodiment, the whistle is modifiable and modification of the whistle is configurable to eliminate or change the whistle sound. In a further embodiment, the whistle sound is associated with a signal that is transmitted to another device or central location for analysis, wherein the signal comprises a firearm identification or locational information.
US08096071B2
Gust Busters solves the problem of signs being blown over in the wind or being knocked down by the pedestrians or bicycle or the like, by preventing the inward collapsing and outward expansion of the legs of the sign and thus maintaining its ideal position for optimum readability.
US08096068B2
The display device of the invention comprises a flexible display element that can be extended in rollable fashion between a first position and a second position. In the first position the element is present in a housing and in the second position it is at least partially visible. The display element is supported in its second position by foldable arms. According to the invention a foldable arm comprises means which facilitate the extension of the display from the first to the second position and from the second position to a further position. These means also counteract any tendency of the display to return by itself from the second or any further position to the first position.
US08096065B2
A fastening buckle adapted to bring a first side loser to a second side, including a cap fixed on the first side, a lever pivotally mounted about a first axis relative to the cap, a tie rod pivotally mounted on the lever about a second axis, the first axis being actuated, during tightening, by a translational movement with respect to the first side. An attachment rack is fixed on the second side; a latch is affixed to the tie rod, such that the latch, when closed, is engaged with one of the teeth of the rack. The cap includes two parallel side members in each of which an elongated opening is arranged. A slot is arranged in the lever between two legs; the first axis is defined by two rivets, each of the rivets fixing one of the legs to one of the side members by extending through the elongated opening so as to enable the translational movement of the lever with respect to the first side. A pinion equipped with a plurality of teeth is arranged at the end of each of the legs; the cap includes a support rack, and the teeth of the pinion are engaged with the teeth of the support rack so that the pivoting movement of the lever about the first axis generates a translational movement of the first axis with respect to the cap.
US08096061B2
Instrument for measuring dimensions, including: a mobile carriage capable of moving parallel to a guide, the guide defining a measuring axis; a driving device connected to the carriage by a transmission, so as to determine the linear displacement of the mobile carriage; a feeler attached to the mobile carriage and designed to come into contact with a part to be measured; a position transducer, arranged so as to supply a measurement of the feeler's position relative to the measuring axis; a piezoresistive force sensor for converting directly a contact force between the feeler and the part to be measured into an electric signal.
US08096056B1
A trim installation square device is provided for facilitating measurement, cutting and installation of trim around a door or window opening. The device includes a base member, and extension member extendably coupled to the base member, and a locking assembly for holding the base member and extension member in place. The base member and the extension member are positioned relative to each other such that a base member first edge is parallel to an extension member first edge and a base member second edge is parallel to an extension member second edge forming two spaced right angles. A ruler is coupled to one of the base member and the extension member. The ruler is positioned for measuring a transverse distance between the base member first edge and the extension member first edge.
US08096055B2
A pendulum guide device for a power jigsaw saw blade that executes reciprocating motions includes guide elements that engage a saw blade spine of the saw blade and are associated with a support frame. A first two guide elements is fixed in place on the support frame and a second guide element is bearing-mounted to the support frame in moving fashion and is prestressed in the direction toward the saw blade spine.
US08096049B2
First, a unilayer wiring board is fabricated, which has wiring layers formed in desired shapes on both sides of an insulating base member; and a metal bump formed on the wiring layer on one side of the insulating base member. Then, a desired number of unilayer boards are prepared and stacked up. On that case, the board disposed in the uppermost layer is prepared without having a metal bump. The boards are positioned and stacked up in such a manner that a metal bump of one of adjacent boards is connected to a corresponding wiring layer of the other board. Thereafter, resin is filled into gaps between the stacked boards, and insulating layers are formed on both sides of a multilayer board obtained through the above steps, in such a manner as to cover the entire surface except pad areas defined at predetermined positions on the wiring layers.
US08096048B2
A method for fabricating a MEMS is described as follows. A substrate is provided, including a circuit region and a MEMS region separated from each other. A first metal interconnection structure is formed on the substrate in the circuit region, and simultaneously a first dielectric structure is formed on the substrate in the MEMS region. A second metal interconnection structure is formed on the first metal interconnection structure, and simultaneously a second dielectric structure, at least two metal layers and at least one protection ring are formed on the first dielectric structure. The metal layers and the protection ring are formed in the second dielectric structure and the protection ring connects two adjacent metal layers to define an enclosed space between two adjacent metal layers. The first dielectric structure and the second dielectric structure outside the enclosed space are removed to form a MEMS device in the MEMS region.
US08096046B2
An apparatus for loading stator windings into a stator core. The apparatus includes an arbor member including a body having an outer diametric portion including a plurality of slots. The apparatus also includes a first guide track having a first end that is positioned adjacent the outer diametric portion. A second guide track includes a first end is positioned adjacent the outer diametric portion and spaced from the first end of the first guide track. The apparatus further includes a third guide track including a first end is positioned adjacent the outer diametric portion and spaced from the first end of the first guide track and the first end of the second guide track. At least one of the first, second, and third guide tracks and the arbor member is positionable to guide slot segment portions of corresponding first, second, and third stator windings into predetermined ones of the slots.
US08096030B2
A method and an apparatus for mobile repair of a stationary rotor seals of a turbo machine is provided. The method includes the following steps, 3D-scanning of the stationary seal, generation of 3D-model of the stationary seal, removing of the damaged spots of the seal using laser cutting, and generating a new seal at the repair spot by use of a second process head, which generates the seal by laser powder cladding. The apparatus includes a 3D-scanner, a cutting tool, and a first process head and a second process head.
US08096023B2
A button having three cooperating elements, 1) a traditional rivet, whose pin is engaged and held inside a corresponding housing centrally on the back of 2) a cylindrical joint with enlarged head, which is frontally provided with a central cylindrical conduit receiving a shank that centrally protrudes from the back of 3) a button head.
US08096022B2
The present invention includes a reclosable bag having first and second walls and an open top defined by first and second elongate flexible fastener strips adjacent the top of the walls. One of the fastener strip has a profile portion forming a groove and had a profile portion forming a rib. A portion of the rib is received and retained in the groove when the bag top is closed. Each of the fastener strips has a base connected to the respective walls and each of the fastener strips further has an upper edge adjacent the upper edge. The bag has a slider mounted on the strips and movable in one direction longitudinally to progressively separate the rib from the groove to open the bag, and the slider is movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the rib to a retained condition in the groove so as to close the bag. A separator, located in the slider, is attached to the top of the slider and extends downwardly therefrom and has a disproportion residing in the space between the top of the slider and the upper edges of the fastener strips when the rib is retained in the groove of the first profile. The separator has an arrow shaped tip having an angle of 60°±30° constructed and arranged to facilitate separation of the rib from the groove.
US08096009B2
A method of integrating a pillow, including stuffing, within an encapsulated mattress having a core and covering surrounding the core is disclosed. A mattress for use in institutions, such as correctional facilities, detention centers, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and the like, includes a core formed of a padding material, a pillow adjoining the core, the pillow containing stuffing, and a covering surrounding the core and the pillow. Also disclosed is a mattress including a core formed of a padding material, a pillow adjoining the core using a sleeve, the pillow containing stuffing, the sleeve retaining the pillow to the core, and a covering surrounding the core and the pillow.
US08096008B1
A system for disposable, easily stored, single use, foldable backboard cushions for placement under a patient being transported by a medical backboard. The backboard cushions comprise an adhesive strip to removably adhere the cushion to a medical backboard during use. The cushions comprise living hinges to facilitate folding into a compact unit and unfolding for use. The system also provides a method whereby a choice of permeable or non-permeable cushions may be selected for use.
US08096004B2
A transfer device has a carriage supported on a base, movable between a home position and an extended position. A table assembly includes a lower table fixed to the carriage and an upper table coupled to the lower table, movable between a downward position in forcible contact with the lower table and an upward position having no contact with the lower table. The table assembly moves toward the extended position with the tables in forcible contact to place the table assembly underneath the object to be transferred while keeping the base stationary. The plates are separated to lift the object on the upper table while the lower table remains resting upon the support surface. The table assembly returns to the home position while supporting the object on the upper table and keeping the upper and lower tables separated. The device may operate in a bidirectional manner.
US08096000B2
A molded shower surround provides a base portion that receives wall portions and a corner portion. The corner portion includes a multiple of features such that the shower surround may be particularly tailored to customers' desires.
US08095998B2
A spa pool assembly has a pool having an enclosing wall and a base that together defines an interior. The base has a plurality of inflatable sections that are divided by at least one air passage. A hose delivers air from outside the pool to the air passage, with the hose extending partially inside the enclosing wall and having a U-shaped section extending outside the enclosing wall at a vertical level that is higher than the top of the enclosing wall.
US08095996B2
Protective elements may include a pair of material layers, a plurality of pad components, and a plate. The pad components may be located between the material layers, and the plate may be positioned adjacent to one of the material layers and opposite the pad components. Similar protective elements may also be utilized with apparel systems. For example, an inner garment may include the protective element, and an outer garment may extend over the inner garment. The outer garment may include an outer pad locatable to extend over the plate, and the outer pad may have a greater area than the plate.
US08095994B2
An apparatus, system, and method treat a neurological disorder by applying proprioceptive feedback to a wearer of a garment. Specifically, the garment includes one or more pressurizable reservoirs that, when pressurized, apply distributed pressure to the wearer. A system including the garment also includes a mechanism for pressurizing the reservoir and, optionally, a controller operable to control the pressurizing mechanism.
US08099791B1
A method of generating an authentication code for a consumable in an imaging device, includes the steps of: an identification number assigned to the consumable; processing an indemnification number assigned to the consumable using a first algorithm to generate a preliminary number different from the identification number; and compressing the preliminary number using a compression algorithm that utilizes the identification number to generate the authentication code.
US08099786B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an embedded mechanism for platform vulnerability assessment. In various embodiments, a management component of a managed platform may scan at least one host component of the managed platform for vulnerability of the at least one host component with respect to security policies of a management console of a network. The management component may address potential vulnerability of the at least one host component. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08099781B2
An exemplary method is provided for managing and mitigating security risks through planning. A first security-related information of a requested product is received. A second security-related information of resources that are available for producing the requested product is received. A multi-stage process with security risks managed by the first security-related information and the second security-related information is performed to produce the requested product.
US08099773B2
A network scan system includes a network scanner accessible by a computer and capable of communicating with the computer through a firewall. A method of operating the network scan system includes installing a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server module into the computer, transmitting a uniform resource locator (URL) of the computer to the network scanner using the HTTP server module, and transmitting scanned data to the computer from the network scanner using the transmitted URL. Accordingly, it is possible to exchange data between the network scanner and the computer using the HTTP server module installed into the computer even if a firewall is installed.
US08099771B2
It is possible to issue an IC card storing unique encryption key information in such a manner that re-issuing is enabled and sufficient security can be assured. An IC card provider X delivers an IC card having a group code G(A) to a company A and an IC card having a group code G(B) to a company B. When a company staff α inputs a unique personal code P(α) and performs initialization, in the IC card, calculation is performed according to a predetermined algorithm using the P(α) and G(A). Data uniquely determined by the calculation is stored as encryption key information K(α) in the IC card. Even if the company staff α loses the IC card, it is possible to obtain the IC card having the same encryption key information K(α) as before by performing initialization again by using the IC card delivered by the IC card provider X.
US08099770B2
An apparatus, and an associated methodology, for facilitating authentication of a user device to access content at another device. A music file is selected as digital music authentication token. Once selected, authentication data is encoded into the music file. Subsequently, when log-in and authentication procedures are performed, the music file is retrieved, and used pursuant to the authentication procedure.
US08099762B2
Systems and methods for securely performing digital commerce. A user device provides a first key and a random number to a server over a first network, encrypts the random number and a user identifier using the first key, and sends the encrypted information to the server via a second network. The server generates an encryption of the random number, the user identifier, and a second key using the first key. The user device receives, decrypts and stores the second key. If the user device wants digital content, the server encrypts the digital content using a digital content key and encrypts the digital content key using the second key. The user device receive the encrypted contents, decrypts the digital content key using the second key and decrypts the digital content using the decrypted digital content key. Digital content can be passed to other user devices.
US08099761B2
A technique that enables a portable device to be automatically associated with a plurality of computers. Information that a computer can use to authenticate a portable device and establish a trusted relationship prior to creating an association with the portable device is created and stored in a data store that is accessible by a plurality of computers and is associated with a user of the portable device. When a computer discovers such a portable device with which it is not yet associated, the computer can identify a user logged into the computer and use information identifying the user to retrieve authentication information that is device independent and is expected to be presented by the portable device to authenticate it and allow automatic association.
US08099758B2
A policy configurable file system includes a computer system upon which the policy configurable file system operates, a policy source for providing the configuration policies, and one or more file servers. The computer system includes software for enforcing one or more configuration policies. The policy source is typically either a policy server such that the policy is derived from the policy server, or a policy configurable file system, such that the policy is embedded in the policy configurable file system. The one or more file servers each uses a protocol, wherein the protocols of the one or more file servers are not all the same. In one case, the one or more of the configurable policies are separable from the policy configurable file system. In another case, the one or more configurable policies are downloadable to the computer system.
US08099751B2
An apparatus and method for displaying a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) service, which is capable of always displaying a dynamic label service (DLS) of a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) signal in a ticker form in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver. A method of displaying a digital multimedia broadcasting service includes determining whether additional data carried in a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) signal is received while any application is being executed; and displaying the executed application and the received additional data together on one screen when the additional data is received. Accordingly, since news information or traffic information can be always received in the DMB receiver even during the execution of any application, it is possible to make the DMB receiver more convenient for a user.
US08099750B2
Embodiments of the disclosed invention include a system and a method for bypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event. For example, in one embodiment, a set top box is disclosed that includes a memory component for storing computer executable instructions; a communication interface for receiving media content data from a cable service provider; a decoder module for decoding the received media content data; an emergency alert break-in monitoring module for identifying an emergency alert break-in from the received data; a digital video recorder controller module for determining whether the identified emergency alert break-in affects a recording of a program on a recorded channel; and an emergency alert break-in bypass module for bypassing the identified emergency alert break-in for enabling the digital video recorder controller module to record the program without the identified emergency alert break-in.
US08099748B2
A system and a suitable method for distribution of picture objects which are stored with assigned picture object information in a picture object database. In a media center of the system, user identification data are received which are transmitted to the media center by communications terminals via a communications network. In the media center user interests profiles are defined which, assigned to the received user identification data, are stored in a user interests database. On the basis of the correlation of particular user interests profiles with picture object information, picture objects are selected and transmitted via the communications network to the respective communications terminal from which the received user identification data were transmitted. The current direction of view of a user of the communications terminal is determined and transmitted to the media center, where picture objects which are viewed by the user are identified based thereon. From picture object information assigned to the picture objects viewed by the user, user interests profiles are determined and stored in the user interests database.
