US08207221B2
The present invention relates to four distinct crystalline polymorphs of a monohydrate of Compound A having the following chemical structure: These four polymorphic forms, herein referred to as Forms I, II, III and IV are active as a CXC-chemokine receptor ligands. The invention is further directed to formulations, methods of treatment, and processes of synthesis of these polymorphic forms.
US08207219B2
Methods, compositions, dosing regimes, and routes of administration for the treatment or prevention of arrhythmias. In these methods, early afterdepolarizations and prolongation of QT interval may be reduced or eliminated by administering ion channel modulating compounds to a subject in need thereof. The ion channel modulating compounds may be cycloalkylamine ether compounds, particularly cyclohexylamine ether compounds. Also described are compositions of ion channel modulating compounds and drugs which induce early afterdepolarizations, prolongation of QT interval and/or Torsades de Pointes.
US08207214B2
A method for treating an inflammatory process selected from the group consisting of oedema, erythema, articular inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, a colorectal tumor, a pulmonary carcinoma, an adenocarcinoma, and combinations thereof, in a person in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the person in need thereof, in an amount sufficient to treat the inflammatory process, a 3-aminocarbazole or a salt thereof.
US08207202B2
The invention concerns benzamide compounds of formula (I), wherein R1 is a C-linked pyrazole ring, which is optionally substituted by one or more groups selected from C1-4alkyl, C3-4cycloalkyl, C1-4alkoxy and C3-4cycloalkoxy; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or pro-drug form thereof. The invention also concerns processes for the preparation of such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the manufacture of a medicament for use as an antiproliferative agent in the prevention or treatment of tumors or other proliferative conditions, which are sensitive to the inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC).
US08207196B2
The present invention relates to treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizing fatostatin A and/or a derivative and/or analog thereof. In other aspects, the compound for treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizes an A-B-C tripartite structure, wherein A, B, and C are identical or non-identical structures and are described in detail herein. In specific aspects, the metabolic disorder includes obesity or diabetes, for example.
US08207194B2
A compound having the following formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein A is benzene or an aromatic five-membered heterocycle which optionally is fused with a cycloalkane ring; B is an alkylene; R1 and R2 are hydrogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycle, amino, alkylamino, arylamino or acyl, or R1 and R2 join together to form a heterocycle; X and Y are hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, mercapto, alkylthio, arylthio, carboxyl, an ester of carboxyl, an amide of carboxyl, cyano or nitro; p is 0, 1 or 2; and q is 0 or 1. The compound is useful for treating diseases in which angiogenesis or augmentation of vascular permeability is involved.
US08207191B2
The present invention provides a novel process for preparing pleuromutilin derivatives, novel salts of mutilin 14-(exo-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-ylsulfanyl)-acetate or solvates thereof, novel pharmaceutical compositions or formulations for topical administration comprising mutilin 14-(exo-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-ylsulfanyl)-acetate or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof and their use in medical therapy, particularly antibacterial therapy.
US08207189B2
A compound represented by the following formula or a salt thereof: wherein each of A1, A2, A3 and A4 independently represents a carbon or nitrogen, R1 is a radioactive halogen substituent, R2 is a group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, a methoxy group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, an N-methylamino group, an N,N-dimethylamino group and a cyano group, and p is an integer of 0 to 2, provided at least one of A1, A2, A3 and A4 represents a carbon, and R1 binds to a carbon represented by A1, A2, A3 or A4, is effective as an image diagnosis probe targeting amyloid. A diagnostic agent for Alzheimer's disease contains the compound.
US08207187B2
There is provided the use of compounds of formula I wherein R1, R2, R3 and X have meanings given in the description, for the preparation of a medicament for killing clinically latent microorganisms. There is also provided the use of compounds of formula I for treating microbial infections, as well as certain compounds of formula I per se.
US08207184B2
A condensation compound of a fluorinated cyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring, which is useful, for example, for electronic materials, and a process for producing the same are provided. For instance, according to Scheme 1 below, a compound (68) containing a condensed structure formed of a hexafluorocyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring is synthesized. The aromatic ring is not limited to a thiophene ring but can be any ring and any substituent can be used. Thus a compound containing a condensed ring structure formed of a hexafluorocyclopentane ring and an aromatic ring, particularly, for instance, a thiophene ring, which was impossible to produce conventionally, can be produced easily with high yield. The compound of the present invention is particularly suitable to be applied to, for example, electronic materials or semiconductors. When it is polymerized and thereby the π-electronic conjugation is extended, it also is expected to be applied to, for example, n-type organic semiconductors and molecular wires that are indispensable for developing molecular electronics elements.
US08207183B2
Novel compounds that inhibit the binding of the Smac protein to Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) of the formula (I).
US08207181B2
The present disclosure relates to a series of 2-substituted-di- tri or tetra-hydro-8H-cyclopentaoxazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-8-ones and 2-substituted-di-, tetra-, or hexa-hydro-cyclohexaoxazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ones of formula (I): wherein p, n, A, B, X, Y, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are as defined herein. This invention also relates to methods of making these compounds including novel intermediates. The compounds of this invention are modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR), particularly, mGluR2 receptor. Therefore, the compounds of this invention are useful as pharmaceutical agents, especially in the treatment and/or prevention of a variety of central nervous system disorders (CNS), including but not limited to acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions, psychoses, convulsions, anxiety, depression, migraine, pain, sleep disorders and emesis.
US08207177B2
This invention relates to compounds that inhibit E1 activating enzymes, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and methods of using the compounds. The compounds are useful for treating disorders, particularly cell proliferation disorders, including cancers, inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders; and inflammation associated with infection and cachexia.
US08207174B2
Aryloxypropanolamines, methods of preparation therof and use of aryloxypropanolamines as medicaments
This invention relates to novel aryloxypropanolamines. The invention also relates to the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates containing said compounds, methods for the preparation thereof and to respective synthetic intermediates. Said compounds have agonistic activity at β3 adrenergic receptors and are useful for treatment of ailments influenced by activation of β3 adrenergic receptors.
US08207172B2
The invention relates to novel heterocycles of formula (I) processes for their preparation and their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment or prophylaxis of disorders, especially of hyperproliferative disorders.
US08207163B2
The present invention provides novel piperazine derivatives which can be advantageously used for treating schizophrenia and related psychoses such as acute manic, bipolar disorder, autistic disorder and depression.
US08207160B2
The invention relates to tetrahydrobenzazepines of the general formula I in which the variables Ar, A, B, Y, R1 and R2 have the meanings indicated in claim 1, as well as the N-oxides of these compounds, the physiologically tolerated acid addition salts of these compounds and the physiologically tolerated acid addition salts of the N-oxides. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one tetrahydrobenzazepine compound of the formula I, the physically tolerated acid addition salt of I, the N-oxide of compound of the formula I and/or the physically tolerated acid addition salts of the N-oxides of I, and further to the use of a compound according to the present invention for treating disorders that respond beneficially to dopamine D3 receptor antagonists or dopamine D3 agonists. The compounds according to the invention are preferably useful for the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system such as schizophrenia and depression and for the treatment of renal function disorders.
US08207155B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds which are useful as inhibitors of glycine type 1 transporter (GlyT1) activity; synthetic methods for making the compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds; and methods of treating disorders associated with glycine type 1 transporter (GlyT1) activity using the compounds and compositions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US08207148B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions which employ low concentrations of combinations of zinc salts and antimicrobial agents in coatings for medical articles. The coatings have an anti-irritant effect and inhibit transmission of infectious disease.
US08207144B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a plurality of sodium salts represented by the formula (I): wherein, m1, n1, m2 and n2 respectively and independently represent a positive number between 0 and 2, provided that m1+n1=2, m2+n2=2, 0
US08207143B2
The present invention relates to the use of the compound according to formula (I), below for the treatment of tumors, cancer and hyperproliferative diseases, among other conditions or disease states: Where X is H or F; R1 and R2 are independently H, an acyl group, a C1-C20 alkyl or ether group, a phosphate, diphosphate, triphosphate or a phosphodiester group, a (A) or (B) group; Where Nu is a radical of a biologically active compound such as an anticancer, antiviral or antihyperproliferative compound such that an amino group or hydroxyl group from said biologically active agent forms a phosphate, phosphoramidate, carbonate or urethane group with the adjacent moiety; each R8 is independently H, or a C1-C20 alkyl or ether group, preferably a C1-C12 alkyl group; k is 0-12, preferably, 0-2; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
US08207134B2
Provided are a compound represented by Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are each independently selected from a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group which may be substituted, a C7-14 aralkyl group which may be substituted and —C(═O)Rx; n denotes an integer selected from 1 and 2; and ring Ar is selected from the groups represented by the following Formula (a) to (f). or a prodrug thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as well as a pharmaceutical agent and a pharmaceutical composition containing such a compound or a prodrug thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08207127B2
Peptide-based compounds including heteroatom-containing, three-membered rings efficiently and selectively inhibit specific activities of N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn) hydrolases. The activities of those Ntn having multiple activities can be differentially inhibited by the compounds described. For example, the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome may be selectively inhibited with the inventive compounds. The peptide-based compounds include at least three peptide units, an epoxide or aziridine, and functionalization at the N-terminus. Among other therapeutic utilities, the peptide-based compounds are expected to display anti-inflammatory properties and inhibition of cell proliferation.
US08207118B2
A wound healing composition comprising a class of polypeptide compounds having a polypeptide chain with 5 to 120 amino acid units per chain. The composition includes a pharmaceutical medium to carry the polypeptide compound, such as an aqueous solution, suspension, dispersion, salve, ointment, gel, cream, lotion, spray or paste. Additionally, a method of applying a wound healing composition comprising a class of polypeptide compounds having a polypeptide chain with 5 to 120 amino acid units per chain in a concentration of from about 1 μg/ml to about 100 μg/ml for a time sufficient to heal the wound is disclosed.
US08207112B2
The present invention relates to a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising a granulocyte colony stimulating factor polypeptide conjugated with a polymer. In various embodiments, the composition has a pH value in the range of 4.5 to 5.5. Exemplary compositions further comprise a surfactant and optionally one or more other pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The invention provides, inter alia, formulations free from tartaric acid or salts thereof and/or from succinic acid and salts thereof as buffering agents. Exemplary formulations are essentially devoid of not amino acids as stabilizers. The composition has good storage stability and is especially useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of disorders and medical indications where granulocyte colony stimulating factor preparations are considered as useful remedies.
US08207107B2
The invention is to di-amido gellant that are suitable for use in consumer product compositions.
US08207105B2
The instant disclosure relates to cleaning and/or treatment compositions, such as fabric care, hair care and skin care compositions, containing an aminosilicone, one or more anionic surfactants and one or more deposition aids. The disclosed compositions have improved rheology and performance. The disclosed compositions may provide one or more fabric care benefits including, for example, fabric softness and/or an anti-wrinkle benefit. Methods of making and using the compositions are also disclosed.
US08207102B2
The present invention relates to compositions including a mixture of hardness ions (e.g., magnesium and calcium ions) in an amount greater than the amount of threshold agent, which have a beneficial effect on etch or corrosion during cleaning. The present compositions can reduce corrosion or etch of glass and aluminum. The present invention also relates to methods employing these compositions.
US08207101B1
The invention relates to specific synergistic combinations (providing perfume delivery in both diluted and undiluted compositions) between specific soap-based liquid concentrates and particularly defined perfumes. The invention further relates to a method of delivering enhanced smell and/or enhanced fragrance intensity in use using such combinations.
US08207100B1
The invention relates to specific synergistic combinations (providing perfume delivery in both diluted and undiluted compositions) between specific soap-based liquid concentrates and particularly defined perfumes. The invention further relates to a method of delivering enhanced smell and/or enhanced fragrance intensity in use using such combinations.
US08207094B2
This invention relates to fluid compositions used in treating a subterranean formation. In particular, the invention is aqueous wellbore treatment compositions which are foams containing a viscosifying agent, a foam extender, a gas component, and a surfactant, as well as methods of forming such fluids, and uses thereof. The viscosifying agent may be a hydratable polymer, viscoelastic surfactant, or heteropolysaccharide. The foam extender may be a material such as a polyoxyalkyleneamines, ethylenepolyamines, tertiary polyamines, bicarbonate, carbonate, phosphate, or sesquicarbonate.
US08207093B2
Described herein are RNA-protein fusion production methods which involve a high salt post-translational incubation step.
US08207092B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for improving plant health. In particular, application of dicamba or another substrate of DMO, or metabolites thereof including DCSA, to a plant confers tolerance to, or defense against, abiotic or biotic stresses such as oxidative stress including herbicide application, and plant disease, and enhances crop yield. Such application may be in combination with the application of another herbicide such as glyphosate.
US08207088B2
A transfer substrate includes a light transmissive support substrate; a light-heat conversion layer formed on the light transmissive support substrate; and a transfer layer formed on the light heat conversion layer. The transfer layer is a layer transferred as a luminescent layer of an organic electroluminescent element and is made of a metal complex, a fluorescent luminescent dopant and an aromatic hydrocarbon whose matrix skeleton has four to seven rings.
US08207086B2
A technique of fabricating a medium-high temperature CO2 sorbent of layered nano-carbonate is provided. A CO2 sorbent is fabricated. The sorbent captures CO2 at a medium-high temperature above 600° C. Calcium acetate is introduced for making a nano-scale layered double hydroxide (LDH). The layered structure is used for templated synthesis. The sorbent has an initial conversion rate above 90%; and the conversion rate remains the same even after 100 times of carbonation/de-carbonation cycles.
US08207085B2
A photocatalytic coating composition comprising photocatalytic titanium oxide, silver, copper and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide. The photocatalytic coating composition may include a photocatalytic titanium oxide sol dispersed in a binder. Furthermore, a photocatalytic member includes a substrate having a surface coated with the photocatalytic coating composition. The photocatalyst coating composition can contain highly antibacterial silver by skillfully utilizing copper and a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and accordingly can show an antibacterial effect not only in a dark place simply due to silver, but also a higher antibacterial effect in a conventional application of employing ultraviolet sterilization by concomitantly using the photocatalyst titanium oxide sol according to the present invention and an ultraviolet sterilizer.
US08207068B2
Example embodiments relate to a method of fabricating a memory device and a memory device. The method of fabricating a memory device comprises forming a lower electrode and an oxide layer on a lower structure and radiating an energy beam on a region of the oxide layer. The memory device comprises a lower structure and an oxide layer and a lower structure formed on the lower structure, the oxide layer including an electron beam radiation region that received radiation from an electron beam source creating an artificially formed current path through the oxide layer to the lower electrode. A reset current of the memory device may be decreased and stabilized.
US08207067B2
A surface component film (2) is etched using a resist (3) as a mask, and the surface component film (2) is patterned according to the shape of an aperture (3a). This results in a step portion (4) having the same shape as the aperture (3a), with the sidewall (4a) of the step portion (4) exposed through the aperture (3a). The aperture (3a) is spin-coated with a shrink agent, reacted at a first temperature, and developed to shrink the aperture (3a). To control the shrinkage with high accuracy, in the first round of reaction, the aperture is shrunk by, for example, about half of the desired shrinkage. The aperture (3a) is further spin-coated with a shrink agent, reacted at a second temperature, and developed to shrink the aperture (3a). In this embodiment, the second-round shrink process will result in the desired aperture length. The second temperature is adjusted based on the shrinkage in the first round. With respect to a resist using short-wavelength light (short-wavelength resist) or a resist using electron beam (electron beam resist), a minute aperture can be obtained with stable shrink effect and accurate control of the length thereof.
US08207062B2
Methods of improving the adhesion of low resistivity tungsten/tungsten nitride layers are provided. Low resistivity tungsten/tungsten nitride layers with good adhesion are formed by treating a tungsten or tungsten nitride layer before depositing low resistivity tungsten. Treatments include a plasma treatment and a temperature treatment. According to various embodiments, the treatment methods involve different gaseous atmospheres and plasma conditions.
US08207057B2
A method of forming a microball grid array includes adhering a microball precursor material to a transfer medium under conditions to reflect a selective charge pattern. The method includes transferring the microball precursor material from the transfer medium across a gap and to an integrated circuit substrate under conditions to reflect the selective charge pattern. The method includes achieving the microball grid array without the aid of a mask.
US08207056B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an electrode; forming a projection projecting with respect to the electrode by melting a resin; and providing a conductive layer electrically connected to the electrode. The conductive layer is extended to an upper surface of the projection. Therefore, productivity of the semiconductor is improved.
US08207048B2
Method for producing nanostructures comprising: a step of providing a substrate (100) having a buried barrier layer (2) and above said barrier layer (2) a crystalline film (5) provided with a network of crystalline defects and/or stress fields (12) in a crystalline zone (13), one or several steps of attacking the substrate (100), of which a preferential attack either of the crystalline defects and/or the stress fields, or the crystalline zone (13) between the crystalline defects and/or the stress fields, said attack steps enabling the barrier layer (2) to be laid bared locally and protrusions (7) to be formed on a nanometric scale, separated from each other by hollows (7.1) having a base located in the barrier layer, the protrusions leading to nanostructures (7, 8).
US08207038B2
A method for fabricating an FET device is disclosed. The method includes Fin-FET devices with fins that are composed of a first material, and then merged together by epitaxial deposition of a second material. The fins are vertically recesses using a selective etch. A continuous silicide layer is formed over the increased surface areas of the first material and the second material, leading to smaller resistance. A stress liner overlaying the FET device is afterwards deposited. An FET device is also disclosed, which FET device includes a plurality of Fin-FET devices, the fins of which are composed of a first material. The FET device includes a second material, which is epitaxially merging the fins. The fins are vertically recessed relative to an upper surface of the second material. The FET device furthermore includes a continuous silicide layer formed over the fins and over the second material, and a stress liner covering the device.
US08207036B2
A method for fabricating a non-volatile storage element. The method comprises forming a layer of polysilicon floating gate material over a substrate and forming a layer of nitride at the surface of the polysilicon floating gate material. Floating gates are formed from the polysilicon floating gate material. Individual dielectric caps are formed from the nitride such that each individual nitride dielectric cap is self-aligned with one of the plurality of floating gates. An inter-gate dielectric layer is formed over the surface of the dielectric caps and the sides of the floating gates. Control gates are then formed with the inter-gate dielectric layer separating the control gates from the floating gates. The layer of nitride may be formed using SPA (slot plane antenna) nitridation. The layer of nitride may be formed prior to or after etching of the polysilicon floating gate material to form floating gates.
US08207032B2
Some embodiments include methods of forming vertical transistors. A construction may have a plurality of spaced apart fins extending upwardly from a semiconductor substrate. Each of the fins may have vertical transistor pillars, and each of the vertical transistor pillars may have a bottom source/drain region location, a channel region location over the bottom source/drain region location, and a top source/drain region location over the channel region location. Electrically conductive gate material may be formed along the fins while using oxide within spaces along the bottoms of the fins to offset the electrically conductive gate material to be above the bottom source/drain region locations of the vertical transistor pillars. The oxide may be an oxide which etches at a rate of at least about 100 Å/minute with dilute HF at room temperature. In some embodiments the oxide may be removed after the electrically conductive gate material is formed.
US08207031B2
Methods of forming, on a substrate, a first lateral high-voltage MOS transistor and a second lateral high-voltage MOS transistor complementary to said first one are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method includes (1) providing a substrate of a first conductivity type including a first active region for said first lateral high-voltage MOS transistor and a second active region for said second lateral high-voltage MOS transistor and (2) forming at least one first doped region of the first conductivity type in the first active region and forming in the second active region a drain extension region of the second conductivity type extending from a substrate surface to an interior of the substrate, including a concurrent implantation of dopants through openings of one and the same mask into the first and second active regions. Forming of the at least one first doped region may be a sub step of a superior step of forming a double RESURF structure in the first lateral high-voltage MOS transistor, and forming the double RESURF structure may include forming doped RESURF regions as two first doped regions, one thereof above and one thereof below the drift region of the first lateral high-voltage MOS transistor, and as two further doped regions, one thereof above and one thereof below the drain extension regions of the second lateral high-voltage MOS transistor, wherein the first doped RESURF regions have an inverse conductivity type with respect to the drift region and the further doped regions have inverse conductivity type as compared to the drain extension region.
US08207028B2
A first nanoscale self-aligned self-assembled nested line structure having a sublithographic width and a sublithographic spacing and running along a first direction is formed from first self-assembling block copolymers within a first layer. The first layer is filled with a filler material and a second layer is deposited above the first layer containing the first nanoscale nested line structure. A second nanoscale self-aligned self-assembled nested line structure having a sublithographic width and a sublithographic spacing and running in a second direction is formed from second self-assembling block copolymers within the second layer. The composite pattern of the first nanoscale nested line structure and the second nanoscale nested line structure is transferred into an underlayer beneath the first layer to form an array of structures containing periodicity in two directions.
US08207027B2
A semiconductor structure and its method of fabrication include multiple finFETs with different vertical dimensions for the semiconductor fins. An implant species is implanted in a bottom portion of selected semiconductor fins on which reduced vertical dimension is desired. The bottom portion of the selected semiconductor fins with implant species is etched selective to the semiconductor material without the implanted species, i.e., the semiconductor material in the top portion of the semiconductor fin and other semiconductor fins without the implanted species. FinFETs with the full vertical dimension fins and a high on-current and finFETs with reduced vertical dimension fins with a low on-current thus results on the same semiconductor substrate. By adjusting the depth of the implant species, the vertical dimension of the semiconductor fins may be adjusted in selected finFETs.
US08207011B2
Provided is a technique for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element using a dense crystalline semiconductor film without a cavity between crystal grains. A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a first electrode, a unit cell, and a second electrode over a substrate includes the steps of: forming a plasma region between a first electrode and a second electrode by supplying high-frequency power of 60 MHz or less to the first electrode under a condition where a pressure of a reactive gas in a chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus is set to from 450 Pa to 13332 Pa, and a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the plasma CVD apparatus is set to from 1 mm to 20 mm, preferably, 4 mm to 16 mm; forming deposition precursors including a crystalline semiconductor in a gas phase including the plasma region; forming a crystal nucleus having a grain size of from 5 nm to 15 nm by depositing the deposition precursors; and forming a semiconductor film having a first conductivity type, a semiconductor film effective in photoelectric conversion, or a semiconductor film having a first conductivity type in the unit cell, by growing a crystal from the crystal nucleus.
US08207008B1
A solar device is provided, comprising a substrate structure having a surface region, a flexible and conformal material comprising a polymer material affixing the surface region, and one or more solar cells spatially provided by one or more films of materials characterized by a thickness dimension of 25 microns and less and mechanically coupled to the flexible and conformal material. The one or more solar cells have a flexible characteristic. The flexible characteristic maintains each of the solar cells substantially free from any damage or breakage thereto when the one or more films of materials is subjected to bending.
US08207000B2
A manufacturing method of a flat panel display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: coating a first adhering member on a first supporting plate; disposing a first substrate on the first adhering member; using ultrasonic waves to adhere the first supporting plate and the first substrate; and forming a gate line, a data line, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor on the first substrate. According to the manufacturing method of the flat panel display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first adhering member made of the plurality of adhering particles is melted by using the ultrasonic waves without an additional adhering film to adhere the flexible first substrate and the first supporting plate, thereby reducing the overall manufacturing cost.
US08206992B2
Hydrophilic threads as platforms for inexpensive, low volume, portable diagnostic systems, and methods of making the same are described. A diagnostic system includes a hydrophilic loading thread having an inlet zone at a proximal end; a testing zone at a distal end; and an intermediate zone located between the inlet zone and the testing zone, wherein the testing zone does not directly contact the inlet zone. In another aspect, a diagnostic system includes (i) a hydrophilic loading thread that includes an inlet zone at a proximal end and an intermediate zone at a distal end; and (ii) one or more additional hydrophilic threads that contact the intermediate zone of the loading thread. A method of detecting the presence or absence of an analyte in a fluid sample includes applying the sample to an inlet zone of a diagnostic system that includes a hydrophilic loading thread with an inlet zone at a proximal end; an intermediate zone; and a testing zone at a distal end; wherein the testing zone does not directly contact the inlet zone.
US08206991B2
A particle sensor is provided having a first temperature sensing device having a sensing surface exposed to particles contained within a fluid. The sensing surface is at least partially coated with a catalyst for promoting an exothermic reaction with at least a portion of the particles. The particle sensor also has a second temperature sensing device positioned at a location substantially thermally isolated from thermal energy generated by the exothermic reaction.
US08206984B2
Disclosed are nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for acetolactate synthase, acetolactate synthase regulatory regions, α-tubulin promoter, a promoter from a Thraustochytriales polyketide synthase (PKS) system, and fatty acid desaturase promoter, each from a Thraustochytriales microorganism. Also disclosed are recombinant vectors useful for transformation of Thraustochytriales microorganisms, as well as a method of transformation of Thraustochytriales microorganisms. The recombinant nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can be used for the expression of foreign nucleic acids in a Thraustochytriales microorganism as well as for the deletion, mutation, or inactivation of genes in Thraustochytriales microorganisms.
US08206980B2
A method for culture of hair follicular dermal sheath cells or precursor cells thereof which are potent cellular materials for such as hair regeneration by cell transplantation is provided. That is, by performing culture in an animal cell culture medium supplemented with platelet-derived growth factor AA (PDGF-AA) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), hair follicular dermal sheath cells are proliferated while sustaining their function, or hair follicular dermal sheath precursor cells are differentiated into dermal sheath cells and proliferated.
US08206961B2
A codon optimized and stabilized luciferase gene based upon the sequence of the natural luciferase gene isolated from Luciola cruciata (Japanese firefly) and a novel recombinant DNA characterized by incorporating this new gene coding for a novel luciferase into a vector DNA for improved activities in mammalian cells, are disclosed. This new luciferase exhibits long-wavelength light emission, as well as improved thermostability and higher expression levels in mammalian cell systems, compared to native luciferase.
US08206958B2
This invention relates to a composite material that comprises a support member that has a plurality of pores extending through the support member and, located in the pores of the support member, and filling the pores of the support member, a macroporous cross-linked gel. The invention also relates to a process for preparing the composite material described above, and to its use. The composite material is suitable, for example, for separation of substances, for example by filtration or adsorption, including chromatography, for use as a support in synthesis or for use as a support for cell growth.
US08206957B2
A process for preparing optically active saturated aldehydes or alcohols of the formula (2) from α,β-unsaturated aldehydes of the formula (1) by reduction in the presence of an enoate reductase (i) having the polypeptide sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or 2, or (ii) having a polypeptide sequence which is at least 80% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 or 2.
US08206955B2
Methods and compositions that can be used to make monatin or salt thereof from glucose, tryptophan, indole-3-lactic acid, indole-3-pyruvate, and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid, are provided. Methods are also disclosed for producing the indole-3-pyruvate and 2-hydroxy 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-keto glutaric acid intermediates. Compositions provided include nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides, chemical structures, and cells. Methods include in vitro and in vivo processes, and the in vitro methods include chemical reactions.
US08206951B2
The present invention provides liquid formulations of SYNAGIS® or an antigen-binding fragment thereof that immunospecifically bind to a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen, which formulations exhibit stability, low to undetectable levels of aggregation, and very little to no loss of the biological activities of SYNAGIS® or an antigen-binding fragment thereof even during long periods of storage. In particular, the present invention provides liquid formulations of SYNAGIS® or an antigen-binding fragment thereof which immunospecifically binds to a RSV antigen, which formulations are substantially free of surfactant, inorganic salts, and/or other common excipients. Furthermore, the invention provides method of preventing, treating or ameliorating symptoms associated with RSV infection utilizing liquid formulations of the present invention.
US08206949B2
A method is described for producing protein compositions having reduced amounts of O-linked glycosylation. The method includes producing the protein in cells cultured in the presence of an inhibitor of Pmt-mediated O-linked glycosylation and/or in the presence of one or more α-1,2-mannosidases.
US08206946B2
Bacteria in fluid systems are identified by using a fluorescently labeled virus as a molecular recognition element for bacteria. The virus, or bacteriophage, are optically encoded with fluorescent reporter molecules to allow detection and quantitation of the phage and the host/phage complex. Biosensors are provided in which the molecular recognition element is immobilized on a substrate.
US08206945B2
The invention relates to a biomaterial which can successively carry out a solution/gel transition then a gel/solution transition with given kinetics, said biomaterial comprising at least one monomer which may form polymers, at least one enzyme which may decompose said polymers and, optionally, an enzyme which may form covalent bonds between said monomers. The invention further relates to a method for the production of said biomaterial.
US08206942B2
A method for identifying a compound expected to be useful in modulating, for example inhibiting, LRRK2 protein kinase activity, the method comprising the steps of (1) determining whether a test compound modulates, for example inhibits, the protein kinase activity of a LRRK2 polypeptide on a substrate polypeptide and (2) selecting a compound which modulates, for example inhibits, the said LRRK2 polypeptide protein kinase activity, wherein the substrate polypeptide comprises the sequence (W/F/R/K)(W/F/R/K)(R/K)(F/W/H/R)(Y/W/R)(S/T)(L/V/I) (R/K)(R/K)(A/Y) or (W/R)(X)(X)(F/Y/H/T)(Y/W/R)(T)(X)(R/T)(R)(X), where X represents any amino acid. Such a compound may be useful in treating Parkinson's Disease or Parkinsonism. The substrate polypeptide may consist or comprise the sequence RLGWWRFYTLRRARQGNTKQ.
US08206939B2
The present invention provides an approach for the simultaneous determination of the activation states of a plurality of proteins in single cells. This approach permits the rapid detection of heterogeneity in a complex cell population based on activation states, and the identification of cellular subsets that exhibit correlated changes in activation within the cell population. Moreover, this approach allows the correlation of cellular activities or properties. In addition, the use of potentiators of cellular activation allows for characterization of such pathways and cell populations.
US08206929B2
The present invention is an improved method of selective amplification of certain variants of the target sequence, enhanced by allele-specific suppression of amplification of one or more of the other variants of the target sequence. The improvement is accomplished by providing an oligonucleotide, capable of hybridizing to the desired variant of the target sequence with the lesser affinity than to the undesired variants of the target sequence and optionally, by providing chemically modified primers and hot-start conditions.
US08206926B2
Provided in part herein is an improved method for the detection of specific polymorphic alleles in a mixed DNA population. The method comprises enriching the relative percentage of a given polymorphic allele that is exponentially amplifiable by PCR. Provided also are methods for selectively enriching target nucleic acid, for example, fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample. In the case of detecting fetal nucleic acid in a maternal sample, a restriction enzyme is introduced that can discriminate between the alleles of a polymorphic site. In some embodiments, the maternal allele is digested and nucleic acid comprising the paternal allele is relatively enriched.