US08099746B2
A motor includes a stationary unit, a bearing mechanism, a rotary unit, and a chucking device. The rotary unit includes a rotor yoke provided with a cover portion extending around the chucking device and designed to allow the storage disk to be directly or indirectly mounted thereto and a removal-preventing member fixed to the cover portion to prevent removal of the rotary unit from the stationary unit. The removal-preventing member made of metal. The removal-preventing member includes a removal-preventing portion, an upper fixing portion having a plurality of upper protrusions inserted into the through-holes of the cover portion and bent toward the upper surface of the cover portion, and a lower fixing portion making direct or indirect contact with the lower surface of the cover portion and cooperating with the upper fixing portion to fix the position of the removal-preventing portion in a direction parallel to the center axis.
US08099739B1
A method for managing Java applets in HTML pages, the HTML pages being rendered by a web browser, includes: browsing a page having an applet, the applet being loaded into the page and creating a connection to a server; leaving the page, the applet providing an idle message to the server and being stored in a cache of applet objects, each object having a connection ID; and returning to the page, the applet being retrieved from the cache based on the connection ID, the applet reloading and providing an activate message to the server to reuse the connection.
US08099736B2
Disclosed are systems and methods which provide an interface for software applications which provides intelligent routing of data between the software applications. Embodiments provide an interface between software applications using multiple adapters, wherein at least one adapter is associated with each end of a software application information communication link. Information communicated between software applications is routed based upon analysis of the information and/or associated transactions to provide dynamic interfacing between software applications. Information may be routed based upon content, transaction type, historical information, etcetera. Routing of information of embodiments establishes an itinerary for scheduling communication of information between a plurality of software applications.
US08099733B2
A tree-structured index to multidimensional data is created using naturally occurring patterns and clusters within the data which permit efficient search and retrieval strategies in a database of DNA profiles. A search engine utilizes hierarchical decomposition of the database by identifying clusters of similar DNA profiles and maps to parallel computer architecture, allowing scale up past to previously feasible limits. Key benefits of the new method are logarithmic scale up and parallelization. These benefits are achieved by identification and utilization of naturally occurring patterns and clusters within stored data. The patterns and clusters enable the stored data to be partitioned into subsets of roughly equal size. The method can be applied recursively, resulting in a database tree that is balanced, meaning that all paths or branches through the tree have roughly the same length. The method achieves high performance by exploiting the natural structure of the data in a manner that maintains balanced trees. Implementation of the method maps naturally to parallel computer architectures, allowing scale up to very large databases.
US08099732B2
Techniques are presented for skew exception detection within a parallel processing environment. A potential exception is detected when a highest load of a processor within the parallel processing environment exceeds an average load within the parallel processing environment by a given threshold. The potential exception can become a legitimate exception when it exists for a qualified period or time or when it exists and no qualified period of time is noted. In an embodiment, checks for the potential exception occur and are wholly contained within a given configurable interval.
US08099730B2
Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system are described. In some embodiments, a virtual machine monitor of a computer platform may comprise a service virtual machine created by the virtual machine monitor partitioning an underlying hardware machine to support execution of a plurality of overlying guest operating systems, wherein the plurality of guest operating systems comprise a guest operating system complying with a non-native guest system architecture different from a host system architecture with which the hardware machine complies. The service virtual machine may further comprise a translation layer to translate instructions from the guest operating system complying with the non-native guest system architecture into instructions complying with the host system architecture.
US08099722B2
A system and method provide the ability to construct lexical analyzers on the fly in an efficient and pervasive manner. The system and method split the table describing the automata into two distinct tables and splits the lexical analyzer into two phases, one for each table. The two phases consist of a single transition algorithm and a range transition algorithm, both of which are table driven and permit the dynamic modification of those tables during operation. A third ‘entry point’ table may also be used to speed up the process of finding the first table element from state 0 for any given input character.
US08099720B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for translating declarative models. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate processing declarative models to perform various operations on applications, such as, for example, application deployment, application updates, application control such as start and stop, application monitoring by instrumenting the applications to emit events, and so on. Declarative models of applications are processed and realized onto a target environment, after which they can be executed, controlled, and monitored.
US08099712B2
A system and method for automatically generating a data flow diagram in response to a first diagram. The first diagram may specify one or more states and one or more state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state. A data flow diagram may be automatically generated from the first diagram. A hardware description may be generated from the data flow diagram. The hardware description may be usable to configure a programmable hardware element such as, for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The configured programmable hardware element may implement a hardware implementation of the data flow diagram.
US08099711B2
A system and method for multi-level security filtering of model representations. Elements of an architecture and systems engineering model have associated security characteristics identifying the required level of security that a user must have in order to be able to obtain access to information about that element of the model. Based on these security characteristics and the security level of a user attempting to access the model, the content of the model is modified such that elements that are not accessible by a user having that security level are obscured or not visible to the user. The other elements of the model which are accessible by the user based on his/her security level are modified in the modified model so as to not provide information that would disclose the nature, character, or in some cases even the presence, of the elements that are not accessible by the user based on his/her security level.
US08099706B2
A software product including codes for the method of determining parasitic resistance and capacitance from a layout of an LSI is executed by a computer. The method is achieved by providing a plurality of patterns of a wiring structure which contains a target interconnection; and by producing a library configured to store parameters indicating the parasitic resistance and the parasitic capacitance in relation to the target interconnection to each of the plurality of patterns. The producing is achieved by calculating the parameters to a plurality of conditions corresponding to deviation in manufacture of the wiring structure for each of the plurality of patterns.
US08099698B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided that allow for efficient analysis of a graph describing tests, elements of a device design and test results. In various implementations of the invention, a relationship between the elements of a device design, and test results is performed. An entropy value is determined for each corresponding element based upon the test results. The entropy value may assist test engineers in identifying the elements of the device design needing redesign.
US08099696B2
An automated debugging method and system for over-constrained circuit verification environment are described. Useful information related to circuit evaluation and/or over-constrained event is collected and provided. The information may include: clock cycles at which an over-constrained event occurs; identification of a minimum subset of constraints that will cause an over-constrained event to occur; signal ports having an associated signal that can not switch between different signal states; whether a triggering signal event has occurred during the evaluation; indicating whether constraints in the evaluation are realizable, etc. Novel approaches for detecting and obtaining the useful information also are described.
US08099691B1
A method of operating an integrated circuit (“IC”) is disclosed. The method includes identifying one or more unused or inactive resources of the IC which will not be used in a circuit design or which are inactive during operation of the IC. The method also includes enabling resources of the IC which will be used in the circuit design, and also disabling one or more unused or inactive resources of the IC from one or more power supply terminals in response to configuration values which are stored in memory cells.
US08099688B2
A design process includes inputting a design file representing a circuit design embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and using a computer to translate the circuit design into a netlist. The netlist comprises a representation of a plurality of wires, transistors, and logic gates, and is stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium. When executed by the computer, the netlist produces the circuit design. The circuit design comprises a static random access memory (“SRAM”) including a plurality of SRAM cells arranged in an array, including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a plurality of column voltage control circuits corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of columns of the array. Each of the plurality of voltage control circuits is coupled to an output of a power supply and is operable to temporarily reduce a voltage upon arrival of a bit select signal provided to power supply inputs of a plurality of SRAM cells belonging to a selected column of the plurality of columns. The selected column is selected during a write operation in which a bit is written to one of the plurality of SRAM cells belonging to the selected column. Each column voltage control circuit includes an NFET and a pair of PFETs. Each NFET and pair of PFETs has a conduction path directly connected between the output of the power supply and the power supply inputs of the plurality of SRAM cells.
US08099681B2
The present solution addresses the displaying of multiple levels of information in a constrained display footprint in a manner that allows a user to be vigilant over the information. Systems and methods are described herein for organizing data and information queries against data sources in a relational display with hierarchical grids, linked to query results, score displays, and alert monitoring. In an embodiment of the present solution, a system allows an analyst to view results and status from monitoring numerous and persistent queries against real-time data streams. Many of these queries may be inter-related and composed in a way to comprehensively analyze a problem. To display, monitor, and interact with a collection of queries, the present solution provides a relational display that makes use of a set of grids via a feature referred to as “grid of grids”. The grids may be arranged in a hierarchy of any number of levels. For example, the grids may be arranged as a directed acyclic graph to facilitate nesting of grids, in which the grids are expanded according to the complexity and levels of granularity in the decomposition of queries for a problem or domain of interest.
US08099672B2
A system and method for generating instantaneous safety availability information relating to an instrumented function is described. In one embodiment, a time of a test performed on an instrumented function component of the instrumented function is received, and an elapsed time between the time of the test and a particular time is determined. And based upon the elapsed time, the instantaneous safety availability information for the instrumented function is calculated.
US08099668B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a child user from inappropriate interactions within an immersive virtual environment. The inappropriate interactions may be detected by examining characteristics of the interactions between a child and another user (e.g., communications, transactions, etc.), by monitoring physical signs of stress in the child (e.g., based on facial gestures, heart rate, etc.), or by receiving software commands given by the child to signal discomfort in a particular situation. Subsequently, preventative actions may be determined based on a level of severity of the inappropriate interaction. The preventative actions may include notifying the parents of the child, altering the virtual world to end the interaction, or notifying authorities of the behavior of the other user.
US08099662B2
Computer-readable media having corresponding apparatus embodies instructions executable by a computer to perform a method comprising: receiving, from a user interface, an annotation associated with a background image; adding the annotation to a queue of pending annotations; causing transmission of the annotation to a server; removing the annotation from the queue of pending annotations, and adding the annotation to a list of acknowledged annotations, when an acknowledgment of the annotation is received from the server; and generating a display image comprising the background image, annotations in the list of acknowledged annotations, and annotations in the queue of pending annotations.
US08099660B1
A content management tool can assist publishers/authors in managing access rights and other parameters related to the display of documents online. The documents may include books and other documents that are traditionally published as printed works. The content management tool may display presentation parameters for the documents that relate to how the documents are to be shown to users when accessing the documents. The content management tool receives modifications to the presentation parameters and applies the modified versions of the presentation parameters to future accesses of the documents by users. The content management tool can, for example, be used to modify the portions of the document available for display, turn on/off certain portions of the document, manage links displayed concurrently with the document, and/or manage advertising related to the document.
US08099651B2
A memory system provides data error detection and correction and address error detection. A cyclical-redundancy-check (CRC) code generates address check bits. A 32-bit address is compressed to 6 address check bits using the CRC code. The 6 address check bits are concatenated with 64 data bits and 2 flag bits to generate a 72-bit check word. The 72-bit check word is input to an error-correction code (ECC) generator that generates 12 check bits that are stored in memory with the 64 data bits. A 76-bit memory module can store the 64 data and 12 check bits. Nibble errors can be corrected, and all nibble+1 bit errors can be detected. Also, a 6-bit error in a sequence of bits can be detected. This allows all errors in the 6-bit CRC of the address to be detected. The CRC code and ECC are ideal for detecting double-bit errors common with multiplexed-address DRAMs.
US08099647B1
An apparatus, system and method can be arranged for coding and/or decoding with a phase invariant coding scheme that is useful for short burst signaling devices. 10-bit data is mapped into a 12-bit data with a non-coherent burst code mapper. A parity generator creates a 12-bit parity data to form a 24-bit extended binary Golay code from the 12-bit data. The values for selected bit fields in the 12-bit data and 12-bit parity data are swapped to generate I and Q data such that sensitivity to changes in rotational phase is removed. I and Q data can be used by a transmitter to transmit a rotationally-invariant signal. On receipt, I and Q signals can be recovered, reverse swapped to generate the parity and data signals, and remapped to recover the transmitted 10-bit data. The receiver can also be arranged to use a soft decoding method for improved signal integrity.
US08099646B2
Low density parity check code (LDPC) base parity check matrices and the method for use thereof in communication systems. The method of expanding the base check parity matrix is described. Examples of expanded LDPC codes with different code lengths and expansion factors are also shown.
US08099644B2
A method for encoding digital data with a low-density parity check (LDPC) matrix includes: indirectly storing a non-regular portion of the LDPC matrix by storing a plurality of indices corresponding to a plurality of non-zero sub-matrices of the non-regular portion, and by storing a plurality of distance/location parameters respectively corresponding to numbers of zero sub-matrices between adjacent non-zero sub-matrices of the non-regular portion or respectively corresponding to distances between adjacent non-zero sub-matrices of the non-regular portion; generating at least one address according to at least one distance/location parameter; accessing information bits corresponding to the address; and recovering at least one element of the LDPC matrix according to at least one index and the information bits to encode the digital data according to the LDPC matrix.
US08099642B2
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for allowing response data output from the scan outputs of a circuit under test to be formatted and applied as stimulus data input to the scan inputs of the circuit under test. Also the disclosure described a novel method and apparatus for allowing the response data output from the scan outputs of a circuit under test to be formatted and used as expected data to compare against the response data output from the circuit under test. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
US08099641B2
Connection circuitry couples scan test port (STP) circuitry to test access port (TAP) circuitry. The connection circuitry has inputs connected to scan circuitry control output leads from the TAP circuitry, a select input lead, and a clock input lead. The connection circuitry has outputs connected to a scan enable (SE) input lead, a capture select (CS) input lead, and the scan clock (CK) input lead of the STP circuitry. The connection circuitry includes a multiplexer having a control input connected with a clock select lead from the TAP circuitry, an input connected with a functional clock lead, an input connected with the clock input lead, an input connected with a Clock-DR lead from the TAP circuitry, an OFF lead, and an output connected with the scan clock input lead.
US08099636B2
A method is disclosed for detecting a memory stack fault. The method may include reserving a memory stack for executing software instructions. The method may also include enabling a debug unit and as the software instructions are execute, utilizing the debug unit to monitor a memory space adjacent to the memory stack. The method may further include identifying a memory stack fault if a write operation to the memory space is attempted.
US08099634B2
A mechanism is provided for autonomic component service state management for a multiple function component. The mechanism determines whether independent functions within a multiple function service boundary can be serviced. When a single function experiences a failure that requires service, repair, or replacement, the surviving functions notify the service management software of the state of the independent functions. The service management software then determines the state of the overall component and implements the appropriate service method.
US08099632B2
The variable latency associated with flash memory due to background data integrity operations is managed in order to allow the flash memory to be used in isochronous systems. A system processor is notified regularly of the nature and urgency of requests for time to ensure data integrity. Minimal interruptions of system processing are achieved and operation is ensured in the event of a power interruption.
US08099630B2
Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for determining hardware diagnostics during initial program loading (IPL). A space is allocated for a diagnostics hardware table storing hardware identifications corresponding to hardware to be tested. A hardware monitor function detects new and/or defective hardware. Hardware can be manually selected. A runtime diagnostics detects defective hardware. The hardware identifications corresponding to the new, failing, and/or selected hardware are added to the diagnostics hardware table. The hardware identification to be tested is acquired during the building of a system Hardware Objects Model (HOM). A diagnostics flag is set within HOM according to the diagnostics hardware table. Diagnostics are performed per HOM diagnostics flag indication. The diagnostics table is cleared, and the operating system is run. At system runtime, diagnostics code monitors for runtime error. If an error is detected but cannot be isolated to defective hardware, the suspected hardware identification will be added to diagnostics hardware table so that it can be verified on the next system IPL.
US08099627B1
A method, system, computer system, and computer-readable medium that enable quick recovery from failure of one or more nodes, applications, and/or communication links in a distributed computing environment, such as a cluster. Recovery is facilitated by regularly saving persistent images of the in-memory checkpoint data and/or of distributed shared memory segments. The persistent checkpoint images are written asynchronously so that applications can continue to write data even during creation and/or updating the persistent image and with minimal effect on application performance. Furthermore, multiple updater nodes can simultaneously update the persistent checkpoint image using normal synchronization operations. When one or more nodes fail, the persistent checkpoint image can be read and used to restart the application in the most recently-saved state prior to the failure. The persistent checkpoint image can also be used to initialize the state of the application in a new node joining the distributed computing environment.
US08099618B2
A data processing unit having a field of clocked logic cells (PAEs) which is operable in different configuration states and a clock preselecting means for preselecting logic cell clocking. The clock preselecting means is designed in such a way that, depending on the state, a first clock is preselected at least at a first cell (PAE) and an additional clock is preselected at least at an additional cell.
US08099613B2
An image forming apparatus of the invention can operate in a first mode for performing an image forming process and a second mode having low power consumption at a time of stop of the image forming process, and includes a detection unit to detect the presence and absence of an error of the image forming apparatus, an operation panel having a display unit capable of displaying a detection result of the detection unit, a main control unit to control a mode to switch to the second mode when the error is detected in the first mode and to control a mode to return to the first mode when the error is removed in the second mode, a power source unit to supply power necessary for an operation of each of the modes, and a display control unit to turn the display unit on at any time in the first mode, to turn the display unit off in the second mode, and to turn the display unit on when an operation unit is operated in the second mode.
US08099612B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a data processing unit configured to perform predetermined data processing; a power supply circuit having a first operation mode in which power is supplied to the data processing unit and a second operation mode in which no power is supplied to the data processing unit; and a mode switching control unit configured to, upon receiving a mode switching request from an apparatus on a network via a communication protocol of a communication protocol layer higher than the network access layer, instruct the power supply circuit to switch between the first operation mode and the second operation mode in response to the mode switching request.
US08099586B2
A system and method for reducing branch misprediction penalty. In response to detecting a mispredicted branch instruction, circuitry within a microprocessor identifies a predetermined condition prior to retirement of the branch instruction. Upon identifying this condition, the entire corresponding pipeline is flushed prior to retirement of the branch instruction, and instruction fetch is started at a corresponding address of an oldest instruction in the pipeline immediately prior to the flushing of the pipeline. The correct outcome is stored prior to the pipeline flush. In order to distinguish the mispredicted branch from other instructions, identification information may be stored alongside the correct outcome. One example of the predetermined condition being satisfied is in response to a timer reaching a predetermined threshold value, wherein the timer begins incrementing in response to the mispredicted branch detection and resets at retirement of the mispredicted branch.
US08099580B2
A translation look-aside buffer (TLB) has a TAG memory for determining if a desired translated address is stored in the TLB. A TAG portion is compared to contents of the TAG memory without requiring a read of the TAG memory because the TAG memory has a storage portion that is constructed as a CAM. For each row of the CAM a match determination is made that indicates if the TAG portion is the same as contents of the particular row. A decoder decodes an index portion and provides an output for each row. On a per row basis the output of the decoder is logically combined with the hit/miss signals to determine if there is a hit for the TAG memory. If there is a hit for the TAG memory, a translated address corresponding to the index portion of the address is then output as the selected translated address.
US08099579B2
A system, method, and program product are provided that identifies a cache set using Segment LookAside Buffer attributes. When an effective address is requested, an attempt is made to load the received effective address from an L2 cache. When this attempt results in a cache miss, the system identifies a segment within the Segment LookAside Buffer that includes the effective address. A class identifier is retrieved from the identified segment within the Segment LookAside Buffer. This class identifier identifies a cache set selected from the cache for replacement. Data is then reloaded into the cache set of the cache by using the retrieved class identifier that corresponds to the effective address.
US08099575B2
The program attains compatibility of suppression of an overhead accompanying page exception handling in the case of operating a program whose amount of memory use is large on a virtual machine and suppression of the overhead accompanying page exception handling in the case of operating a first OS that has a function of making another OS run on a virtual machine. A VMM creates a shadow PT (Page Table) for prohibiting reading-writing of privileged memory that requires emulation of reading/writing by using a RSV-bit, and registers the shadow PT and the second PT that a second OS operating on the first OS has in an x86 compatible CPU equipped with a page exception detecting function using two PT's. When a page exception occurs, the VMM refers to a cause code of the page exception and, when a P field of the cause code is 0, determines immediately that emulation is unnecessary.
US08099564B1
A memory controller implemented within a programmable integrated circuit can include a user interface having a command register and a plurality of data First-In-First-Out (FIFO) memories, wherein the command register can receive an address of a data FIFO memory of the plurality of data FIFO memories. A core controller coupled to the user interface can, responsive to an instruction from the user interface, generate control signals that initiate an operation within a memory device coupled to the core controller. A physical layer coupling with the core controller, the user interface, and the memory device can, responsive to a read operation of the memory device, store data received from the memory device within the selected data FIFO memory according to the address received in the command register.
US08099563B2
A storage device for storing data sent from a host apparatus comprises a plurality of processors sending to a cache memory controller an access instruction relating to transmission of the data, based on an access request relating to the transmission of the data, the access request being sent from the host apparatus; and an access instruction sending unit exclusively sending to the cache memory the access instruction sent from the plurality of processors, wherein the access instruction sending unit includes a plurality of storage units for storing an access instruction which requires a response, and wherein when the access instruction which requires a response is stored in all of the storage units, the access instruction sending unit sends only an access instruction which requires a response to the cache memory controller.
US08099556B2
A data processing apparatus and method are provided for detecting cache misses. The data processing apparatus has processing logic for executing a plurality of program threads, and a cache for storing data values for access by the processing logic. When access to a data value is required while executing a first program thread, the processing logic issues an access request specifying an address in memory associated with that data value, and the cache is responsive to the address to perform a lookup procedure to determine whether the data value is stored in the cache. Indication logic is provided which in response to an address portion of the address provides an indication as to whether the data value is stored in the cache, this indication being produced before a result of the lookup procedure is available, and the indication logic only issuing an indication that the data value is not stored in the cache if that indication is guaranteed to be correct. Control logic is then provided which, if the indication indicates that the data value is not stored in the cache, uses that indication to control a process having an effect on a program thread other than the first program thread.
US08099555B2
Systems and methods disclosed permit flexible optimization of printer cache memories by specify criteria for determining cache membership for objects derived from a print data streams, wherein the objects may be associated with distinct reference counts. In some embodiments, the method may comprise the steps of: assigning an initial value to the reference count associated with an object, if the object is not present in the cache; incrementing the reference count by a first weight, if the object is already present in the cache; decrementing the reference count by a second weight, in response to an end-of-page event; and removing the object from the cache if the reference count is below a threshold.
US08099554B1
A system, method and computer program product for receiving on a non-volatile, solid-state, cache memory system, a data segment, including a plurality of data elements, from one or more of a volatile, solid-state, cache memory system and a non-volatile, electromechanical memory system. The data segment may be stored on the non-volatile, solid-state, cache memory system. Each data element includes one or more data extents.
US08099549B1
A method and computer program product for defining a multicast group within a local area network. The multicast group includes a storage initiator device, a plurality of storage targets, and one or more coded targets. A write request for storing a data segment within the multicast group is received on the storage initiator device. The data segment is multicast to the plurality of storage targets and the one or more coded targets included within the multicast group. A unique data chunk of the data segment is stored on each of the plurality of storage targets. A unique coded chunk of the data segment is generated and stored on each of the one or more coded targets.
US08099544B2
According to one embodiment, a control module of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory drive has a first erase mode in which an address management table, which is indicative of a correspondency between logical block addresses and physical addresses of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, is initialized to set the memory area of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory in a state in which no user data is written, a second erase mode in which the address management table is initialized to set the memory area in a state in which no user data is written, and the blocks, other than a defective block, which are included in the memory area, are erased, and a third erase mode in which the address management table is initialized to set the memory area in a state in which no user data is written, and the blocks, including the defective block, which are included in the memory area, are erased.
US08099540B2
A reconfigurable circuit includes a network circuit for controlling connections between the output terminal and the input terminal of an arithmetic unit group, and a first selector connected between the arithmetic unit group and the network circuit. When a first control signal is in a first state, the first selector connects a first terminal of the arithmetic unit group to a first terminal of the network circuit, and also connects a second terminal of the arithmetic unit group to a second terminal of the network circuit. Meanwhile, when the first control signal is in a second state, the first selector connects the first terminal of the arithmetic unit group to the second terminal of the network circuit, and also connects the second terminal of the arithmetic unit group to the first terminal of the network circuit.
US08099532B2
A single fibre channel switch or serial attached SCSI expander applies zoning on the initiator ports to each of the two ports of one or more drives. The fibre channel switch or serial attached SCSI expander uses zoning to connect both ports of each drive to a single expander and set the zones in the expander such that each zone includes at least one initiator port and one drive port.
US08099525B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling access to logical units, a logical unit being an addressable entity that accept commands. A plurality of logical units are accessible by one or more ports, a port being an addressable entity that sends commands. A communication means which may be a storage area network (SAN) (102, 202) provides access to the plurality of logical units by the one or more ports. One or more ports that require access to the same logical units are grouped in a named set (301, 302, 303) in a first location. The named set (301, 302, 303) is associated (300) in a subsequent location with selected logical units (304) thereby controlling the access to the logical units. Identification information for the ports in a named set is extracted at the subsequent location by referencing the named set. The sets can be physically defined, for example, by switch zoning, or logically defined by logically grouping port names.
US08099518B2
The present invention provides a method and system for implementing asynchronous portal pages, comprising a portlet monitor resident on a web browser and implemented with a script. When a user interacts with a portlet, the portlet monitor sends a XMLHTTP request to the portal server. The portal server obtains the corresponding web contents from the corresponding portlet based on the request. Then, the web contents are modified and the HTTP requests therein are redirected to XMLHTTP requests. The portlet monitor uses the modified web contents to refresh the web contents of the corresponding portlet in the portal page without reloading the whole portal page. Besides, after the user submits a request for a portlet, during waiting for the portlet being refreshed, the user may continue to interact with other portlets. Thus, the present invention has the abilities of partially refreshing and asynchronous communication.
US08099507B2
A management system including a management apparatus and a managed apparatus connected with each other by a communications network, the system having a registration controller, wherein in an initial registration phase where the managed apparatus sends a registration request notice to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus returns a registration permission notice to the managed apparatus; in cases where a first communications method is utilized that enables immediate mutual communication, the registration controller determines that a final registration has completed when the managed apparatus has received the registration permission notice; and in cases where a second communications method via a server is utilized, the registration controller determines that a temporary registration has completed when connection between the managed apparatus and the server has been established, and when the managed apparatus has acquired the registration permission notice, the registration controller determines that the final registration has completed.
US08099505B2
Combining network connection maintenance operations that use a resource to extend battery life. Each of the network connections has a timer and a defined tolerance for early connection maintenance. After receiving notification of an event, the network connections are accessed to identify the connections for which a maintenance operation may be performed early based on the timer and the tolerance. In an embodiment, the maintenance operation includes sending a transmission control protocol (TCP) keep-alive packet on the connection.
US08099495B2
Embodiments of apparatuses, articles, methods, and systems for binding various platform identities for a policy negotiation are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08099494B2
A system for automatically adjusting operation of a distributed application program includes analytics means having a monitoring component. The monitoring component receives one or more event streams of data corresponding to execution of one or more modules of the distributed application program. The monitoring component joins the received event streams with one or more declarative models to create operational data. A forensics component of the analytics means queries, such as by using data from a declarative model store, the operational data to identify trends or behavior information for the various modules or components of the distributed application program. A planner component then reviews data created by the forensics component to identify any needed changes to the declarative models. The planner component passes any modified declarative models back to the system, so that the distributed application program can operate more efficiently using the changes to the declarative models, as needed.
US08099485B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for non-preemptive DRAM transactions. More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in non-preemptive DRAM transactions in real-time unified memory architectures. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for determining access to non-preemptive DRAM devices. This method comprises determining real time need for access to the device and prioritizing access using a rate monotonic scheduling.
US08099482B2
Priority-based content retrieval mechanisms for digital entertainment devices are provided. In various embodiments, the download prioritizations may be interrupt-based, sequence-based, or a combination of the two. In interrupt-based prioritizations, a higher priority download request will interrupt a lower-priority download that is already in progress. In sequence-based prioritizations, a plurality of file download requests may be ordered in a download queue depending on the priority of the request, with higher priority requests being positioned towards the top of the queue and lower priority requests being positioned towards the bottom of the queue.
US08099476B2
Methods and apparatuses for real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes dividing a stream of data, representing the contiguous time based content of a program (e.g. a live video broadcast), into a plurality of distinct media files, and generating a playlist file having a plurality of tags and Universal Resource Indicators (URIs) indicating an order of presentation of the plurality of distinct media files. The plurality of media files and the playlist file can be made available for transmission to a client device which can retrieve the media files using the playlist file.
US08099471B2
A method and system are provided for transferring data in a networked system between a local memory in a local system and a remote memory in a remote system. A RDMA request is received and a first buffer region is associated with a first transfer operation. The system determines whether a size of the first buffer region exceeds a maximum transfer size of the networked system. Portions of the second buffer region may be associated with the first transfer operation based on the determination of the size of the first buffer region. The system subsequently performs the first transfer operation.
US08099466B2
Systems, devices, and methods of generating location information for an object of interest are disclosed. The location information is based on dynamic input from one or more members of an interest group associated with the object. The input from the one or more members can be provided by users of a collaboration device. The collaboration device includes a GPS receiver, and a target input mechanism in communication with the GPS receiver. The target input mechanism is configured to receive a user indication of the presence of an object of interest to generate location data from the GPS receiver for the object of interest. The collaboration device further includes a radio configured for transmitting the location data to at least one other member of the interest group.