US08206924B2
A method for amplifying a trace amount of mRNA includes adding a dummy RNA to a solution containing the trace amount of mRNA, so as to prepare a mixed solution; synthesizing an anti-sense DNA by reverse transcription, which uses the mixed solution as a template; synthesizing a sense DNA which is complementary to the anti-sense DNA thus synthesized, so as to generate a double-strand DNA made of the sense DNA and the anti-sense DNA; ligating an RNA polymerase promoter sequence to the double-strand DNA thus generated, on a sense DNA 5′ end side of the double-strand DNA, so as to prepare a double-strand DNA for amplification; and amplifying, by using RNA polymerase, an RNA from the double-strand DNA for amplification.
US08206923B2
A method for multiple and simultaneously detecting and quantifying of Listeria spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, and Escherichia coli 0157:H7, by extracting DNA from a sample; preparing a reaction mixture for enzymatic amplification of the extracted DNA and sets of pairs of oligonucleotide primers identified as SEQ ID No. 1 and SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4 and SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7 and SEQ ID No. 8, and SEQ ID No. 10 and SEQ ID No. 11, and probes with oligonucleotide sequences identified as SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 9 and SEQ ID No. 12; providing a thermostable DNA polymerase and magnesium salt to the reaction mixture; amplifying the reaction mixture by a PCR reaction; and determining the presence or absence, and quantification of the pathogens by using a fluorescent signal or fluorescence emission specific for each pathogen.
US08206919B2
The present invention provides gene sets the expression of which is important in the diagnosis and/or prognosis of breast cancer.
US08206917B2
Methods disclosed herein relate to identification of nucleotides in a nucleotide sequence.
US08206916B2
A device and kit for pulsing a biological sample with a pulsing agent is disclosed. The biological sample so pulsed is subsequently stabilized and the device or kit provides a control reaction. Applications for the described device and kit are found in the field of medical diagnostics, particularly immunology.
US08206913B1
The present invention regards a variety of methods and compositions for whole genome amplification and whole transcriptome amplification. In a particular aspect of the present invention, there is a method of amplifying a genome comprising a library generation step followed by a library amplification step. In specific embodiments, the library generating step utilizes specific primer mixtures and a DNA polymerase, wherein the specific primer mixtures are designed to eliminate ability to self-hybridize and/or hybridize to other primers within a mixture but efficiently and frequently prime nucleic acid templates.
US08206898B2
The invention provides a target and methods for specific binding and inhibition of RNAP from bacterial species. The invention is directed to a method for identifying agents that bind to a bacterial RNAP homologous RNA-exit-channel amino-acid sequence, comprising preparing a reaction solution comprising the agent to be tested and an entity comprising a bacterial RNAP homologous RNA-exit-channel amino-acid sequence, and detecting presence or amount of binding. The invention has applications in control of bacterial gene expression, control of bacterial growth, antibacterial chemistry, and antibacterial therapy.
US08206896B2
This invention provides a method for detecting the presence of uterine leiomyosarcoma using the transcription or expression level of LMP2 and/or cyclin E in uterine smooth muscle tissue as an indicator and a method for detecting uterine leiomyosarcoma using LMP2 and/or cyclin E as a marker.
US08206882B2
The object aims to improve the reproducibility of color and the stability in density of a toner. Disclosed is a toner comprising at least a resin and a colorant, wherein the colorant comprises a compound represented by general formula (1) and a compound represented by general formula (2). [In general formula (1), R1 to R8 respectively denote a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, or an alkyl group containing a fluorine atom, provided that at least one of R1 to R8 denotes a chlorine atom]. [In general formula (2), R1 to R4 respectively denote a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R5 and R6 respectively denote a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 2 carbon atoms; R7 denotes a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; m denotes a number of 1 or 2; An− denotes a chlorine ion or a sulfonic acid compound ion; and n denotes a number of 1 or 2.
US08206881B2
There provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor using a novel amine compound which has an excellent effect of ozone resistance and can be used for providing an electrophotographic photoreceptor having no adverse effect on other characteristics, and an image forming apparatus including the photoreceptor. The aim is attained by an electrophotographic photoreceptor formed by stacking a single layer type photosensitive layer containing a charge generating material and a charge transporting material, or a layered photosensitive layer, in which a charge generation layer containing a charge generating material and a charge transporting layer containing a charge transporting material are stacked in this order, on a conductive substrate made of a conductive material, wherein the single layer type photosensitive layer or the charge transporting layer of the layered photosensitive layer contains a specific amine compound.
US08206876B2
A fuel cartridge for fuel cells is configured to include an inner bag made of a flexible material and filled with liquid fuel, a valve provided to the inner bag for discharging the fuel, and an outer case encasing the inner bag with the valve being exposed to the outside, the outer case being deformable by a hand and able to recover its initial shape by itself. The fuel cartridge allows the liquid fuel inside to be used almost completely irrespective of its attachment direction, and can be used in both applications where the cartridge is hand-pressed to discharge fuel and where fuel is pumped-out from the cartridge.
US08206869B2
An electrochemical fuel cell stack with integrated anode exhaust valves is disclosed, comprising a plurality of fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode and at least one anode flow field channel, an anode exhaust manifold fluidly connected to the at least one anode flow field channel of each fuel cell, and a means for minimizing fluid backflow from the anode exhaust manifold into the anode flow field channels of the fuel cells. Methods for purging, and reducing fuel cell voltage variations within, the electrochemical fuel cell stack are also disclosed.
US08206866B2
A fuel cell, a method for operating a fuel cell and a fuel cell system, which ensure no dew condensation for a wet reaction gas in the inlet area of gas channels in plates in a fuel cell stack, are provided. Gas channels 2 and heat medium channels are disposed on one surface and the other surface of one plate 1, respectively. Gas channels are disposed on the other plate such that they face the gas channels 2 in the plate 1. A gas inlet header 3 is disposed at the upper part of the gas channel 2 in the plate 1 and a heat medium inlet header is disposed at the upper part of the heat medium channels such that they face the gas inlet header on the other side. Cooling water such as heat medium is supplied from the heat medium supply manifold hole 7 to the heat medium inlet header, thereby warming up the same. The water vapor in the reaction gas (wet fuel gas) is prevented from being condensed in the inlet area of the gas channels 2 by heating up the gas inlet header by the heat conduction.
US08206856B2
A fuel cell system having a cooling water pump provided in cooling water piping that sends cooling water to a fuel cell and sending the cooling water under pressure, fuel gas supply piping connected to the fuel cell and supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell, fuel gas circulation piping connected to both the fuel cell and the fuel gas supply piping and circulating fuel gas, discharged from the fuel cell, in the fuel gas supply piping, and a fuel gas pump provided in the fuel gas circulation piping and sending under pressure the fuel gas, discharged from the fuel cell, to the fuel gas supply piping. After operation of the fuel cell is stopped, the fuel gas, discharged from the fuel cell, is sent under pressure by the fuel gas pump, and cooling water is send under pressure by the cooling water pump to cool the fuel cell to thereby reduce the temperature of the fuel cell to a level lower than the temperature of the fuel gas pump.
US08206851B2
An AA alkaline battery includes a positive electrode containing larger than or equal to 9.30 g of manganese dioxide. An AAA alkaline battery includes a positive electrode containing larger than or equal to 4.09 g of manganese dioxide. The cumulative pore volume of pores having diameters from 0.97 μm to 10.2 μm, both inclusive, is in the range from 0.0035 ml/g to 0.0070 ml/g, both inclusive, in measurement of pore size distribution in the positive electrode performed by mercury intrusion porosimetry.
US08206846B2
Disclosed herein is a middle- or large-sized battery module including a plurality of battery cells or unit modules, the middle- or large-sized battery module being configured to have a connection structure in which measured voltage and/or temperature signals of the battery cells or the unit modules are transmitted and received by a wire type connection member, wherein at least one end of the connection member is connected to a connection counterpart in a male and female engagement type mechanical coupling manner, the connection member has a downwardly bent region (a downwardly bent portion) formed at a region adjacent to a connection part such that the downwardly bent portion is bent downward to a height lower than the connection part for preventing moisture condensed on the connection member from being introduced to the connection part due to gravity.
US08206845B2
A battery cover assembly for a portable electronic device, the battery cover assembly includes a housing, a removable battery cover and a locking mechanism. The housing defines an opening and a receiving hole communicating each other. The removable battery cover includes a protrusion. The locking mechanism includes a latching member and an operating member. The latching member engages in the opening of the housing, the latching member forming a post engaging with the protrusion of the cover. The operating member engages in the receiving hole of the housing, and the operating member rotatably brings the latching member to releasably lock the post with the protrusion of the cover.
US08206842B2
An electroluminescent device including a cathode, an anode, and having therebetween a light-emitting layer including a boron complex represented by Formula (I), wherein: X represents hydrogen or a substituent; V1 through V8 represent hydrogen or an independently selected substituent, provided that adjacent substituents cannot join together to form an aromatic ring group and provided at least one of V2 and V3 represents a substituent; L1 and L2 represent independently selected substituents; and an anthracene compound containing an anthracene nucleus substituted in the 9- and 10-positions with independently selected aryl groups containing from 6 to 24 carbon atoms, and wherein the anthracene nucleus can be further substituted provided the anthracene nucleus does not contain an aromatic substituent in positions 1-8.
US08206838B2
Photoluminescent and electroluminescent compositions are provided which comprise a matrix comprising aromatic repeat units covalently coordinated to a phosphorescent or luminescent metal ion or metal ion complexes. Methods for producing such compositions, and the electroluminescent devices formed therefrom, are also disclosed.
US08206834B2
Multilayer structure comprising at least one couple (L1-L2) of adjacent layers (L1) and (L2), wherein: the layer (L1) comprises at least one polymer composition (C1) comprising: (i) at least one semi-aromatic polyamide, and (ii) at least one impact modifier (I1); the layer (L2) comprises at least one polymer composition (C2) comprising: (i) at least one un-functionalized polyolefin (PO2); (ii) at least one functionalized polyolefin (FPO2), the functionalized polyolefin comprising functional groups chosen from carboxylic groups, their esters, their anhydrides and their salts. Process for manufacturing such multilayer structure, which comprises co-extruding or co-blowmolding polymer compositions (C1) and (C2) so as to obtain one couple (L1-L2) of adjacent layers (L1) and (L2).Shaped article comprising such multilayer structure and process for manufacturing the shaped article.
US08206820B2
The present invention envisages a cleaning implement comprising a melamine foam preferably having a thickness of at least about 5 mm and a perfume source, processes for making them and methods for using them.
US08206818B2
A multilayer film comprises first, second, and third layers. The second layer is directly adhered to the first and third layers. The first layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more modified polyamides. The second layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more unmodified polyamides. The third layer comprises at least about 40 wt % of one or more selected tie polymers. The film may comprise one or more UV light absorbers. The film has good intra-film bond strength.
US08206817B2
A window or door flashing or roofing material, containing no asphalt, either mechanically fastened or self-adhering comprising a mixture of: one or more ethylene based elastomers having a melting point below 160° F., in an amount of 10-40% based on the total weight of the product; one or more semi-crystalline, non-elastomer alpha olefin-based polymers having a melting point above 160° F. in an amount of about 10-40% based on the total weight of the product; and a rubber fraction of ground, vulcanized rubber having a size up to about 18 mesh, US Sieve Series, in an amount of about 10% to about 75%, based on the total weight of the product.
US08206806B2
A cyanine compound is represented by formula (I): A1: benzene or naphthalene ring. A3: 5- or 6-membered ring. R1, R2: hydrogen atom and the like. R7: an alkyl group and the like. R12: a substituent by formula (II) or (II′). R20: a hydrogen atom and the like. Anq-: a q-valent anion. q: 1 or 2; p: a coefficient for neutral charge. In formula (II): bond between L and T is a double, conjugated double, or triple bond. L: carbon atom. T: carbon, oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen atom. x, y, z: 0 or 1. s: 0-4. R13: hydrogen atom and the like. R14, R15, and R16: hydrogen atom and the like. In formula (II′), the bond between L′ and T′ is a double or conjugated double bond. L′: carbon atom. T′: carbon, oxygen, nitrogen atom. s′: 0-4. Ring containing L′ and T′: 5-membered ring, may contain a heteroatom.
US08206801B2
A buffer board for a treadmill includes a bamboo strip portion and an endurable slide plate. The bamboo strip portion is composed of at least one longitudinal bamboo strip and at least one transverse bamboo strip. The longitudinal bamboo strip and the transverse bamboo strip are crosswise knitted to constitute a woven bamboo plate. The woven bamboo plate can be stacked one by one to constitute a stack of woven bamboo plates in a desired thickness for enhancing the strength of the buffer board. The longitudinal bamboo strips connected side by side and the transverse bamboo strips connected side by side are stacked up to constitute a laminated bamboo board. The upper woven bamboo plate or the laminated bamboo board is attached with the endurable slide board. After being applied with a press force, the surface of the endurable slide board is formed with concave-convex massage pattern according to the pattern of the woven bamboo plate or the laminated bamboo board. The buffer board constituted by the woven bamboo plate or the laminated bamboo board or both provides a better buffer effect and a foot massage effect.
US08206799B2
The invention relates to a stretched plastic tube obtainable from a polymer composition comprising a copolyester elastomer, and comprising two end-parts and an elongated part between the end-parts wherein at least one end-part is a stretched end-part obtained by mechanically stretching of at least a section of that end part, characterized in that the stretched end-part comprises an outer surface layer area consisting of a first thermoplastic polymer composition (A) comprising a first copolyester elastomer (A-1) and 0-0.2 wt. % carbon black relative to the total weight of the thermoplastic polymer composition (A). The invention also relates to a Plastic tube obtainable from a polymer composition comprising a copolyester elastomer, wherein the plastic tube is a plastic tube comprising: (i) an outer surface layer consisting of a first thermoplastic polymer composition (A) comprising a first copolyester elastomer (A-1) and 0-0.2 wt. % carbon black, relative to the total weight of the thermoplastic polymer composition (A), and (ii) an inner surface layer consisting of a second thermoplastic polymer composition (B) comprising a second copolyester elastomer (B-1), wherein the first thermoplastic polymer composition (A) and the second thermoplastic polymer composition (B) are different.
US08206794B2
A method for applying an abrasion-resistant coating to a substrate including the steps of generating an atmospheric plasma, introducing a precursor to the atmospheric plasma, the precursor being selected to form the abrasion-resistant coating, and positioning the substrate relative to the atmospheric plasma such that the atmospheric plasma deposits the abrasion-resistant coating onto the substrate.
US08206784B2
Barium, strontium, tantalum and lanthanum precursor compositions useful for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanate thin films. The precursors have the formula M(Cp)2, wherein M is strontium, barium, tantalum or lanthanum, and Cp is cyclopentadienyl, of the formula wherein each of R1-R5 is the same as or different from one another, with each being independently selected from among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 amino, C6-C10 aryl, C1-C12 alkoxy, C3-C6 alkylsilyl, C2-C12 alkenyl, R1R2R3NNR3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl, and pendant ligands including functional group(s) providing further coordination to the metal center M. The precursors of the above formula are useful to achieve uniform coating of high dielectric constant materials in the manufacture of flash memory and other microelectronic devices.
US08206776B2
Methods of reducing pollution problems in power lines systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for external electrical insulation system applications. Further disclosed are methods of fabricating/preparing Lotus Effect coatings. Selected inorganic or polymeric materials are applied on the insulating material surface, and stable superhydrophobic coatings can be fabricated. Various UV stabilizers and UV absorbers can be incorporated into the coating system to enhance the coating's UV stability. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also discussed and claimed.
US08206774B2
A method for modifying silk polymer by coupling a chemical moiety to a tyrosine residue of a silk polymer is described herein for the purpose of altering the physical properties of the silk protein. Thus, silk proteins with desired physical properties can be produced by the methods described herein. These methods are particularly useful when the introduction of cells to a mammal is desired, since modifications to the silk protein affect the physical properties and thus the adhesion, metabolic activity and cell morphology of the desired cells. The silk protein can be modified to produce, or modify, a structure that provides an optimal environment for the desired cells.
US08206772B2
Lipid compositions comprising specific mixtures of edible synthetic triglycerides are provided that are useful in formulating food products having highly desirable dietary benefits. The novel lipid compositions allow simultaneous access to highly desirable dietary benefits such as delivery of calorie reduction, weight management, health benefits, or any combination thereof, and they also may be formulated trans-fatty acid free.
US08206768B2
An oxide material (102) is used as masking for patterning by etching which is performed with respect to a substrate or a material laminated on the substrate (101). The oxide material is also used in a multi-step etching which is performed by using a resist (103) formed on the oxide material as a mask. The etching rate of the oxide material for a reaction gas containing an inert gas or hydrogen is higher than the etching rate of the resist for the reaction gas containing an inert gas or hydrogen, while the etching rate of the oxide material for a fluorine-containing gas is lower than the etching rate of the material, which is to be patterned by using the oxide material as a mask, for the fluorine-containing gas. In addition, the oxide material is soluble in a weak acid.
US08206765B2
A method and apparatus for producing individually coated, baked, edible core products is disclosed. Individual edible cores are coated with a farinaceous dough and baked. The coated cores are agitated as their coatings expand to prevent them from clumping or agglomerating during baking. The baked, coated cores are individual core pieces with an expanded, crispy coating.
US08206762B2
The present invention relates to the use of Echinacea or Echinacea preparations for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions which can be used to relieve natural occurrences of anxiety. The compositions can also be used to relieve the symptoms of various anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety, panic, acute traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias of various kinds including social phobia, compulsive disorders, and anxiety states related to withdrawal from drugs (e.g. alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs). The phrase “Echinacea” embraces Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, or their combination. Echinacea preparations can be administered alone, but should preferably be used in combination with a vitamin mix (including but not limited to B1, B2, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folic acid B12, and/or C vitamin) and/or a mineral mix (including but not limited to calcium, magnesium and zinc).
US08206757B2
A therapeutic composition comprising extracts of the plant species ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica). A composition of ashwagandha and Indian gooseberry may: (1) lower cortisol and increase DHEA, (2) prevents free radical-induced photoaging, (3) inhibit collagenase activity in vitro, (4) inhibit hyaluronidase activity in vitro, (5) display superior cascading antioxidant activity, (6) reduce C-reactive protein, (7) enhance mood.
US08206753B2
Disclosed are botanically based compositions and methods useful for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and diabetes type 2. Compositions, kits, and methods are additionally disclosed for means to augment the activity of identified glucose and insulin regulating drugs.
US08206752B2
A method for rejuvenating a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane which is subject to biofilm and other contaminants in an aqueous system through the use of a free molecular iodine solution at a pH of about 2.2 to 4.0.
US08206751B2
The subject invention relates to novel compositions containing a diffusion enhancing compound and their use in treating a variety of disorders.
US08206749B1
Microparticles with adsorbent surfaces, methods of making such microparticles, and uses thereof, are disclosed. The microparticles comprise a polymer, such as a poly(α-hydroxy acid), a polyhydroxy butyric acid, a polycaprolactone, a polyorthoester, a polyanhydride, and the like, and are formed using cationic, anionic, or nonionic detergents. The surface of the microparticles efficiently adsorb biologically active macromolecules, such as DNA, polypeptides, antigens, and adjuvants. Also provided are compositions of an oil droplet emulsion having a metabolizable oil and an emulsifying agent. Immunogenic compositions having an immunostimulating amount of an antigenic substance, and an immunostimulating amount of an adjuvant composition are also provided. Methods of stimulating an immune response, methods of immunizing a host animal against a viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection, and methods of increasing a Th1 immune response in a host animal by administering to the animal an immunogenic composition of the microparticles, and/or microemulsions of the invention, are also provided.
US08206741B2
The present invention is directed to drug dosage forms that release an agent that raises the pH of a patient's gastrointestinal tract, followed by a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The dosage form is designed so that the NSAID is not released until the intragastric pH has been raised to a safe level. The invention also encompasses methods of treating patients by administering this coordinated release, gastroprotective, antiarthritic/analgesic combination unit dosage form to achieve pain and symptom relief with a reduced risk of developing gastrointestinal damage such as ulcers, erosions and hemorrhages.
US08206739B2
The present invention relates to the use of a enzyme treated fish protein hydrolyzate (FPH). The FPH material lowers the concentration of cholesterol in plasma, and triglycerides in the liver. FPH also induces a favorable change in the fatty acid pattern, and lowers the concentration of homocysteine in plasma. A preferable embodiment of the invention relates to the use of FPH as an anti-atherogenic and cardio protective agent, either given as a pharmaceutical or as a functional food.
US08206737B2
Biocompatible intraocular implants include a prostamide component and a biodegradable polymer that is effective in facilitating release of the prostamide component into an eye for an extended period of time. The prostamide component may be associated with a biodegradable polymer matrix, such as a matrix of a two biodegradable polymers. The implants may be placed in an eye to treat or reduce a at least one symptom of an ocular condition, such as glaucoma.
US08206734B2
This invention is related to the use of polyurethane based polymer as a drug delivery device to deliver biologically active compounds at a constant rate for an extended period of time and methods of manufactures thereof. The device is very biocompatible and biostable, and is useful as an implant in patients (humans and animals) for the delivery of appropriate bioactive substances to tissues or organs. The drug delivery device for releasing one or more drugs at controlled rates for an extended period of time to produce local or systemic pharmacological effects comprises: 1. a reservoir, said reservoir comprising; 2. at least one active ingredient; and, optionally, 3. at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; a polyurethane based polymer completely surrounding the reservoir.
US08206733B2
Coatings for implantable devices or endoluminal prosthesis, such as stents, are provided, including a method of forming the coatings. The coatings can be used for the delivery of an active ingredient or a combination of active ingredients.
US08206731B2
A cosmetic composition and method is herein described for sunless tanning to impart a glow/shiny effect on skin. The composition includes a sunless tanning agent and coated beads incorporating tan colored pigment. A colorant which imparts a color other than tan to the beads is distributed within the coating. The cosmetic composition provides to the skin an immediate tan via the disintegrated beads. Sunless tanning agent acts more slowly and eventually will replace the pigment effect. The coating with colorant prevents the formula undesirably from appearing tan. Instead a color such as white renders the formula more aesthetically pleasing and more in line with the visuals paradigm of a moisturizer rather than a foundation.
US08206727B2
The present invention relates to novel oral suspension formulation comprising prednisolone acetate, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and a thickening agent. The present invention further provides a method of treating patients in need of prednisolone with the novel formulation.
US08206722B2
The present disclosure provides methods and uses for controlling tight blood glucose levels in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of a somatostatin inhibitor. The present disclosure provides methods and uses for treating or preventing hypoglycemia in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of a somatostatin inhibitor.
US08206712B2
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis using an anti-IL-20 antibody 7E, and optionally, in combination with an etanercept polypeptide.
US08206707B2
The invention features methods for treating a patient diagnosed with, or at risk of developing, a neovascular disorder by administering a PDGF antagonist and a VEGF antagonist to the patient. The invention also features a pharmaceutical composition containing a PDGF antagonist and a VEGF antagonist for the treatment or prevention of a neovascular disorder.
US08206704B2
Proliferation of colorectal, gastric and esophageal cancer cells is inhibited by administering ST receptor ligand. The number of ST receptor molecules on the surface of a colorectal cell or metastasized colorectal cancer cell are increased by administering an ST receptor ligand such that ligand comes into contact with an ST receptor on the surface of the colorectal cell. Pharmaceutical compositions comprise sterile, pyrogen free ST receptor ligand and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. Metastasized colorectal cancer is treated or imaged by increasing the number of ST receptor molecules on the surface of a metastasized colorectal cancer cell and then administering a pharmaceutical composition containing components that target the ST receptor for delivery of a therapeutic agent or imaging agent. Methods of detecting metastasized colorectal cancer are disclosed. Methods of delivering active compounds to a colorectal cell in an individual are disclosed.
US08206698B2
The present application discloses a method of treating a disease that is treatable by therapeutic angiogenesis comprising administering to a needy subject an effective amount of a chimeric coiled coil molecule comprising a coiled-coil domain linked to a receptor binding domain of a ligand.
US08206697B1
A deer lure dispensing apparatus and method of use including a dispensing container containing a quantity of animal urine and a pressurized aerosol propellant. The contents are dispersed through an atomizing nozzle when a container valve is opened and locked. The lure dispensing apparatus is made to disperse its contents irrespective of its orientation. Therefore, the lure dispensing apparatus may be set to disperse, then dropped or thrown from a tree stand. It may also be inverted to spray a simulated scrape or to create a scent trail along the path a hunter walks.
US08206687B2
The present invention includes a method for delivering medications deeper into the lungs and to the medications' pulmonary targets, which include bronchioles and alveoli. A first particularly preferred embodiment of the invention describes the use of two steps for delivery of a medication. In a first step, an aerosolized therapeutic composition or medication is administered into a patient's respiratory tract, wherein the patient may be any animal or human subject. Following the first step, an aerosolized surfactant is administered into the patient's respiratory tract that facilitates delivery of the aerosolized medication of the first step to the medication's pulmonary target. Another embodiment of the present invention contemplates an apparatus for the delivery of an aerosolized surfactant used that facilitates delivery of previously inhaled aerosolized medication.
US08206686B2
This invention provides a tablet that effervesces and significantly warms the water that it is dissolved in. The effervescence acts to break up the tablet allowing an exothermic material to rapidly dissolve releasing its heat of solution. The invention is unique in that no organic acid is required to form a conventional effervescent couple.
US08206685B2
The present invention discloses methods and materials for delivering a cargo compound into a cancer cell. Delivery of the cargo compound is accomplished by the use of protein transduction domains derived from cupredoxins. The invention further discloses methods for treating cancer and diagnosing cancer.
US08206683B2
A method for synthesizing the all-silica zeolite beta with small crystal size is disclosed. This method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a reaction mixture comprising (1) a source of silicon dioxide (SiO2), (2) a source of fluoride ions (F−), (3) a source of tetraethylammonium cations (TEA+), and (4) water (H2O), at predetermined mole ratios of the source of silicon dioxide, the source of fluoride ions, the source of tetraethylammonium cations, and water; (b) crystallizing the reaction mixture; and (c) recovering the crystalline material formed, wherein the pH of the mixture before crystallization has a value of 6 to 9, and the pH of the mixture after crystallization has a value of 6 to 8. This improved method gives a fast and efficient way of synthesis of all-silica zeolite beta with an average crystal size of less than 5 μm.
US08206679B2
A method of producing a Ca—La—F based transparent ceramic, including: mixing CaF2 particles and LaF3 particles that are prepared separately from the CaF2 particles to form a mixed body of particles, and sintering the mixed body of particles and making the mixed body transparent, thereby producing a transparent ceramic.
US08206677B2
Method of treating sodium contained in the interconnected open pores of a structure placed in a cladding, the pores furthermore containing a radioactive substance. The method comprises the following successive steps: a) at least two slits are made over the entire length of the cladding; b) the sodium is converted to sodium carbonate by a carbonation reaction by bringing the structure into contact, via the slits, with a reactive gas mixture comprising steam, carbon dioxide and a gas inert with respect to sodium, in such a way that the expansion of the carbonate causes the cladding and the structure to open starting from the slits and results in the carbonation reaction propagating into the structure.
US08206670B2
Process for producing sodium bicarbonate for purifying flue gases, according to which an aqueous solution containing sodium sulfate is subjected to electrodialysis to produce a sodium hydroxide solution and a sodium bisulfate solution, the sodium hydroxide solution being carbonated in order to obtain sodium bicarbonate.
US08206662B2
A cap including a penetrable material adapted to be pierced by a fluid transfer device and an absorbent material positioned above the penetrable material. The absorbent material permits passage of the fluid transfer device and absorbs fluid material present on an outer surface of the fluid transfer device as it is being removed from the cap. The cap is useful for accessing the contents of an associated fluid-holding vessel multiple times.
US08206660B2
The present invention provides a sterilizer having a housing defining a sterilization chamber. An opening in the housing communicates with the chamber. A surface surrounds the opening, and a door is movable between one of an open position allowing access to the chamber through the opening and a closed position covering the opening. A seal element is associated with the surface for forming a fluid-tight seal between the door and the surface when the door is in the closed position. An operating system is provided for applying pressure to one side of the seal from a first source external to the operating system to force the seal into engagement with the door. Sensing means are provided for monitoring the pressure applied to the seal from the first pressure source. A second source of pressure is provided in the operating system and is connectable to the seal. Valve means connect the pressure source to the steam system if the sensing means detects a pressure below a set pressure sufficient to sustain a seal between the door and the surface.
US08206658B2
A metallic tube for heating a medium or subject outside thereof or inside it by transfer of heat energy through walls of the tube, in which heat is absorbed or emitted at least to a substantial degree by radiation on one or both of the inner and outer surfaces of the tube, is of a material forming a layer of essentially Al2O3 on the surfaces thereof when heated to at least approximately 750° C. At least one of the external and the internal surface of the tube is coated by one of a metal, metal alloy and metal compound, which after oxidation forms a layer having an emissivity coefficient exceeding 0.7, or by a layer essentially consisting of a metal oxide which has an emissivity coefficient exceeding 0.7.
US08206643B2
A concentrate burner for feeding a pulverous concentrate mixture and reaction gas into a reaction shaft of a flash smelting furnace. The concentrate burner includes a feeder pipe for feeding a concentrate mixture into the reaction shaft and a dispersing device for directing dispersing gas to the concentrate mixture flowing around the dispersing device. For feeding the reaction gas into the reaction shaft, a gas supply device is provided which includes a reaction gas chamber for mixing the reaction gas with the concentrate mixture, and for directing the concentrate mixture to the side by the dispersing gas. The reaction gas chamber includes a turbulent flow chamber, to which an inlet channel opens tangentially for directing the reaction gas to the reaction gas chamber in a tangential direction. In the inlet channel, an adjusting member is arranged for adjusting the cross-sectional area of the reaction gas flow.
US08206641B2
Provided is a method for making a ceramic clay brick using waste battery powder. Valuables of the waste batteries are separated through a crushing, pyrolysis, pulverizing, and magnetic separation processes. The remaining waste battery powder is processed in order to utilize the remaining waste battery powder as a colorant in a brick making process. Clay powder is added to the processed waste battery powder to make a black-colored, dark red-colored, or dark brown-colored brick according to its contents. According to the present invention, since the waste battery powder mainly including manganese and zinc can be processed into the colorant and mixed with the clay powder to make the black-colored, dark red-colored, or dark brown-colored brick according to its contents, purchase costs MnO2 used as the colorant during the making process of the ceramic brick can be remarkably reduced. In addition, superior bricks can be made at low cost.