US08099465B2
A method for preparing and replying to multi-party e-mails is provided. The method includes opening an e-mail composition window in an e-mail application for generating an e-mail, specifying one or more recipients from a plurality of recipient groups for the e-mail, creating one or more response sections, identifying at least one recipient for each of the response sections, and sending the e-mail. The creating step further includes creating a general section in the e-mail. The method further includes selecting a delivery option from a plurality of delivery options for the e-mail prior to sending the e-mail and receiving one or more return receipts based on the delivery option selected in the e-mail sent. The method further includes selecting a response section in a received e-mail, and generating a reply to the response section in a reply e-mail composition window containing the response section.
US08099460B2
An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program for allowing communicating parties at remote locations to view the same displayed content and to point to desired positions on the displayed image of the content. A user A and a user B viewing themselves and the content on a cross-faded mode may point to desired positions on the content image with their fingertips. Motion vectors of the fingertips are then detected in particular areas extracted from the image in a manner containing the detected positions. The detected motion vectors are translated into a pointer for the user A and a pointer for the user B, the pointers being alpha-blended with the content image. The two pointers extracted from a single image are associated with the users A and B by use of different Cyber Codes (2D code) attached to the fingertips of each user, for example. This invention applies illustratively to communication apparatuses for permitting communication between remote locations.
US08099446B2
Embodiments of the invention may include a method for searching digital content in a data processing system. The method may include providing a set of sample digital resources. Each sample digital resource may be associated with metadata describing its content, including fields having associated metadata values. A user may select at least one sample digital resource from the set. One or more metadata values of the sample digital resource may be displayed to the user. The user may then select at least a portion of the metadata values. A digital resource having one or more metadata values substantially matching the selected metadata value of the sample digital resource may then be retrieved.
US08099442B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for developing robust features for representing data. In embodiments, a linear generative model is computed using data. In embodiments, based upon a robustness measure, a set of features is selected. In embodiments, the set of features may be evaluated to gauge the capacity of the set of features to represent the data. Responsive to the set of features not satisfying an evaluation criterion or criteria, the set of features may be refined until the selected set of features complies with the evaluation criterion or criteria.
US08099441B2
A system dynamically integrates into an application program that implements rules for controlling business operations changes in the parameters and parameter groupings that are used by or in conjunction with the rules. The system includes a dynamic business logic rule integrator that provides business logic rules to the application software as executable routines, and a dynamic parameter manager that organizes and manages the parameters. The manager integrates changes to the parameters, groups and/or links the parameters, and makes the parameters available to the rules through a dynamically configurable system database—using a set of static database tables and related dynamically configurable database tables, in which certain database fields or sub-fields correspond to parameters that are used in the rules. The respective database tables and the various fields and sub-fields are established and linked together in accordance with user-defined categories and sub-categories, or “instances.” When parameters are added, edited, grouped, re-grouped, or deleted, the dynamic parameter manager updates, creates and/or removes database tables. The revised set of tables is then made available to the rules, and rules utilize the information in the various fields and sub-fields of the tables to control appropriate trading and associated reporting activities.
US08099439B2
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure, configuration items are received. The configuration items include configuration data for at least one service. Key indicators are received. The key indicators include metrics for the performance of the service. At least one association is identified between the configuration items and the key indicators. A unified service model is generated based on the association. The unified service model includes at least a graphical representation of the service and service requirements.
US08099436B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for automating a search over a network such as the Internet. A user selects data such as text from within an application. The selected data is activated and a search is performed without the user having to leave the application. The search is performed while the user is continuing within the application. When the search is complete, the search results are made available to the user within the application from which the search was initiated. In one embodiment, the data is pre-searched and the results are cached such that the results are already available should the user desire. The present invention is particularly suited to integration with an operating system such that the methods of the present invention are thereby available to all applications. Alternatively, the present invention can be specific to a particular application.
US08099435B2
A virtual record manager and a data exchange engine are provided for dynamically defining data records in a database and for dynamically allocating instances of defined data records. These components are capable of mediating between the database and application and client interface layers to facilitate exchange of information over a network. Embodiments are configured to allow complex data records having a plurality of related fields, and to allow management and exchange of information at both the data field level and data record level.
US08099432B2
Methods and computer-readable media provide for efficient paging of search results in accordance with the access rights of a user. According to various implementations, a request for a search query results in a calculated number of search results being retrieved and analyzed for user access rights. As documents having user access rights are located, session state information corresponding to the number of located documents having user access rights and to the number of analyzed documents required to locate the number of documents having user access rights is maintained. This information is used to dynamically alter the number of subsequent documents that are retrieved in order to fill a page of results. This minimizes redundant determinations of user access rights and minimizes the number of documents required to be retrieved and analyzed in order to fulfill a search query request.
US08099427B2
A search article estimation apparatus is provided that is capable of estimating an article that a user is trying to search for, even when the user cannot accurately provide information on the article that the user wants to search for. The state of access to a storage equipment by the user and a change in articles in the storage equipment during the access are checked by a sensing apparatus. If there is no change in articles, then a search state detection means determines that the user has performed an article search but has been unable to find the article. Furthermore, a search article estimation means refers to a storage location database and estimates an article that should originally be stored in the storage equipment, to be the article that the user is searching for.
US08099423B2
A computer-implemented method of locating information in a database of electronic documents includes defining fragments of the documents, associating the fragments with the document from which the fragments originated, and associating metadata with the fragments, where the metadata associated with a fragment includes metadata related to one or more topics of the fragment. A query for one or more documents containing information about a topic is received, and a document is located from the database based on a comparison of the query with the metadata associated with a fragment of the document.
US08099416B2
The invention may be embodied as a system having and/or a method utilizing a searchable database of index information. Each index in the database may have (a) at least one descriptor, which matches an entry that a user might provide in order to identify an item, (b) a first pointer which identifies a location of the item, and (c) a second pointer which identifies a location of information that may be helpful to the user in deciding whether to request retrieval of the item. The first pointers of one index may be the same as first pointers in a different index. The second pointer may identify a general class to which an item belongs.
US08099408B2
A method and system for identifying informative links of a web site for use in crawling the web site is provided. A forum crawler analyzes sample web pages of a web forum to identify informative links and then crawls the web forum by following links determined to be informative and not following other links. The forum crawler system determines whether links are informative based on whether they are part of the overall structure of the web site or are used to select sequential information that has been split onto multiple web pages.
US08099405B2
A technique for enhancing the results of an existing online search engine involves re-ordering the results of a search according to the feedback provided by a user community to previous similar searches. In an embodiment, the technique is fully backward-compatible with existing online search engines. In an embodiment, feedback is collected by an intermediary that sits in-between a client and a server. The intermediary intercepts requests and, for some, modifies the results. In this way, the technique can enhance the results of searches addressed to online search engines such as google.com, while being non-intrusive to an online search engine and a client browser.
US08099396B1
A system and method enhances performance of a log adapted for use with a storage system. The log is illustratively organized into a plurality of regions, wherein each region comprises one or more entries and wherein each region is allocated to a consistency collection. As used herein, a consistency collection is defined as a set of one or more data containers among which it is desired to maintain transaction consistency, i.e., atomicity of updates of a transaction to those containers. Each entry of the region is adapted to store an update of data from a source, e.g., an application executing on the storage system. Thus, the consistency collection may comprise multiple data containers associated with one or more applications configured to maintain the atomicity of transaction updates to the collection of containers.
US08099383B2
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to define a report part with a report part element and a report part identifier. A report part computation context including a report identifier, a report part element identifier and a context data path is identified. The report part is associated with the report part computation context. The report part is evaluated according to the report part computation context. A report part value is returned.
US08099374B2
A behavior estimating system is provided. According to the system, an estimated trajectory which provides the basis on which the behavior of an agent is controlled is generated according to a second model which represents a motion of an instructor in which the position and the displacing velocity of the position of a state variable and the time differential values thereof continuously change, in addition to the position of a characteristic point of a reference trajectory which represents a motion of the instructor and a plurality of first models which represent a plurality of shape characteristics of reference trajectories. A behavior manner corresponding to a first model whose fluctuation, which is allowed under a condition that an estimated trajectory passes a characteristic state variable or a range in the vicinity thereof, is the smallest and whose stability is the highest is estimated as the behavior manner of the instructor.
US08099367B2
In a method and arrangement for variable generation of cryptographic securities of communications in a host device, for cryptographic security of a communication for a first purpose a first signature is used and for cryptographic security of a communication for a second purpose a second signature is used, the signatures being differentiated from each other by the type of their generation. A cryptologic module has a number of logic circuits and a changeover switch and is arranged externally of the postal security device and is connected at its output with an information input of the postal security device that has a logic circuit that applies a digital signal algorithm to the output signal supplied by the output in order to generate a signature.
US08099366B2
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for distributing digital information, such as software applications, to application users. By providing the digital information on unused memory space of a computer system, and providing a process for authorizing access to the information, the information can be efficiently and cost effectively transferred to users. Traditional inventory and distribution channel difficulties are avoided.
US08099363B1
Methods and systems for processing and facilitating the processing of payment card transactions between remote merchants and purchaser/card holders as authenticated card-present transactions, and for reducing processing fees charged to merchants. Purchaser/card holders are provided with payment card readers, and optionally, with biometric readers and/or personal identification number (“PIN”) key pads. When a payment card transaction is to be conducted between a merchant and a purchaser/card holder, the purchaser/card holder is connected or redirected to a remote face-to-face (“RF2F”) program/system. The RF2F program/system is configured to receive personal identification information from the purchaser/card holder, and optionally from the biometric reader and/or PIN key pad, and to authenticate the purchaser/card holder. The RF2F program/systemRF2F program/system/system is further configured to receive payment card information from the payment card reader, and to authenticate the payment card. The RF2F program/systemRF2F program/system/system is thus able to authenticate the payment card transaction as a card-present transaction. Accordingly, card processors and/or financial institutions, in cooperation with participating merchants and consumers, can reduce the number of fraudulent transactions occurring in the marketplace. RF2F payment card processing will reduce the cost of payment card related fraud as well as the processing fees charged to merchants. Methods and systems for rewarding merchants and purchaser/card holders are disclosed herein.
US08099362B2
A computer-implemented method of reconciling a primary budget for a construction project. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a primary budget for the construction project and assigning a first primary budget line item from the primary budget to a participant. A secondary budget is then generated for the primary budget line item. Invoice amounts corresponding to secondary budget line items are stored. Before administering a draw that includes a new payment to the second participant, the system ensures that the total sum of a current invoiced amount and all previously invoiced amounts corresponding to secondary budget line items is less than or equal to the budget amount of the primary budget line item.
US08099351B2
A method, system, and device readable medium for running a predictive wiki optimization application is disclosed. The optimization application provides an improved decision-making or valuation method for formalizing and systematizing the decision-making or valuation process. The application leverages collective knowledge about a field of endeavor in order to yield better decisions or more accurate valuations. In some embodiments, the application represents an application of predictive markets within a wiki-style wrapper.
US08099349B1
A user may schedule certificates of deposit (CDs) to be consolidated at maturity into an annuity, long term care insurance, or life insurance. The user provides information pertaining to their certificates of deposits, such as amount and maturity dates, and recommendations may be provided regarding consolidating the CDs by rolling them into annuities or insurance.
US08099343B1
Distribution schemes and related payment models and methods for subscriber-created content are described herein. The methods may include receiving content uploaded from a subscriber who created the content, and collecting a payment from the subscriber in exchange for enabling the subscriber to upload the content. One or more recipients for the content are identified in a community that is associated with the subscriber, where the recipients joined the community in response to an invitation extended by the subscriber.
US08099339B1
Systems and methods for tracking prescription drug inventory of a pharmacy at a switch. Embodiments of the invention include receiving, at a switch, a prescription claim transaction from a pharmacy system, where the prescription claim transaction indicates an amount of a drug, and transmitting the prescription claim transaction to a payer system for adjudication. An adjudicated response for the prescription claim is then received from the payer system, and an inventory amount associated with the drug maintained by the switch is updated by the switch. When a determination is made that the inventory amount has met a threshold value, a message is transmitting indicating that the inventory amount has met the threshold value. In some embodiments of the invention the message is sent to the pharmacy or directly to a supplier as part of an order for additional inventory of the drug.
US08099332B2
This specification describes technologies relating to user interfaces for mobile devices. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a touch input to access an application management interface on a mobile device; presenting an application management interface; receiving one or more inputs within the application management interface including an input to install a particular application; installing the selected application; and presenting the installed application.
US08099321B2
A system and method uses a plurality of access points coupled to a network, wherein at least one of the plurality of access points is operable to communicate with a computing device, and a network provider server communicatively coupled to a network. The network provider server is operable to perform initiating communication between a computing device and a network, wherein the computing device is coupled to the network through an access point of the plurality of access points at a geographic location, determining different levels of services apply at the venue, presenting one or more of the different levels of services for selection by a user of the computing device, and delivering a level of service selected by the user, among the different levels of services, over the network to the computing device.
US08099318B2
A mobile marketing campaign platform and method including: a planning module including: a definition module for setting budget and objectives; and a design module for designing the campaign utilizing a plurality of templates; an execution module including: design tools for designing an executable campaign from the campaign design made from the templates; and operating tools for causing the executable campaign to execute over multiple mobile services; and a reporting module including: tracking means for tracking at least one of a campaign activity, the campaign performance objectives; and the brand performance objectives.
US08099308B2
Methods and systems are provided for the analysis of one or more diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), and for the scheduling of vehicle service appointments based at least in part on the DTC analysis. The method involves analyzing the received DTCs to determine an underlying problem. Once the underlying problem is determined, the parts and estimated repair time needed to repair the problem is determined. In one approach, the selection of the proposed slot for the service appointment involves coordinating numerous factors, such as the availability of needed parts, the user's scheduling preferences, and the availability of slots in the dealer's service schedule.
US08099305B2
Systems and methods are disclosed providing a database comprising a compendium of at least one of patient treatment history; orthodontic therapies, orthodontic information and diagnostics; employing a data mining technique for interrogating said database for generating an output data stream, the output data stream correlating a patient malocclusion with an orthodontic treatment; and applying the output data stream to improve a dental appliance or a dental appliance usage.
US08099302B2
A method of adjudicating a medical claim includes providing a requirements for a first claim and a second claim, receiving a medical claim for a medical procedure, setting a first score for the first claim and a second score for the second claim to an initial value, comparing components of the medical claim to the requirements of the first and second claims, changing the first and second scores for each one of the components that match one of the requirements and for each one of the requirements that is missing from the components, and selecting the first or second claim based upon predetermined criteria applied to their respective scores to determine either a monetary value of the medical procedure for a medical service provider associated with the medical procedure or a monetary value of medical coverage for a patient associated with the medical procedure.