US08206636B2
Tubular casting processes, such as dip-coating, may be used to form substrates from polymeric solutions which may be used to fabricate implantable devices such as stents. The polymeric substrates may have multiple layers which retain the inherent properties of their starting materials and which are sufficiently ductile to prevent brittle fracture. Parameters such as the number of times the mandrel is immersed, the duration of time of each immersion within the solution, as well as the delay time between each immersion or the drying or curing time between dips and withdrawal rates of the mandrel from the solution may each be controlled to result in the desired mechanical characteristics. Additional post-processing may also be utilized to further increase strength of the substrate or to alter its shape.
US08206631B1
Dry adhesives and methods of making dry adhesives including a method of making a dry adhesive including applying a liquid polymer to the second end of the stem, molding the liquid polymer on the stem in a mold, wherein the mold includes a recess having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the second end of the stem, curing the liquid polymer in the mold to form a tip at the second end of the stem, wherein the tip includes a second layer stem; corresponding to the recess in the mold, and removing the tip from the mold after the liquid polymer cures.
US08206630B2
The invention relates to a method for the production of a sole (3) having at least one cleat (1), wherein the cleat (1) is arranged at the bottom side (2) of the sole (3). To improve the demoulding of the sole supplied with cleats from the injection molding tool, the invention comprises the steps: a) Production of at least on cleat (1), wherein the cleat (1) has a cleat base body (4) which can be connected with the sole (3), wherein at least one extension (5) is arranged at the cleat base body (5) which extents toward the ground; b) Inserting of the cleat (1) in a holding part (6), wherein the holding part (6) has a congruent receiving space (7) for at least a part of the cleat base body (4) and for the extension (5); c) Placing of the cleat (1) together with the holding part (6) in a recess (8) in a at least two-part injection molding tool (9, 10), so that a part of the cleat (1) projects into the cavity (11) which is formed between the parts of the injection molding tool; d) Injection molding of at least a part of the sole (3) by injecting of plastic melt into the cavity (11) of the injection molding tool (9, 10), so that a part of the cleat (1) is coated by the plastic melt; e) Demoulding of the injection-molded sole (3) together with the coated cleat (1) and the holding part (6); f) Removing of the holding part (6) from the cleat (1).
US08206629B2
A co-extrusion process enhances the durability of the ultimate product over previous systems which use relatively fragile paint coatings to limit heat absorption. By providing near-IR transmissive and reflective pigments within the co-extruded polymers, a highly durable finished product is obtained. The co-extruded layers are disclosed for use in fence and deck applications, but will also find application in a wide variety of building product applications, both exterior and interior.
US08206627B2
Provided are filtration matrixes formed from adsorptive media, such as activated carbon, and polymeric binder for use in water filtration systems. A first aspect of the invention provides methods of making a filtration matrix comprising: mixing an adsorptive media with a polymeric binder to form a mixture; impulse filling a mold with the mixture; and processing the mixture to form the filtration matrix. Filtration matrixes formed from this method are also provided. Another aspect includes methods of making a filtration matrix comprising: mixing adsorptive media with a polymeric binder to form a mixture; filling a mold with the mixture; and applying heat and pressure the mixture to form the filtration matrix, wherein the step of applying pressure to the mixture comprises compressing the mixture until a desired final shape of the filtration matrix is obtained.
US08206626B2
Process for the production of moldings from nanoporous polymer materials, comprising the stages of a) preparation of a multiphase polymer mixture with domains in the range from 5 to 200 nm, b) impregnation of the polymer mixture with a blowing agent, where the solubility of the blowing agent in the phase forming the domains is at least twice as high as in the adjacent phases, c) expansion of the multiphase polymer mixture comprising blowing agent, by introducing the polymer mixture into a cavity and expanding it therein, thus obtaining the molding.
US08206618B2
A color filter ink set is adapted to be used to manufacture a color filter by an inkjet method. The color filter ink set includes a plurality of inks with each of the inks including a colorant and a liquid medium that disperses and/or dissolves the colorant. The inks include a green ink having C. I. Pigment Green 58 and a substance represented by a prescribed chemical formula. A viscosity at 25° C. of the liquid medium of the green ink is lower than a viscosity at 25° C. of the liquid medium of the ink other than the green ink. A difference (ηmax−ηmin) between a viscosity (ηmax (mPa·s)) of the ink having the highest viscosity among the inks at 25° C. and a viscosity (ηmin (mPa·s)) of the ink having the lowest viscosity among the inks at 25° C. is 1.0 mPa·s or less.
US08206616B2
An ink for forming CIGS photovoltaic cell active layers is disclosed along with methods for making the ink, methods for making the active layers and a solar cell made with the active layer. The ink contains a mixture of nanoparticles of elements of groups IB, IIIA and (optionally) VIA. The particles are in a desired particle size range of between about 1 nm and about 500 nm in diameter, where a majority of the mass of the particles comprises particles ranging in size from no more than about 40% above or below an average particle size or, if the average particle size is less than about 5 nanometers, from no more than about 2 nanometers above or below the average particle size. The use of such ink avoids the need to expose the material to an H2Se gas during the construction of a photovoltaic cell and allows more uniform melting during film annealing, more uniform intermixing of nanoparticles, and allows higher quality absorber films to be formed.
US08206611B2
A phosphor which emits light having high brightness, serves as an excellent orange or red phosphor whose light brightness is less decreased when exposed to an excitation source contains a crystal phase having the chemical composition expressed by the general formula [1]: (1−a−b)(Ln′pMII′1−pMIII′MIV′N3).a(MIV′(3n+2)/4NnO).b(AMIV′2N3) [1] wherein Ln′ represents a metal element selected from the group consisting of lanthanoids, Mn, and Ti; MnII′ represents a divalent metal element except the Ln′ element; MIII′ represents a trivalent metal element; MIV′ represents a tetravalent metal element; A represents a metal element selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, and K; 0
US08206608B2
The present invention provides a highly thermal conductive compound which has a high thermal conductivity, has a high consistency and a good coating workableness, and is excellent in thermal stability at a high temperature. A highly thermal conductive compound containing (A) 85 to 97% by mass of an inorganic powder filler, (B) 2 to 15% by mass of a base oil, and (C) 0.001 to 10% by mass of a compound represented by Y—(—R2—COO—)n—R1—X (wherein R1 and R2 each is a bivalent hydrocarbon group having a linear or branched chain having 1 to 36 carbon atoms, n is 1 to 15, X and Y each is at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group and a hydroxyl group or a hydrogen atom, and at least one of X and Y is a carboxyl group or a hydroxyl group.
US08206605B2
A substrate processing method capable of preventing a reduction in productivity of the fabrication of a semiconductor device from a substrate. An HF gas is supplied toward a wafer having a thermally-oxidized film, a BPSG film, and a deposit film, to thereby selectively etch the BPSG film and the deposit film using fluorinated acid. A residual matter of H2SiF6 produced at the time of etching is decomposed into HF and SiF4 by being heated.
US08206574B2
A reactor process added to a coking process to modify the quantity or yield of a coking process product and/or modify certain characteristics or properties of coking process products.
US08206564B2
A biosensor system determines an analyte concentration using one or more calibrated correlation equations for an optical and/or electrochemical analysis of a biological fluid. The biosensor system may be implemented using a measurement device and a sensor strip. The measurement device senses circuit patterns on an encoding pattern of the sensor strip. The measurement device determines calibration information in response to the circuit patterns, and uses the calibration information to calibrate one or more of the correlation equations. The measurement device uses the calibrated correlation equations to determine the analyte concentration.
US08206561B2
A hollow cylindrical ceramic sintered body having high density, a process for producing the sintered boy, and a cylindrical ceramic sputtering target having high quality without cracks or breakage, are disclosed. The hollow cylindrical ceramic sintered body is obtained by placing a cylindrical ceramic molding to be sintered on a plate-like ceramic molding having a coefficient of sintering shrinkage similar to that of the cylindrical ceramic molding, and then sintering the resulting assembly, thereby obtaining a hollow cylindrical ceramic sintered body having a relative density of 95% or higher. The cylindrical ceramic sputtering target is prepared using the hollow cylindrical ceramic sintered body.
US08206558B2
A processing apparatus (1) for the processing of process or industrial wastewaters is provided. The processing apparatus (1) has an evaporator (4) in which a tube bundle heat exchanger is provided, whose pure distillate side is connected to a separating apparatus for separating the distillate from floating organic phase or similar free liquid constituents. This separating apparatus is intended to collect the floating organic phase from the condensate, in order that this phase can be sucked back into the evaporator (4). In addition, the vapor mixture is conducted from the separating apparatus (8) to a recuperator (3) and cooled to such an extent that the water, the volatile solvents and the organic material dissolved in the vapor can be condensed and discharged separately or can be sucked back into the evaporator (4). This allows significantly better distillate qualities to be achieved.
US08206557B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing that has at least an inlet and an outlet. The housing is configured to receive a volume of fluid via the inlet. The volume of fluid is in a substantially liquid state and at least a portion of the volume of fluid includes a dissolved impurity. The apparatus also includes a heat-transfer element coupled to an interior volume of the housing. The heat-transfer element includes a surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The volume of fluid includes a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. The apparatus further includes a compression component configured to compress at least a portion of fluid boiled from the volume of fluid.
US08206549B2
An etching apparatus includes: an etching chamber; a piping unit disposed in an upper portion of the etching chamber and including a plurality of nozzles via which an etchant is sprayed; a substrate mask disposed below the piping unit; and a transfer unit disposed below the substrate mask and used to transfer a substrate. The substrate mask interposed between the piping unit including the nozzles and the substrate has a mesh structure or a plurality of holes or slits. Thus, the generation of microbubbles can be prevented during a wet etching process so that a thin layer formed on the substrate can be etched at a uniform etch rate. Also, a lift unit having a fixing unit may be disposed on a lateral surface of the substrate mask. The lift unit moves the substrate mask up and down so as to obtain a uniform etch rate.
US08206545B2
A curable composition comprising magnetically active elastic microspheres that are filled with a curing agent. The elastomeric microspheres are predispersed throughout the curable resin and are magnetostrictive. Cure of the adhesive is initiated when an external magnetic field is applied that physically distorts or ruptures the magnetic microspheres due to a magnetostrictive effect from the magnetic field.
US08206537B2
A method for forming a conducting multi-polymer nanostructure. The method includes forming a first conducting polymer nanostructure on a first electrode of a template, forming a second conducting polymer nanostructure on a second electrode of the template, and transferring the first and second conducting polymer nanostructures onto a substrate. The first conducting polymer is different from the second conducting polymer.
US08206534B2
A laminated panel (23) comprises a fusible layer (23A) having an upper surface. A mesh layer (23A, A1) has an encapsulated portion enclosed in the fusible layer so as to be below the upper surface of the fusible layer (23A). An embossed portion (A1) protrudes from the upper surface of the fusible layer (23A). A method (10) of forming a laminated panel with the fusible layer and the mesh layer comprises the steps of: i) heating the fusible layer (23A) to fuse a portion of the fusible layer; and ii) pressing only selected portion of the mesh layer against the fusible layer to provide for the formation of an embossed pattern (A1) on the resulting laminated panel (10).
US08206524B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing film composites. In a first method step, a first individual film is picked up by at least one first gripping device and the gripping device is moved together with the film in a first movement direction. In a further method step, the position of the film in the first movement direction is determined, and the film is fixed at a predefined position in the first movement direction. In a further method step, the position of the first film in a second movement direction is determined, said second movement direction being substantially perpendicular to the first movement direction, and the first film is moved in a second movement direction. According to the invention, the film is gripped by a second gripping device for transport in the second movement direction.
US08206520B2
The present disclosure relates to an iron based alloy composition that may include iron present in the range of 45 to 70 atomic percent, nickel present in the range of 10 to 30 atomic percent, cobalt present in the range of 0 to 15 atomic percent, boron present in the range of 7 to 25 atomic percent, carbon present in the range of 0 to 6 atomic percent, and silicon present in the range of 0 to 2 atomic percent, wherein the alloy composition exhibits an elastic strain of greater than 0.5% and a tensile strength of greater than 1 GPa.
US08206518B2
The present invention is directed to provide a method for manufacturing a die for press forming of glass in which cracks are not easily caused in a surface covering layer. A surface covering layer made of an amorphous Ni—P alloy is formed on the surface of a base material made of a steel having a martensitic structure or made of steel in which ε-carbide is dispersed in low carbon martensite matrix. Then, the base material and the surface covering layer are heated to change the base material into a troostitic structure or a sorbitic structure and change the surface covering layer into a eutectic structure of Ni and Ni3P. Preferably, the base material contains 0.3 wt % or more and 2.7 wt % or less of carbon and 13 wt % or less of chromium, and the heat treatment is carried out at 270° C. or more.
US08206506B2
A showerhead electrode includes inner and outer steps at an outer periphery thereof, the outer step cooperating with a clamp ring which mechanically attaches the electrode to a backing plate.
US08206499B2
A process for the preparation of bitumen foam, wherein a gas is dispersed into the bitumen with a temperature of less than 200° C. and with a viscosity from 100-10,000 mPas measured at the temperature using EN 12596, wherein the process includes bringing the gas tangentially into contact with a bitumen stream, to obtain a bitumen foam that is not dehydrogenated, oxidised or otherwise chemically modified, and in which at least 10 vol % gas is distributed substantially homogeneously. This process can be applied simply and safely, and results in bitumen foam without additions being necessary for this. In this way bitumen can be processed at lower temperatures, even below 100° C., to asphalt or wearing course. The foam bitumen thereby has a half-life time that is much longer than the one of existing bitumen foams
US08206497B2
Polyphenylated phthalocyanine water-soluble dyes with near-infrared absorption comprise four isoindole units linked together in a large ring to form a phthalocyanine macrocycle, with either four anthracenyl groups or four naphthacenyl groups each linked to an isoindole, and a metal atom optionally complexed to the phthalocyanine macrocycle.
US08206495B2
A gas filtration system includes a liquid filtering system and a gas transferring system. The liquid filtering system has multiple tanks connected to each which contains a gas scrubbing liquid through which the gas is bubbled. The gas transferring system includes pipes coupled with the tanks for transferring gases. The tanks include a dry tank that is used for storing one or more of pumps, filters and a gas flow buffer.
US08206493B2
Problem to be Solved: To provide a gas separation membrane having an excellent performance balance (balance between gas permeation performance and gas separation ability) as a gas separation membrane.Solution: A gas separation membrane comprising a porous support member and a gas separating resin layer formed on the porous support member, wherein the porous support member has a mode diameter as measured by a mercury porosimeter of from 0.005 μm to 0.3 μm, and a pore size distribution index as measured by the mercury porosimeter of from 1 to 15.
US08206489B2
The present invention relates to a method of deacidizing a gaseous effluent, wherein the following stages are carried out: a) contacting the gaseous effluent with an absorbent solution so as to obtain a gaseous effluent depleted in acid compounds and an absorbent solution laden with acid compounds, the absorbent solution being selected for its property to form two separable phases when it absorbs an amount of acid compounds, b) separating the absorbent solution laden with acid compounds into two fractions: a first absorbent solution fraction depleted in acid compounds and a second absorbent solution fraction enriched in acid compounds, c) regenerating the second fraction so as to release part of the acid compounds, d) mixing a predetermined amount of water with the first absorbent solution fraction obtained in stage b) or with the regenerated absorbent solution fraction obtained in stage c), then e) recycling the first absorbent solution fraction and the regenerated absorbent solution as the absorbent solution.
US08206488B2
A fluoride ion cleaning method includes generating hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas in-situ in a cleaning retort; contacting a part in need of cleaning with the generated HF gas; scrubbing an initial effluent stream in-situ to substantially remove residual HF gas therefrom; and passing the scrubbed effluent gas stream out of the cleaning retort. In an exemplary method, a liquid or gaseous halogenated feedstock is introduced into a cleaning retort; hydrogen gas is introduced into the cleaning retort, HF gas is generated by a reaction of the feedstock with hydrogen gas at a sufficient temperature. In an exemplary method, only HF gas generated in-situ or reconstituted in-situ is utilized in the cleaning process.
US08206485B2
A method for producing a metal powder product involves: Providing a supply of a precursor metal powder; combining the precursor metal powder with a liquid to form a slurry; feeding the slurry into a pulsating stream of hot gas; and recovering the metal powder product.
US08206483B2
A compact filter element (10, 10′, 10″) is provided with knock protection to protect the filter element against damage, such as may be incurred by tapping or hitting the filter against a hard surface. The filter element includes a filter body (1) having of a wound filter medium and configured for axial flow through its end faces (2). At least at one end face (2) of the filter body (1) a protective collar (3, 3′, 3″) is provided which surrounds an outer circumference and projects past the end face (2).
US08206481B2
A composite filter media structure and an associated method of making are provided. The structure includes a base substrate that includes a nonwoven fabric substrate formed from a plurality of bicomponent synthetic fibers using a spunbond process. The composite filter media structure includes a nanofiber layer deposited on one side of the base substrate by an electro-blown spinning process. In one aspect, the base substrate and the nanofiber layer are configured to provide at least an 85% filtration efficiency measured in accordance with an ASHRAE 52.2-1999 test method. In another aspect, the nanofiber layer has a basis weight of about 2.0 g/m2 to about 3.0 g/m2.
US08206480B2
In an air filter unit (10) comprising at least one main air filter (1) and an auxiliary air filter (2) that is connected by an air conduit (3) to the main air filter (1) and has at least one auxiliary filter element, the auxiliary filter element is formed, at the unfiltered air side of the main air filter (1), by an at least partially porous wall of the air conduit (3) closed off at the intake side. In the reverse case, when installing at the filtered air side, the auxiliary filter element is arranged within the air conduit connected to the main air filter.
US08206475B2
Ejector devices and systems are provided, that entrain ambient air within a primary stream of pressurized air, for use in a variety of applications including aircraft, buildings and other stationary structures. The ejector draws ambient air through an air treatment means such as a filter before its entrainment within the primary stream. The combined streams are then delivered to a ventilation system, an air curtain or other suitable recipient of treated, thermally conditioned air. The systems include diffusers, air curtain systems and variable air volume ventilation systems for aircraft and other vehicles.
US08206473B2
An abrasive composition including vitreous binding material; abrasive material; and a dimensional stabilizing additive (DSA), present in an amount that is from about 1 to about 40 volume percent of the abrasive composition, wherein the dimensionally stabilizing additive is inert to the binding material, and has a Mohs hardness of between 4 and 9, and wherein the abrasive composition does not include hollow sphere fillers. Also included is a method of making an abrasive articles, articles formed thereby; and articles formed from the abrasive compositions.
US08206470B1
In one embodiment, a fluid mixture composition is used at least in part as a fuel for engine-powered transportation vehicles, the mixture comprising an initial concentration of an ammonia-like reductant component and an initial concentration of an ammonia-like carrier component. The mixture may also include an optional third hydrocarbon component, e.g., gasoline or diesel fuel, with modified properties when compared to conventional gasolines or diesel fuels. The mixture is separated into a first and a second stream, with the majority of the first stream being used as a fuel for the engine and at least a first portion of the second stream being injected into the engine exhaust gases to reduce NOx emissions. A second portion of the second stream is aspirated into the engine and a lean air/fuel ratio may be used to improve fuel efficiency.
US08206467B2
A method includes the following steps: forming a porous anode body using powder of valve metal or an alloy thereof; forming a dielectric layer on the surface of the anode body; soaking the anode body having the dielectric layer in a liquid containing a conductive-polymer monomer, thereby making the monomer adhere to the dielectric layer of the anode body; forming a first conductive polymer layer by soaking the anode body having the monomer adhered thereto in an oxidizing agent solution, thereby polymerizing the monomer by liquid-phase chemical polymerization; forming a second conductive polymer layer by bringing the conductive-polymer monomer into contact with the surface of the anode body having the first conductive polymer layer in a gas phase, thereby polymerizing the monomer by gas-phase chemical polymerization; and forming a third conductive polymer layer by soaking the anode body having the second conductive polymer layer in a liquid containing a monomer of a conductive polymer layer, thereby polymerizing the monomer by electrolytic polymerization.
US08206463B2
A process for making a colored article of manufacture is disclosed. Accordingly an article of manufacture is first prepared of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, wood, glass, ceramic, masonry and polymeric materials. A polymeric coating (superstrate) is then applied to at least a portion of the surface of the article. At least a portion of the superstrate is brought into contact with a material system that contains (i) water, (ii) a carrier, (iii) a dye and (iv) a diol, under conditions calculated to bring about diffusion of said dye into said superstrate.
US08206450B2
The present invention provides composite implants for the replacement or augmentation of non-load bearing or load bearing soft tissues, and methods of making and using these implant compositions. In one embodiment, a composite implant of the present invention comprises a soft polymeric component coupled to a porous polymeric substrate.
US08206431B2
A stent delivery system which includes a stent delivery catheter, the stent delivery catheter having a stent mounting region, the stent mounting region having an inflatable portion. A stent is disposed about the stent mounting region, the stent having an unexpanded position and an expanded position. At least one stent retaining sleeve is also included having first and second ends, the first end being attached to the stent delivery catheter, the at least one stent retaining sleeve disposed about at least a portion of the stent in the unexpanded position, the stent retaining sleeve being constructed and arranged to retract toward the attached first end when the stent is expanded.
US08206430B2
Endolumenally sealing a zone around the puncture and dilation area of a stent-graft fenestration or sealing the juncture between two lumens with an expandable sealant delivery device. In exemplary embodiments, an expandable sealant delivery device includes a catheter mounted balloon, which has a microporous membrane or a plurality of pores suitable for delivering a surgical sealant.
US08206426B2
A phototherapy apparatus is disclosed including: a handpiece including a body member and a grip; a plurality of elongated light transmitting elements, each of the elements extending between a proximal end enclosed within the body member and a distal end located outside of and distal to the body member; an ultraviolet light source; a light collection element; and one or more optical coupling elements. The proximal ends of the light transmitting elements are located in close proximity to each other The light collection element is configured to collect at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source. The one or more optical coupling elements are configured to direct at least a portion of the collected light to the proximal ends of the light transmitting elements to couple at least portion of the collected light into the light transmitting elements The light coupled into each of the light transmitting elements is transmitted along the element and emitted from the distal end.
US08206419B2
A dynamic stabilization device, system, and method for use with a spinal motion segment includes a first bone anchor assembly, a second bone anchor assembly, a first articulation element and a second articulation element. The first articulation element includes an end portion engageable with the first bone anchor assembly, a first articulation surface, and a resilient element therebetween. The first articulation surface is separably engageable with a second articulation surface associated with the second articulation element. The resilient element provides resilient resistance when the first and second bone anchor assemblies are moved toward one another and provides no resistance and is separable from the second bone anchor assembly when the first and second bone anchor assemblies are moved away from one another.
US08206418B2
A facet joint replacement system includes an inferior implant with an inferior articular surface, and a superior implant with a superior articular surface. The implants may be coupled together by a detachable coupler which can align and rigidly hold the inferior and superior articular surfaces in a preferred alignment relative to one another. A portion of the coupler may be deformable to allow detachment of the coupler from at least one of the implants. In one method of implantation, the superior and inferior implants may be aligned and coupled together with the coupler, and then secured to fixation members anchored in adjacent vertebrae. Alternatively, a first implant may be secured to a fixation member anchored in a first vertebra, and a second implant coupled to the coupler, aligned with the first implant and then secured to a fixation member anchored in a second vertebra. A tool may grip, position and/or deliver the coupler and the implants.
US08206415B2
A vascular closure device used in closing openings in vessel walls while permitting post-operative flow through the vessel includes a housing, at least two tissue engaging members, and at least two jaw members. The tissue engaging members engage tissue portions on opposite sides of the vessel opening and move tissue to a desired, predetermined position. The jaw members are adapted, in an open position, for positioning about the tissue portions in the predetermined position, and in a closed position, to at least partially draw the tissue together to an at least partially approximated condition. An attachment member is associated with at least one of the jaw members and arranged to contact the tissue. In one embodiment, the attachment member is adapted for connection to an energy source whereby energy is transmitted through the attachment member to thermally fuse the tissue engaged by the jaw members to substantially close the opening.
US08206406B2
A sterile adaptor, a sterile drape with the integrated sterile adaptor, and a telerobotic surgical system including the sterile drape are provided. The adaptor, drape, and system allow for draping portions of a telerobotic surgical system to maintain a sterile barrier between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile robotic system while also providing an interface for transferring mechanical and electrical energy and signals between a robotic arm and a surgical instrument in the sterile field.
US08206402B2
An incision tool includes a sheath; a plurality of wires that are inserted through an internal space of the sheath, and that, as a result of a portion thereof being inserted through both first wire insertion through holes that are provided in a distal end portion of the sheath and second wire insertion through holes that are provided on the sheath distal end side of the first wire insertion through holes, are exposed on the outside of the sheath between the first wire insertion through holes and the second wire insertion through holes, and that receive high-frequency current; and an operating unit that is connected to a base end side of the wires and that adjusts the length of the exposed portions of the wires which are exposed on the outside of the sheath by moving forwards or backwards relatively to the sheath in the longitudinal direction of the wires.
US08206400B2
A percutaneous facet fixation system minimally invasive, reproducible, efficient, and effective. Capable of immediate stabilization of a facet joint complex, the instrumentation and methods may be used with C-arm and/or endoscopic visualization.
US08206399B2
An intervertebral joint prosthesis having a ball component (22) for engagement with a first vertebra (26) and a trough component (24) for engagement with a second vertebra (27) adjacent to the first vertebra is disclosed. The trough component (24) includes a generally concave surface (50) having a substantially flat portion (52). When the ball component (22) and the trough component (24) are engaged to their respective vertebrae, the ball component (72) and the trough component (24) engage each other, permitting rotation and translation of the vertebrae with respect to each other. Both components include a flange (34,56) for engaging a vertebra. The invention also contemplates a method for and a tool for use in implanting a two-piece intervertebral joint prosthesis.
US08206398B2
An apparatus and method for distracting, in a given direction, and supporting two tissue surfaces. An expandable implant includes a plurality of elements are consecutively inserted between the two tissue surfaces to create a column of elements. The column of elements is oriented between the tissue surfaces so as to expand in the given direction as the elements are consecutively added to the column. The expandable implant includes a constraint including a cooperative engagement structure between adjacent elements.
US08206394B2
An instrument for adjusting a spinal rod relative to a bone anchor includes a handle connecting a set screw driver with a reduction collar. The handle includes an inner shaft engageable with the set screw driver, an outer shaft engageable with the reduction collar, and a clutch connecting the inner shaft to the outer shaft and permitting selective rotation of the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft, and thus, selective rotation of the set screw driver relative to the reduction collar. The handle clutch may include a spring and a plurality of disc clutch members positioned about the outer shaft. The spring biases the disc clutch members into contact with one another and at least one disc clutch member may rotate relative to an adjacent disc clutch member upon application of a torque to the reduction collar and the outer shaft greater than a preselected torque value.
US08206393B2
A surgical instrument for removing bone, cartilage, or similar tissue is described. The surgical instrument has a shaft that extends in a longitudinal direction and supports a cutting plate which is inclined perpendicular or relative to the longitudinal direction, and a cutting element which is movably mounted on the shaft and supports a blade at the distal end in which the blade is pointing in the direction of the cutting plate and being advanced to the cutting plate in order to cut tissue.
US08206391B2
A medical device and method of using the device to reinforce and stabilize a compressed tissue is disclosed. The medical device is inserted into the tissue, typically a vertebral bone, cuts the tissue inside, and then a binding cement is injected into the pulped tissue without removing the tissue. The medical device is designed to disrupt and pulp the tissue without exerting a compressive force against the walls by using thin blades that buckle away from the core, and by rotating the blades while expanding/contracting the blades at the same time.
US08206375B2
A valved connector configured to control the leakage of bodily fluid from within a patient. The valved connector including a seal positioned within a lumen of the body of the valved connector. The distal end of the valved connector is adapted to permit access to, or coupling of an apparatus. A proximal end is adapted to be threadably coupled to a secondary device. The needless connector valve being configured to be openable by a dilator or post of an apparatus which is connected to the proximal end of the needleless connector. In the event that a luer coupler or other secondary apparatus is not available, a needle, cannula, trocar, or other instrument can be threaded through the main lumen of the valved connector opening the valve and allowing the passage of fluid directly through the needle, trocar, cannula, or other instrument.
US08206366B2
A pant-like, prefastened, disposable absorbent article having two leg openings which are directly below and visible through a waist opening. The waist opening has a relaxed waist opening measurement or relaxed waist diameter that is greater than a width of a chassis of the absorbent article in a crotch region. As such, the wearer's legs are positioned within and through the leg openings for easy application of the pant-like prefastened, disposable absorbent article. After initial application of the absorbent article, a waist size adjustment feature allows the waist perimeter dimension to be adjusted to conform the waist opening to the waist of the wearer.
US08206365B2
A pant-type absorbent article, at least one of the front and back panels having an elastic web material constituting the sole component of at least part of the front and/or back panels, the elastic waistband being joined to the waist edge of at least one of the front and back panels, wherein the elastic waistband having a first and a second ply of substantially non-elastic web material enclosing between them at least one elongate elastic member, the first ply of substantially non-elastic web material being secured to one side of the elastic web material at the waist edge of at least one of the front and back panels and that the second ply of substantially non-elastic web material is secured to the opposite side of the elastic web material just opposite said first ply.
US08206358B2
A surgical access apparatus for passing through tissue to an underlying surgical area includes an access member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal channel for reception of a surgical object, a seal member mounted to the access member and positioned to intersect the longitudinal channel, and having internal seal surfaces defining a passage and being dimensioned to establish a substantial sealing relation with a surgical object inserted therethrough and a substantially annular element mounted to the seal member and at least partially circumscribing the passage. The annular member is rigid relative to the seal member and defines an opening to permit passage of the object. The annular element is dimensioned to minimize offset manipulation of the surgical object relative to the longitudinal axis.
US08206356B2
A structure includes a main tube 2 that contains a needlelike tubular body lumen 10 through which a needlelike tubular body 3 is inserted, with a distal section 4 of the main tube 2 having a first guide wire insertion section 33 and second guide wire insertion section 35, respectively containing a first guide wire lumen 38 and second guide wire lumen 52 through which a first guide wire 32 and second guide wire 34 are inserted. This structure further has a support tube 62 whose tip remains a free end, wherein this support tube 62 accepts a part of the second guide wire 34 extending out of the second guide wire lumen 52 and thereby supports the second guide wire insertion section 35.