US08099301B2
A method of processing drug prescriptions via a communications network includes registering doctors, pharmacies and patients as participants such that each registered participant's identity is uniquely defined and determinable. Registered doctors from which prescriptions are received via the communications network have their identities authenticated. Each of the received prescriptions indicates a respective registered patient's identity for whom the prescription is intended. Registered patients from which orders are received via the communications network also have their identities authenticated. Each of the received orders indicates the prescription being ordered. The method also includes forwarding the orders to registered pharmacies via the communications network.
US08099300B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for processing pharmaceutical orders to determine whether a buyer of pharmaceuticals qualifies for an “own use” discount. “Own use” discounts on pharmaceuticals are available for a limited class of buyers under 35 U.S.C. §13c. Under one method, an auditor receives an order for a quantity of pharmaceuticals, receives a report associated with the order containing sufficient information therein to perform an audit on the order, and compares the information found in the order with the information found in the associated report to make a status determination as to whether a buyer qualifies for an “own use” discount. Preferably a second report containing additional audit information is received as well. The auditor can also audit the order by comparing the order to this additional information. If these comparisons result in a determination that the buyer does in fact qualify for an “own use” discount, the auditor can then place the order with a pharmaceutical seller for a discounted price. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical order auditing system that uses a computer to perform the above-described audit.
US08099290B2
A voice recognition unit is constructed in such a way as to create a voice label string for an inputted voice uttered by a user inputted for each language on the basis of a feature vector time series of the inputted voice uttered by the user and data about a sound standard model, and register the voice label string into a voice label memory 2 while automatically switching among languages for a sound standard model memory 1 used to create the voice label string, and automatically switching among the languages for the voice label memory 2 for holding the created voice label string by using a first language switching unit SW1 and a second language switching unit SW2.
US08099288B2
A text-dependent speaker verification technique that uses a generic speaker-independent speech recognizer for robust speaker verification, and uses the acoustical model of a speaker-independent speech recognizer as a background model. Instead of using a likelihood ratio test (LRT) at the utterance level (e.g., the sentence level), which is typical of most speaker verification systems, the present text-dependent speaker verification technique uses weighted sum of likelihood ratios at the sub-unit level (word, tri-phone, or phone) as well as at the utterance level.
US08099287B2
A method for alleviating ambiguity issues of new user defined speech commands. An original command for a user-defined speech command can be received. It can then be determined if the original command is likely to be confused with a set of existing speech commands. When confusion is unlikely, the original command can be automatically stored. When confusion is likely, a substitute command that is unlikely to be confused with existing commands can be automatically determined. The substitute can be presented as an alternative to the original command and can be selectively stored as the user-defined speech command.
US08099284B2
A digital speech enabled middleware module is disclosed that facilitates interaction between a large number of client devices and network-based automatic speech recognition (ASR) resources. The module buffers feature vectors associated with speech received from the client devices when the number of client devices is greater than the available ASR resources. When an ASR decoder becomes available, the module transmits the feature vectors to the ASR decoder and a recognition result is returned.
US08099281B2
A device and related methods for word-sense disambiguation during a text-to-speech conversion are provided. The device, for use with a computer-based system capable of converting text data to synthesized speech, includes an identification module for identifying a homograph contained in the text data. The device also includes an assignment module for assigning a pronunciation to the homograph using a statistical test constructed from a recursive partitioning of training samples, each training sample being a word string containing the homograph. The recursive partitioning is based on determining for each training sample an order and a distance of each word indicator relative to the homograph in the training sample. An absence of one of the word indicators in a training sample is treated as equivalent to the absent word indicator being more than a predefined distance from the homograph.
US08099278B2
A device may be configured to provide a query to a user. Voice data may be received from the user responsive to the query. Voice recognition may be performed on the voice data to identify a query answer. A confidence score associated with the query answer may be calculated, wherein the confidence score represents the likelihood that the query answer has been accurately identified. A likely age range associated with the user may be determined based on the confidence score. The device to calculate the confidence score may be tuned to increase a likelihood of recognition of voice data for a particular age range of callers.
US08099277B2
A speech-duration detector includes a starting-end detecting unit that detects a starting end of a first duration where the characteristic exceeds a threshold value as a starting end of a speech-duration, when the first duration continues for a first time length; a trailing-end-candidate detecting unit that detects a starting end of a second duration where the characteristic is lower than the threshold value as a candidate point for a trailing end of speech, when the second duration continues for a second time length; and a trailing-end-candidate determining unit that determines the candidate point as a trailing end of the speech-duration, when the second duration where the characteristic exceeds the threshold value does not continue for the first time length while a third time length elapses from measurement at the candidate point.
US08099275B2
A sound encoder having an improved quantization performance while suppressing an increase of the bit rate to a lowest level. In a second layer encoder, a standard deviation calculator calculates a standard deviation σc of a first layer decoding spectrum after decoding a scale factor ratio multiplication and outputs the standard deviation σc to a selector. The selector selects a linear transform function as a function for a nonlinear transform of a residual spectrum according to the standard deviation σc A nonlinear transform function selects one of prepared nonlinear transform functions #1 to #N according to a result of the selection by the selector, and outputs the selected one to an inverse transformer. The inverse transformer subjects an inverse transform (expansion) to a residual spectrum candidate that is stored in a residual spectrum code book using the nonlinear transform function outputted from the nonlinear transform function and outputs the result to an adder.
US08099272B2
A system and method of using a multi-layered network model for analyzing the survivability of network services. The model is defined in terms of layers, connections, entities, physical processing elements, physical network elements, and physical infrastructure elements. Network services are modeled by sets of communicating entities at the application layer that are connected by connections at the underlying layers. The generality of the model constructs enable the construction of models of complex networks and services that can involve multiple layers of communication protocols, network elements, processing elements, and failover/backup mechanisms. The service survivability of a network is analyzed by projecting the failure of a set of physical elements onto the model and then determining the proportion of service affected at the application layer.
US08099261B2
The invention describes intelligent configurable apparatus used for identification and status indication for variety of applications: point-of-service locations; buildings/apartment complexes, residential homes; street signs; etc. Apparatus could be stand-alone or expandable plug-in modules interconnected via local area wired and wireless network into identification and status system. Apparatus could be DC powered, including solar. Apparatus has controller and sensors. Based on apparatus configuration and information obtained from sensors, controller performs variety of controls: illumination color/intensity/modulation; power consumption; communication with other controllers over LAN and/or INTERNET. Sensors could detect: presence of object; environmental parameters—temperature, light, sound; power consumption. Configuration parameters include: power consumption, brightness, ambient conditions, and schedule of operation. Power consumption allows apparatus operation based on safety and cost criteria. Apparatus also controls light function and intensity to meet set criteria. This leads to self-contained apparatus automatically driven by set criteria, including cost control.
US08099257B2
Systems and methods configured to guide and manage laboratory analytical process control operations. A Biometric quality control (QC) process application is configured to monitor bias and imprecision for each test, characterize patient population data distributions and compare, contrast, and correlate changes in patient data distributions to any change in QC data populations. The Biometric QC process monitors the analytical process using data collected from repetitive testing of quality control materials and patient data (test results). The QC process identifies the optimal combination of, for example, frequency of QC testing, number of QCs tested, and QC rules applied in order to minimize the expected number of unacceptable patient results produced due to any out-of-control error condition that might occur. A method of determining an optimum frequency for bracketing patient data into batches using a minimum number of quality control samples is also provided.
US08099255B2
A measurement system and a method for measuring a net deflection of a shaft in a wind turbine are disclosed. The measurement system includes at least one first sensor positioned proximate a first shaft component, the at least one first sensor configured to measure at least one first deflection of the first shaft component, and at least one second sensor configured to measure at least one reference deflection. The measurement system further includes a base, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are coupled together and configured on the base, and a processor configured to calculate the net deflection of the shaft utilizing the at least one first deflection and the at least one reference deflection.
US08099233B2
A map display controller displays a three-dimensional map image on a display screen of a display device, and superimposes a route wall standing from a route and along the route in the three dimensional map image on the display device. This reduces a difficulty in confirming the route behind structures such as a building in the three-dimensional map image displayed on the display screen.
US08099232B2
In a vehicle control device which performs braking control of a vehicle, a priority setting unit determines, when a possibility that a self-vehicle and another vehicle cross each other at an intersection in front of the self-vehicle is detected, a priority for each of the self-vehicle and the other vehicle with respect to access to the intersection. A braking control unit performs, when the self-vehicle has no priority over the other vehicle with respect to access to the intersection, the braking control of the self-vehicle so that the self-vehicle enters the intersection after the other vehicle passes through the intersection.
US08099226B2
A system and method for throttle control during a second gear start in a vehicle with a manual transmission. A powertrain control module (PCM) is coupled to a throttle and is configured to control movement of the throttle according to a winter mode e-throttle map that is stored in the PCM. The PCM is configured to control the throttle based upon the winter mode e-throttle map upon detection of a second gear start condition.
US08099215B2
A steering operation force detecting apparatus enabling to know in detail a force or a moment applied to a steering wheel rim (steering wheel) gripped by a driver during steering is provided. A force and a moment applied to each divided portion 11A and 11B of a steering wheel rim 11 are detected by force sensors 21A and 21B. Force applied points FP1 and FP2 of driver's hands which grip the divided portions 11A and 11B of the steering wheel rim 11 are detected by contact sensors 22 and an arithmetic processing section. Also, forces and moments at the force applied points FP1 and FP2 are calculated based on the detection results, and the calculation results are output to a higher-level device. Accordingly, it is possible to know in detail how much force or moment is applied to the force applied points FP1 and FP2 on the steering wheel rim 11 during a steering operation.
US08099213B2
A method is provided for detecting road-side edges in a road segment using a light-based sensing system. Input range data is captured using the light-based sensing system. An elevation-based road segment is generated based on the captured input range data. The elevation-based road segment is processed by filtering techniques to identify the road segment candidate region and by pattern recognition techniques to determine whether the candidate region is a road segment. The input range data is also projected onto the ground plane for further validation. The line representation of the projected points are identified. The line representation of the candidate regions is compared to a simple road/road-edge model in the top-down view to determine whether the candidate region is a road segment with its edges. The proposed method provides fast processing speeds and reliable detection performance for both road and road-side edges simultaneously in the captured range data.
US08099210B2
An apparatus for operator control of an in-vehicle system includes an interface device for receiving inputs for control of the in-vehicle system from an operator hand, the interface device including a control panel having a visual display screen. The apparatus further includes a sensing system adjacent the interface device including an optical proximity sensor having a single infrared light source, a first plurality of directionally sensitive light receivers for detecting a first reflected infrared light from the infrared light source that is reflected by the operator hand only when the operator hand approaches the optical proximity sensor near the interface device from a driver side of the vehicle and a second plurality of directionally sensitive light receivers for detecting a second reflected infrared light from the infrared light source that is reflected by the operator hand only when the operator hand approaches the optical proximity sensor near the interface device from a passenger side of the vehicle. A controller generates a user-specific menu on the visual display screen based upon the first and second plurality of directionally sensitive light receivers detecting respective first and second reflected infrared light from the infrared light source.
US08099206B2
A method is provided for fusing a plurality of self-contained diagnostics for generating a combined state of belief for a monitored system. A plurality of predetermined diagnostic states of self-contained diagnostic routines is executed. Each self-contained routine generates a respective state of belief result for the monitored system. Respective belief vectors are formulated as a function of belief results. A state space is provided that includes a plurality of sub-state spaces. Each of the sub-state spaces is representative of the predetermined diagnostic states of the monitored system. Belief vectors are assigned to the sub-state spaces of the state space. Belief vectors relating to each sub-state space are fused. A combined belief value is determined for each fused sub-state space. The sub-state space having the highest combined belief value is indicated in response to the determined probabilities as the actual diagnostic state of the monitored system.
US08099205B2
A guidance system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The guidance system may have a scanning device configured to generate a signal indicative of a lateral distance from the machine to a roadway marker, a locating device configured to determine a geographical location of the machine, and a controller in communication with the scanning device and the locating device. The controller may be configured to receive a desired lateral distance from the machine to the roadway marker, and to compare the desired lateral distance to the actual lateral distance. The controller may further be configured to implement a response to the comparison based on the geographical location.
US08099204B2
A powertrain system includes an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission operative to transmit power between the input member, a torque machine and an output member. The torque machine is connected to an energy storage device. The engine is selectively operative in engine states comprising an engine-on state and an engine-off state. A method for controlling a powertrain system includes determining a first power range for output power of the energy storage device, commanding the engine to transition from a first engine state to a second engine state, and expanding the first power range of the energy storage device and controlling the torque machine based upon the expanded power range of the energy storage device during the transition from the first engine state to the second engine state.
US08099202B1
The present invention is a method for providing a depiction of an approach path to a landing area and of terrain proximal to the landing area via a flight deck situational awareness system of an aircraft. The method may include providing a vertical reference graphical indicator for indicating a glide path for the landing area. The method may further include providing a plurality of extended graphical indicators which extend from the vertical reference graphical indicator and intercept the depicted terrain. The method may further include connecting the plurality of extended graphical indicators via a horizontal reference graphical indicator which forms an extension of a centerline of the landing area onto the depicted terrain. The vertical reference graphical indicator, the extended graphical indicators, and the horizontal reference graphical indicator may form boundaries of a plurality of transparent panes, which collectively form a transparent approach curtain.
US08099192B2
A method is provided for teaching a transfer robot used in conjunction with a workpiece processing system including a pedestal assembly, a light sensor having an optical input fixedly coupled to the pedestal assembly, a transfer robot having an end effector, and a processing chamber containing the pedestal assembly and light sensor. The method includes the steps of producing light within the processing chamber, moving the end effector over the optical input such that amount of light reaching the light sensor varies in relation to the position of the end effector, and recording the signal gain as the end effector is moved over the optical input. The method also includes the step of establishing from the recorded signal gain a desired position of the end effector relative to the pedestal assembly.
US08099191B2
A robot service system including a robot including least one manipulator and a controller controlling the motion of the manipulator. A remote service center includes an analyzing computer, and a communication line between the robot controller and the remote service center. A monitoring component is configured to monitor the current operation of the controller and the current motions of the manipulator, and to transmit information on the current operation of the controller and the current motions of the manipulator to the remote service center. The analyzing computer is configured, upon request, to calculate new maximum permissible performance parameters for the robot based on the received information and to transmit the new maximum permissible performance parameters to the robot controller. The analyzing computer is further configured to calculate one or more monitoring parameter, and the monitoring component is further configured to supervise that the robot is not run outside allowed limits based on the monitoring parameters.
US08099183B2
An system, method, and method of encoding/decoding a multi-channel audio signal, including a decoding level generation unit producing decoding-level information that helps a bitstream including a number of audio channel signals and space information to be decoded into a number of audio channel signals, wherein the space information includes information about magnitude differences and/or similarities between channels, and an audio decoder decoding the bitstream according to the decoding-level information. Accordingly, even a single input bitstream can be decoded into a suitable number of channels depending on the type of a speaker configuration used. Scalable channel decoding can be achieved by partially decoding an input bitstream. In the scalable channel decoding, a decoder may set decoding levels and outputs audio channel signals according to the decoding levels, thereby reducing decoding complexity.
US08099178B2
Systems and methods for interacting with and customizing a dynamically extensible and automatically configurable BAS. In one embodiment, the BAS includes a plurality of end devices, at least one communication network, a protocol-independent server engine, and a user interface. User customization options are presented by and accomplished through a graphical user interface. In addition to providing a portal through which users may access, manage, and customize the BAS, the user interface itself is customizable in accordance with and complimentary to the dynamic extensibility of the system.
US08099170B2
This disclosure describes techniques for delivering electrical stimulation at one or more phases relative to an ongoing oscillating signal in a patient, and then mapping the response to the oscillating signal. The techniques may reduce or eliminate the oscillating signal. In one example, the disclosure is directed to a method that includes delivering a set of first electrical stimulation at a plurality of phases relative to an oscillating signal, measuring a response in the oscillating signal to the set of first electrical stimulation after delivering electrical stimulation at each respective phase of the plurality of phases, determining a phase at which to deliver second electrical stimulation based on the measured responses, and delivering the second electrical stimulation to the patient at the determined phase to produce a therapeutic effect.
US08099157B2
The present invention is directed to a scanning system that uses uniform rotary motion of an optical reflector to create reciprocal linear scanning. The system converts uniform rotation into uniform longitudinal scanning. The system thereby creates mechanical reciprocal linear scanning free of reciprocally moving mechanical parts common in conventional scanning systems. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the scanning system is incorporated within an imaging catheter for medical scanning. The optical reflector is rotatable and includes a spiral reflecting portion. The spiral reflecting portion may be a single uniform reflecting surface or may include several reflection surfaces arranged in a spiral configuration.
US08099156B1
A micro-optical probe approach facilitates imaging, testing and/or analysis of cochlear tissue. According to an example embodiment, a probe is implanted into cochlear tissue of a live being and used to obtain an image of cochlear tissue and the image is used to characterize a condition of auditory function of the cochlear tissue as represented, for example, by fluid flow in the tissue. Certain embodiments are directed to the use of a fluorescent dye to label cochlear tissue. A fluorescent response of the dye to stimulation is detected and used to characterize the cochlear tissue. In some applications, the probe is used to guide the implant of a cochlear prosthesis.
US08099146B1
Techniques are provided for the self-calibration of an implantable blood oxygen saturation sensor. In one example, the pacemaker tracks respiration rate, patient activity level and the degree of pulmonary edema with the patient. The pacemaker identifies periods of time when three conditions are met: the respiration rate is normal, activity is minimal and the degree of pulmonary edema is also minimal. The pacemaker then calibrates the oxygen saturation sensor based on sensor output values detected only when all three conditions are met. By calibrating the sensor only during periods of time when all three conditions are all met, the calibration logic can thereby assume that actual saturation levels within the patient are at a maximum and that any deviation from that maximum is due to changes in blood cell fixation, tissue overgrowth, or other factors unrelated to actual oxygen saturation levels.
US08099142B2
A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and having radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor operative with each other. Audio circuitry is carried by the circuit board and an audio transducer assembly, such as a speaker, has electrical contacts that electrically engage the audio circuitry for carrying audio signals between the audio circuitry and audio transducer assembly. A filter is mounted at the audio transducer assembly and reduces radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic interference to the audio transducer assembly during device operation.
US08099137B2
An apparatus in one example has: a mobile terminal having at least first and second modes of operation; and a special alerting code; wherein, in response to the calling party entering the special alerting code, the mobile terminal changes from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation. The system allows a mobile terminal in a silent/meeting mode to go into a vibrate and/or ring mode when a calling party enters a special alerting code.
US08099128B2
A portable electronic device includes a keypad, a memory system, and an audio effect system. The memory system includes a video game application and an audio file associated with the video game application. The audio file includes a collection of trigger signals and a collection of notations where each trigger signal is associated with a corresponding notation. The audio effect system includes an audio player, a signal generator, and a control module. The signal generator is configured for generating a trigger signal in response to operation of the keypad. The control module is configured for reading a notation from the audio file, which corresponds to the generated trigger signal and instructing the audio player to play a corresponding music sound associated with the read notation.
US08099126B2
An actuator notification system is for use with a mobile communications device. A device actuator is selectively movable, by hand, between first and second positions. An electric drive motor operatively engages the actuator. A control processor on-board the device is operatively encoded to start the motor, so as to drive the actuator between the first and second positions. A related method of automatically driving an actuator on a mobile communications device uses a control processor on-board the device which is encoded to start a motor and drive an actuator between first position and second positions. A related mobile communications device is also disclosed.
US08099122B1
Forward power control is improved by increasing forward power control feedback channel reliability when the mobile unit in a wireless communication system is in soft handoff. Forward power control is enhanced by decreasing the bit error rate of forward power control bits received by the base station. The bit error rate of forward power control bits is reduced by raising the power level, and thus the signal to noise ratio, of the reverse pilot channel, while maintaining the power levels of other reverse channels. The signal to noise ratio of the reverse pilot channel is raised by the base station in response to a frame error rate decrease generated by the selector component of the base station controller. The base station maintains the power level of other reverse channels by reducing the power level gain of other reverse channels relative to the reverse pilot channel.
US08099121B2
One illustrative technique is performed in a requesting terminal of a plurality of terminals of a communication group for a communication session delivered via a network. Each terminal has communication capabilities within the communication group, such that a currently-transmitting terminal in the communication group is given a transmit capability using a talk channel while all other terminals of the communication group have a receive capability. The requesting terminal, which is not the currently-transmitting terminal, receives a user input for selecting a responding terminal of the communication group for responding in the communication session. The requesting terminal then transmits, while the transmit capability is given to the currently-transmitting terminal, a request for the network to grant the responding terminal the transmit capability. The request includes an identification of the responding terminal.
US08099119B2
A method providing channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback from subscriber stations (SSs) to a base station (BS) may include a combination of a thresholding scheme and a best-M scheme. Another method providing CQI feedback may include providing multiple feedback channels, with SSs randomly allocating CQI values among the multiple feedback channels. The BS may choose a prevailing CQI message when channel contention occurs. Another method of providing CQI feedback may include SSs transmitting to the BS numbers of their CQI values that exceed a CQI threshold. Based on these numbers, the BS may determine how many CQI values each SS may send, and on which channels. The SSs may send these CQI values according to instructions from the BS.
US08099106B2
A system and method for classifying the user's morphology, and using that classification to control the UE in order to provide more efficient operation of the UE. The classification may be used to assist the user in determining its location more efficiently, without needless interruption or unnecessary use of system resources. The morphology classifier may classify the user's morphology into at least one of the following classifications: indoor, outdoor, local coverage, no local coverage, proximate to a base station, stationary, moving, urban, suburban, rural, deep indoor, mid indoor, and indoor near window. The classification may be used by the UE or by a remote server that utilizes the classification to develop assistance data that is sent to the UE.
US08099105B2
A software LBS trigger is initiated by a wireless device to request a set of proximate location information points relating to, e.g., points of interest, location tagged blogs, etc., based on the user's current location. The LBS trigger may be initiated when the user moves, and may include speed of the user to define a proximate area within which the user's device will be presented with relevant location information upon reaching. The size of the proximate area may be based on available memory in the wireless device, and/or on network bandwidth limitations. If walking, a smaller proximate area is defined, or if moving fast, the area of close proximity is larger. The location-based information points are stored locally on the user's device, and presentation to the user when the user gets closely proximate to the relevant information point.
US08099104B2
Determining the physical location of a WLAN client includes making a request to a core network of an integrated cellular—WLAN network. Using an HLR and WLAN client identifier, the WLAN network in which the client is located is determined. A location request is then made to a MSC/SGSN servicing that WLAN network, the MSC/SGSN then forwarding the request to a gateway that interfaces the WLAN network to the core network. Alternatively, the location request is directly forwarded to the gateway. Upon receiving the request, the gateway uses a positioning procedure(s) to determine the client's physical location. This location is then returned to the core network. According to one example positioning procedure, a database containing access point physical locations is maintained. Here, a determination is made as to which access point(s) the client can communicate. The location of the access point(s), as obtained through the database, then forms a basis for the client's location.
US08099102B2
A call admission control device efficiently controls admission of a new call. In a scheduling operation, a congestion state in a cell is estimated based on the number or ratio of the mobile stations whose average transmission data rates have been initialized, and call admission control is performed, thereby appropriately performing the call admission control regardless of the occurrence of traffic or a mode of a cell.
US08099099B2
Methods and apparatus related to assignment in a wireless communications system are described. A mobile is assigned an identifier and a mask value, e.g., as part of a state transition message. The mobile uses the assigned identifier and/or the assigned mask value in determining whether assignments included in assignment messages, e.g., traffic channel assignment messages, are directed to the wireless terminal. Predetermined associations between assignment slots, assigned segments, and/or mask values are utilized to limit control signaling overhead. Different groups of segments are available for assignment to different wireless terminals as a function of mask values. Different types of assignment messages use different amounts of information bits to convey the assignment. Some types of assignments use a wireless terminal identifier, while other types of assignments use a wireless terminal identifier and a mask identifier. The mask identifier, e.g., a single bit, allows for selection between a subset of the potential masks used in the system.
US08099089B2
A method, user equipment, and computer program product are disclosed for accepting a plurality of media streams at a first user equipment, and then sending a session initiation protocol refer request to a recipient. The request specifies a second user equipment, and the request also indicates a subset of those media streams which the recipient is requested to offer to the second user equipment. There can be at least two media streams of the same media type, out of which some media stream(s) are to be offered to the second user equipment and the other media stream(s) are not to be offered to the second user equipment.
US08099087B2
A network includes a switch and at least one network element to track the locations of wireless devices that interact with the network. The network further includes at least one network element to convert location information for a wireless device obtained from the at least one network element to track locations to a voice announcement, and to interact with the switch to provide the announcement to at least one of a calling wireless device and a called wireless device.
US08099086B2
A method for providing a descriptor of a location to a recipient includes receiving geographical position data of the location from a user and using the geographical position data to identify a plurality of regions near or including the location. Each region is associated with a descriptor. The recipient's level of familiarity with each of the regions is determined and a region is selected based on the recipient's level of familiarity with the selected region. Once the region is selected, the descriptor associated with the selected region is provided to the recipient via the user.
US08099083B2
A communications network and method for providing a voice message to a user of a mobile station (MS) in a network having a plurality of independent mobile systems, each independent mobile system including a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) and Voice Message System (VMS), wherein each VMS is identified by a unique identifier code. A received voice message is stored in a VMS, and an SMS notification message is sent to the MS. Because each VMS is identified by a unique identifier code, the MS can retrieve a voice message by dialing the code contained in an SMS notification message, regardless of which independent mobile system is serving the MS at the time the voice message retrieval is requested.
US08099077B2
Customer identification and authentication procedure for online internet payments using mobile phone
This invention shows a mobile terminal device (3) having a memory unit (3a) and an interface device (3b) which is releasably connectable to a multiple partner system (7, 9, 15) and capable for a communication therein, wherein said communication is provided by a front-end formed by said mobile terminal device (3) in combination with a personal computer device (2) and a back-end formed by a partner of said multiple partner system via communication ways, said communication being suitable for performing data transactions with variant security requirements, such that complementary parts of, or parts within a distributed application, running within a multi partner system, are performed dependent on their current security requirements, wherein said communication is used to exchange information by using said communication ways of different and variant characteristics (4, 6, 12, 17, 13) by using different communication channels and different interface standards or protocols.
US08099076B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for setting up and billing a roaming communications connection between a first calling subscriber of a first communications network and a second called subscriber of the first and or another communications network who is checked into a roaming communications network. Billing data records concerning the accrued costs of the roaming connection are generated by the communications networks, are exchanged between billing systems of the communications networks, and the subscribers arc charged the costs of the roaming connection on the basis of the billing data records. According to the invention, the costs for a connection, which originates from the first, calling subscriber and which is incoming to the second, called subscriber are charged exclusively to the first subscriber under conditions individually agreed upon beforehand.
US08099074B2
The invention relates to a method for wireless transmission of data between components of a blood glucose system including a master controller (i.e., “master”) and a slave device (i.e., “slave”). The master and slave each have a receiver and transmitter. The method comprises operating the slave normally in a power saving mode, activating the transmitter of the master for a transmission period and subsequently activating the receiver of the master for a response period. When the slave receives a preamble signal during a listening period the slave receiver is activated until a portion of a transmitted data frame from the master is received, switched into a communication mode to transmit a response to the master and switched from the communication mode to the power saving mode. In the power saving mode the activation frequency of the slave receiver and the transmission of the data frame are controlled to save power.
US08099071B2
A system for single path processing identical, substantially identical, close or interfering frequencies with a single analog-to-digital converter. The system receives a plurality of input signals at various frequencies and front end circuits filter out first and second frequencies. A mixer and a front end oscillator are in communication with one of the front end circuits for mixing a front end frequency with one of the first and second frequencies prior to the analog-to-digital converter. A summer combines the output of the mixer with the output of one of the front end circuits. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the summer for converting the analog input signal to a digital output signal. The first and second frequencies may be separately processed after they have been combined, even if they were identical frequencies.
US08099068B2
A receiver for isolating a wanted signal in a received signal, the receiver comprising a downconverter for downconverting the received signal in frequency to produce a downconverted signal, a filter with a passband intended for isolating that part of the spectrum of the downconverted signal that contains the wanted signal and a controller that seeks to avoid or reduce the effect of passband intrusion in the form of a negative frequency representation of an interferer, appearing in the spectrum of the received signal, upconverted in frequency to the passband. The invention consists in corresponding methods also.
US08099057B2
Base stations and mobile devices have limited radio frequency spectrum through which they may communicate. Moreover, this spectrum is usually owned by a party having proprietary control. In order to allow for spectrum sharing, cognitive base stations (CBS) may be configured to select a radio frequency channel owned by another entity for its own use, and to determine how much additional noise it will create for such other entity. Based on this determination, the additional noise may be monetized, so that spectrum owners may be compensated for the additional noise created by use of their radio frequency channel.
US08099053B2
Remote control data is securely transmitted to a device under control. A remote control device transmits an acknowledge request for A ch to the device under control (S21). When the device under control has assigned A ch as the reception channel, acknowledge ACK is received. A ch is assigned as the transmission channel (S23), and a command frame is transmitted through A ch (S24). When acknowledge ACK has not been received, an acknowledge request for B ch is transmitted to the device under control (S25). When the device under control has assigned B ch as the reception channel, acknowledge ACK is received. B ch is assigned as the transmission channel (S27), and a command frame is transmitted through B ch (S28). The remote control device can transmits a command through a channel through which the device under control can receive the command, so that secure remote control can be accomplished.