US08206348B2
Apparatuses and methods for coating and/or loading a medical device with a therapeutic agent prior to or during the placement of the medical device within the patient's body. In one variation, the medical device is coated and/or loaded with a therapeutic agent while the device is positioned in a delivery apparatus. In another variation, the delivery apparatus comprises a reservoir for retaining a therapeutic agent. The user may release the therapeutic agent from the reservoir prior to or during the placement of the device to coat and/or load the device with the therapeutic agent.
US08206341B2
A device is provided for controlling the depth of sedation of a respirated patient. The device includes a respirator (2) and a sensor array (1) for detecting the tidal volume and/or the respiration rate of the patient being respirated. A computing unit (5) is provided for calculating the measured values determined with the sensor array (1). A drug regulating unit (3), a drug dispensing unit (4), and a central control device (6) are provided. The central control device (6) has stored desired values for the drug concentration to be dispensed as a function of a preselected depth of sedation corresponding to the corresponding variability over time of the tidal volume and/or respiration rate. The drug regulating unit (3) sets the drug dispensing unit (4) as a function of the tidal volume detected and/or the respiration rate for a preselected depth of sedation of the patient.
US08206336B2
Described herein are transdermal delivery devices composed of at least one resealable injection port and at least one local anesthetic reservoir. The device effectively delivers anesthetic to the skin of the subject prior to puncturing the skin by syringes, needle sticks, or other instruments intended to be inserted into the skin. In addition, the transdermal delivery device may include a single use patch that does not include a local anesthetic refill port. The devices are used in combination with an electromotive force in order to enhance pain reduction when a subject is injected with a needle. Devices for imparting an electromotive force to a subject are also described herein.
US08206328B2
An apparatus and method for simultaneously applying a compressive and a reciprocating force to underlying adipose cells from a location external to a patient's skin to rupture or otherwise remove the adipose cells within a subcutaneous tissue region. The adipose cells are ruptured through the mechanical application of compression and shearing forces. The patient's body then re-absorbs and expels the ruptured cells. This eliminates the need for invasive liposuction and the trauma associated with invasive liposuction. Various mechanical devices may be employed to impart the compressive and shearing forces.
US08206326B2
A soundhead of a treatment device is provided that enables a volume of tissue located beneath the soundhead to simultaneously receive ultrasound and light stimulation. According to one embodiment, the soundhead includes an ultrasound transducer, a light source, and a faceplate extending across a face of the transducer for providing a tissue contacting and ultrasound energy coupling surface of the soundhead. The faceplate is transparent or translucent to the light generated by the light source. Alternate embodiments including externally mounted light sources are also disclosed.
US08206318B2
It is intended to provide a means of easily removing a portion of blood bleeding from pierced skin, which has not been taken into a blood sensor but remained on the skin, in a blood test with the use of a blood test apparatus. By using this means, it becomes unnecessary in the blood test to separately prepare a paper sheet, etc. for wiping off. More specifically speaking, a blood test apparatus wherein a blood sensor is provided within a blood sensor unit detachable to the blood test apparatus body and the blood sensor unit has a part to be in contact with the skin in the test and an absorption means. It is favorable that the part to be in contact with the skin in the test serves as the absorption means.
US08206314B2
A biopsy system comprises a biopsy device and a localization grid plate, which is configured to localize part of a patient and defines a plurality of round openings. A probe of the biopsy device and/or other associated other components may be inserted through a selected one of the openings. The grid plate may thus guide the probe and/or other components as such components are inserted into the localized part of the patient; and may further support the probe and/or other components after insertion. The grid plate may thus be used without a targeting cube or other inserted guide. Alternatively, the openings of the grid plate may be configured to receive a targeting guide having a cylindraceous body. The guide body may define passageways for inserting a probe or other components, and may be rotatable to position the passageways to selectively define an insertion axis for the probe.
US08206307B2
An ultrasound probe is provided having an ultrasound module received in a housing thereof, the ultrasound module including a plurality of transducers longitudinally spaced apart within the housing and a control and processing system electrically coupled to the transducers for collecting ultrasonic data representative of a target biological tissue when the ultrasound probe is in operation. A motor is likewise received in the housing to rotate, oscillate and/or translate the ultrasound module in a data collection mode. Coupling fluid is received in the housing to at least partially surround the ultrasound module and the motor. A method of obtaining ultrasonic data representative of a target biological tissue, such as a bladder, for diagnostic purposes is also provided.
US08206303B2
An apparatus and method for simulating human ophthalmic artery for testing of ultrasound devices is disclosed, whereby two chambers are provided and are capable of being independently pressurized, one representing the intra-cranial space and the other representing extra-cranial space, and whereby a tube running through both chambers is provided, simulating the course of the ophthalmic artery and capable of being pressurized to stimulate arterial pressure. The apparatus is operated by pressuring both chambers, and pumping a blood-imitating fluid through the vessel in a pulsatile manner.
US08206290B2
An improved medical inspection device at least comprises a hand-held portion, a display portion being connected with the hand-held portion and comprising a first printing circuit board, an image display module, an annular protuberance and at least one electrode contact, an inspection module comprising a joint portion, an inspection portion and a third printing circuit board, wherein the joint portion has a second printing circuit board provided at an inner surface thereof, and the inspection portion further comprises a lens, an image sensing unit and a light source, and a fastening ring that is detachably fastened with the annular protuberance of the display portion so as to firmly fasten the joint portion of the inspection module to the display portion.
US08206288B2
A medical endoscope and insertion portion for a medical endoscope having a fiber tube that encloses an image guide and is surrounded by optical fibers, the distal opening of said fiber tube being sealed by a window, which is heated by an electric resistance heater located close by, wherein the heater is designed as heating foil arranged on the outer surface of the fiber tube.
US08206286B2
A tightening string is used in an endoscope for firmly securing an outer cover of a flexible tube of the endoscope onto an internal member disposed inside the outer cover. The tightening string is comprised of a filament assembly formed by bundling a plurality of filaments made of a synthetic resin. The invention also provides an outer cover securing method, a flexible tube for an endoscope, and an endoscope equipped with the flexible tube. Alternatively, the filament assembly may include a first filament having an elongation ratio at room temperature of greater than 10% and a second filament having a elongation ratio at room temperature of equal to or lower than 10%, in which the filament assembly is formed by twisting the first and second filaments. An outer cover securing method using the tightening string, a flexible tube for an endoscope equipped with the thus secured outer cover, and an endoscope equipped with the flexible tube are also provided.
US08206278B2
A heart assist device in which an inflatable balloon or chamber is held against an outside surface of a curved arterial vessel by a wrap (20) formed from a flexible sheet-like material. The wrap (20) having a first end portion (22), a second end portion (30) and an intermediate portion (26) connecting together the first and second end portions (22, 30). The intermediate portion (26) comprising at least three separate elongate sections (26a-c) arranged in side by side array each connected at each end to a respective one of the end portions (22, 30) of the wrap (20). The improvement in that the laterally outer ones (26a,b) of the elongate sections are longer than the central one (26c) of them. As a result, if the wrap (20) was laid on a planar surface, the central (26c) one of the elongate sections would lie substantially in that plane and the laterally outer ones (26a,b) of the elongate sections would, intermediate their ends, project above that plane.
US08206275B2
A balance training device includes at least one supporting base and at least one plank member. The supporting base includes a plank connecting portion formed with a plank coupling groove that opens upwardly. The plank coupling groove includes a first groove section and a second groove section that intersects the first groove section. The plank member includes a plate portion and a rib structure disposed on a bottom face of the plate portion. The rib structure removably engages the plank coupling groove of the supporting base. The rib structure includes a first rib part to engage the first groove section and a second rib part to engage the second groove section.
US08206267B2
A rehabilitation system that combines robotics and interactive gaming to facilitate performance of task-specific, repetitive exercise to enable individuals undergoing rehabilitation to improve the performance of coordinated movements of the ankle, and to practice balance activities, is disclosed. More specifically, the rehabilitation system includes at least one two degree-of-freedom robotic, haptic interface for a mammalian foot and interactive gaming hardware that is coupled to a controller, to provide a virtual reality-like environment.
US08206260B2
In a toroidal continuously variable transmission unit, a pair of guide surface portions 120, 120 are provided on a trunnion 15 so as to face oppositely each other and to extend in a direction which intersects a rotational center axis of a power roller 11 at right angles and intersects pivot shafts 14 at right angles. When a tangential force along a direction of the pivot shafts 14 is applied to the power roller 11, an outer circumferential surface 110 of an outer ring 28 can be brought into abutment with these guide surface portions 120, 120. By this, the toroidal continuously variable transmission unit with good machinability can be obtained in which the power roller together with the outer ring can be rolling guided smoothly relative to the trunnion by an inexpensive and simple construction while avoiding the offsetting of a shaft portion which supports the power roller.
US08206247B2
Certain embodiments of the present system deal with a basketball goal assembly which adjustably supports a backboard assembly and a rim assembly to enable players to play the game of basketball. In certain preferred aspects, the rim assembly is connected directly to the support arrangement so that force applied to the rim assembly is transmitted directly to the support assembly and is not transferred to the backboard assembly.
US08206245B2
A golf ball 2 includes a core 4, an envelope layer 6, a mid layer 8 and a cover 10. A thickness Tm of the mid layer 8 is less than 1.2 mm. A thickness Tc of the cover 10 is less than 0.6 mm. The sum of the thicknesses Tm and Tc is equal to or less than mm. A hardness Hs of the envelope layer 6 is 50 or greater. A hardness Hm of the mid layer 8 is 30 or greater and 60 or less. A hardness Hc of the cover 10 is less than 40. The hardness Hs, the hardness Hm, and the hardness Hc satisfy the following formula (1). Hs≧Hm≧Hc (1) The base material of the envelope layer 6 is ionomer resin. The base material of the midlayer 8 is polyurethane. The base material of the cover 10 is polyurethane.
US08206244B2
The present invention is a unique fairway wood type golf club. The club is a fairway wood type golf club characterized by a long blade length with a long heel blade length section, while having a small club moment arm and a low center of gravity relative to a face height of the club, and all the benefits afforded therefrom. The fairway wood incorporates the discovery of unique relationships among key club head engineering variables that are inconsistent with merely striving to obtain a high MOIy using conventional golf club head design wisdom. The resulting fairway wood has a face closing moment of inertia (MOIfc) that provides golfers with a feel similar to that of a modern driver or hybrid golf club.
US08206236B1
A golf tool retention clip attaches to a brim of a hat and retains the golf tool where the wearer of the hat has ready and easy access to the golf tool during play of the game of golf. The golf tool retention clip also retains a ball marker for ready and easy access to the ball marker during play of the game of golf. The golf tool retention clip is inconspicuous to the player and does not interfere with play of the game of golf. The golf tool retention clip has opposing panels with are coupled together and which side onto the brim of the hat with the golf tool positioned on the upper surface of the brim while the ball marker positioned on the lower surface of the brim. The golf tool has features to perform multiple functions associated with the game of golf.
US08206227B2
A torsional vibration damper includes a drive-side primary element having at least one primary dog, an output-side secondary element having at least one secondary dog, and at least one spring device between the primary and secondary dogs for spring-elastic coupling of the primary element to the secondary element and including a plurality of spring elements. A separator sheet includes a ring element. At least one sliding block extends from the ring element between adjacent spring elements and is arranged circumferentially about the spring elements. The primary element has also an inner part having an external toothing, an outer part on which the primary dog is arranged and having an internal toothing engaging into the external toothing, and at least one damping part arranged between the external and internal toothing for vibration damping between the inner and outer parts.
US08206222B2
A game engine is configured to accept human intelligence tasks as in-game content and present the in-game content to the game player. A method performed by the game engine enables performance of human intelligence tasks, such as visual discrimination, in a video game context. The game engine may receive a definition of human intelligence tasks from one or more remote sources. The game engine may present the human intelligence tasks to multiple video game participants as in-game content. The game engine defines and enables game play rules for the in-game content. The game play rules set parameters for the multiple video game participants to perform the human intelligence tasks to achieve desired results. The game engine may award each of the multiple video game participants an improved game score upon successful performance of the human intelligence tasks in accordance with the game play rules. The game engine may measure success by consistency in responses between different participants or trials.
US08206210B2
According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a contract is established for a session comprising two or more plays of at least one gaming device. Information about the game play session, such as outcomes generated at the at least one gaming device, is communicated to a player device. The information is presented to a player via the player device.
US08206200B2
Extension pole apparatus includes an attachment component (20,100) having an elongate body (22,105) that is adapted to receive a tubular or rod like component so that the latter extends generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the body. A pair of plates (24,25;110a,110b) are mounted to and project laterally from the body. The plates extend generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the body for receiving between them an aligned element of a powered sanding apparatus, which aligned element is a hollow shaft or a rib of a motor unit of the apparatus. Means (29,155) is included by which the plates may be rigidly fastened to the aligned element. A tubular or rod like component is receivable into the elongate body, and means (23,165) is provided by which the tubular or rod like component may be fastened to the attachment component while it is received in the elongate body.
US08206197B2
A polishing apparatus includes a loading section (14) for placing therein a cassette (12) in which a plurality of polishing objects are housed; a first polishing line (20) and a second polishing line (30) for polishing a polishing object; a cleaning line (40) having cleaning machines (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) for cleaning the polishing object after polishing and a transport unit (44) for transporting the polishing object; a transport mechanism (50) for transporting the polishing object between the loading section (14), the polishing lines (20, 30) and the cleaning line (40); and a control section for controlling the polishing lines (20, 30), the cleaning line (40) and the transport mechanism (50). The control section determines a polishing start time in each of the first and second polishing lines (20, 30) based on a predicted polishing time in each of the first and second polishing lines (20, 30), a predicted transport time in the transport mechanism (50), a predicted cleaning time in the cleaning line (40) and a predicted cleaning start time to start cleaning by driving the transport unit (44) of the cleaning line (40).
US08206196B1
Various embodiments of a garment having a pair of cup sections with a wire member partially encircling each cup region is described herein. In some embodiments, the garment can include a wire member that can be positioned along a partial section of the lower edge of each cup section. Various embodiments of the garment can provide support and containment for breasts of a wearer of the garment.
US08206189B2
There is provided an inner terminal capable of providing enhanced reliability of connection in a circuit board. There is also provided an inner terminal capable of providing enhanced high-frequency characteristics by appropriately adjusting impedance. An expanded part (31) for carrier-disconnection is integrally formed with an interconnecting part (27) of an inner terminal (21). The expanded part (31) is formed to be expanded from opposite sides of a horizontal part (29). Also, the expanded part (31) is formed in a plate shape having the same thickness as the horizontal part (29) and also having the front and rear sides which are flush with the horizontal part (29). The expanded part (31) is formed such that edges of the expansion serve as parts at which the inner terminal is disconnected from the carrier when the terminal is produced.
US08206186B2
A test lead assembly is provided for an electrical connector assembly, such as a terminal board. The terminal board includes a generally planar member and a number of fasteners, such as terminal screws, which are structured to fasten and electrically connect electrical conductors to the generally planar member. The test lead assembly includes an extension member having first and second opposing ends, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The first end is fastened to the enlarged head of a corresponding one of the terminal screws. A connection element is disposed at or about the second end of the extension member. In one embodiment the connection element is a thumb screw that electrically connects a test element to the extension member. The test lead assembly enables the terminal board to be tested, without loosening or otherwise disturbing the electrical connections of the terminal board. An associated method is also disclosed.
US08206181B2
A connector arrangement is provided comprising an elongate member with a tip end and a base end. The elongate member has at least one ring area electrically insulated from the remaining surface of the elongate member. In the ring area, at least a first contact element and a second contact element electrically insulated from each other are provided. At least a portion of a boundary between the first contact element and the second contact element runs in a direction forming a non-zero angle with a boundary of the ring area.
US08206171B2
A charging connector (10) has a fitting (13) connectable to a vehicle-side connector (50) and a main body (11) with a forward opening (11A) to accommodate the fitting (13) so that a front end of the fitting (13) projects forward from the opening (11A). A lever (14) including an arm (14C) extends from the interior of the main body (11) to the front end of the fitting (13) to hold the vehicle-side connector (50) and the fitting (13) in a connected state. A protective wall (11B) extends forward from the opening (11A) of the main body (11) and covers the arm (14C) between the fitting (13) and itself. A lock (31) is at a front end of the lever (14) and has a lock projection (14A) that projects toward the fitting (13) and a reinforcement (14B) the projects toward a side opposite to the fitting (13).
US08206160B2
Disclosed are apparatus comprising single-path and multiple-path compliant interconnects that are coupled between electrical contacts and that allow for increased electrical performance without compromising mechanical reliability. Exemplary apparatus comprises a conductive vertical anchor coupled at a first end to an electrical contact; and one or more conductive arcuate beams coupled at a first end to a second end of the vertical anchor, and coupled at a second end to a second electrical contact. One electrical contact comprises a die contact pad and the other electrical contact comprises a substrate contact pad. Alternatively, one electrical contact comprises a substrate contact pad and the other electrical contact comprises a printed circuit board contact pad. Also, one electrical contact comprises a die contact pad and the other electrical contact comprises a printed circuit board contact pad. Methods of fabricating the apparatus are also disclosed.
US08206148B2
For cooking appliances, a gas burner presenting externally at least one annular portion (50), characterized by presenting two gas inlets (3, 10), with which at least two injectors (4, 11) are associated respectively; the first gas inlet (3) supplying the air/gas mixture to a first annular chamber (55) provided in said annular portion (50) and communicating with a series of main ports (24) through which said mixture leaves to form at least one main flame ring (43) in the outer circumference of the annular portion (50); the second gas inlet (10) supplying the air/gas mixture to a second annular chamber (55) provided in said annular portion (50) and feeding a flame ring (27) which constitutes the only flame ignited in the burner when this is operating at minimum power.
US08206145B2
A nozzle body defines an upstream channel. A downstream bracing portion has a lateral bore. A nozzle tip extends laterally through the lateral bore of the bracing portion and has a sealing surface for engaging a gate component that defines a mold gate. The runnerless nozzle further includes a securing component inserted into the bracing portion to hold the nozzle tip against the bracing portion. The bracing portion or the securing component defines a lateral channel in communication with the upstream channel for delivering molding material to the nozzle tip. The nozzle tip can be removed by removing the securing component.
US08206141B2
An apparatus for retreading a heavy duty tire with a polyurethane tread where a tire carcass that is suitable for retreading receives a tube fitted therein and is installed on its side in a mold cavity, between top and bottom rings, that each include spaced segments extending from opposing top and bottom ring surface that inter-digitate to form the equal spaced tread voids in a finished recapped tire, with bottom ring inner edge including a continuous sealing lug, and the top ring is open to pass a flow of polyurethane materials from a lower edge of a cone shaped spreader that is positioned onto the tire carcass top side wall and directs a flow of polyurethane materials from the cone surface into the mold, filling the mold cavity from bottom to top to form a recapped tire tread.
US08206140B2
An exemplary revolving vane compressor includes a cylinder having a discharge port in and through the cylinder. A rotor housed within the cylinder is eccentrically mounted relative to the cylinder. A vane is mounted in a slot in the rotor. The vane is for sliding movement relative to the rotor. The vane is securely connected to the cylinder to force the cylinder to rotate with the rotor. A pressure shell surrounds the cylinder and the rotor. Each discharge port is for discharging fluid into an enclosed volume of the pressure shell. The cylinder is held within the enclosed volume.
US08206139B2
A rotary compressor, which contains a motor unit and compression mechanism in a sealed case, transmits the rotational power of the motor to the compression mechanism through a rotary shaft and crankshafts eccentrically provided in the rotary shaft, and compresses a refrigerant in the compression mechanism, wherein the rotary compressor is configured to have H/(φDa•E)=K, and K≦0.065, and the formula 0.35+0.07•K•H≦L/φDb≦0.45+0.07•K•H, assuming that the inside diameter of the cylinder forming the compression mechanism is φDa [mm], the cylinder height is H [mm], the crankshaft eccentricity is E [mm], the crankshaft diameter is φDb [mm], and the sliding lengths of the crankshaft and a roller fitted over the crank are set to L [mm].
US08206138B2
This invention provides a scroll type fluid machine which can simultaneously realize the stabilization of the behavior in the rotational direction of an orbiting scroll and the reduction in the manufacturing cost by the ease of holding a grease. In the scroll type fluid machine, three pairs of rotation prevention mechanisms are provided between a casing and an orbiting scroll. The rotation prevention mechanism is constituted of first and second ball coupling mechanisms having a function different from each other. The first ball coupling mechanism supports the thrust load of the orbiting scroll. Meanwhile, the second ball coupling mechanism supports the rotation force of the orbiting scroll.
US08206135B2
A valve-type oil feeder comprising a housing, a valving spindle, and a piston. The housing has a valve chamber and a piston chamber, the valve chamber has an oil inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet; the piston chamber has an oil intake chamber, an oil discharge chamber, and an oil outlet; the oil intake chamber communicates with the second outlet, and the oil discharge chamber communicates with the first outlet and the oil outlet respectively; the valving spindle is arranged in the valve chamber and movable between an original position at which the oil inlet is cut off from the second outlet while the first outlet communicates with the second outlet, and a working position at which the oil inlet communicates with the second outlet while the first outlet is cut off from the second outlet The present invention is applicable to various fluid and semi-fluid media, and applicable to various pressure and viscosity ranges. By controlling the operation of the valving spindle, lubricant can be supplied conveniently as necessary, and the delivery quantity of lubricant can be adjusted easily; moreover, the valve-type oil feeder is characterized in simple structure, wide application range, low production cost, and reliable operation.
US08206128B2
A refrigeration cycle system is provided with a two-cylinder type rotary compressor having one compression mechanism which includes a switching mechanism for switching a back surface side of a blade between a low pressure mode and a high pressure mode and controlling the inner space of the cylinder chamber to the high pressure upon switching at the low pressure mode. In a high load state, a normal operation is performed by switching the pressure of the back surface side of the blade of the one compression mechanism at the high pressure mode. In a low load state, an uncompressed operation is performed by switching the pressure of the back surface side of the blade of the one compression mechanism at the low pressure mode and by controlling the inner space of the cylinder chamber to the high pressure to move the blade away from the roller.
US08206127B2
A liquid pressure-feed device is provided wherein a working fluid discharge port can be connected to a liquid generation source side through an external pipe or can be connected to a liquid inlet port of a closed vessel without going through an external pipe. A closed vessel outer opening for opening a working fluid discharge port outwards of a closed vessel is provided and a communication passage for connecting the working fluid discharge port to a liquid inlet port is formed in the closed vessel. When connecting the working fluid discharge port to the liquid generation source side through an external pipe connected to the closed vessel outer opening, a ring member is used to provide closure between the working fluid discharge port and the liquid inlet port and provide communication between the working fluid discharge port and the closed vessel outer opening. Instead, when connecting the working fluid discharge port to the liquid inlet port, a plug member is used to close the closed vessel outer opening.
US08206123B2
A system is adapted to automatically maintain a desired yield level for a slurry flow. Measurements of the electrical conductivity of a slurry are taken and corrected for the effects of temperature and pressure. The corrected conductivity measurements are used to arrive at a value for system yield. The system automatically determines if the yield is too high or too low relative to a desired level, and controls the rate at which accelerator is added to the slurry in order to increase or decrease yield.
US08206115B2
An engine stage includes a row of airfoils joined to corresponding platforms to define flow passages therebetween. Each airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sides and extends in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges. Extending from a surface of the platforms is a trailing edge ridge structure which adjoins the pressure sides, suction sides, and trailing edges of the airfoils with their respective platforms.
US08206109B2
A turbine blade assembly for a gas turbine includes a spar with raised ribs, a spacer with a plurality of protrusions mounted around the spar, and an outer shell mounted around the spacer. The protruding portions on the spacer surround the raised ribs on the spar. The protruding portions of the spacer act to space the interior surfaces of the outer shell away from the spar to provide a thermal insulation layer of cooling air.
US08206107B2
A wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis is provided. The wind turbine blade includes a root portion and a tip portion. The root portion has a supported end and an unsupported end. The tip portion is configured to be slidably received within the unsupported end of the root portion. A transverse gap is defined between the root portion and the tip portion. A transition element is affixed to the unsupported end of the root portion such that the transition element at least partially bridges the transverse gap. The wind turbine blade may further include blade cleaning elements and/or sensing elements, particularly in the vicinity of the transition element.
US08206098B2
A vane has an airfoil shell and a spar within the shell. The vane has an outboard shroud at an outboard end of the shell and an inboard platform at an inboard end of the shell. The shell includes a region having a depth-wise coefficient of thermal expansion and a second coefficient of thermal expansion transverse thereto, the depth-wise coefficient of thermal expansion being greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion.
US08206088B1
A method for providing a flow control system for an aircraft. A compressor is removed from an existing air cycle machine, along with compressor ducting that is connected to a primary stage outlet of the heat exchanger and a secondary stage inlet of the heat exchanger in the existing air cycle machine. A first connector duct is provided and connected to the primary stage outlet of the heat exchanger and the secondary stage inlet of the heat exchanger. The turbine is removed from the existing air cycle machine, and a second connector duct is provided and connected to the upstream turbine duct directly and the downstream turbine duct.
US08206083B2
A force balanced seal for use with a rotor in the turbomachine has a member in opposed facing disposition to the rotor with a face dam portion of the member having a surface parallel with the sealing surface of the rotor, a groove in the member facing the rotor and bounding the face dam surface, an air bearing surface in the member facing the sealing surface of the rotor, a second passageway through the member from the air bearing surface to a radially outwardly facing surface of the member and a first passageway through the member from the groove to a member surface facing oppositely from the air bearing surface. An operating clearance between the seal and rotor is maintained by a closing force, exerted through a plurality of springs, and an opposing opening force created by pressurized air venting through the second passageway to the first passageway.
US08206080B2
A gas turbine engine includes a housing with a duct wall that defines a generally annular and axially elongated hot gas flow path for passage of combustion gas. The engine further includes a contoured shroud mounted within the internal engine cavity and defining a hot gas recirculation pocket for receiving hot gas ingested from the hot gas flow path through the annular space and for recirculating the ingested hot gas back through the annular space to the hot gas flow path. The contoured shroud includes a base wall extending radially inwardly from the duct wall, an inboard wall extending from the base wall in an axial direction toward the rotor, and an end wall extending from the inboard wall in a radially outward direction. The end wall terminates in a circumferentially extending free edge disposed in proximity to the annular space. The end wall defines an opening.
US08206077B2
An overhead shuttle is controlled to support a bottom of an article while traveling. A transfer apparatus is controlled to hold the article from above the article, move the article between a position above the overhead shuttle and a position above stations provided on a side of a travel rail, and elevate and lower the article to transfer the article between the transfer apparatus and the station.
US08206066B2
A cutting insert for retention in a rotating cutting tool having an axis of rotation has two opposing end surfaces and a peripheral surface extending therebetween, each end surface having a mutual first axis of symmetry passing through the end surfaces about which each end surface has N-fold rotational symmetry for some value of N where N is chosen from the group consisting of 2, 3 and 4. A peripheral cutting edge is formed at the junction between each end surface and the peripheral surface, the peripheral cutting edge having N curved cutting edges merging with N straight cutting edges which extend between the curved cutting edges at extremities thereof. The curved cutting edges of the two end surfaces are not aligned in an end view of the cutting insert along the first axis of symmetry.
US08206056B2
A barrier system includes at least first and second reinforced concrete posts, each concrete post including at least one conduit formed therethrough having first and second ends and a strain relief sector formed therein at the first end of the conduit. At least one tension cable extends between the posts. The tension cable extends through the conduit of each post and has a cable end secured to the post at the second end of each post's conduit.
US08206054B1
A furniture coupling assembly that includes a coupling having a center portion, a first portion having a first locking member, a second portion having a second locking member, a first end and a second end. The assembly further includes a first furniture member having a first member groove having a shape corresponding to the center, first and second portions of the coupling. The first furniture member has a first locking member opening positioned adjacent to the first member groove. A second furniture member of the assembly has a second member groove having a shape corresponding to the center, first and second portions of the coupling. The second furniture member has a second locking member opening positioned adjacent to the second member groove. The coupling is insertable in the first and second furniture member grooves and the first and second locking members are insertable in the first and second locking member openings, respectively, to join together the first and second furniture members.
US08206053B2
A device can be assembled by a coupling. The device includes first and second body members and positioning structure. The first and second body members are designed to be coupled relative to each other. The positioning structure is designed to provide an interface between the first and second body members, and to position the first and second body members relative to each other via first, second, and third contact areas. The first, second, and third contact areas are each substantially linear and are collectively configured to receive loads, and to limit positioning of the first and second body members relative to each other with regard to five degrees of freedom. A fourth contact area between the first and second body members is designed to limit positioning of the first and second body members relative to each other in a sixth degree of freedom, in a first translational direction.
US08206042B2
A package design for electro-optic devices has been developed in which the substrate supporting the electro-optic element serves also as the base of the device housing. The electro-optic element is flip-chip bonded to the substrate. In a preferred embodiment the substrate is a multi-level wiring board.
US08206033B2
The self-standing bag comprises a package for accommodating a content, a port provided in the center of the top portion of the package, and reinforcing members formed of a thermoplastic resin which cover the outer faces of both side edges of the package. The lower end portion of the reinforcing member is located above the bottom edge of the package. The lower end portion of the reinforcing member is projected inward of a lower cutout.
US08206029B2
The part is made from a plate (1) made of a brittle material, such as glass, quartz or silicon and includes at least one aperture (2, 4, 6) for driving in a shaft (5). This aperture is characterized in that it includes alternately rigidifying and positioning zones (8) and resilient deformation zones (10). Application to securing a shaft onto the moving parts of a timepiece movement.
US08206028B2
A portable device, such as a wristwatch, has a push-button that includes an engaging portion, and the push-button is mounted on a watch sheath. A stopper is arranged on the watch sheath. The stopper is movable between a locked position in which the push-button is held at a predetermined position by engagement with the engaging portion and an unlocked position in which the operation of the push-button is allowed. A circular operating ring surrounds an hour plate mounted on the watch sheath and is rotatably mounted on the watch sheath from the front side thereof. The movement of the stopper between the locked position and the unlocked position is interlocked with the rotating operation of the operating ring.
US08206016B2
The present invention aims to perform optical axis adjustment while a vehicle is stopped only in necessary situations and to avoid unnecessary adjustment, and to further enhance durability. A headlight optical axis adjustment device for adjusting an optical axis of a headlight based on a pitch angle of the vehicle includes an opened/closed state detection section for detecting an open/closed state of an open/close unit where the opened state is when a passenger gets on/out or when a baggage is being loaded/unloaded to and from the vehicle; and an optical axis adjustment permitting section for permitting optical axis adjustment of the headlight based on the pitch angle of the vehicle when the opened state of the open/close unit is detected by the opened/closed state detection section.
US08206011B2
An apparatus and method for a high intensity lighting fixture. In one aspect, instead of a spun aluminum bowl-shaped reflector, a die cast metal reflector frame, somewhat simulating a bowl shape, includes an inner surface with mounting structure. A high reflectance sheet or plurality of high reflectance inserts are placed onto the mounting structure to create a reflecting surface. This allows high customability of the reflecting surface and minimizes light loss.
US08206010B2
The invention provides a LED illuminating equipment with high power and high heat-dissipating efficiency. The LED illuminating equipment of the invention includes a plurality of diode light-emitting apparatuses. Particularly, the heat generated by the diode light-emitting apparatuses in operation is conducted to a heat-dissipating plate device and the heat-dissipating fins. Besides, the heat is uniformly distributed over the heat-dissipating plate device and further dissipated by the heat-dissipating plate device and the heat-dissipating fins extending thereon.
US08206009B2
A light fixture includes a core member having a top end, a bottom end, and a body extending between the top and bottom ends. The core member includes a solid, single member or modular members. The body includes outer surfaces (“facets”) spaced along an outer perimeter thereof. Each facet can receive one or more light emitting diode (“LED”) packages in various different positions, with different electrical and other configurations. By rearranging and/or reconfiguring the LED packages, the light fixture can have different optical distributions, such as that traditionally provided by metal halide, high intensity discharge, quartz, sodium, incandescent, and fluorescent light sources. Heat pipes extending through the core member dissipate heat from the LEDs. Active cooling modules and/or fins may assist with this heat dissipation. The heat pipes and/or a separate elongated structure extending through the core member can secure the core member to the light fixture.
US08206006B2
An illumination device may include a flexible printed circuit board; a power electronics module; and a light-emitting diode module, which is electrically connected to the power electronics module by means of the flexible printed circuit board.
US08206003B1
An illuminated holder for storing one roll of toilet paper in a protected and conveniently accessible position atop a toilet tank, although positioning in other conveniently accessible locations in a bathroom is also contemplated. The holder has a grooved base, a cylindrical main body, an upwardly-tapering cap, and a light emitting diode (LED) that provides a source of illumination through a translucent light shield positioned between the main body and the cap. A photovoltaic cell and rechargeable battery preferably power the LED light, and a sensor automatically activates the LED light in dimly lit surroundings. One roll of toilet paper is placed on the base at a time, and then covered until needed by the assembled main body, shield, and cap. Optionally, the base may have high-friction feet configured for gripping the top of a toilet tank cover and maintaining the holder in its desired position of use.
US08206001B2
Methods and apparatus for providing sources of light, or mechanical and/or electrical connections for light sources, via a grid system of a suspended ceiling. All or a portion of a grid system for a suspended ceiling may be configured to support the generation of light. Lighting units may be coupled to various portions of the grid system in a removable and modular fashion, so as to be completely or substantially recessed above the ceiling surface, or as pendant components hanging below the ceiling surface. Lighting interface components of the grid system also may be configured to facilitate significant thermal dissipation from lighting units. In one exemplary implementation, one or more LED-based lighting units may be coupled to one or more lighting interface components of the grid system so as to provide controllable multi-color and/or essentially white light.
US08205988B2
In intraocular observation of the eye, the slit lamp microscope 1causes the illumination light emitted by the illumination system 8 to enter the inside of the eye via the head lens 20 and causes an intraocularly reflected light of this illumination light to enter the observation system 6 via the head lens 20 in a state that an illumination optical axis O2 and an observation axis O1 are arranged so as to be nonparallel and a head lens optical axis OF and the observation optical axis O1 are arranged so as to be separate right and left.
US08205987B2
The current invention is directed to a method for designing an ophthalmic lens element, the method comprising the steps of determining a wavefront aberration of an eye in a reference plane, wherein the wavefront aberration of the eye can be described by a first series of polynomials of ascending order up to a first specific order and corresponding first coefficients; determining a first vision correction of a second specific order; determining at least one specific point over an aperture of the adapted ophthalmic lens element; determining a high-order wavefront aberration in the reference plane for each specified point of the adapted ophthalmic lens element, wherein the high-order wavefront aberration can be described by a third series of polynomials of ascending order above the second specific order up to and including the first specific order and corresponding third coefficients; and determining a second vision correction of the second specific order.
US08205986B2
A method for generating a trimming setpoint for an ophthalmic lens for it to be fitted in a surround of a half-rim spectacle frame, includes the steps of: a) acquiring the planar coordinates of a plurality of first points characterizing the shape of a first longitudinal profile of the surround; b) determining the spatial coordinates of second points of a second longitudinal profile, obtained from a projection of the first longitudinal profile onto a predetermined reference surface, c) calculating the perimeter length of the second longitudinal profile, d) determining the spatial coordinates of third points of a third longitudinal profile, obtained from a projection of the first or of the second longitudinal profile on a curved surface deduced from a shape parameter of the ophthalmic lens, e) correcting the spatial coordinates of the third points, so as to equalize the perimeter length of the third longitudinal profile with the perimeter length of the second longitudinal profile, f) deducing the machining setpoint from the corrected spatial coordinates.
US08205983B2
An image recording apparatus includes a recording head that records an image on a record medium, a first and a second rollers respectively having rotation shafts parallel to each other, and an endless conveyor belt which is looped around the first and second rollers, and which has an external surface for conveying thereon a record medium in a conveyance direction from the first roller toward the second roller while supporting the record medium. On the circumferential surface of the second roller, provided are a abutting region abutting the internal surface of the conveyor belt, and a larger diameter region not abutting the internal surface of the conveyor belt and having a radius surpassing a sum of a thickness of the conveyor belt and a radius of the abutting region.
US08205980B2
An ink-jet recording liquid composition which is used together with a colored ink to form images and is capable of causing reaction upon contact with the colored ink; the composition being characterized by containing at least (a) a polyvalent metal salt, (b) a substance selected from cryptands and (c) a liquid medium; or an ink-jet recording ink characterized by containing at least (a) a polyvalent metal salt, (b) a substance selected from cryptands, (c) a liquid medium and (d) a coloring material.
US08205979B2
A liquid ejection head includes ejection orifices allowing liquid to be ejected therethrough, passages communicating with the ejection orifices and the pressure chambers each accommodating an energy generating element generating energy for ejecting the liquid therein, a supply port supplying the liquid to the passages, and a filter including substantially cylindrical members between the supply port and passages and having openings. Each of the ejection orifices has a substantially circular cross section having larger and smaller diameters substantially perpendicularly to its liquid ejecting direction. Each of the openings has a substantially rectangular cross section having longer and shorter sides substantially perpendicularly to its liquid supplying direction. The relationships D1>L1, D1
US08205974B2
An ink tank with a high volume efficiency and a printing apparatus which are capable of completely using up ink stored in the ink tank. A meniscus holding force (Pm1) of a non-compressed portion (22b) of an ink guide member (22) is set higher than an initial ink-storage-portion negative pressure (P1), and lower than a used-up ink-storage-portion negative pressure (P2). In addition, a meniscus holding force (Pm2) caused under compression is set stronger than the used-up ink-storage-portion negative pressure (P2), and weaker than a meniscus holding force (Phf) of a head filter (50).
US08205971B2
An inkjet ejector provides electrical conductors for grounding electrically isolated layers in the ejector while electrically coupling a transducer of the ejector to a firing signal circuit. The inkjet ejector includes a diaphragm plate have a first side and a second side, a plurality of transducers mounted to the first side of the diaphragm plate, a polymer layer located on the second side of the diaphragm plate, an electrically conductive layer that is isolated from electrical ground by the polymer layer, and a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one of the electrical conductors extends from the electrically conductive layer to electrical ground through the polymer layer and other electrical conductors of the plurality of electrical conductors extend from each transducer to a firing signal circuit, the electrical conductor extending from the electrically conductive layer being the same material as the other electrical conductors in the plurality of electrical conductors.
US08205962B2
An inkjet printhead includes multiple head modules and a mount base. The multiple head modules each includes a laminate unit containing a nozzle to eject ink in droplets and an ink chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle. The multiple head modules are mounted on the mount base. The mount base defines a first contact surface facing a first direction in which the ink is ejected. Each laminate unit defines a second contact surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The first and second contact surfaces are held in contact with each other to position each head module in the mount base.
US08205961B2
An inkjet recording apparatus that records an image by discharging ink from an inkjet recording head is disclosed. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a disposal liquid tank that accommodates disposal ink that is discharged from the inkjet recording head for purposes other than recording, a mixing member that mixes the disposal ink accumulated in the disposal liquid tank, and a cleaning unit that cleans the mixing member.
US08205953B2
An inkjet printing apparatus, an inkjet printing system and an inkjet printing method are provided in order to correct a print density at a joint (overlapped portion) of nozzle arrays of a print head. The print density at the joint (overlapped portion) of the nozzle arrays is corrected based on a positional deviation between two adjacent nozzle arrays of the print head.
US08205936B2
A chair convertible into a chaise lounge comprises: a stationary base structure having a front section and a rear section, a sitting unit including a seat portion and a backrest portion, wherein the seat portion is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane; and two foot-rests, each of which has a portion for resting the feet and a portion for resting on the floor. Each of the foot-rests is articulated to the front section of the base structure about a respective vertical axis of articulation and is rotatable substantially through 180° between an inoperative position and an operative position. In the inoperative position, each portion for resting the feet extends underneath the seat portion of the sitting unit, and in the operative position each portion for resting the feet extends forward beyond a front edge of the seat portion and has an inclination with respect to a horizontal plane opposite with respect to the inclination of the seat portion.
US08205933B2
A field configurable vehicle armoring system and associated method allow a user to retrofit and reconfigure a combination of armor components in response to a perceived threat change and using original equipment manufacture fasteners and holes. The system includes pillar armor attachable after an original equipment manufacture door and hinge are removed. Fasteners extend through the hinge of the armored door, the pillar armor and an original equipment manufacture pillar using holes other than the original equipment manufacture holes. Rocker panel and underbody armor is further provided, along with a ballistic resistant windscreen and rear wall armor. Where desired, system armor includes a composite plate comprising a strike face that is constructed from softer metallic material than an inner metallic sheet.
US08205931B2
A vehicle primarily a mass transit vehicle is formed primarily of composite materials which define a roof section and a floor section of two fiber reinforced sheets connected by an integral core and two rigid side wall sections each formed from welded steel or optionally bolted aluminum defining a series of window openings in a row along the side wall section in a ladder shape. Releasable joints of adhesive are provided between the metal rails and the edges of the composite panels where a web of the panel and the web of the rail extend across the panel at an angle to the first and second surfaces different from 90 degrees so that the web of the panel meets the flange of the panel at an angle greater than 90 degrees.
US08205927B2
An automated tarping system for open-topped containers includes a winding mechanism and an extension mechanism. The winding mechanism is attached to the container and to a cover and exerts a winding force to retain the cover so that the top of the container remains open. The extension mechanism utilizes a drive mechanism which exerts an extension force on a cable to pivot an arm to which a cover is attached. The arm is pivotally attached to a side of the container and is connected to the cable. When the drive mechanism exerts the extension force on the cable, the arm, which is connected, pivots with respect to the container. The cover, which is connected to the arm, is then drawn across the open-top of the container to close the top of the container as the extension force exerted by the drive mechanism overcomes the winding force generated by the winding mechanism.
US08205925B2
There is provided a vehicle body reinforcing structure capable of improving the structural durability of a side body against a load applied from the front and capable of connecting a front body and the side body more firmly to each other. In the vehicle body reinforcing structure including a side wall member 116 which is curved so as to be convex toward the vehicle body outside, and to which a front door is attached via a door hinge; a connecting member 112 for connecting the side wall member to the front portion of a vehicle body; and a reinforcing member 136 that is attached to the vehicle body inside of the side wall member along the up-and-down direction, is curved along the curved side wall member, and reinforces the side wall member, there are provided brace members (an upper brace member 142 and a lower brace member 144) each of which has a plane surface part, fits to the curved inner surface of the reinforcing member, and is configured so that the plane surface part extends in the vehicle body longitudinal direction; and bolts 122 and 124 for fastening the connecting member, the side wall member, the reinforcing member, and the brace member together.
US08205921B2
An energy absorbing extruded bumper for a vehicle is formed from a lightweight metal, preferably aluminum base alloy material. The extruded bumper includes an outer wall, an inner wall, a top wall connecting the outer and inner walls, and a bottom wall connecting the outer and inner walls. Extending between the outer and inner walls are two or more s-curved trigger stiffeners. The trigger stiffeners include an upper s-curved trigger stiffener connecting the outer and inner walls and a lower s-curved trigger stiffener connecting the outer and inner walls. The lower s-curved trigger stiffener is spaced apart from the upper s-curved trigger stiffener.
US08205914B2
A coupling assembly including an endpiece defining a fluid flow passageway and being adapted to be secured to an outlet of a fluid-flow circuit, and a coupling member including a body defining at least one housing for receiving locking balls, a slider defining an axial wall of the at least one housing, a control member surrounding the body and slider and being provided with a ball-locking element that is movable between a rest position in which it and the slider, in an advanced position thereof, retain the locking balls in an innermost locking position, and a release position wherein the slider is movable to allow the locking balls to move both linearly and outwardly to an unlocked position thereof, and return elements for returning the control member to its rest position.
US08205912B2
A fluid line coupling includes a receiving part and a locking part connectable to the receiving part. The locking part includes a plurality of elastically resilient spring tongues engageable behind an annular collar formed on a plug-in part that is insertable into the receiving part. A securing part includes a plurality of elongate securing arms. Guide elements are formed on the securing part and the receiving part that are engagable with one another to displace the securing part in relation to the receiving part. In a securing position of the securing part, each securing arm bears against a respective associated spring tongue and prevents the spring tongue from deflecting outwardly. In this manner, the plug-in part is secured by a very high pull-out force against being pulled out of the receiving part.
US08205902B2
A trolley-like folding bicycle that mainly includes a bicycle frame, a folding device, a transmission gear, a draw bar, and a draw wheel set is disclosed. With the operation of the folding device, the present invention has a usage state and a folded state. When the present invention is in the folded state, the user can draw the trolley-like folding bicycle by simply turning the folded bicycle body upright such that the draw wheel set contacts the ground and then pulling the draw bar. At this stage, an axis formed with the draw bar is substantially perpendicular to a draw rotation axis formed with small wheels of the draw wheel set. The user can move the trolley-like folding bicycle by simply pulling the draw bar, as easily as drawing a luggage case.
US08205901B2
An extending and retracting device for a vehicle step includes a mounting bracket adapted to be fixed to a body of a vehicle and a step bracket. An arc sliding member is fixed to the step bracket. A driving arm defines a pair of ends thereof pivotally connected to the mounting bracket and step bracket, respectively. A supporting arm defines an upper end portion thereof pivotally connected to the mounting bracket and a lower end portion of the supporting arm defining at least one arc slot of the lower end portion. The arc sliding member is adapted to fit into the arc slot so as to be slidable in the arc slot such that the lower end portion of the supporting arm is slidably connected to the step bracket.
US08205897B2
The disclosed steering systems allow Ackermann geometry (i.e., the angle of a vehicle's wheels in relation to each other) to vary at any given angle set by the steering wheel.
US08205896B2
An independent wheel suspension with a rotating steering knuckle which supports itself on a spring carrier is connected with the vehicle frame via a damper. The steering knuckle is connected with the spring carrier via a kingpin, and the wheel suspension has upper and lower transverse links which are positioned at the upper or lower ends of the kingpin. The steering knuckle and the transverse links are pivotally positioned relative to the kingpin and the spring carrier is connected with the kingpin in a rotationally fixed manner. The kingpin connects the spring carrier, the steering knuckle, and the upper end lower transverse links and is a two-piece part which comprises upper and lower parts. Axially, radially and rotationally fixing the upper and the lower parts and the spring carrier is achieved by a combination of the upper and the lower parts with the spring carrier.
US08205890B2
A high pressure metal-to-metal seal utilizes an expandable metal seal element able to withstand caustic fluids, high pressure, and high temperature. The metal-to-metal seal assembly is resilient for repeatable sealing and comprises an energizing metal ring and a metal sealing ring. Engagement of these two rings expands surfaces of the metal sealing ring to create inner and/or outer metal-to-metal seals.
US08205888B2
A target training apparatus that fires projectiles at a trainee to simulate combat situations until the trainee strikes predetermined locations on target mounts made of standard paper or cardboard, wherein the predetermined locations correspond with deactivation wands that deactivate the apparatus and ceases firing from the target training apparatus. The apparatus comprises a base, a target column, deactivation wands, a firing column, paintball guns, and a plurality of target elements. The apparatus includes slots to hold compressed air bottles for propelling the paintballs and utility housing for providing power to the trigger system which controls the firing of the two paintball guns. The trigger system rotates a trigger lever in cyclic revolutions which causes the trigger to pull and fire rounds at the trainee.
US08205884B2
A method of controlling a game of Baccarat, the method including the steps of providing a card delivery shoe equipped with a sensor capable of reading at least a rank of each card; a first processor capable of controlling operation of the card delivery shoe; and a second processor capable of receiving signals from the sensor and programmed to display information related to the game of Baccarat.
US08205875B2
A functional unit positioning device for positioning a functional unit detachably attachable to an apparatus body, includes a biasing device that biases the functional unit in a unit-out direction; and a stopper mechanism having a first stopper and a second stopper, the stopper mechanism exerting and releasing control over release of the functional unit. The biasing device biases the functional unit by the biasing device so that the second stopper comes in contact with the first stopper to set the functional unit in a locked position in a unit in-out direction. The biasing device is also configured to change the magnitude of a bias force on the functional unit from low to high when the functional unit is inserted and advanced up to a predetermined position into the apparatus body.
US08205873B2
A media pick system includes a pick-up rack, a pick-up roller, a separate roller, a swing gear arm, a swing gear lever, and a part of action. While the separate roller and the swing gear arm are driven to rotate, the swing gear lever would be driven to rotate. Therefore, while the torque generated on the pick-up rack by the part of action so that the pick-up rack could be lifted up or pushed down to pick up the media.
US08205872B2
A sheet supply device including an elevation section for up and down movement of the sheet bundle accommodated on the sheet placement table, blow sections for blowing air to the upper side surface of the sheet bundle to float up the sheet from the aforementioned sheet bundle, and a non-contact sheet detection sensor for detecting the existence or nonexistence of a sheet at the predetermined position of the aforementioned sheet placement table. The elevation drive motor is controlled in such a way as to move the sheet bundle up and down, based on the frequency or ratio of the sheet existence in the detection result of the sheet detection sensor in the operation mode of the blow section.
US08205870B2
A paper feeding device for feeding a sheet of printing paper to a printing position of a printing apparatus in order to print the paper is disclosed. The paper feeding device includes a paper tray that stores plural sheets of the paper, a transport unit that transports the paper from the paper tray to the printing position, a guide unit that is provided to adjust a guide width in accordance with the width of the paper which is substantially perpendicular to a feeding direction of the paper transported by the transport unit, and to guide the paper which is transported from the paper tray by the transport unit.
US08205865B1
The disclosed embodiments include a rectangular jig tool that has a substantially rectangular body with a square cross-sectional shape, and this able to be held in a vice. The device has a number of features which enable the drilling of aircraft parts. First, the longitudinal slot is used to receive one portion of a part, and allow another portion to extend over a recess in the tool. When the drill passes through the part, it does not damage the tool because the recess accommodates. An optional clip-on feature is also provided which holds the parts in the longitudinal channel so that they are secured during drilling. Other parts are inserted such that they extend out away from a longitudinal slot in the tool for uninterfered drilling. Another features includes a longitudinal corridor/slit arrangement that allows a number of parts to be securely held and stick out from the device for drilling.
US08205858B2
An electromagnetic pressure regulating valve has a valve portion for conducting and regulating the pressure of an operating medium, such as oil, a magnet portion for actuating the valve portion for regulating the pressure of the operating medium and having a magnet housing, in which a magnet core is located that as needed exerts magnetic force on an armature, located in the magnet housing, a spring with a spring force generating a pressure activation threshold to be overcome upon regulation and located between the armature and an adjusting ball that is located in a pole piece of the magnet housing, and the spring has regions of different diameter.
US08205857B2
A pressure regulating valve (10) includes a magnet coil (16) received in a coil body (18), an armature (26) movable relative to a pole piece (20) for actuating a valve closing member (36), and a magnetic circuit (48) containing a magnet yoke (50). The magnetic circuit (48) has a maximum of three components (20, 66; 26, 50) that together form magnetic transitions (72, 74) oriented in the axial direction.
US08205854B2
A form clamp particularly useful in construction environments for clamping two side-by-side forming panels is provided. The form clamp includes a frame having a first jaw and a slider having a second jaw opposed to the first jaw. The slider is shiftable along the frame, and at least one includes a locating pin configured for receipt in holes in forming panels.
US08205853B2
A flexure mount for economically producing pure translational motion with no arcuate or error motion in the vertical direction utilizing alignment pins and parts reducing structures including monolithic springs. A low profile embodiment utilizes a compound monolithic spring. The flexure mount may be used to translate a mirror or retroreflector in a purely linear direction of precisely controlled and known distance, useful in myriad interferometer applications including spectroscopy.
US08205848B2
A test fixture is mounted to a supporting base and adapted for holding an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, a mobile phone and so on, on the purpose of testing an antenna characteristic of the electronic device. The test fixture includes a first fixing component and a second fixing component. The first fixing component is adapted for being mounted to the supporting base and has a first basic plate adapted for carrying the laptop computer. The second fixing component is removably mounted to the first fixing component, and has a plurality of supporting rods suspending above the first basic plate adapted for clamping the mobile phone therebetween.
US08205840B2
The invention relates to an elongated, torsion-deformable aerodynamic element, in which the upper surface (2) is continuous while the lower surface (3) comprises a longitudinal slot (6) in the direction of the span and in the vicinity of the leading edge (4). Furthermore, an actuator device (14) inside said aerodynamic element is capable of sliding the edges (6A and 6R) of the slot (6) relative to each other.
US08205827B2
An engine for use in operating an aircraft is disclosed, the engine comprising a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element a first chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the first chemically unstable substance releases a first amount of heat; a first turbine configured to accept the constituent elements and the first amount of heat from the decomposition chamber and thereby rotate; a compressor rotationally connected to the first turbine, and configured to compress air when the first turbine rotates; and a combustion chamber configured to accept the compressed air and constituent elements and combust the combination, substantially regardless of an altitude above sea level and ambient air pressure, and output the combustion products into a power turbine, causing it to rotate, whereby the rotation of the first turbine and/or the power turbine rotate a propeller rotationally coupled to the first and power turbines. Alternately, a nozzle can be used in place of the power turbine, thereby creating a jet engine.
US08205819B2
An automatic dereeler includes a rocker arm that is movable between various positions to indicate the relative tension on a continuously supplied material. A sensor detects the rocker arm position which is transmitted to a controller. The controller actively controls a motor to either increase or decrease the resistive torque on a rotating axle that carries the continuous material.
US08205812B2
An improved fluidic device that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets having desired properties (e.g., average spatial distribution, size, velocity, frequency and wavelength of liquid droplets at a defined distance in front of the device) includes: (a) a plurality of fluidic oscillators, each having a channel that is part of a fluidic circuit for inducing oscillations in the pressurized liquid that flows through the oscillator, (b) a housing having an exterior surface that includes a front face with a center-point and a rear face, (c) a plurality of passages, each of which extends through the housing and intersects with its front face to define an outlet, with each passages configured to allow for the insertion of one of the plurality of fluidic oscillators into each of the plurality of passages, and (d) a geometrical arrangement of these outlets in the housing front face that is chosen so as to achieve the desired properties of the oscillating spray when the device is operating at its specified flow rate.
US08205810B2
A sanitary water outlet (1) having a conduit (4) at the discharge end. The conduit (4) is provided with at least one perforated plate (5) and/or a grid structure or lamellar structure with a number of discharge holes or discharge openings (7) which are bordered by flow guide walls (6). The water outlet is characterized in that it has a joint sleeve (2) which is adjustably or pivotally disposed in a socket (3) while the conduit (4) is provided inside the joint sleeve (2). The water outlet allows the water jet that is discharged from a water discharging plumbing fixture to be oriented as needed without requiring a ball-and-socket joint which uses a lot of space and may not be aesthetically appealing.
US08205806B2
A misting fan includes a rotatable fan blade collar, a plurality of fan blades mounted around the rotatable fan blade collar, a mist-generating assembly, a drive mechanism and a motor. The mist-generating assembly includes a mist nozzle disposed inside the fan blade collar and a hose with one end being coupled to the nozzle. The motor includes a motor shaft for rotating the fan blade collar through the drive mechanism. An axis of rotation of the motor shaft is offset from an axis of rotation of the fan blade collar.
US08205790B2
A system and methods for customer-managed device-based authentication are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention provide a user interface that allows a customer with an on-line account to access and manage device fingerprint information that can be used to control or regulate the customer's access. Such a system can collect user input regarding device preferences related to specified devices to be used to access or to be prohibited or restricted from accessing an account. Information regarding these devices is stored in a database. The system can then assay a device fingerprint for a device to authenticate access by the device to the account based on the device preferences. In some embodiments, input can also be collected regarding alert preferences related to alerts connected with accessing the account from specified devices.
US08205789B2
A plant handling, tagging and shipping system includes a flood trailer towed by a cart for delivering potted plants from a grow site to a prepping station while also soaking the pots, an on-demand tag-printing system for printing plant tags based on customized client data, and a conveyor system that enables workers to trim, weed, clean, and tag the plants as they travel along the conveyor. This novel system and process for handling, tagging and shipping plants provides enormous efficiencies as compared with traditional processes.
US08205781B2
A surgical stapling instrument including a staple sled which can be advanced and/or retracted relative to first and second jaw members, wherein the staple sled can be configured to deploy staples from a staple cartridge in one of the first and second jaw members. In at least one embodiment, the other of the first and second jaw members can include an anvil having at least one forming surface which can be configured to deform the staples as they are deployed from the staple cartridge. In at least one form of the invention, the anvil can be movably adjustable relative to the staple cartridge in order to adjust the distance in which the staples are deformed. In various embodiments, the anvil can be adjusted by a slidable adjusting plate and/or a rotatable cam.
US08205772B2
A dispenser for fluid to pasty masses has a pump chamber that has an outlet valve. The pump chamber consists of an upper pump chamber part and a lower pump chamber part, which can be moved, relative to one another, for a pumping process. In order to prevent unintentional exit of mass under certain stresses such as severe vibrations, the outlet valve is moved into a release position before the beginning of a pumping process, by means of a control part.
US08205767B2
An adjustable beverage container includes an outer case having a case axis. An actuator ring, is rotatably coupled to the case. The actuator ring includes an arm extension push member and an arm retraction structure. A cover ring is fixedly attached to the case. An arm having an engagement structure including a slot or tab slidingly is engaged with the arm retraction structure of the actuator ring. The arm is also rotatably attached to the case and cover ring. The arm moves into and away from said case axis when the actuator ring is rotated relative to the case about the case axis.
US08205766B2
A package for delivery of a tacky product includes a carrier tape with a plurality of cavities separately disposed along a length thereof. Each of the cavities in the carrier tape includes a base that is sized to operably receive and support the product. The base of each cavity includes a surface profile which defines a contact surface area that is sufficiently low so as to facilitate removal of the product from the cavity without damage to the product. In some cases, the contact surface area is less than about 50% of a base surface area of the base. The carrier tape may be configured for use in tape and reel packaging systems.
US08205764B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a cap for a vessel for performing a multi-stage process for analyzing a sample, such as nested PCR or RT-PCR. In one embodiment, the cap comprises a body configured to be mated to the vessel to enclose a vessel interior, a cap cavity for holding reagents, and a cap cavity control portion that is adjustable with respect to the body between a first-stage position in which the cap cavity is enclosed and fluidicly isolated from the vessel interior and a second-stage position in which the cap cavity is fluidicly coupled with the vessel interior.
US08205761B2
A child-resistant container closure includes a base cap having a top, a skirt, and a plurality of asymmetric teeth recessed in the skirt below the top, and a cover cap having a top, a skirt, and a plurality of asymmetric downwardly extending teeth adjacent to the skirt, the teeth being adapted for asymmetric engagement with the base cap teeth, the skirt having a plurality of interspersed vertical legs each spaced apart from adjacent legs by vertical openings, the legs being joined at a bottom end of the skirt by a support ring, the base cap teeth each having a sloped sliding face to ensure that one of the cover cap teeth will drop into a notch between adjacent base cap teeth when the cover cap is rotated in one direction.
US08205760B2
A curved curtain rod formed by a curved telescopic rod and two fixing bases is revealed. The curved telescopic rod is formed by two curved tubes sleeved with each other while each end of the curved telescopic rod is connected to each fixing base respectively. The fixing base includes a pivotal base having a hollow cylinder mounted with a buffer part therein, a pivotal part whose one end is moveable and connected to the buffer part while the other end is a projecting rod connected to the telescopic rod, and a cover with a central opening covered around the pivotal base. One end of the pivotal part is limited in an inner side of the central opening while the projecting rod passes through the central opening to the outer side, moves and pivots so as to adjust the angle between the telescopic rod and the fixing base.
US08205758B2
A holder is provided for holding sockets. The holder includes a body, a lateral cover and a locking device. The body includes a lateral plate and a plurality of inserts extended from the lateral plate. The lateral cover is pivotally connected to the body and formed with a plurality of bosses. Each insert is adapted to be inserted into a first recess defined in one end of a corresponding socket and a corresponding boss is adapted to be inserted into a second recess defined in another end of the same socket. The locking device is used to lock the lateral cover to the body, thus locking the sockets in the holder.
US08205747B2
A display pack for a consumer product is made of two sheets of corrugated cardboard and a clear plastic container with a flat insertion portion sandwiched between the cardboard sheets. The two cardboard sheets are adhered together in a peripheral area of the package by a heat-sensitive adhesive, and the corrugations of the cardboard sheets are crushed and flattened in the peripheral area. To seal the package, the peripheral area of the two cardboard sheets is subject to sufficient pressure to crush the corrugations inside the cardboard sheets and flatten them in that area. Heat is applied to the outer side of the cardboard sheets in the peripheral area and conducted to the adhesive material between the two sheets to activate the adhesive material. A sealer machine with a heated sealing press or parallel sets of heated rollers may be used to carry out the sealing process.