US08099047B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling sleep mode in a terminal comprising at least two network interfaces.According to the present invention, the method comprises the steps of: Switching off one of the two interfaces; Activating the switched off interface for a predefined time window upon reception of a predefined signaling message on the other interface.
US08099045B2
A near field communication (NFC) system and an associated apparatus are provided. The NFC system includes a display device, a host computer, at least one RF module coupled to the host computer, a plurality of antennas coupled to the at least one RF module, and a NFC device. The antennas are disposed behind the display device. The NFC device is for communicating with the host computer via one of the antennas. The NFC system can upgrade communication quality and achieve multi-tasking efficiency.
US08099040B2
A portable MP3 player, which includes radio capability therein. The device includes a radio part which enables receiving radio, either over the airwaves, or via a network. The radio information can be time shared for later use, and sequences within the radio information can be identified for storage within the memory. The memory can store compressed information, such as MP3 information, indicative of songs which are stored. The memory can also store information that is received over the radio.
US08099038B2
An image forming apparatus for processing a print job includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire information about a set of printed sheets to be post-processed by a post-processing apparatus, the post-processing apparatus not being connected to the image forming apparatus via a conveying path of the print sheets output from the image forming apparatus, an analyzing unit configured to analyze the print job, and an output control unit configured to output printed sheets on the basis of the print job in which offset stacking is applied to each set of printed sheets to be post-processed as defined by the post-processing apparatus in accordance with a result of analysis performed by the analyzing unit and information regarding the set of printed sheets to be post-processed acquired by the acquiring unit.
US08099025B2
A toner containing section contains toner, and includes a toner stirring member penetrating the toner containing section for stirring the toner. A rotation member is attached to the toner stirring member and revolves around a rotational shaft of the toner stirring member. A pushing member revolves around the rotational shaft of the toner stirring member to push the rotation member. A stopper section having a stopper body is provided to contact the rotation member. An optical detection device is provided to detect the rotation member temporarily stopping at the stopper section. The rotation member separates from the pushing member by own weight and stops at the stopper section waiting for arrival of the pushing device thereon when an amount of toner remaining in the toner containing section decreases to a prescribed level and the pushing member arrives at an upper dead point. The toner stirring member is formed in a crank sate partially plunging into the toner. The rotation member is attached to the toner stirring member at an outside of the toner containing section.
US08099022B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, color drift is prevented from occurring in a color image by detecting a position of a rotation informing mechanism integrally held by one of first, second, and third gears to detect a phase change in full rotation of at least one gear, detecting a position of a rotation informing mechanism integrally held by a fourth gear to detect a phase in full rotation, and setting, on the basis of the detected one phase change and the detected other phase change, phases during start of rotation of the respective gears such that a phase of a fourth image held by an image holding member rotated by the fourth gear coincides with phases of first to third images held by respective image holding members rotated by the first, second, and third gears.
US08099021B2
An image forming apparatus includes four image carriers, four image carrier gears provided corresponding to the respective image carriers, four transmission gears provided corresponding to the respective image carrier gears and meshed with the respective image carrier gears, and two driving sources each provided corresponding to a pair of the transmission gears being adjacent to each other and driving both of the pair of transmission gears.
US08099013B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit. The image forming unit is detachable with respect to the image forming apparatus. The image forming unit includes a development part, a developer accommodation part, a connection part and a sealing member. The development part develops an electrostatic latent image held on an image holding body by a developer. The developer accommodation part accommodates the developer. The connection part connects the development part and the developer accommodation part. The sealing member unsealably seals the connection part. The sealing member is drawable to outside the image forming apparatus in a direction intersecting with a detaching direction of the image forming unit in such a state that the image forming unit is held therein.
US08099002B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, degradation of carrier in a case is detected from the number of rotations of a developing roller. A predetermined quantity of carrier is replenished every time the developing roller reaches a predetermined number of rotations. An excess developer caused by an increase in bulk through carrier replenishment is discharged from a developer discharge port. The degraded old carrier in the case is replaced by new carrier little by little.
US08099001B2
A developer cartridge and developing device are provided. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from a developing housing, the developing housing comprising a drive gear for transmitting a driving force to the developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge housing that is configured to accommodate developer; a first passage portion provided in the cartridge housing to allow a passage of a detection light for detecting an amount of the developer accommodated in the cartridge housing; an agitator provided in the cartridge housing and configured to agitate the developer by the driving force; a transmission gear configured to mesh with the drive gear to transmit the driving force to the agitator, the transmission gear meshing with the drive gear when the developer cartridge is installed in the developing housing; and a second passage portion provided in the transmission gear to allow the passage of the detection light.
US08098995B2
An electroabsorption optical modulator used as a sampling element has two optical terminals and a power supply terminal, the two optical terminals are used to input and output light, and the power supply terminal imparts an electric field to an optical path connecting the two optical terminals. The electroabsorption optical modulator has a characteristic in which an absorption index is changed with respect to the light beam propagating through the optical path according to a level of the electric field. A monitoring (synchronization sampling) object optical signal is input into one of the two optical terminals of the electroabsorption optical modulator. A predetermined direct-current voltage exhibiting a high absorption index for the monitoring (synchronization sampling) object optical signal is imparted to the power supply terminal of the electroabsorption optical modulator. A sampling optical pulse is input into another of the two optical terminals of the electroabsorption optical modulator through a photocoupler. The absorption index for the monitoring (synchronization sampling) object optical signal is lowered by a mutual absorption saturation characteristic of the electroabsorption optical modulator, and synchronization sampling of the monitoring (synchronization sampling) object optical signal is performed to supply an optical signal from the other of the two optical terminals of the electroabsorption optical modulator through the photocoupler. The mutual absorption saturation characteristic is generated when the sampling optical pulse is input into the other of the two optical terminals.
US08098992B2
The present invention relates to a multipurpose infrared apparatus and a display apparatus thereof. The display apparatus includes a display panel and the multipurpose infrared apparatus, wherein the multipurpose infrared apparatus includes an infrared light emitted diode (hereinafter refer to as, IR LED) transmitter, an IR receiver and a microcontroller. The IR LED transmitter is used for transmitting infrared ray. The IR receiver is used for receiving infrared ray. The microcontroller utilizes the Time-Division Multiplexing method to control the IR LED transmitter and receiver to achieve the distance detecting, the remote control signal receiving and an ambient light detecting.
US08098991B2
A method is provided for co-site interference mitigation in an RF communication system. Spectral nulls created in an optical domain may be used to mitigate interfering signals in an RF signal. The method includes: receiving an RF input signal via an antenna; generating two optical signals that are each modulated using the RF signal; creating a phase delay in one of the two optical signals that corresponds with a spectral null at a frequency of an interfering signal; converting the two optical signals into two corresponding electrical signals and combining the two electrical signals to create spectral nulls via interference between the two signals and form a mitigated output signal. In this way, the spectral null offsets the amplitude of the interfering signal, thereby reducing the signal strength of the interfering signal.
US08098984B2
Disclosed is a focus detecting apparatus detecting an image offset of an optical system. The apparatus comprises a micro lens array arranged with a plurality of micro lenses, a photo-detector having a plurality of detecting elements provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of micro lenses and receiving an optical beam from the optical system via the micro lenses, and a calculator that selects a pair of detecting elements from the plurality of detecting elements in accordance with a plurality of aperture values of the optical system and calculates an image offset of the optical system based on outputs from the pair of detecting elements. The pair of detecting elements receive respectively a pair of optical beams passing through different areas of the optical system.
US08098980B2
On an information recode medium, a whole stream containing a plurality of partial streams each consisting of content information including still picture information is multiplexed and recorded on packet basis. The information record medium includes a file for storing object data consisting of a plurality of packets each containing a fragment of content information and a file for storing information defining the reproduction sequence of the object data. Furthermore, the information record medium includes an object information file for storing classification information indicating whether each object data corresponds to a first encoding method or a second encoding method.
US08098973B2
Method to enable a local system time clock counter (STC) of a receiving recording device to lock to program clock reference (PCR) information comprised in a received real time sequence of information signal packets, such as MPEG2 Transport Stream packets. The method comprising determining the number of cycles between arrival of the first information signal packet and the arrival of the information signal packet comprising the first Program Clock Reference (PCR) information. This information is stored as an attribute of the stored sequence.
US08098969B2
The invention describes an integrated-photonics arrangement, implementable in a multi-guide vertical integration (MGVI) structure composed from III-V semiconductors and grown in one epitaxial growth run, allowing for the integration of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and PIN photodetector (PIN) structures within a common wavelength-designated waveguide of the plurality of the vertically integrated wavelength-designated waveguides forming the MGVI structure. The integration includes a wavelength filter integrated between the SOA and PIN to reduce noise within the PIN arising from ASE generated by the SOA. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the wavelength filter is integrated into MGVI structure either within a common wavelength designated waveguide or within the wavelength-designated waveguide. Further in other embodiments the wavelength filter is provided by a thin-film filter abutting a facet of the integrated-photonics arrangement wherein optical signals are coupled by optical waveguides and/or additional optical elements such as a multimode interference device.
US08098968B2
A thermally switched Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) photo electronic device includes a silicon layer including an optical waveguide and a silicide heating element horizontally adjacent to the waveguide. The waveguide has a refractive index that changes with heat applied to the waveguide.
US08098967B1
A magnetic flux sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises an optical fiber and at least one twin-grating structure formed on the optical fiber. Each twin-grating structure comprises a first optical grating structure, a second optical grating structure adjacent the first optical grating structure, and a sensing cavity disposed between the first and second optical grating structures. Each twin-grating structure is selectively responsive to a unique wavelength of light to generate an optical interference fringe signal. The sensor also includes a magnetostrictive coating disposed over each twin-grating structure to change an optical property of the twin-grating structure and a phase of the optical interference fringe signal when the magnetostrictive coating is exposed to changing magnetic flux.
US08098953B2
An image processing apparatus for automatically improving the contrast of an input image that is obtained from a digital camera or the like, and obtaining a sharper and clearing image. A contrast improvement unit performs a contrast improvement process on the input image by comparing an object pixel in the input image with pixels in the surrounding area. An image combination unit combines the enhanced image obtained by the contrast improvement process with the input image. The combined image is then output to a desired device such as a printer by an image output unit.
US08098947B2
An image data processing apparatus includes a memory for storing coefficient data obtained by performing a wavelet transform on image data, a calculation unit for calculating a memory address of the memory storing the coefficient data, based on an encoding parameter of the image data and an amount of data of the coefficient data, a memory area reservation unit for reserving a memory area where the coefficient data is to be written, in accordance with the memory address calculated by the calculation unit, and a write unit for rearranging the coefficient data in the order of inverse wavelet transform and writing the order-rearranged coefficient data onto the memory area reserved by the memory area reservation unit.
US08098944B2
A motion-vector detector determines the centroid of pixels on a reference frame that is identified with position information set in a database and associated with a feature address corresponding to a feature of a target pixel. The motion-vector detector detects, as a motion vector of the target pixel, a vector that has a starting point at a pixel on the reference frame which corresponds to the target pixel on a current frame and has an end point at the determined centroid. The present invention can be applied to an apparatus for generating a motion vector and allows prompt detection of a motion vector.
US08098943B2
A method of losslessly compressing and encoding signals representing image information is claimed. A lossy compressed data file and a residual compressed data file are generated. When the lossy compressed data file and the residual compressed data file are combined, a lossless data file that is substantially identical to the original data file is created.
US08098941B2
A method and apparatus for compressing image data include a plurality of core encoders for receiving a respective plurality of streams of data in parallel and for compressing the received data, a plurality of output buffers for respectively receiving the compressed data from each of the plurality of core encoders, and a recombination circuit for recombining the compressed data.
US08098935B2
Provided is an improved apparatus and method for recognizing pattern data. The method including extracting a high frequency component with Y data from pattern data sensed through a camera equipped in a mobile station to more clearly recognize edge portions. The high frequency component and the Y data are weighted with predetermined weights, and input data is generated using the high frequency component and Y data weighted with the pre-set weights. Accordingly, edge portions of the input data are more clearly defined, thereby increasing a recognition rate of the pattern data.
US08098929B2
Flesh-tones corrections may be performed to correct color shifts that may occur in transmitted video frames wherein chroma information corresponding to flesh-tone video pixels may be distorted. A target region may be determined based on a determined flesh-tones region within a spatial representation of chroma in video color space, such as Y′CrCb. The flesh-tones correction may utilize one or more methodologies based on an elliptical shape and/or a triangular shape algorithm(s). A video processing system may be utilized to analyze chroma information of received video pixels and/or to perform flesh-tones corrections by shifting the chroma value of received video pixels towards good flesh-tones regions to compensate for possible distortions. The video processing system may perform conversion calculation and/or shift operations dynamically. The video processing system may also utilize lookup tables (LUTs) to convert received chroma values. The LUTs may be programmable to enable modifying and/or updating of the system.
US08098926B2
A method, system and a computer program product for evaluating an evaluated pattern of a mask, the method includes: receiving multiple moments that represent an image of the evaluated pattern; wherein a size of information required for representing the multiple moments is substantially smaller than a size of pixel information that form the image of the evaluated pattern; and processing the multiple moments in order to determine at least one shape parameter of the evaluated pattern.
US08098918B2
A method and system for measuring the volume of the left ventricle (LV) in a 3D medical image, such as a CT, volume is disclosed. Heart chambers are segmented in the CT volume, including at least the LV endocardium and the LV epicardium. An optimal threshold value is automatically determined based on voxel intensities within the LV endocardium and voxel intensities between the LV endocardium and the LV epicardium. Voxels within the LV endocardium are labeled as blood pool voxels or papillary muscle voxels based on the optimal threshold value. The LV volume can be measured excluding the papillary muscles based on the number of blood pool voxels, and the LV volume can be measured including the papillary muscles based on the total number of voxels within the LV endocardium.
US08098915B2
An acoustic pulse array is described. The pulse array can include a plane wave pulse generator having a first side from which a first wave emanates, and a second side from which a second wave emanates. A first waveguide array can be attached to the generator on the first side of the generator, and a second waveguide array can be attached to a second side of the generator. One or more of the waveguides can be attached to the generator so as to orient the waveguide to transmit wave pulses in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the generator.
US08098913B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus uses the pixel value of each of the pixels found in a predetermined range relative to a reference position of image data as input matrix and computes an output value corresponding to the input at its image processing section. Thereafter, the sorting filter of the image processing section sorts the elements of each row of the input matrix on a column by column basis. Then, it extracts a partial matrix having the row including the reference position and surrounding rows from the matrix obtained as a result of the sorting and having a number of rows smaller than number of rows of the input matrix and a number of columns same as the number of columns of the input matrix. Furthermore, it computationally determines the median of the elements of the partial matrix and outputs the median as the output value.