US08205746B2
A display pack for a consumer product is made of two sheets of corrugated cardboard and a clear plastic container with a flat insertion portion sandwiched between the cardboard sheets. The two cardboard sheets are adhered together in a peripheral area of the package by a heat-sensitive adhesive, and the corrugations of the cardboard sheets are crushed and flattened in the peripheral area. To seal the package, the peripheral area of the two cardboard sheets is subject to sufficient pressure to crush the corrugations inside the cardboard sheets and flatten them in that area. Heat is applied to the outer side of the cardboard sheets in the peripheral area and conducted to the adhesive material between the two sheets to activate the adhesive material. A sealer machine with a heated sealing press or parallel sets of heated rollers may be used to carry out the sealing process.
US08205736B2
A printing apparatus including a pallet configured to receive a print substrate, a conveyer mechanism configured to convey the pallet, and a working device configured to conduct a processing operation for printing on the print substrate on the pallet. The printing apparatus further includes a locating mechanism configured to stop the pallet at a first holding position and a first holding mechanism configured to hold the pallet, stopped at the first holding position by the first locating mechanism, to be spaced apart from the conveying mechanism. After the pallet being conveyed by the conveying mechanism is stopped by the first locating mechanism, the pallet is held to be spaced apart from the conveying mechanism by the first holding mechanism and the processing operation is conducted by the working device relative to the print substrate on the pallet thus held.
US08205734B2
A friction disk for a wet-running clutch for a motor vehicle includes a lining carrier ring, provided with connecting areas for connecting the friction disk to a drive side or to a takeoff side of a clutch, and a plurality of friction lining elements, carried on at least one side of the lining carrier ring, fluid flow channels are provided between the friction lining elements which are directly adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, wherein at least some of the fluid flow channels have different channel widths.
US08205730B2
A damper (400) including a pressure-sensitive damping control circuit that selectively permits fluid flow from a first chamber (406a) to a second chamber (448). A piston (410) is supported for reciprocation to vary a volume of the first chamber. A blow-off piston (429) is movable between a closed position, wherein fluid flow through the control circuit is substantially prevented, and an open position, wherein fluid flow through the control circuit is permitted. The damper also includes a first source of pressure. A fluid pressure created by compression of the damper applies an opening force to the blow-off piston tending to move the blow-off piston in a direction toward the open position against a resistance force provided by the first source of pressure. The resistance force is greater than the opening force until the pressure created by forces tending to insert the piston rod into the first fluid chamber exceeds the pressure in the first source of pressure by a predetermined amount.
US08205721B2
A method and an arrangement for controlling a brake of an elevator. In the method a plurality of optional objectives of operation are determined for the elevator; one or more of these objectives is selected at a time to be implemented as an objective of the operation of the elevator by using selection criterion; references for the energizing current of the brake of the elevator that differ from each other and/or references for the closing current of the brake of the elevator that differ from each other are determined; the brake current reference used at any given time is selected so that the selected brake current reference best corresponds to an objective of the operation of the elevator to be implemented; and also the brake of the elevator is controlled by adjusting the brake current towards the selected brake current reference.
US08205713B2
A silencer for an exhaust system, more preferably of a motor vehicle, is provided with a silencer insert arranged in a silencer housing. The silencer includes a jacket, with at least one pipe section penetrating a through-opening of the jacket. Through welding of the pipe section to the silencer insert a weld seam formed pressure-tight between pipe section and jacket is relieved of mechanical load.
US08205709B2
A system for heating and cooling the transmission fluid including a heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat between an engine coolant and a transmission fluid and a controller for controlling a valve to place the system into a select one of three modes including a heater core priority mode wherein no engine coolant flows to the heat exchanger, a heating mode wherein hot engine coolant flows directly to the heat exchanger from the engine and a cooling mode wherein cool engine coolant flows directly to the heat exchanger from the radiator, whereby the transmission fluid is heated in an efficient manner with minimal impact on passenger compartment heating.
US08205707B2
In a vehicle of a type which does not bank a vehicle body at the time of turning, an inclination angle sensor is provided which receives the least influence of a centrifugal force at the time of turning. In a four-wheeled buggy that includes a vehicle body frame, four longitudinal wheels including front wheels and rear wheels are provided together with an engine, a fuel tank and a fuel pump. A steering shaft is connected to a steering handle with an inclination angle sensor arranged above a seat and being positioned in front of the steering shaft. Accordingly, the inclination angle sensor is hardly influenced by a centrifugal force at the time of turning.
US08205704B2
A parking assist apparatus includes a guidance mode setting portion specifying a forward turning guidance controlling portion to perform a control when determining that a direct guidance control for driving a vehicle rearward to a target parking position without once driving the vehicle forward is unachievable. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes an auxiliary guidance controlling device generating an auxiliary guidance path and driving the vehicle rearward by an automatic steering along the auxiliary guidance path and a guidance possibility determining device determining whether or not the vehicle is directly guided rearward to the target parking position based on a position and a steering angle of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving forward by a manual steering. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes a final guidance controlling device guiding the vehicle to the target parking position.
US08205702B2
A battery arrangement (1) has at least two battery cell packs (2, 3) arranged in a common battery housing (4). The battery housing (4) has at least one first opening (5) for supplying cooling air and at least one second opening (6) for discharging heated air. The battery cell packs (2, 3) are arranged one above the other and delimit a tunnel (7) therebetween in a height direction. At least one of the first and second openings (5, 6) is arranged substantially at the same level as the tunnel (7). The tunnel (7) is closed at a side facing one of the first and second openings (5, 6) so that air flowing between the first and second openings (5, 6) is channeled through or around the battery cell packs (2, 3).
US08205701B2
An operating system for a tractor to which an implement is attachable, the operating system comprises: a steering wheel provided rearwardly of a hood that houses an engine located in a forward region of the tractor; a control panel provided rearwardly of the hood and adjacent the steering wheel; a center cover extending generally vertically below the steering wheel; an operation lever provided at a position laterally of the control panel; a valve unit with a pair of spools, the valve unit being located at a lower position with respect to the steering wheel and being covered by the center cover; a link mechanism that links the operation lever and the pair of spools, the link mechanism being covered by the center cover.
US08205697B2
The invention relates to a method comprising: a thermal traction chain (50) including a front axle (12), a thermal engine (18) coupled by a coupling member (20) to a gearbox (22) for transmitting to the front axle (12) and via a front transmission (24) a vehicle traction power for different gear reduction ratios of the gearbox, at least one front electric machine (42, 46) coupled to the thermal engine (18) and ensuring at least the starting thereof, an electric traction chain (60) including a rear axle (62), at least one rear electric machine (68) mechanically coupled via a rear transmission (70) to the rear axle (62), at least one power electric network (74) connecting the rear electric machine (68) to electric energy storage means (40), and control means (44) for driving the thermal traction chain (50), the electric traction chain (60), and the electric energy storage means (40) in order to take into account all the life situations of the vehicle. The method comprises driving the thermal traction chain (50), the electric traction chain (60), and the electric energy storage means (40) via the control means (44) in order to transmit the power provided by the thermal traction chain (50) through the road (RT) on which the vehicle is rolling to the electric traction chain (60) for recharging the electric energy storage means (40).
US08205675B2
The method disclosed herein includes the introduction of proppant-free stage and a proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or subterranean formation. The method increases the effective fracture width and enhances fracture conductivity within the formation. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage contains a breaker. The other stage contains a viscosifying polymer or viscoelastic surfactant to which the breaker has affinity. The proppant-free stage may be introduced prior to introduction of the proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or formation. Alternatively, the proppant laden stage may be introduced into the wellbore and/or formation prior to introduction of the proppant-free stage.
US08205672B2
A bottom hole assembly connected to coiled tubing to create an acid tunnel in a wellbore formation. High pressure acid is pumped down the coiled tubing and out a nozzle located at the end of the bottom hole assembly. The bottom hole assembly includes a first reversible knuckle joint and a second reversible knuckle joint to properly position the nozzle against the wellbore and to allow the assembly to adjust its angle as it initiates and moves through the lateral tunnel. The two reversible knuckle joints increases the radius of curvature of the bottom hole assembly while providing a sufficient attack angle for the nozzle against the wellbore. The two knuckle joints may be adjusted in response to loads applied on the assembly as the assembly moves through the lateral tunnel.
US08205671B1
A bridge plug or packer assembly includes a mandrel; at least one sealing element provided on the mandrel; a pair of backup rings each having a plurality of spiral ring grooves provided on the mandrel on respective sides of the at least one sealing element; and a pair of pressure-applying elements provided on the mandrel on respective sides of the pair of backup rings, respectively.
US08205668B2
An exhaust gas recirculation cooler may include a housing and a first wall. The housing may include an exhaust gas region, a coolant region, an exhaust gas inlet, and an exhaust gas outlet. The first wall may be fixed within the housing and may separate the exhaust gas region from the coolant region. The first wall may include a first portion formed from a first material and facing the exhaust gas region and a second portion formed from a second material and facing the coolant region. One of the first and second materials may have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the other of the first and second materials. The first wall may be deflected toward one of the exhaust gas region and the coolant region during cooler operation based on a difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first and second materials.
US08205662B2
The invention relates to a method for the continuous casting of a metal strand (1), in which the cast strand (1) leaves a die (2) vertically or arcuately downwards and is subsequently guided in a strand guide (3), wherein the strand guide (3) has a number of pairs of rollers (4), which define between them an adjustable roller nip (5), and wherein, at the start of casting, to close the die (2) in the downward direction, a piece of strand (6) is introduced into the die (2) and is followed by the cast strand (1). In order to improve the adjustment of the roller nip, the invention provides that the piece of strand (6), which is produced with a defined or calibrated thickness (d), is inserted between the respective pairs of rollers to calibrate and/or measure the roller nip (5).
US08205661B2
A method for adjusting a roll segment of a strand guide of a slab-casting installation against a strand, wherein the roll segment has an upper and a lower roll support that each have an adjusting element for adjusting the two roll supports relative to each other. The method includes individual control of the individual adjusting elements, wherein the actual profile of the strand, including the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand, is detected and compared with a set profile that includes a predetermined set height, which is the same for the right and left lateral edges, and the individual adjusting elements of the roll segment are individually controlled based on the control deviation that results from the comparison so that the actual profile is adapted to the set profile, including equalization of the heights of the right and left lateral edges of the strand.
US08205655B2
A vibration welding apparatus vibrates a vibration-side processing member when the vibration-side processing member comes into pressure-contact with a fixing-side processing member, and the vibration-side processing member and the fixing-side processing member are welded. The vibration welding apparatus includes a first clamp unit for clamping the processing member on the vibration side, a second clamp unit for clamping the processing member on the fixing side, a vibration unit for vibrating the first clamp unit, and a release unit for releasing a state in which the first clamp unit clamps the vibration-side processing member. The first clamp unit moves a pressing member with elastic force of an elastic member, and presses the vibration-side processing member to clamp the vibration side processing member, and the release unit is disposed independently of the first clamp unit, and separates the vibration-side processing member pressed under the elastic force of the elastic member.
US08205654B2
A composite laminated structure is reinforced by inserting pins into a device for manufacturing a composite laminated structure. The device has a bottom guide on a composite laminated structure in a pre- or post-cured state. The device has first vertical pins that are inserted into the composite laminated structure. A top guide, on the bottom guide, has guide pins that are movable in a vertical direction at positions corresponding to the first pins.
US08205652B2
The present invention is directed to a self-supporting tire. More specifically, the tire has a carcass, a tread, and a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread. The carcass is comprised of a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, each sidewall located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions, and a pair of inserts located in each sidewall. A first insert and second insert are located between the innerliner and the ply.
US08205647B2
The present invention relates to a machine (10) and adaptor device (18) for allowing supply of beverages in containers having different sizes at least in height. The device (18) is fixed to a component (15) of the machine (10) and comprises supporting means (53, 54) arranged to rotate substantially in a plane from a first position, in which the machine (10) is apt to supply the beverages in containers having a first height, to a second position in which the machine (10) is apt to supply the beverages in containers having a second height, lower than the first one. The device thanks to the simple construction can be equipped with a motor in order to rotate the supporting means (53, 54). The device (18) may be adapted also to machines in use.
US08205643B2
A fluid transfer system having improved stress accommodation properties and thermal insulation properties is provided. The fluid transfer system includes a fluid transfer conduit comprising a plurality of concentric tubes configured to divide and distribute an axial stress induced in the fluid transfer conduit to each of the tubes and a vacuum cavity between the fluid transfer conduit and a structural support of the fluid transfer system to insulate fluid from a surrounding environment.
US08205634B2
A hydraulic block (24), in particular for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, includes at least one valve socket (44) for accommodating a pressure control valve or switching valve (10) and a hydraulic medium at an inlet pressure on an inlet side (30). The hydraulic block (24) includes at least one annular seal (52, 54) encompassing a valve body (20, 66) in the region of the at least one valve socket (44).
US08205616B2
An antenna holder for navigation surgery is provided to be used for a navigation surgery to a subject portion including a temporal bone region and a lateral skull base region of a patient. The antenna holder for navigation surgery comprises a mouth gag (an antenna holder) which is attached to a mouth of the patient and maintains the mouth of the patient opened, and an attachment arm which holds an antenna used for measuring a specific position of the subject portion.
US08205612B2
Dry powder aerosol generators and related methods are provided. The dry powder aerosol generator includes a dispersion chamber having an internal cavity therein capable of receiving a dry powdered drug. The dispersion chamber includes a dosing port defined therein that is in fluid communication with the internal cavity. A dosing chamber for receiving a test subject is attachable to the dosing port, such that, when an airflow is created within the internal cavity, any dry powdered drug contained therein may fluidize and travel into the dosing chamber to provide opportunity for inhalation of the dry powdered drug by a test subject contained within the dosing chamber.
US08205599B2
An engine control system includes an active fuel management (AFM) control module that selectively enables and disables an AFM mode using at least one AFM valve. The engine control system further includes a solenoid fault correction module that selectively opens and closes at least one AFM valve when AFM mode is disabled.
US08205591B2
The present invention relates to a piston (10) for an internal combustion engine having a piston head (11) and a piston skirt (16) with piston hubs (17) which are each connected to a hub bore (18) for receiving a piston bolt, wherein the piston hubs (17) are in the shape of a trapezoidal or step-shaped support in which the inner faces (19) of the piston hubs (17) include an acute angle (αa) with the central axis (M) of the piston. The invention provides that each hub bore (18) is embodied as a shaped bore which is widened at least in its inner area in such a way that the widened portion increases in size in the direction of the inner end (18′) of the hub bore (18) forming facets (120, 220) on the lateral surface (18) of the hub bore (18), and that the facets (120, 220) include an acute angle (αa, β) with the central axis (M) of the piston.
US08205589B2
An engine starting control apparatus is basically provided with a motor control section, a valve timing control section and a start control section. The motor control section is configured to operate an electric motor to crank an engine with an output of the electric motor being adjustable. The valve timing control section is configured to operate a variable valve operating mechanism when the engine is started to change at least a close timing of an intake valve of the engine from an initial timing corresponding to a state in which the engine is stopped to a start timing for starting the engine. The start control section is configured to adjust the output of the electric motor as the close timing of the intake valve changes from the initial timing to the start timing.
US08205582B2
An exhaust check valve and piston return system wherein a main exhaust valve is opened as a result of combustion products from the combustion chamber being routed through a signal line. In addition, as a result of the opening of the main exhaust valve, an exhaust check valve, incorporated within a side wall portion of the cylinder housing at a location disposed downstream of the main exhaust valve, as considered in the direction of flow of the exhaust gases out from the combustion chamber, is forced to its open position so as to permit the combustion gases to be exhausted from the combustion chamber, thereby permitting the piston to move upwardly so as to complete its return stroke.
US08205569B2
An anchor includes a base member (10), having a leading end or toe (26), associated therewith, the base member (10) being formed from opposed, interconnected substantially triangular shaped flukes (20, 30), and a shank member (100) extending upwardly therefrom and attached thereto. The lateral and rear free edge of each fluke (20, 30) have extensions (22, 32 and 23, 33) associated therewith and depending angularly therefrom. All free edges of the anchor are other than blunt. The base member (10) includes one or more apertures, slots or discontinuing extending therethrough.
US08205567B2
A method of making at least one stiffener element includes cutting out two substantially identical elongate flanks from fiber plates, each flank presenting two lateral projections on either side of a central portion. The flanks are superimposed with one another and stitched together along two parallel lines that mark the boundaries between the lateral projections and the central portions. The lateral projections are folded along the lines of stitching to either side of the assembly in order to form flanges.
US08205557B2
An apparatus is provided to enable a personal transportation vehicle, such a motorcycle, to turn up to 180 degrees around while remaining in a confined, compact space. The apparatus comprises a lightweight inner platform rotating inside a lightweight, fixed, outer platform and uses translated power from the personal transportation vehicle as a motive force to turn the vehicle.
US08205552B2
A flexographic printing station prints at least one print stripe of opaque scratch-off coating onto the surface of the card over a PIN as a card member is advanced into a printing station. A print cylinder has a circumferential printing surface that engages an Anilox metering roll and receives the scratch-off coating therefrom and transfers the scratch-off coating from the printing surface onto the surface of the debit card. A controller controls movement of the print cylinder via a mounting mechanism into and out of engagement with the surface of the debit card at a predetermined location and for a predetermined length of time to apply at least one print stripe of predetermined length onto the surface of the debit card based on the length of time the printing surface engages the surface of the debit card.
US08205550B2
A method of operating an anilox printing unit in which ink accumulates on and detaches from a feed blade and, after detaching from the feed blade, forms ink accumulations on a screen roller, and in which a gap is formed between the screen roller and a further roller for the ink accumulations to pass through the gap without contacting the further roller, includes forming the gap by displacing the axis of the further roller and evening out the ink accumulations on the screen roller to such an extent that the ink accumulations that have been evened out pass the gap without contacting the further roller. A smoothing roller, for example, may be used to even out the ink accumulations. A printing press for carrying out the method is also provided.
US08205539B2
A centering mechanism for a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic pump assembly and a method of assembling a hydraulic pump assembly. The pump assembly generally includes a hydraulic pump, a control arm, and a centering mechanism. The pump generally includes a pump housing, a pump mechanism operable to control a flow of hydraulic fluid through the housing, the pump mechanism having a neutral condition in which fluid does not flow through the housing, a trunnion cap connectable to the housing, the trunnion cap and the housing cooperating to house the pump mechanism, and an input shaft extending along an axis and through the trunnion cap, the shaft being rotatable to operate the pump mechanism. The control arm is connected to the shaft, and movement of the control arm causes rotation of the shaft. The centering mechanism may generally include a first bracket fixable to the housing, a second bracket adjustably fixable to the first bracket, and biasing structure operable to return the control arm to a centered position when an operating force is not applied to the control arm. The second bracket is adjustable relative to the first bracket to an adjusted position such that the centered position corresponds to the neutral condition of the pump mechanism, the second bracket being fixable in the adjusted position. Fasteners fix the first bracket and the trunnion cap to the pump housing.
US08205532B2
A cutting apparatus to cut a tow includes a tow support, first blade, and tow support deflector. The tow support supports the tow. The first blade cuts the tow. The tow support deflector is disposed in cooperative alignment with the first blade to exert a deflecting force upon the tow support. The deflecting force substantially prevents the first blade from striking the tow support.
US08205526B2
A system for pressurizing a hub having a bearing chamber formed from an air-tight sealing arrangement located on each end of a hub to form a closed air system in the interior of the hub or in combination with a second hub. The closed air system fluidly coupled to a pressurized air tank for receiving pressurized air. A pressure gauge provides a visual indication of the air pressure in the closed air system whereby a breached seal condition within the hub can be detected.
US08205524B2
A torque limiting handle assembly is described. One member of a two member torque limiting handle assembly has resiliently depending legs extending about its rotational axis. The second member has features arranged such that on rotation of the first member, the features contact the legs so that when a reaction torque of the second member is less than a threshold value, the second member rotates with the first member and when a reaction torque of the second member is greater than the threshold value, the legs resiliently deflect so that the features simply pass across the legs and the second member does not rotate with the first member.
US08205516B2
A speed control method for an automatic transmission includes a first synchronizing process, in which a first clutch portion is operated to be in an engaging state in order to synchronize a first input shaft to a power source, a second synchronizing process, in which the first input shaft is synchronized to the output shaft by operating a gear train connected the first input shaft so as to be in an engaging state, after the first clutch portion is operated so as to be in the disengaging state and a torque transmission path switchover process for switching a torque transmitting path from a second input shaft to the first input shaft by operating the first clutch portion so as to be in an engaging state while the second clutch portion is operated so as to be in an disengaging state.
US08205515B2
A bushing for use in a hollow tube housing of a rack and pinion steering system. The bushing is formed as a generally cylindrical body having a central aperture and a circular cantilevered flange that extends outward from the body of the bushing. The flange contains a leading surface for compression contact with a corresponding interfering surface on the hollow interior of the rack housing. The flange is disposed to continuously compress a portion of its leading surface against a portion of the interfering surface on the hollow interior of the housing over a predetermined range of temperatures when the bushing is installed in the housing, and thereby providing thermal compensation to maintain a seal.
US08205508B2
A motorless mass flowmeter in accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprises a turbine subassembly, a drum, and an impeller. The drum is rigidly connected to the turbine subassembly such that the drum rotates in accompaniment to rotation of the turbine subassembly. The impeller is rotationally coupled to the drum by way of a spring that allows relative rotation against the bias of the spring. The turbine subassembly has jets and bypass valves. The turbine subassembly may be implemented in the form of a laminated bypass valve structure. The laminated bypass valve structure may include an entrance layer having entrance port(s), a closure layer having closure member(s), an exit layer defining exit passage(s), and an intermediary layer forming conduit(s) for guiding fluid from entrance port(s) to exit passage(s).
US08205504B2
An optical fiber sensing device for detecting physical parameters such as pressures, strains and temperatures comprises a probe housing therein an optical fiber. The distal end of the probe houses a distal portion of the optical fiber having a section provided with a fiber Bragg grating. The proximal end of the probe is mounted into a holder. The optical fiber is sealably mounted into the probe housing with a first seal overlaid the proximal portion of the optical fiber The seal may extend to about the proximal end of the optical fiber section with the Bragg grating. A second seal is overlaid the distal portion of the optical fiber and extends from the distal end of the probe to about the distal end of the optical fiber section with the Bragg grating. The proximal end of the probe is communicable with a fiber Bragg grating interrogation system.
US08205483B1
A residual life indicator for determining the residual life of a filter has a first sample filter with an inlet coupleable to an inlet of the filter whose residual life is to be determined, a second sample filter having an inlet coupleable to an outlet of the filter whose residual life is to be determined, a chemical tracer source selectively coupled to the inlets of the first and second sample filters, and a detector selectively coupled to outlets of the first and second filters.
US08205480B2
The measuring device 1 includes a measurement vessel 13 contained a liquid 12 filled therein, and a sensor 11 provided in the measuring vessel 13 and for detecting components of a gaseous sample dissolved in the liquid 12. The measuring device 1 also includes a bubble-generating unit 14, which is supplied with a gaseous sample and has an aperture 141 for discharging the gaseous sample in form of bubbles into the liquid. The aperture 141 faces the sensor 11 and the bubble-generating unit 14 is disposed to have a predetermined clearance with the sensor 11. A relation of 1/2Y≦X≦3/2Y is satisfied, where X represents a distance of a clearance between the bubble-generating unit 14 and the sensor 11 and Y represents a diameter of the aperture 141 of the bubble-generating unit 14.
US08205475B2
Aluminum, magnesium, and steel can be warm formed through use of a solid, warm forming lubricant which is a metal or metal alloy, or high melting temperature polar polymer. The parts can be painted directly after warm forming.
US08205470B2
An indoor unit for a multi-directional air supply air conditioner capable of performing at least a heating operation includes: an indoor fan (39) for sucking air in an axial direction thereof and radially blowing out the air; and a heat exchange part (38), connected in a refrigerant circuit (80) and disposed to surround the indoor fan (39), for exchanging heat between the air blown out of the indoor fan (39) and refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit (80). The heat exchange part (38) includes a plurality of heat exchangers (48) separated from each other along the direction of the perimeter thereof and connected in parallel with each other in the refrigerant circuit (80).
US08205468B2
A thermodynamic container for regulating the temperature of a liquid. An exemplary embodiment may include an inner layer of a thermal buffering material and an outer layer of insulation. The thermal buffering layer may include a phase change material and/or a non-phase change material. Some exemplary embodiments may include lid, which may include insulation, a thermal buffering layer, and/or a drinking port.
US08205461B2
A method and system for detecting a low charge condition in an air conditioner for a vehicle. The system first determines whether noise factors are present that would interfere with reliably measuring a pressure delta. If noise factors are not present, the system determines a pressure delta value for the compressor by comparing the high side pressure when the clutch is engaged to a high side pressure when the clutch is disengaged. If the pressure delta value is less than a threshold value, a low charge condition may be recorded. When the number of low charge conditions detected exceeds a predetermined number of events, the system may set a temperature diagnostic trouble code, disable the air conditioning system and alert the driver of a potential problem.
US08205460B2
A batch freezer for frozen food products comprises — a freezing cylinder, — a dasher designed to propel the product toward a discharge port of the cylinder, and — ma refrigeration unit arranged for cooling the cylinder, wherein the discharge port can be selectively connected to a cleaning pipe leading from the discharge port into the casing of the batch freezer.
US08205457B2
In a gas turbine engine combustor and method for delivering purge gas thereto, a ferrule is generally coupled to the housing and moveable relative thereto. The ferrule has a primary opening through which a combustor component extends into a combustion chamber of the combustor. The ferrule further has a plurality of purge gas openings separate from and in transversely spaced relationship with the primary opening to allow purge gas to flow through the ferrule. In a first position of the ferrule at least one purge gas opening is blocked against the flow of purge gas therethrough and at least one other purge gas opening is unblocked against purge gas flow. In a second position of the ferrule at least one of the blocked purge gas openings of the first ferrule position is unblocked to permit the flow of purge gas therethrough.
US08205454B2
A nozzle system includes a multitude of circumferentially distributed divergent seals that circumscribe an engine centerline. Each divergent seal includes a multiple of divergent seal intakes adjacent to a joint structure to receive cooling airflow. Each divergent seal body is manufactured of a metallic hot sheet inner skin and a metallic cold sheet outer skin. The skins form a multiple of longitudinal channels which communicate with a multiple of edge channels formed within the first longitudinal side and the second longitudinal side of each divergent seal. The multiple of edge channels are located transverse to the longitudinal axis and are raked aft to facilitate cooling of the gas path surface of each divergent seal and adjacent divergent flaps.
US08205447B2
The invention relates to a process for operating an internal combustion engine, with at least one supercharger, at least one intercooler connected downstream from the supercharger, at least one cooling circuit which is connected to the intercooler, and at least one pressure setting device which controls the supercharger. It is provided that differential pressure determination of the charging air is used for ascertaining the icing state of the intercooler. Furthermore the invention relates to an internal combustion engine for implementing the process.
US08205444B2
A system and method for variator control employs positively directed electronic make-up and flushing relief valves for more precise torque control of a hydraulic variator, especially during torque reversal, as well as improved cold weather operation. This can improve machine response during periods of severe torque change. The ability to more tightly control variator torque allows more precise torque management algorithms for power control and engine matching purposes. Moreover, the ability to positively control venting of the hydraulic circuit for purposes of fluid cooling allows for more consistent machine response regardless of ambient temperature.
US08205443B2
A heat exchanging system suitable for use in an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit comprises a split EGR heat exchanger arrangement. Exhaust gas is used to warm engine oil via a first heat exchanger during initial stages of an engine operating cycle. In the later stages of the operating cycle, recirculated exhaust gases are diverted to flow through the second heat exchanger where they are cooled by the engine coolant.
US08205440B2
An exhaust diagnostic system includes an exhaust gas temperature management module that selectively increases a temperature of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst to a predetermined testing temperature range using an intrusive exhaust gas temperature management approach. An SCR efficiency testing module estimates an efficiency of the SCR catalyst while the temperature is within the predetermined temperature range.
US08205438B2
A catalyst is provided in an exhaust passage of an engine and an evaporating section of a heat recovery device is provided upstream of the catalyst in the exhaust passage. An ECU performs an operation for compulsorily oscillating an air-fuel ratio between a lean state and a rich state as compared to a theoretical air-fuel ratio when temperature of the catalyst reaches temperature at which the catalyst has a predetermined purification capacity after the engine is started. The ECU restricts a flow of a working fluid in the heat recovery device until the temperature of the catalyst reaches the temperature at which the catalyst has the predetermined purification capacity after the engine is started.
US08205437B2
An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine, which system comprises a monolith substrate (10) coated with a catalyst, which monolith substrate comprising a plurality of substantially parallel channels, each channel having a length extending from an upstream end to a downstream end; and a first sensor disposed in a hole (16) defined in part by an external wall of the monolith substrate, wherein the monolith substrate comprises a portion (12) of the plurality of channels wherein the catalyst composition in at least a part of the length of channels extending from the upstream end has an increased activity for a reaction for which the catalyst composition is intended relative to catalyst composition in a remainder (14) of the monolith substrate, the arrangement being such that the sensor is contacted substantially only with exhaust gas that has first contacted the catalyst composition having an increased activity.
US08205427B2
A heat exchange system for use in operating equipment having a plurality of subsystems in each of which one of a plurality of working fluids is utilized to provide selected operations with there being an air and working fluid heat exchanger providing controlled cooling to cool at least one of the plurality of working fluids in its corresponding subsystem. In addition, a coupling heat exchanger is also provided connected to two of the subsystems to pass there working fluids therethrough, including the subsystem with the air and working fluid heat exchanger, to allow one of the connected subsystems to aid in cooling the other.
US08205423B2
Mowing device for plants, comprising at least one rotor with a rotor axis, in particular a vertical rotor axis or first rotation axis, and at least one blade which is driven in rotation by the rotor, in which the blade is attached to a blade holder, which is attached to the rotor so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis which is situated at a radial distance from the rotor axis.
US08205421B2
Belt guards that overlie the interface between a flexible cutterbar assembly and a flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header define an underlying void region that is sealed against the entry of crop residue by an upright dam wall that bears against the underside of the overhanging belt guards forward of the front edge of the upper run of the belt of the draper assembly. The upright dam wall is on the front extremity of flexible support panels that underlie the upper belt run and may be essentially rigid or provided with a resilient trim seal strip.
US08205412B2
A prefabrication system having a floor component and a frame component. In particular, the floor component includes a deck member, which can be made of deck sections, profiles, or panels. For example, the deck member can be made of continuous panels that cover the desired width and length of the floor component. Alternatively, the deck member can be made of preassembled sections that are combined in juxtaposed relation to form the desired width and length. The frame component includes opposing horizontal support channels that are attached to opposing vertical columns, respectfully.
US08205410B2
The invention is a joint cover assembly for covering a gap adjacent an edge of a panel that covers a sub-surface, and a method of covering such a gap. The assembly includes a molding having a foot, a first arm, and a second arm. The foot is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the molding, and the first arm extends generally perpendicularly to the foot. The second arm may also extend generally perpendicularly to the foot. A tab depends from at least one of the first and second arms. At least one of the tab and the foot engage a track in order to position the assembly over the gap. The method includes the steps of placing the foot in the gap, pressing the respective panel engaging surfaces into contact with respective panels, and configuring at least one of the tab and the foot to cooperate to retain the molding in the gap when the assembly is in an installed condition.
US08205409B2
A grating system provides enhanced see through characteristics and typically includes longitudinal deep bars, axial crossbars, axial filler bars between the crossbars and longitudinal joining bars which join the crossbars and filler bars to one another. The deep bars are part of a first subassembly and the other bars are part of a second subassembly which may be lowered to join the two subassemblies to one another. The crossbars and filler bars are typically seated on the deep bars. The joining bars are typically above and aligned with the deep bars. The upper surfaces of the crossbars and filler bars are usually substantially flush with one another. The grating system is configured to support vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
US08205404B2
A panel for use in an assembly of panels is attached to each other to form a covering. The panel comprises an upper surface and a lower surface each extending within a different main plane, and at least an edge between these surfaces comprising a coupling to couple the panel to a coupling of another panel. The upper surface includes a lowered part at said edge and the cross-section of the lowered part, perpendicular to the edge of the panel, varies along the edge. Such a panel provides a good imitation of a panel made of natural materials. The invention also provides an appropriate method to make such a panel.
US08205402B1
A stud spacer for a metal wall having a series of spaced apart studs with each stud having a pair of flanges and an interconnected web with the web having an opening therein. Connected between each pair of consecutive studs is a stud spacer. Each stud spacer includes a pair of end flanges that are secured to the web of an adjacent stud. In addition, each stud spacer includes a projection that projects through an opening in the adjacent stud and extends into an opening or slot in an adjacent stud spacer such that the respective stud spacers are effectively linked or connected by the projections of the various stud spacers found in the metal wall.
US08205399B2
A portable dwelling for use on the ground is disclosed having an enclosure with an interior space so dimensioned to receive an adult human being in a reclined or laying position and in an upright sitting position within the interior space. The enclosure has a plurality of surfaces between the interior space and an exterior space capable of maintaining dryness of the interior space in the event of a rainfall. Wheels are attached to the enclosure to facilitate movement of the enclosure along the ground. The enclosure has a mass capable of being moved along the ground via the wheels by the single adult human being, and has an exterior profile so dimensioned to allow the enclosure to be moved along a sidewalk of a city without completely obstructing a navigable portion of the sidewalk.
US08205398B2
A fascia vent for a roof structure includes a fascia board for attachment along the lower ends of roof rafters that support a roof deck above an attic space. The fascia vent has an exposed outside face and an inside face at least partly exposed to the attic space. In one embodiment, a plurality of slots are formed along the inside face of the fascia board with a lower end of the slots communicating with ambience along the bottom edge of the fascia board and an upper end of the slots communicating with the attic space. In another embodiment, a plurality of spaced vent pockets are formed in the inside face and a slot is formed along the bottom edge of the fascia vent communicating with the vent pockets. In still another embodiment for installing along the longer rafter tails of wider rafters, the fascia board is wider and plunge cuts are made along the bottom edge of the fascia board to form a flow path to the vent pockets and thus to an attic space. In use, hot air vented from the attic is replaced by fresh air that flows through the fascia vent and into the attic space.
US08205395B2
A wall panel system, which may be either a slat wall system or a smooth wall system, is provided. The system employs tongue and groove attachment means to conveniently attach the parts of the wall panel system to one another. A method of installing such a wall panel system is also provided.
US08205385B2
The invention comprises improvements to transparent/translucent panel systems including two spaced flat panels and a series of elongated, abutting, rotatably mounted transparent/translucent light-controlling members disposed between the panels in which the light-controlling members are at least partially tubular or have annular members along their length to facilitate rotation of the light-controlling members and include a light-blocking surface including improvements to ensure continued efficient operation when the panel systems are subjected to flexure or deflection and possible permanent deformation.
US08205373B1
A rifle conversion platform assembly comprised of components to fit around an existing action such that attachment locations such as a hand guard, pistol grip, and butt stock attachment locations are provided to have conventional rifle components, which in one form may be components of a high caliber semiautomatic rifle such as an AR-15, attached thereto.
US08205362B2
A digging point assembly for use in earthworking which comprises a main body which includes a socket member defining a hollow socket for engagement with a leading tip of a tyne and first and second replaceable wear parts which are mounted to the main body to protect the leading end and top of the socket member which are normally exposed to wear in movement through soil, the first wear part being maintained in an operative position at the leading end of the socket by the tyne and cooperating with the second wear part to maintain the second wear part in operative position protecting the top of the socket member. The digging point assembly may also include a third replaceable wear part at the leading end of the body part which is held in position by cooperation with the first replaceable wear part.
US08205353B2
Vacuum concentrator, comprising a vacuum chamber with a closure which may be sealed in an airtight manner, a centrifuge rotor arranged in the vacuum chamber with at least one receiver for at least one vessel for samples to be dried, a drive motor arranged outside the vacuum chamber for driving the centrifuge rotor, a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum chamber, a tempering device associated with the vacuum chamber for tempering the at least one sample in the vacuum chamber, a pressure sensor associated with the vacuum chamber for detecting the pressure inside the vacuum chamber and an electrical control and evaluating device which is connected to the drive motor, the vacuum pump, the tempering device and the pressure sensor, for detecting the end point of the vacuum concentration by means of the pressures detected by the pressure sensor in the vacuum chamber and terminating the vacuum concentration when the end point is determined.
US08205351B2
A dispensing vessel for introducing moisture into a clothes drying environment includes a sponge-like core configured to at least temporarily retain a moistening substance therein, a generally oblong-shaped cover substantially surrounding the core and retaining the core in a compressed condition, and a moistening substance retained within the core. The cover includes a fill opening defined therethrough, the fill opening providing access to an interior of the cover from an exterior of the cover, a plurality of protuberances spaced generally evenly from one another, each protuberance having a generally conical shape, and one or more dispensing openings, each dispensing opening disposed at a distal end of a protuberance of the plurality of protuberances, and each dispensing opening providing access to an exterior of the cover from an interior of the cover. Furthermore, each of the dispensing openings is not positioned generally opposite the fill opening.
US08205349B2
Provided is an alignment apparatus including holding and rotating means for holding an alignment object and rotating the alignment object, the alignment apparatus including supporting means for supporting that part of the alignment object being rotated which is different from that part of the alignment object which is held by the holding and rotating means. This makes it possible to align the alignment object highly accurately by preventing the alignment object from being deformed, e.g. bent, due to its own weight.
US08205345B2
The correction method includes searching for one or more anomalous zones (S1, S2), if any, of the sensed curve (19), and if one or more anomalous zones are found, correcting the shape of each anomalous zone of the sensed curve.
US08205344B2
A safety razor having a blade unit has at least one blade and a handle casing. A pivotal connection structure is disposed between the blade unit and the handle casing. A first member is connected to the blade unit and a second member is connected to the handle casing. A joint member connects the first member and the second member and facilitates movement of the first member relative to the second member about a hinge axis that is substantially perpendicular to the at least one blade.
US08205335B2
A method of repairing a gas turbine knife edge seal assembly in which assembly is included a used honeycomb ring seal and a knife edge. The method includes removing the used honeycomb ring seal, removing material from the knife edge to a first knife edge radial height, installing a replacement honeycomb ring seal with a stock radial thickness, and removing material from the replacement honeycomb ring seal to a finished radial thickness for sealable engagement with the knife edge. The finished radial thickness of the replacement honeycomb ring seal establishes a first radial gap between an inner annular surface of the replacement honeycomb ring seal and the knife edge before the knife edge seal assembly begins rotating in the gas turbine.
US08205318B2
When surface grinding finish for decoration or other purposes is performed by applying a film to the front surface of a metal plate that is welded linearly with penetration from the rear surface side thereof, a plurality of the films are applied so as not to cover weld lines. In this manner, the metal plate can be subjected to the surface grinding finish such that an appearance similar to weld marks is not created.
US08205317B2
A method of manufacturing a stent includes forming a stent blank including a predetermined alloy composition, the alloy composition including at least base element and at least one sacrificial element and forming a stent framework from the stent blank. The method further includes removing at least a portion of the sacrificial element and forming at least one pore based on the removal. A method of manufacturing a vascular treatment system includes forming a stent blank including a predetermined alloy composition including at least one base element and at least one sacrificial element. The method further includes forming a stent framework and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial element. The method also includes forming at least one pore based on the removal, bending the stent framework to a delivery shape, and attaching the bent stent framework including the formed pores to a catheter.
US08205305B2
A hinge mechanism includes two pivoting shafts substantially parallel to each other, two main gears non-rotatably sleeved on the pivoting shafts, respectively. The hinge mechanism further includes two transmission gears positioned between the main gears, and two brackets sleeved on the pivoting shafts, respectively. Each transmission gear meshes with the other transmission gear and one main gear. Each pivoting shaft includes a flange which defines two locking portions, and each bracket forms two latching portions engaging with the locking portions of each pivoting shaft. The locking portions and the latching portions are selected from the structures of groove and hook.
US08205304B2
An adjustable friction hinge with a first hinge portion with two spaced apart first hinge knuckles and second hinge portion having a second hinge knuckle with rotatably fit together. A barrel bushing is non-rotatably positioned in the second hinge knuckle. A friction bushing is slidably and non-rotatably located in openings in the two first hinge knuckles. A threaded compression nut, and a non-threaded compression nut are located in the two spaced apart first hinge knuckles. A screw passes through the non-threaded compression nut, the spaced apart first hinge knuckles, the second hinge knuckle, the two friction bushings, and into the threaded compression nut. When the screw is tightened, the threaded and non-threaded compression nuts force the two frictional bushing into frictional contact with the barrel bushing to increase a force required to move the first hinge portion and the second hinge portion relative to each other.
US08205296B1
A vacuum accessory tool has a nozzle body with a suction opening and a hose section for connecting the accessory tool with a hose of an external vacuum source. The nozzle body includes a serrated blade that can be used for grooming a domestic animal. The nozzle body further comprises a transparent or semi-transparent tool hood for viewing the area being groomed. The nozzle body is pivotally mounted to the hose section by a rotatable cuff for rotation of the nozzle body relative to the hose section. Adaptors connect the vacuum accessory tool to multiple different size hoses of a variety of vacuum cleaners.
US08205293B2
A steam mop having a main body having a boiler with a water inlet and a steam outlet positioned therein, a pump having an inlet and an outlet with the pump outlet connected to the boiler inlet, a water container for storing water connected to the pump inlet, and a steam pocket frame connected to the steam outlet, where the activation of the pump pumps water from the water container to the boiler for generation of steam. In an embodiment of the invention, a steam mop having a main body with a boiler, a water container, a mechanical water pump between the boiler and container and at least one side arm connecting the boiler steam outlet to a fabric steam pocket frame. The water pump is actuated by movement of the mop when cleaning to send water to the boiler. The steam pad frame is substantially rectangular with a plurality of baffles in a square grid formation extending outwardly to distribute steam to distribute steam between the baffles. A replaceable fabric pad fits snugly on the frame to distribute cleaning steam to the surface to be cleaned.
US08205286B1
A pillow for female breasts, comprising a pillow comprising a first lateral wall, and top and bottom walls. The top wall has first and second openings. The first and second openings receive each breast of a woman when lying thereon. A protective cover comprises a first upper portion, a bottom portion, and a second lateral wall. The first upper portion has first and second interior sidewalls that align with and fit within the first and second openings respectively. An outer cover comprises a second upper portion and a third lateral wall. The second upper portion has first and second pocket members that align with and fit within the first and second interior sidewalls that in turn align with and fit within the first and second openings respectively. The protective cover is dressed on the pillow, and the outer cover is dressed on the protective cover and the pillow.
US08205284B2
A prenatal/postnatal pillow is disclosed. The pillow includes a body with a first end, a medial portion, and a second end. The pillow may possess a generally C-shaped structure defining an interior well operable to curve around a body part of a user. The interior of the pillow body defines a cavity, which may include a series of cells containing a predetermined amount of fill material. The ends of the pillow body may include fasteners that connect to draw the ends of the pillow together, forming a compact support surface. The pillow also includes an internal compartment for storing articles such as blankets, bottles, etc.
US08205283B1
A travel face pillow provides a portable soft cushion for resting while supporting the head. The travel face pillow may comprise a face support pillow having a left hand pillow and a right hand pillow with the left hand pillow and a right hand pillow centered approximately 180 degrees from each other with the face support pillow surrounding a face opening, a head opening surrounding the face support pillow wherein the head opening is larger than the face opening, a pair of hand entrance slots extending between the head opening and the face opening with each of the pair of hand entrance slots aligned for providing hand access to one of a pair of hand pockets wherein each of the pair of hand pockets is adjacent to a one of the left hand pillow and the right hand pillow respectively, and a pair of thumb cushion tabs coupled to the face support pillow at the head opening with each one of the pair of thumb cushion tabs coupled and aligned respectively to one of the pair of hand pockets for receiving, and an outer surface surrounding the face support pillow.
US08205282B2
The pillow includes a pillow tick which includes first and second substantially identical fabric members. A chamber extends along the length of the pillow at one longitudinal edge thereof. An air bladder member with crushable foam or polyester pellets is positioned within the chamber. A valve extends from the air bladder member to provide adjustable neck support. Pressure is exerted on the foam with the valve open. When the desired firmness is achieved, the valve is closed. Two baffle members are positioned in the tick volume between the other longitudinal edge of the tick and the chamber. The tick volume contains natural or synthetic fill. The baffles angle toward each other to provide good support and comfort and to reduce movement of the fill.
US08205273B2
To enable a front portion of a chest protector to be easily undone to allow cooling down while maintaining the protection performance for the chest protector fitted to a garment. A chest protector detachably fitted to an interior surface of a body garment includes left and right protective shell members, with the left and right protective shell members engaging in a separable manner.
US08205271B2
Footwear hosiery is provided, which includes a first layer defining a front portion, an arch portion and a rear portion. A second layer is connected with at least one of the arch portion and the front portion in a configuration to define a receptacle having an opening. A pad is configured for removable disposal within the receptacle. The first layer may be a fabric material. The second layer may be fabricated from a flexible material.
US08205270B2
Ladies' pants has an inside belt portion that is provided with an eyelet buttonhole as a second buttonhole. A moving cloth is provided inside the inside belt portion. A button is sewn on the moving cloth and is taken out from the eyelet buttonhole so as to be movable inside the eyelet buttonhole. If the button is engaged with the second buttonhole, the eyelet buttonhole is hidden under an outside belt portion. Then, the ladies' pants allows a waist size to continuously change, thereby giving a wearer a relaxed and comfortable wearing feeling. A round part of the eyelet buttonhole is located at a position corresponding to nearly a center of the moving cloth when the moving cloth returns to its original position. Then, even if the button is detached, the button can be stitched by scoop sewing through the round part of the eyelet buttonhole. Thus, the button can be surely reattached to the moving cloth.
US08209767B1
An optical metrology tool may include a source of electromagnetic radiation having a characteristic wavelength, an objective having a central obscuration, a near field element located within the central obscuration of the objective, and an electromagnetic radiation detector coupled to the near field element. A mechanism is configured to bring the near field element into proximity to the target. A characteristic dimension of the near field element is sufficient smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation that when the electromagnetic radiation passes through the cavity and the cavity is in sufficient proximity to the target that evanescent waves can couple energy from propagating radiation in the near-field element to the target. The detector detects an optical signal due to the evanescent waves coupling to the target.
US08209760B1
Quantifying a property of a focus computing resource based on proximity to other computing resources
The estimation of a risk factor applied to a negative potential of a focus computing resource based on proximity of the focus computing resource from other computing resources, and not just based on neighboring distance-1 computing resources. Upon determining that the risk factor applied to a negative potential of a focus computing resource is to be estimated, the negative potentials for one or more distance-1 computing resources are accessed. These negative potentials may have, in turn, been estimated based on distance and risk factor propagation from yet other higher distance computing resources. The negative potentials for the distance-1 computing resources are then used to estimate the risk factor applied to the negative potential of the focus computing resource.
US08209759B2
A security incident manger includes events and network flows in the analysis of an attack to better identify the magnitude of the attack and how to handle the situation. The raw events are reported by monitored devices and the incident manager may request network flows from various devices corresponding to a raw event. The manager then assigns a variable score to the severity, the relevance and the credibility of the event to determine its next processing steps. Those events that appear to be a likely and effective attack are classified as offenses. Offenses are stored in order to provide additional data for evaluating future events and for building a “rap sheet” against repeat attackers and repeat events.
US08209758B1
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for classifying users of antivirus software based on user's level of expertise in the field of computer security. In one example, the system receives from antivirus software deployed on a user's computer information about security of the computer and history of user's usage of the software. The system categorizes the received information into categories based on (i) a number of computer threats detected by the user, (ii) a frequency of malware infections of the user's computer, and (iii) a level of user's proficiency with the antivirus software. The system then selects condition-action rules for each category of information and applies the selected rules to the categorized information to determine user's level of expertise in computer security. Finally, the system classifies the user as one of an expert or typical user based on the user's level of expertise.
US08209757B1
A method includes creating an intercept function for a tracked DLL function of a DLL being loaded into a suspicious module. Upon a determination that the tracked DLL function is invoked, a determination is made as to whether a return address of a caller of the tracked DLL function is within a legitimate return address range. The legitimate return address range includes an address range of the intercept function and excludes an address range of the suspicious module. If the return address is within the suspicious module, the suspicious module called the tracked DLL function directly. This indicates that the suspicious module is malicious and so protective action is taken.
US08209756B1
An intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) device includes an attack detection module and a forwarding component. The attack detection module applies a compound attack definition to a packet flow of a computer network to determine whether the packet flow includes at least one pattern and at least one protocol anomaly. The forwarding component selectively discards the packet flow based on the determination. The IDP device may further include a reassembly module to form application-layer communications from the packet flows, and a plurality of protocol-specific decoders to process the application-layer communications to extract application-layer elements and detect protocol anomalies.
US08209753B2
An anonymous secure messaging method, system and computer program product for implementation over a wireless connection. The invention allows the securely exchange of information between a security token enabled computer system and an intelligent remote device having an operatively coupled security token thereto over the wireless connection. The invention establishes an anonymous secure messaging channel between the security token and the security token enabled computer system, which allows the intelligent remote device to emulate a locally connected security token peripheral device without requiring a physical connection. A dedicated wireless communications channel is incorporated to prevent several concurrent wireless connections from being established with the security token and potentially compromising the security of the information being sent on concurrent wireless connections.
US08209752B2
An imaging system is disclosed that performs authentication of a user. The system includes one or more manipulation detecting parts that detect one or more manipulations by the user related to an imaging process, one or more biometric information acquiring parts that acquire biometric information of the user when the manipulation detecting parts detect the manipulations by the user, and an authentication determining part that determines an authentication result of the authentication based on the biometric information acquired by the biometric information acquiring parts.
US08209747B2
Methods and systems for associating an event log entry with the rule that triggered its creation are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus is described. The apparatus has an event handling device for applying a plurality of rules; an event log with a plurality of log entries, and a hash value appender for appending a hash value log entries. When the event handling device performs an application of one of the rules, an entry is created in said event log, and the hash value generator appends a unique hash value to the entry. The unique hash value corresponds to the rule that was applied.
US08209746B2
It is intended to achieve a user authentication system capable of forcibly presenting a content to a user. Provided is a content presentation-type authentication system designed to allow a client to perform a content presentation-type user authentication in which user authentication is performed in such a manner that a plurality of pattern elements arranged in a given pattern are presented as a presentation pattern to a user who intends to be authenticated, and a one-time password derivation rule is used as a password of the user and applied to certain ones of the pattern elements located at specific positions in the presentation pattern to create a one-time password, and a content is forcibly presented to the user in connection with the user authentication. The content presentation-type authentication system comprises an authentication-service providing server configured to manage respective user IDs and passwords of users, content data indicative of a detail of each of a plurality of contents, and respective content IDs of the plurality of contents, and provide content-added authentication information to each of the users, and a client having a content presentation-type user authentication program and a processor.
US08209743B1
In one embodiment, accessing a first image of a CAPTCHA, wherein the CAPTCHA comprises: the first image; a challenge based on the first image; and a correct response based on the first image; constructing a second image by scrambling the first image, comprising: cutting the first image into a plurality of image sections; recording positions of the image sections in the first image; and randomly rearranging the image sections to construct the second image; generating web-browser-executable code for unscrambling the second image back to the first image, wherein the web-browser-executable code indicates, for each one of the image sections in the second image, the position of the image section in the first image; and transmitting the second image and the web-browser-executable code to a second computing device.
US08209739B2
A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a protected area for software to execute on a separate hardware firewall adaptor when a storage device is operating in an unprotected environment when connected to an uncontrolled or unmonitored host system. This software provides security through a plurality of security, access management and monitoring (SAMM) applications when a USB storage device is connected to a computer in an uncontrolled, unprotected environment.
US08209724B2
The present invention provides a method and system for providing access to information of potential interest to a user. Closed-caption information is analyzed to find related information on the Internet. User interactions with a TV which receives programming including closed-caption information are monitored to determine user interests. The related closed-caption information is analyzed to determine key information therein. The key information is used for searching for information in available resources such as the Internet, and the search results are used to make recommendations to the user about information of potential interest to the user.
US08209723B2
A broadcast receiving apparatus makes it possible to select a desired television program quickly by channel-surfing. The broadcast receiving apparatus outputs information of the received broadcast content as television program information of a channel for which the broadcast content is received, includes an operation detector that detects a channel that selects operation, an operation speed calculator that calculates a channel selecting operation speed from the detected channel selecting operation, a list item count determiner that determines, according to the calculated channel selecting operation speed, the number of channels for which the television program information is displayed, a channel determiner that determines channels to be listed so that the television program information is displayed for the determined number of channels, and a display that outputs the television program information of the determined channels to be listed.
US08209720B2
Before a programming guide is created, a unique code is assigned to each TV program that can be identified in the programming guide. Prior to the creation of the programming guide, a viewer selects the unique code corresponding to the TV show that the viewer would like to record whenever that TV show is broadcast. When the programming guide is created, the corresponding unique codes are associated with each TV program in the programming guide. The TV program corresponding to the viewer-selected unique code is then scheduled to be recorded in accordance with the announced broadcast schedule in the programming guide. A recording is made of the TV program corresponding to the viewer-selected unique code as the TV program is broadcast in accordance with the announced broadcast schedule in the programming guide.
US08209696B2
A method of processing a transaction request at a database load balancer. The method comprises receiving the transaction request, where the transaction request is comprised of one or more operations; analyzing the transaction request to determine the one or more operations; associating one or more database locks with each of the one or more operations; analyzing one or more of the database locks to determine the one or more sequence numbers associated with each of the one or more operations; and transmitting the one or more operations with the associated database locks and the sequence numbers to one or more databases servers accessible to the database load balancer.
US08209691B1
Systems and techniques for distributing items for processing include receiving a request for a batch of items to be processed and determining whether a number of available items exceeds a first predetermined threshold. A batch of the available items is sent in response to the request if the number of available items exceeds the first predetermined threshold. However, if the number of available items does not exceed the first predetermined threshold, a determination is made as to whether a time period associated with the available items exceeds a second predetermined threshold. If so, a batch of the available items is sent.
US08209686B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for saving unsaved user process data in one or more logical partitions (‘LPARs’) of a computing system, the computing system having installed upon it a hypervisor for administering the LPARs, each LPAR supporting an operating system, each operating system supporting one or more user processes, that include: detecting, by the hypervisor, a predefined event that the hypervisor interprets as an indication that unsaved data of user processes for at least one LPAR should be saved; transmitting, by the hypervisor in response to detecting the predefined event, a save instruction to the operating system supported by the LPAR; and instructing, by the operating system in response to receiving the save instruction, each user process supported by the operating system to save any unsaved data.
US08209678B2
A method and apparatus for obtaining and installing software updates on consumer electronics devices is described. In one embodiment, the method may include obtaining a software update for a consumer electronics (CE) device and a communications protocol for installing the software update on the CE device. The method may also include a portable device installing the software update on the CE device utilizing the communications protocol, in response to the portable device detecting a communications link between the portable device and the CE device.
US08209677B2
A method of providing a software patch to an electronic device. A device containing a software patch for an electronic device may be plugged to an electrical outlet. A plurality of electronic devices may be queried, over a power line through the electrical outlet, for identifying the electronic device requiring the software patch. As a result, the electronic device requiring the software patch may also identify the version of the firmware installed on the electronic device. Test signals may be sent over the power line to determine the signal quality of various multiple carriers for using OFDM scheme. Suitability of various sub-carriers for sending the software patch over the power line may be determined. Higher density modulation may be used for higher quality sub-carriers to send the software patch to the electronic device. An acknowledgment signal for receipt of the properly received authenticated software patch may be received.
US08209672B2
Systems and methods are provided for transforming modeled business processes into executable processes. The modeled processes may comprise graphically modeled business processes. The executable processes may comprise processes suitable for execution by a computerized or software-based system. In one embodiment, transformation rules are provided for mapping or converting, for example, EPC model constructs to BPEL constructs. The transformation rules can be applied to graphical constructs in a modeled business process to generate an executable business process comprising an ordered sequence of programming constructs. The ordered sequence of programming constructs can be stored in a database for subsequent execution of the executable business process.
US08209660B2
A system and method for model driven software is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of handling changes to a software system in a business environment includes capturing customer requirements of the software system in a schema, modeling business-software architecture of the software system in a first level of the schema, modeling design architecture of the software system in a second level of the schema, defining events that connect the first level and second level of the schema, defining links that represent interactions between the user interfaces, defining integration services for each of the events, mapping each element in the first level to a corresponding one of elements in the second level using the events, links and integration services, creating a knowledge repository with a traversable user interface representing the mappings, identifying changes to the software system, and analyzing impact of the changes using the knowledge repository.
US08209641B2
A method of fabricating a photomask used to form a lens. The method includes the steps of generating mask pattern data for each of a plurality of grid cells constituting a mask pattern for the lens, and fabricating the photomask based on the mask pattern data. The step of generating the mask pattern data includes acquiring data which represents a transmitted light distribution required for the photomask to fabricate the lens, in which the transmitted light distribution includes a quantity of transmitted light in each of the plurality of grid cells, and determining whether to place a shield on each of the plurality of grid cells by binarizing the quantity of transmitted light in each of the plurality of grid cells in order of increasing or decreasing distance from a center of the mask pattern using an error diffusion method.
US08209634B2
Method and apparatus for previewing new events in a computing device having a plurality of applications for managing respective events are described. Individual applications are each represented by an application icon on a screen of a graphical user interface for the device. When a new event occurs, particularly when the new event relates to a specific one of a plurality of similar applications, the invention provides a convenient way to denote which application relates to the event. In response to a new event of a one of the applications, the application's icon is visually modified to notify of the new event. A visual modification may be determined in response to the new event, for example, to preview a content of the event. The visual modification may include a count of all new events that remain to be disposed. On a selection of the visually modified icon, additional previewing may be provided. Activation of the application having a visually modified application icon may be configured to automatically initiate the application at the new event.
US08209633B1
A method is illustrated that comprises displaying a first visual representation of a set of object properties of a plurality of objects, and a second visual representation of a set of object properties of the plurality of objects, each object of the plurality of objects having a property. The method further includes receiving input selecting an object of the plurality of objects having the property, the property displayed as a transition of the selected object from the first visual representation to the second visual representation. The method additionally includes sorting the plurality of objects based upon the selected object to create a sorted plurality of objects. Further, the method includes generating transition timeline data that includes the sorted plurality of objects.
US08209629B2
Technologies are described herein for providing a context pane with semantic zoom. A content interface including a content pane and a context pane is provided. The content pane may be adapted to provide content, and the context pane may be adapted to display a richness of contextual data. A selectable interface element is also provided in the content interface. When the interface element is selected, the context pane may be transformed from displaying the richness of contextual data into displaying another richness of contextual data.
US08209620B2
Complex collaboration or decision support applications perform complex design or planning tasks, often with the input of large groups of people over long periods of time. The combination of time and complexity can often obscure past actions, making it difficult to remember the factors that influenced earlier stages in the planning task. This is especially true if the task involves many people and different people work at different times. The application state navigation system provides an application-independent mechanism that allows operators to walk back through the history of the application in order to better understand (or remember) the application actions that were taken in the past and the triggers for those actions.
US08209617B2
A summarization system and method. The summarization method includes utilizing a first body of information to obtain a second body of information, which is identified (by a hyperlink, an attachment identifier, a reference, etc.) in the first body of information. A summary of the obtained second body of information is then computed. The computed summary can be displayed to a user and/or stored for later use.
US08209615B2
The described apparatus and methods define a predetermined scheme or syntax for an application-specific Universal Resource Identifier (URI) operable to deep link to a specified point, portion, or view of a target client application executable on a wireless device. Accordingly, the described application-specific URI can be used to deep link from one point to another in the same client application, or to deep link from one client application to another client application.
US08209610B2
Program viewing is provided so that a user can easily search for a program which the user desires to view. An information processing apparatus includes an EPG information recording unit which stores EPG information of programs; a program selection unit which selects programs corresponding to a plurality of different selection conditions based on the EPG information; and a display control unit which controls the display on a display screen of a plurality of selection buttons associated with the plurality of selection conditions in a manner that features of the selected programs are represented, wherein, when any one of the selection buttons is selected, the display control unit controls the display on the display screen of information corresponding to the program associated with the selected selection buttons.