US08098906B2
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for fingerprint liveness detection. In one embodiment, a method for determining fingerprint liveness is provided that comprises receiving a fingerprint image; extracting a region of interest from the fingerprint image; generating a histogram of the region of interest; determining a statistical feature of the histogram; and determining liveness of the fingerprint image based upon the statistical feature.
US08098905B2
Virtual environments are presented on displays along with multimedia programs to permit viewers to participate in a social interactive television environment. The virtual environments include avatars that are created and maintained in part using continually updated animation data that may be captured from cameras that monitor viewing areas in a plurality of sites. User input from the viewers may be processed in determining which viewers are presented in instances of the virtual environment. Continually updating the animation data results in avatars accurately depicting a viewer's facial expressions and other characteristics. Presence data may be collected and used to determine when to capture background images from a viewing area that may later be subtracted during the capture of animation data. Speech recognition technology may be employed to provide callouts within a virtual environment.
US08098901B2
An iris recognition system having pupil and iris border conditioning prior to iris mapping and analysis. The system may obtain and filter an image of an eye. A pupil of the mage may be selected and segmented. Portions of the pupil border can be evaluated and pruned. A curve may be fitted on at least the invalid portions of the pupil border. The iris of the eye with an acceptable border of the pupil as an inside border of the iris may be selected from the image. The iris outside border having sclera and eyelash/lid boundaries may be grouped using a cluster angular range based on eye symmetry. The sclera boundaries may be fitted with a curve. The eyelash/lid boundaries may be extracted or masked. The iris may be segmented, mapped and analyzed.
US08098894B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to obtaining information based on directional orientation of a mobile imaging device, such as a camera phone. Visual information is gathered by the camera and used to determine a directional orientation of the camera, to search for content based on the direction, to manipulate 3D virtual images of a surrounding area, and to otherwise use the directional information. Direction and motion can be determined by analyzing a sequence of images. Distance from a current location, inputted search parameters, and other criteria can be used to expand or filter content that is tagged with such criteria. Search results with distance indicators can be overlaid on a map or a camera feed. Various content can be displayed for a current direction, or desired content, such as a business location, can be displayed only when the camera is oriented toward the desired content.
US08098888B1
The present invention is a method and system for automatically determining the trip of people in a physical space, such as retail space, by capturing a plurality of input images of the people by a plurality of means for capturing images, processing the plurality of input images in order to track the people in each field of view of the plurality of means for capturing images, mapping the trip on to the coordinates of the physical space, joining the plurality of tracks across the multiple fields of view of the plurality of means for capturing images, and finding information for the trip of the people based on the processed results from the plurality of tracks. The trip information can comprise coordinates of the people's position and temporal attributes, such as trip time and trip length, for the plurality of tracks. The physical space may be a retail space, and the people may be customers in the retail space. The trip information can provide key measurements along the entire shopping trip, from entrance to checkout, that deliver deeper insights about the trip as a whole.
US08098884B2
A feeder control system and method are disclosed. The system includes a feeder information detector, and a feeder information leverager to provide integrity verification, system control and/or reporting. The method includes the steps of detecting feeder information, and leveraging the feeder information to provide integrity verification, system control and/or reporting.
US08098869B2
A loudspeaker damper, a manufacturing method thereof, and a loudspeaker, electronic equipment and device using the loudspeaker damper. The damper has flexibility. Therefore, even if a large input is applied and the damper oscillates with a large amplitude, a resin layer provided on the surface of the damper base material is not cracked due to partial interface peeling. Thus, the damper follows such a large amplitude and realizes high input-resistance. This loudspeaker damper material is obtained by impregnating a material with thermosetting resin including 2 to 20 wt % of flexibility imparting agent and heat-curing thereof.
US08098862B2
Provisions to charge the battery of a hearing apparatus without having to remove the battery from the housing are provided. A hearing apparatus separates charging contacts, which are disposed on the surface of the housing and serve to charge the battery, from the battery and to connect the battery to an amplifier circuit, when the battery is not being charged. Otherwise, when the battery is being charged, the hearing apparatus connects the charging contacts to the battery and separates the battery from the amplifier circuit. This double switching function means that the amplifier circuit is protected from charging power surges and also in the normal operating state of the hearing apparatus electrochemical reactions at the charging contacts are avoided.
US08098861B2
A battery compartment door for an electronic device, said door being operable between open and closed conditions of use with respect to the device, including a cradle shaped to at least partially receive a terminal of a battery, wherein the cradle is adapted to electrically couple the terminal to an electric circuit of the device when the door is arranged in the closed condition of use.
US08098857B2
The invention relates to a hearing aid having a sound receiver and a sound generator. The hearing aid also has an audio signal unit that is functionally linked to the sound generator and has a tone signal generator for generating a tone signal as a function of a trigger signal and of a generation parameter which represents a frequency that can be perceived by a human ear. The hearing aid also has a memory, connected to the tone signal generator, for storing the generation parameter. The audio signal unit changes the generation parameter stored in the memory, generates a trigger signal for each tone signal requiring to be generated, sends said trigger signal to the tone signal generator, and sends the generated tone signal to the sound generator.
US08098855B2
A flexible actuator comprises a thin film and at least one first enclosure with at least one first bendable element coupled to the first enclosure. The thin film may comprise a conductive layer and a first electret layer over a first surface of the conductive layer. The thin film is configured to be bendable. The first enclosure have a first electrode layer as part of the first enclosure. The first enclosure is provided over the first electret layer with the first electrode layer being spaced apart from the first electret layer. The first electrode layer is coupled with a first terminal of an audio signal input. The thin film is configured to interact with the first enclosure in response to audio signals supplied by the audio signal input and to generate sound waves.
US08098853B2
A microphone unit includes: a partition member, including a vibration film configured to be vibrated by sound; a housing, defining an inner space, and formed with a first opening and a second opening, the inner space being divided into a first space and a second space by the partition member, the first space adapted to be communicated with an outer space via the first opening, and the second space adapted to be communicated with the outer space via the second opening; and a shutter, configured to close one of the first and second openings; and an amplifier, configured to: amplify an electric signal at a first gain when the shutter closes the one of the first and second openings; and amplify the electric signal at a second gain that is larger than the first gain when first and second openings are opened.
US08098848B2
An equalization system enhances the quality of communications between a remote party and a local party. The equalization system includes an equalization filter that equalizes an acoustic signal received from the remote party. The equalized acoustic signal is transmitted to a speaker based on the equalized acoustic signal. A device converts sound into electrical signals. The electrical signals are transmitted to an echo compensation filter that compensates for reflected sound. Filter characteristics of the equalization filter are based on filter characteristics of the echo compensation filter.
US08098846B2
The invention relates to a sound field generator and a method of generating a sound field using the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a sound field generator and a method of generating the same, which can apply a filter in consideration of a masking effect in a time domain to a room impulse response, remove inaudible data depending on a frequency in a signal obtained by multiplying the room impulse response by an input signal in a frequency domain, and remove a signal block having a lower level than a level of a background noise block among output signal blocks to considerably reduce computational complexity required for performing a convolution, making it possible to generate an accurate sound field by minimizing sound quality distortion while implementing a real-time sound field generating system.
US08098840B2
A multi-channel output device for a multimedia device includes a plurality of reception ends, an amplifier having an input end and an output end, a plurality of sound output devices for outputting sound, a first switching unit coupled between the plurality of reception ends and the input end of the amplifier for coupling a reception end of the plurality of reception ends to the input end of the amplifier according to a control signal, a second switching unit coupled between the output end of the amplifier and the plurality of sound output devices for coupling the output end of the amplifier to a sound output device of the plurality of sound output devices according to the control signal, and a control unit coupled to the first switching unit and the second switching unit for outputting the control signal.
US08098835B2
A method and apparatus to enhance a low frequency component of an audio signal, by computing a fundamental frequency of an input audio signal using the input audio signal and a delayed audio signal obtained by delaying the input audio signal by a predetermined amount of time, generating harmonic signals from the input audio signal based on the fundamental frequency, and combining the harmonic signals and the input audio signal. The low frequency component of the audio signal can be enhanced using human characteristics of perception without physically boosting the energy of the low frequency component.
US08098833B2
A system and method to detect and measure remediated speech intelligibility by evaluating received test audio transmitted across and received in a space or region of interest. Remediation of the test audio may include altering the rate, pitch, amplitude and frequency bands energy during presentation of the speech signal.
US08098830B2
A technique for reducing inherent noise in a real time digital audio wireless system. The technique allows for low power stereo analog to digital and digital to analog converters to be used in a battery operated real time digital audio wireless applications. The audio signal is sent to the left and right channels of an analog to digital converter with a preceding audio amp of different gain at the input to each channel. The signals are simultaneously digitized then combined to generate a new digital value resulting in noise reduction at lower amplitudes. This new data word is then transmitted via radio waves to a digital audio receiver. Once the data is received it is output simultaneously to a stereo digital to analog converter. The digital to analog conversion of both left and right channels is then summed using a resistor network and an audio amplifier. The audio amplifier output is then reduced to create further reduction of noise at all amplitudes.
US08098827B2
The inventive data processing apparatus enables own memory device to store a plurality of key distribution approval data files each containing such a header data comprising a number of “link-count” data units each designating actual number of applicable contents data per decodable contents key based on an enabling key block (EKB) distribution key enciphering key (KEK) enciphered by a corresponding enabling key block (EKB) provided for by a hierarchy key tree structure. When storing a plurality of the enabling key blocks (EKB) in a memory device, such a key enciphering key (KEK) contained in an enabling key block (EKB) having a number of link-count data units is previously decoded and stored in the memory device. By way of applying the stored (KEK) when utilizing contents data, the enabling key block (EKB) processing step is deleted, whereby promoting higher efficiency in the utilization of contents data.
US08098825B2
A method for enhancing data encryption using multiple-key lists is disclosed. A first multiple-key list and a second multiple-key list for a decryption key are created, wherein each multiple-key list comprises plural partial decryption keys. Content to be accessed is encrypted using an encryption key corresponding to the decryption key. The first multiple-key list is stored in a hidden area of a memory device storing the content. The second multiple-key list is stored in the memory device. When the memory device is installed on an electronic device, an application installed in the electronic device is activated to select a first partial decryption key from the first multiple-key list stored in the hidden area and a second partial decryption key from the memory device, re-organizes and codes the first and second partial decryption keys to recover the decryption key, and decrypts the content using the decryption key, enabling the electronic device to access the content.
US08098818B2
A method and an apparatus for secure registration for a multicast-broadcast-multimedia system (MBMS) are disclosed. A random number is generated by a broadcast-multicast-service center (BM-SC) and broadcast to user equipment in the coverage area of a radio access network (RAN). A memory module or smart card (UICC) in the user equipment generates a radio access network key (RAK) which is a function of the random number and a key selected from the group consisting of a public land mobile network key (PK) and a broadcast access key (BAK), and then generates a temporary registration key (RGK) as a function of the RAK, a service identification number and a user identification number, for example, P-TMSI, which may be extracted by the RAN to authenticate the registration as legitimate.
US08098813B2
In an embodiment, a method for removing an echo component is a first signal received at an audio input device includes outputting a second signal from an audio output device, receiving at the audio input device the first signal wherein the echo component in the first signal is the result of the second signal traversing an echo path; detecting if the first signal only comprises the echo component; determining an estimate indicative of the echo path by comparing the first signal and the second signal when it is detected that the first signal only comprises echo; applying the estimate indicative of the echo path to the first signal to determine an equalised first signal; comparing the equalised first signal with the second signal to determine an estimate indicative of the echo component; and removing the echo component from the first signal in dependence on the estimate indicative of the echo component; wherein the step of detecting if the first signal only comprises the echo component comprises comparing a characteristic of the equalised first signal to a characteristic of the second signal.
US08098811B2
Methods and systems are described for selectively playing received ringtones. Receipt at a communication device of an incoming voice call that includes a ringtone is detected. A ringtone preselected for the communication device is played in response to receiving the incoming call. Prior to receiving input for answering the call at the communication device, user input for one of playing and not playing the received ringtone at the communication device is received. The received ringtone is played or not played based on the received user input.
US08098803B1
A method and apparatus for enabling wholesale network service providers to selectively block calls from wholesale customers who are exceeding their traffic projections based on pre-arranged agreements. The present method also enables wholesale network service providers to notify their wholesale customers that the subscribed traffic projections, such as call minute usage, begins to approach their maximum established volume. When the maximum established volume is exceeded by the wholesale customer, the present method provides parameters for adjusting the degree to which calls from the providers will be blocked, either gracefully by blocking calls partially or completely by blocking all incoming calls.
US08098799B2
A presence aware communications system, comprising a messaging system configured to perform at least one of the following operations: (a) provide a subscriber's communication device with information regarding an incoming contact during a messaging session between the subscriber's communication device and the messaging system; (b) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message containing information regarding one or more messages when a notification is received that the subscriber's communication device is available; (c) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message relating to a voice message from a different first party received by the messaging system; (d) in response to the subscriber's communication device requesting a connection with at least one of an inputted telephone number and address, provide the subscriber's communication device with a notification respecting at least one eligible message from a second party associated with the at least one of an inputted telephone number and address; (e) while a contact between the subscriber and a different third party is in progress, provide the subscriber's communication device with information respecting the at least one eligible message from the third party; (f) transform an audio messaging session between the messaging system and the communication device of a contacting party into a graphical user interface-based audio session; and (g) transform the audio messaging session into a session having a video channel or both audio and video channels.
US08098796B2
An X-ray target assembly includes a substrate, a target supported by the substrate adapted to generate X-rays when impinged by an electron beam, and an enclosure over the target providing a volume for the target. The enclosure is made of a material substantially transparent to electrons. The volume is substantially vacuum or filled with an inert gas.
US08098795B2
An X-ray detector for recording an image of an object that is moving relative to the detector includes a plurality of detector modules which are adjacently disposed so that they partially overlap. Using the detector modules, a TDI (Time Delayed Integration) is performed within each detector module. Subsequently an evaluation unit determines corrected measurement values of an overlap region by adding the measured values from the individual detector modules in the overlap region.
US08098794B1
An x-ray imaging system and method for a moving article are provided for an article moved along a linear direction of travel while the article is exposed to non-overlapping x-ray beams. A plurality of parallel linear sensor arrays are disposed in the x-ray beams after they pass through the article. More specifically, a first half of the plurality are disposed in a first of the x-ray beams while a second half of the plurality are disposed in a second of the x-ray beams. Each of the parallel linear sensor arrays is oriented perpendicular to the linear direction of travel. Each of the parallel linear sensor arrays in the first half is matched to a corresponding one of the parallel linear sensor arrays in the second half in terms of an angular position in the first of the x-ray beams and the second of the x-ray beams, respectively.