US08209609B2
An audio-visual search and browse interface (AVSBI) is described. In an embodiment, a user interface module displays one or more media collections, where each of the one or more media collections includes multiple clips of media. The user interface module determines a center media collection from the one or more media collections that corresponds with a slider on a user interface display. The user interface module determines a left media collection and a right media collection based on the center media collection. The multiple clips of media in the center media collection are played via a center speaker, the multiple clips of media in the left media collection are played via a left speaker, and the multiple clips of media in the right media collection are played via a right speaker, all in a simultaneous, overlapping and cyclical manner. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08209606B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a device with a touch screen display is disclosed. In the method, a movement of an object on or near the touch screen display is detected. In response to detecting the movement, a list of items displayed on the touch screen display is scrolled in a first direction. If a terminus of the list is reached while scrolling the list in the first direction while the object is still detected on or near the touch screen display, an area beyond the terminus of the list is displayed. In response to detecting that the object is no longer on or near the touch screen display, the list is scrolled in a second direction until the area beyond the terminus of the list is no longer displayed.
US08209602B2
Different pieces of Internet content are manually selected during viewing on a screen, the selected pieces are arranged into a single publication, and the publication is sent to print.
US08209598B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for exporting electronic documents in a rich internet application environment are described. In one aspect, a method includes generating a display object based at least in part on a rich internet application interpreting an application data object. The display object includes displayable features and non-displayable features associated with the displayable features. A rich internet application platform runs the rich internet application and includes an export resource adapted to be invoked by multiple different rich internet applications. The export resource receives the display object and identifies components of the display object and an arrangement of the components. The export resource generates an electronic document based at least in part on the identified components and the identified arrangement. The generated electronic document includes the displayable features and the non-displayable features.
US08209595B2
The present invention provides means for effectively reducing the amount of data by means of de-duplication in a disk array apparatus having a data guarantee code. A control means for the disk array apparatus that adds a data guarantee code to each logical data block and checks the data guarantee code when reading data has a de-duplication performing function and control means for: generating LA substitution information for a function checking the data guarantee code or read data location address substitution information when performing the de-duplication and storing data; performing the de-duplication using the above-mentioned information when reading data; and thereby avoiding false diagnosis of the data guarantee code check.
US08209594B2
A receiving device including: a receiver receiving two frames, each including substantially same data attached thereto with a data error detection code, a frame error detection code, and safety flag information indicating a safety function or not, respectively; a first detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the frames by use of the frame error detection code, respectively; a second detector connected to the receiver for performing error detection of the data by use of the data error detection code, respectively; and a Direct Memory Access Controller (DMAC) connected to the first and second detectors for outputting one among the data included in the two frames under a condition of the safety function in the two frames when no error is detected in the frame and data error detections.
US08209589B2
A syndrome calculator receives an input codeword and calculates a first set of syndromes. A syndrome transform receives the first set of syndromes having and determines a second set of syndromes. The second set of syndromes is based on the first set of syndromes. The second set of syndromes has number of syndromes that is less than the number of syndromes in the first set of syndromes. A key equation solver receives the second set of syndromes and produces an indication of zero or more error locations and an indication of zero or more error values.
US08209571B2
A valid-transmission verifying circuit and a semiconductor device including the same are provided. The valid-transmission verifying circuit provides data to an output circuit in correspondence with reference data, the valid-transmission verifying circuit comprising: a data receiving terminal receiving the reference data; a valid-transmission verifier including a reference load unit configured to sample the reference data, the data sampling operation is interrupted in response to a sampling control signal to determine whether the data sampling operation has been performed within a sampling time; and a selection switch providing the reference data to one of the normal output circuit and the valid-transmission verifier in response to a mode selection signal.
US08209559B2
Techniques are described to provide the capability to halt execution of a thread by a processor and potentially lower power consumption of the processor while responding to events in a timely manner. An operating system provided system call allows for identification of events that cause the execution of the thread to resume. A processor core uses a signal mask and translation unit that monitors for the identified events. In the event an event is detected, the thread unhalts and determines a manner to process the event.
US08209548B2
The present invention relates to a secure caching technique for shared distributed caches. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: encrypting a key K to provide a secure key, the key K corresponding to a value to be stored in a cache; and storing the value in the cache using the secure key.
US08209540B2
A data processing device receives a manifest from a previous backup operation and determines what files have changed by comparing the files to be backed up to the manifest. The data processing device then transforms and encrypts the new and modified files, updates the manifest, signs the manifest and sends the encrypted files along with the signed manifest to a host data processing system for backup.
US08209539B2
The invention relates to a method for watermarking at least one timestamp in a set of support data, comprising the following steps for each timestamp: association with the timestamp of the value at a given time of a reference timestamp signal, that is a determinist signal varying over time in a given temporal reference and being written as s(t), wherein t is incremented according to an incrementing step equal to one predetermined time unit; and watermarking of the value in the set of support data. The invention also relates to a corresponding decoding method comprising the following steps: reading, in the set of support data, of at least one value of a phase-shifted timestamp signal, of the same form as the reference timestamp signal but having in relation to this signal an unknown phase shift φ in a given temporal reference, the previous watermarking of each timestamp consisting in a watermarking of the value at a given watermarking time of the reference timestamp signal; estimation of the phase shift φ from the at least one read value of the phase-shifted timestamp signal and from the knowledge of the reference timestamp signal; and for the at least one read value, read at a given time tr, determination of an associated timestamp h associated according to the read time tr and the estimated phase shift φ.
US08209538B2
An email policy is applied in a policy manager, running on a mail server in a local area network, to determine whether an outgoing email message should be allowed to be transmitted to a destination address outside the local area network, for example over the internet. A digital signature is used in the policy manager, to determine if the sender is the sender indicated in the message itself. If so, a sender-dependent policy is applied.
US08209529B2
A DHCP server 8 dispenses an IP address in response to a request from a terminal equipment 1. An authentication server 3 receives an authentication frame transmitted from the terminal equipment 1 using the dispensed IP address as a sender address and authenticates the terminal equipment 1. Upon completion of authentication, the authentication server 3 informs a registration information database 22 of an authentication hub 2 of communication permission for the terminal equipment 1. In the authentication hub 2, a frame receiving circuit 21 receives a transmission frame transmitted from the terminal equipment 1. The authentication hub 2 refers to the registration information database 22 on the basis of sender information of the transmission frame, determines transmission, rewriting-and-transmission, or discarding for the frame, and sends the transmission frame to a transmission buffer 23 if transmission or rewriting-and-transmission is permitted for the frame.
US08209525B2
The described embodiments provide a system that executes program code. While executing program code, the processor encounters at least one vector instruction and at least one vector-control instruction. The vector instruction includes a set of elements, wherein each element is used to perform an operation for a corresponding iteration of a loop in the program code. The vector-control instruction identifies elements in the vector instruction that may be operated on in parallel without causing an error due to a runtime data dependency between the iterations of the loop. The processor then executes the loop by repeatedly executing the vector-control instruction to identify a next group of elements that can be operated on in the vector instruction and selectively executing the vector instruction to perform the operation for the next group of elements in the vector instruction, until the operation has been performed for all elements of the vector instruction.
US08209523B2
A data moving processor includes a code memory coupled to a code fetch circuit and a decode circuit coupled to the code fetch circuit. An address stack is coupled to the decode circuit and configured to store address data. A general purpose stack is coupled to the decode circuit and configured to store other data. The data moving processor uses data from the general purpose stack to perform calculations. The data moving processor uses address data from the address stack to identify source and destination memory locations. The address data may be used to drive an address line of a memory during a read or write operation. The address stack and general purpose stack are separately controlled using bytecode.
US08209522B2
Systems and methods that allow for extracting a field from data stored in a pair of registers using two instructions. A first instruction extracts any part of the field from a first register designated as a first source register, and executes a second instruction extracting any part of the field from a second general register designated as a second source register. The second instruction inserts any extracted field parts in a result register.
US08209505B2
A storage apparatus includes a drive unit in which a logical unit is formed, and a controller unit for accessing the logical unit by controlling the drive unit according to an access request sent from a host apparatus. The storage apparatus issues a logical unit takeover request to the other storage apparatuses, allocates a logical unit of another storage apparatus that will accept the transfer of the logical volume to its own logical unit according to a takeover approval sent from other storage apparatuses in response to the takeover request, and thereafter migrates data of the own logical unit to a logical unit of another storage apparatus. Subsequently, the path is switched so that the access request from the host apparatus is given to one of the other storage apparatuses.
US08209493B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for improving power/performance tradeoffs associated with multi-core memory thermal throttling algorithms. In some embodiments, the priority of shared resource allocation is changed on one or more points in a system, while the system is in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) throttling mode. This may enable the forward progress of cache bound workloads while still throttling DRAM for memory bound workloads.
US08209484B2
A management computer manages the pool application information that indicates a pool application for a pool and the application condition information that indicates the condition for the pool application. The management computer calculates an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool. The management computer specifies a pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on the pool application information and the application condition information. The management computer judges whether the specified condition is satisfied even in the case in which a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity is deleted from the pool. In the case in which the result of the judgment is positive, the management computer defines a capacity equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity.
US08209481B2
A system of retrieving documents comprising: coding a plurality of stored documents as a respective document feature vector; generating a query feature vector based on a query document; and performing one or more logical operations between the query feature vector and the document feature vector to obtain respective similarity measures.
US08209477B2
Memory devices and methods disclosed such as a memory device having a plurality of memory dies where each die includes a network identification that uniquely identifies the memory die on a bus. Access for each memory die to the bus can be scheduled by a bus controller.
US08209465B2
Data are write commanded from a host into a NAND flash memory. The data are saved once in a cache memory before being written into the NAND flash memory. The cache memory includes a physical segment whose size is the product of one page sector size of the NAND flash memory and the m-th power of 2 (m is 0 or a positive integer). A CPU records and manages the data writing status for each physical segment in a sector unit.
US08209458B1
A network storage system includes an address adjusting module that includes a segmented packet receiver module that receives M sections of a segmented packet, where M is an integer greater than one. A bank identification (ID) overwriter module overwrites a bank ID of at least one of the M sections of the packet with a control bank ID that is different than the bank ID.
US08209456B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having an adapter to communicate according to a personal computer (PC) protocol and a second protocol. A first interface coupled to the adapter is to perform address translation and ordering of transactions received from upstream of the adapter. The first interface is coupled in turn to heterogeneous resources, each of which includes an intellectual property (IP) core and a shim, where the shim is to implement a header of the PC protocol for the IP core to enable its incorporation into the apparatus without modification. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08209450B2
The present disclosure relates to performing maintenance operations in a data system using configurable parameters. In one embodiment, a method in a data system is provided. The method includes receiving an indication of a data latency threshold and performing at least one maintenance operation in the data system based on the data latency threshold.
US08209447B2
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for device to device flow control. In one or more embodiments, a system configured for device to device flow control includes a host and a chain of devices, including one or more memory device, coupled to each other and configured to communicate with the host device through a same host port. In one or more embodiments, at least one device in the chain is configured to regulate the flow of data by sending a token in downstream data packets, the token allowing devices downstream from the respective at least one device to send an upstream data packet to the respective at least one device.
US08209445B2
A memory hub for a memory module having a DMA engine for performing DMA operations in system memory. The memory hub includes a link interface for receiving memory requests for access at least one of the memory devices of the system memory, and further including a memory device interface for coupling to the memory devices, the memory device interface coupling memory requests to the memory devices for access to at least one of the memory devices. A switch for selectively coupling the link interface and the memory device interface is further included in the memory hub. Additionally, a direct memory access (DMA) engine is coupled through the switch to the memory device interface to generate memory requests for access to at least one of the memory devices to perform DMA operations.
US08209441B1
Systems and methods for automatic detection and signaling of an on-line status of a headset or other audio transmit/receive system used with telephony and/or other multimedia application software running on personal computers or other processor-based hosts are disclosed. The system generally includes a headset to communicate with the host executing the application software such as a softphone utilizing the headset via a port of the host, an on-line status detector in communication with the host via the port to detect the on-line status based on detecting a request for transmit data at the port and based on a signaling protocol associated with the port and independent of the application software, and an on-line indicator selectively activated by the on-line status detector. The request for transmit data may be detected by the opening or presence of a transmit channel opened by the host on the port.
US08209438B2
A computer network system includes a controlling PC, at least one controlled PC controllable by the controlling PC via a data connection including a network, at least one central terminal having a display, and a video router. The video router is operatively coupled to each of the at least one controlled PCs and the at least one central terminal display and operative to transmit video or monitor signals from each of the controlled PCs to the at least one central terminal display.
US08209434B2
A server receives a request for transfer or streaming of a data file sent in the local network from a portable communication device. The server provides the portable communication device with an identifier allowing the data file to be located on the server via a wide area network and transfers or streams the file over the local network to the portable communication device.
US08209423B2
A method of communicating between a mobile communications device and a plurality of services that are used by the mobile communications device. The method includes establishing, through a firewall and a wireless network, a first communications session between the mobile communications device and a mobile server located in an enterprise network with which the mobile communications device is associated; and establishing, concurrent with the first communications session at least one further communications session between the mobile server and a service, the at least one further communications session being established by the mobile server as a session proxy for the mobile communications device.
US08209418B2
The present invention discloses a method for displaying site information in a videoconferencing system. According to the method, a control equipment acquires status information of sites in the course of a videoconference, and acquires information of un-enrolled sites according to the acquired status information of the sites. The control equipment sends the obtained information of the un-enrolled sites to a terminal periodically or on receiving a request from the terminal. After receiving the information of the un-enrolled sites, the terminal displays the information of the un-enrolled sites on a screen; thereby the user can examine and perform further control operations conveniently.
US08209412B2
Methods for managing localized devices providing voice/data services in a plurality of geographically diverse locations. A console system is provided to coordinate management activities for software on the plurality of localized devices. The console system communicates with an individual device of the plurality of localized devices via a protectable communications protocol to provide software configuration information to the individual device. The software configuration information provides the individual device with information sufficient to establish a direct link with a software distribution server in order to receive software data without requiring user initiation at the individual device. The protectable communications protocol includes an atomic error handling capability to enable one or more transaction instructions to be conditionally executed. Marketing feedback statistics may be collected from the plurality of localized devices sufficient to assess the response to an advertisement.
US08209407B2
An embodiment of the invention includes an apparatus, which includes a mediator operable to receive a user request and to transmit a user response; and a dynamic knowledge base including a web service classifier and a domain-relevant ontology. The mediator is operable to transform the user request into a web service request, using said dynamic knowledge base, and to transform a web service response into the user response, using the dynamic knowledge base. Optionally, the dynamic knowledge base includes a web service interface operation index. Optionally, the web service interface operation index includes an autonomous, dynamic web service interface operation index or a static web service interface operation index.
US08209405B1
A system provides a set of services. The system includes nodes that are in communication with each other. The system segregates the services into at least first and second groups of services, assigns the first group of services to a first set of the nodes, and assigns the second group of services to a second set of nodes. The first set of nodes provides the first group of services, and the second set of nodes provides the second group of services.
US08209383B2
Web feed presence techniques are described herein. In an implementation, a method includes obtaining a web feed describing content of the user and presence data of the user. The web feed is output with the presence data concurrently.
US08209381B2
A self training set of robots are configured to proactively search for selective communication abuses over a network. Robots may enter a chat room to proactively send messages. The robots then analyze patterns and/or content of a received message for potential abuse. Robots may also passively reside on/off line without publishing their network address. If a message is received, the message may be interpreted to be SPAM/SPIM. Robots may also perform a variety of other actions, such as access websites, and analyze received messages to determine if the messages indicate abuse. If abuse is detected, information may also be obtained to enable blocking or filtering of future messages from the sender, or access to/from an abusive website. The information also may be used to retrain robots, so that the robots may learn from and share their collective knowledge of abusive actions.
US08209380B2
Multimedia content is featured on user pages of an online social network using embed codes that are generated using a configuration file associated with the source ID for the multimedia content and a content ID for the multimedia content. The configuration file, the source ID and the content ID are stored locally by the online social network so that any changes to the embed codes can be made by changing the configuration file associated with the source and regenerating the embed codes. By managing multimedia content in this manner, greater control can be exercised by the online social network over the multimedia content that are featured on its user pages.
US08209371B2
A method and system are disclosed for managing communication in a computer network using aliases of computer network addresses. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a primary network address and at least a secondary network address are assigned to each server among a plurality of servers connected to a switch. The secondary network address of the server is an alias for the primary network address of the server. An information packet is transmitted from a first server of the plurality of servers to the switch. A source address included in the information packet is the primary network address of the first server. The switch modifies the source address included in the information packet received at the switch to be the secondary network address of the first server. The switch forwards the modified information packet to a second server of the plurality of servers.
US08209369B2
Provided is an apparatus for encryption/decryption and electronic signature in a mobile communication environment. A signal processing apparatus, performing modular multiplication in an electronic device, includes a first logic for outputting a signed multiplicand by selectively performing a one's complementary operation on a multiplicand according to a Booth conversion result of a multiplier in modular multiplication; a second logic for outputting a modulus which is signed in the modular multiplication based on a carry input value Carry-in of a current clock, determined from a carry value cin for correction of a previous clock, and on a sign bit of the multiplicand; and a third logic for receiving the signed multiplicand and the signed modulus, and calculating a result value of the modular multiplication by iteratively performing a full addition operation on a carry value C and a sum value S of the full addition operation, found at the previous clock.
US08209363B2
A file system interface to a dispersed data storage network is disclosed. The disclosed interface accepts read and write commands from a file system resident on a user's computer and generates network commands that are forwarded to slice servers that form the storage component of the dispersed data storage network. The slice servers then fulfill the read and write commands.
US08209360B2
A system and method include a database having multiple tables with columns containing information. A database application executes queries against the database. An externalized data structure are stored on the system and provide a user modifiable set of key performance indicators facilitating selection of database tables and queries against the tables to provide multiple levels of viewable key performance indicators to users without having to recompile the database application upon modification of the set of key performance indicators.
US08209358B2
A method in a data processing system and apparatus for organizing files, web pages, or web site members organized in a traditional first hierarchical file structure that is on a recordable medium of a data processing system. A user-defined metalabel is assigned to each of the electronic files, web pages, or web site members. The electronic files, web pages, or web site members are organized as a function of the metalabels into a second hierarchical file structure existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure on the recordable medium of the data processing system. The files, web pages, or web site members can be organized or grouped by the metalabels for efficient searching or following conversations of group members on social networking sites.
US08209355B2
Architecture that allows a developer to create an application quicker by providing an engine that automatically creates pieces of an application user interface (UI). The engine can take as input an instance of an entity or any entity type, and create as an output a user interface (UI) that allows the application users to view and modify the entity. The architecture also facilitates the association of metadata with the source entity to guide the engine decisions; decisions such as which UI controls the engine chooses to represent the entity properties, how much “real estate” (UI space) the entity is provided, and how the entity properties are to be laid out. Additionally, applications allow the user to interact with known entity types, but also with types that were unknown at the time of the application conception. In other words, applications (e.g., line-of-business) are able to handle random entities that are dynamically generated.
US08209354B1
A method and apparatus for managing a transaction in a storage area network is presented. A request is received from an agent process at a management server. The management server provides a ticket relating to the request. The ticket is sent to the agent process. The management server identifies a storage process related to the ticket. The storage process contacts the agent process and receives the information from the agent process.
US08209339B1
A similarity detector detects similar or near duplicate occurrences of a document. The similarity detector determines similarity of documents by characterizing the documents as clusters each made up of a set of term entries, such as pairs of terms. A pair of terms, for example, indicates that the first term of the pair occurs before the second term of the pair in the underlying document. Another document that has a threshold level of term entries in common with a cluster is considered similar to the document characterized by the cluster.
US08209338B2
A method of social networking is disclosed in which users may indicate areas of interest to them and/or search for other users with the same or similar interests. Users may specify one or more areas of interest to them and enter those interests in a database, by means of a list of “tags” or keywords, called a taglist. The values of the tags may be weighted. A user wishing to find other users with similar interests may input a search taglist which is compared with the other taglists stored in the database, and a list of the users with the closest matching taglists is returned. The method may also be used to characterize documents, projects, media files or other data objects, so that such items may be searched in similar fashion.
US08209335B2
Disclosed is a method of extracting informative phrases from a full corpus of documents. An index of phrases contained in the full corpus of documents is built. Then, a user specifies a subset of text to analyze. The subset may be defined as: (1) all paragraphs or sentences containing terms selected as defining a subject; (2) all documents in a category; (3) all documents written within a date range; and/or (3) all documents matching a Boolean query of terms. Once the subset is specified, it is analyzed to extract informative phrases. Specifically, the index is queried to retrieve all phrases within the subset. The number of times each of the phases occurs in the subset and in the corpus is counted. Each phrase contained in the subset is scored according to informativeness based on a comparison of a likelihood that the phrase occurs in the subset and a likelihood that the phrase occurs in the corpus as a whole. Only those phrases having an informativeness score above a predetermined value are considered highly informative and extracted.
US08209329B2
An information processor is disclosed. The processor includes: a keyword extraction portion for extracting keywords from a text created by a user; a keyword information acquisition portion for acquiring given keyword information about the keywords extracted by the keyword extraction portion; an interest degree calculation portion for finding information about degrees of interest indicating user's degrees of interest in the keywords, based on the keyword information; a keyword selection portion for selecting given keywords from the keywords extracted by the keyword extraction portion, based on the information about the degrees of interest; and a content decision portion for determining a content recommended to the user, based on the keywords selected by the keyword selection portion.
US08209327B2
A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to search for and display information stored in a searchable database of product records, including providing a user interface to the database for enabling data contained in the database to be displayed on the user's computer and for enabling user input to be received, enabling a search of the database to be performed in response to user input, and providing results of the database search to the user, including enabling the user's computer to display a list of attribute values of a product record in the database, wherein the list of attribute values corresponds to a list of distinct attributes of a current product record contained in a selected set of product records, enabling the display next to an attribute value a set of selectable sub-elements, wherein each selectable sub-element corresponds to a predetermined rank and corresponds to a predetermined subset of possible attribute values for an attribute. The sub-element whose corresponding rank matches a corresponding rank of the attribute value is displayed as highlighted. The method further enables, when a sub-element is selected by a user, the current set of product records to be constrained to a subset of the current set of product records wherein each product record in the subset has an attribute value within the set of possible attribute values associated with the selected sub-element.
US08209321B2
Computer-readable media, computerized methods, and computer systems for conducting semantic processes to present search results that include highlighted regions which are relevant to a conceptual meaning of a query are provided. Initially, content of document(s) is accessed and semantic representations are derived by distilling linguistic representations from the content. These semantic representations may be stored at a semantic index. Also, a proposition is derived from the query by parsing search terms of the query, and distilling the proposition from the search terms. Typically, the proposition is a logical representation of the conceptual meaning of the query. The proposition is compared against the semantic representations at the semantic index to identify a matching set. Regions of the content within the document, from which the matching set of semantic representations are derived, are targeted. Accordingly, highlighting may be applied to the targeted regions when presenting or displaying the search results.
US08209317B2
Methods and systems for reconstructing a full query based on a partial query are disclosed. Existing interfaces for search engines may be rigid and require users to submit full queries to perform searched. The methods and systems described herein may solve these problems by allowing a flexible way for users to submit a partial query and reconstruct a full query based on the partial query. A search may then be performed using the reconstructed query.
US08209310B1
A professional networking system and method that facilitates a meeting between two or more users of the system for the purpose of expanding the users' professional networks. Users are matched by the system based on one or more available meeting dates of each user, and one or more sought characteristics corresponding to one or more characteristics of the second user that the first user profile seeks in another user. The system does not directly reveal the characteristics of one matched user to any other user except certain basic contact information may be disclosed to another matched user to facilitate a meeting.
US08209307B2
Systems and methods for providing more efficient handling of I/O requests for clustered file system data subject to data migration or the like. For instance, exemplary systems can more quickly determine if certain files on primary storage represent actual file data or stub data for recalling file data from secondary storage. Certain embodiments utilize a driver cache on each cluster node to maintain a record of recently accessed files that represent regular files (as opposed to stubs). A dual-locking process, using both strict locking and relaxed locking, maintains consistency between driver caches on different nodes and the data of the underlying clustered file system, while providing improved access to the data by the different nodes. Moreover, a signaling process can be used, such as with zero-length files, for alerting drivers on different nodes that data migration is to be performed and/or that the driver caches should be flushed.
US08209303B2
System and method for implementing a reliable persistent random access compressed data stream is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a computer-implemented journaled file system that includes a first file for storing a series of independently compressed blocks of a data stream; a second file for storing a series of indexes corresponding to the compressed blocks, wherein each one of the indexes comprises a byte offset into the first file of the corresponding compressed block; and a third file for storing a chunk of data from the data stream before it is compressed and written to the first file. The system further comprises a writer module for writing uncompressed data to the third file and writing indexes to the second file and a compressor module for compressing a chunk of data from the third file and writing it to the end of the first file.
US08209293B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for extending media retention. Methods are provided in which a set of aging preferences are obtained. Data elements of a data set stored on storage media are evaluated against the aging preferences to determine whether each of the data elements satisfy the aging preferences. Each of the data elements that is determined to satisfy the aging preferences is aged. Aging can include freeing a portion of storage media, previously used to store a data element, for other storage usage.
US08209291B1
A data prefetching technique uses predefined prefetching criteria and prefetching models to identify and retrieve prefetched data. A prefetching model that defines data to be prefetched via a network may be stored. It may be determined whether prefetching initiation criteria have been satisfied. Data for prefetching may be identified based on the prefetching model when the prefetching initiation criteria have been satisfied. The identified data may be prefetched, via the network, based on the prefetching model.
US08209286B2
A system and method for a network operating system including a complex data medium that enables the continuous reconciliation of the collaborative information process and product. The system generally increases productivity by enabling a network dynamic among knowledge workers. The system and method generally unifies e-mail and shared file management, synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, serial and parallel work flow, top-down and bottom-up collaboration, and information lifecycle management.
US08209285B2
The present invention relates to a system and a method for single click publication of personal contents of user with the user's consent and sharing it with the rest of the world via internet. The published content can be accessed by other internet users at their desktop, viewed or shared or saved for later use. The complete process of publishing personal content on the internet is done on a single click and all others users receive notifications about new or changed content automatically on their desktop thereby enabling them to access the content.
US08209281B2
A system and method for processing data objects is provided. The system and method may comprise a user interface module, a fast data provider module, and a transaction provider module, which modules are configured to exchange data and which may be distributed over a plurality of interconnected servers. Data objects may be statelessly read from a database by the fast data provider module and, after an amendment of the data via the user interface module, statefully saved by the transaction provider module.
US08209278B1
A computer system is disclosed herein that surveys numerous legal documents which memorialize business or legal transactions and then determines common provisions in such documents. The forms of these “core provisions” are then stored in a knowledge base of the system. The system then allows attorney users to apply the system to analyze unsurveyed documents and use the knowledge base to recognize the core provisions that are most similar to the text of these unsurveyed documents. The user can then edit these unsurveyed documents in a rapid accurate fashion by automated means to revise text to match these core provisions. Document editing functionality is also present, along with means to use correlations to determine the likelihood of the presence/absence of specific provisions and the presence/absence of various particular documents in groups of documents used to memorialize certain types of transactions.
US08209270B2
A method, a system and a computer program product generate a statistical classification model used by a computer system to determine a class associated with an unlabeled time series event.
US08209267B2
A method for performing automatic account adjustment including performing automatic account adjustment processing on an account associated with a source of a unique postal indicium, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed. The method may also include outputting information to report results of the automatic account adjustment processing, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed.
US08209259B2
The invention provides a business platform, a business entity management system, and a software module that can be used in conjunction with the software service framework. The invention mimics actual business relationships between business entities, and uses a software service module to configure the business entities into a network that comprises at least three generations of business entities, wherein role dependent associations mimicking real life business relationships are established between the business entities. In addition, information as defined by business objects are configured to permit or deny access and manipulation based on user roles. Accordingly, the invention permits a user role in one business entity to potentially access information of a plurality of other associated business entities through a common business platform, based on the role of the user and the configuration of the business objects.
US08209258B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for creating and using a common, generic, data/object model to represent information grids or lookup tables, such as a mortgage asset pricing information grid, mortgage asset re-pricing grid, and credit risk pricing grid. The common model allows a common software representation for logically different attributes.
US08209257B2
A system for referring a telephone communication to one of a plurality of financial assistance providers based on lender criteria, the method including the steps of: storing telephone numbers for a plurality of financial assistance providers in memory accessible by a digital electrical computer; obtaining lender criteria for selecting one of the financial assistance providers; storing said criteria for access by said computer; identifying a debtor; selecting one of the financial assistance providers by accessing the criteria, applying the criteria, and accessing one of the stored telephone numbers; and connecting the debtor by telephone to the one of the stored telephone numbers. The system can be used with an intermediary that detects referring information sufficient to identify a referrer identity, to select which one of several financial assistance providers to refer the inbound communication by using a computer to look up and to apply referral criteria responsive to the referrer identity, and to form and track the call referral.
US08209255B2
A system and method of allocating rights for quoting issues on a trading facility such as an exchange is described. The method may include providing market participants such as remote market makers with a listing of issues available for remote quote streaming where the available issues are ranked according to predetermined trading parameters. A market participant requests allocations of rights to certain issues and the request is filtered according to a value associated with the ranking of the selected issues. The system includes an issue selection database having a listing of issues available for trading where each issue is ranked based on a trading parameter. An issue selection communication module communicates with the issue selection database and is configured to list available issues and rankings. An issue allocation filter receives a market participant request and compares the selected issues in that request to one or more exchange-based rules.
US08209254B2
A computer trading system includes a quote screening function configured to accept quotes specifying a quote amount in a price where the quote amount is greater than a minimum quote amount to produce screen quote messages and to reject quotes specifying a quote amount less than the minimum quote amount. A market view generator generates market views from those quotes which specify an amount greater than or equal to the minimum quote amount. An order screening function only accepts orders specifying an amount less than a maximum transaction amount submitted in response to the market views to produce screened order messages. A transaction processor receives screened quote messages and screened order messages and matches appropriate messages with each other. The minimum quote amount is substantially equal to or greater than the maximum transaction amount whereby a screened order message can be matched entirely with one screened quote message.
US08209249B2
Systems and methods of trading items on an electronic trading system according to the invention are provided. According to an embodiment, the electronic trading system processes a new order type that is an only at best order type, whereby trades are preferably only executed at the best price the item is being bought or sold.
US08209238B2
This invention relates to a system and methods for developing designs. In one embodiment, a method includes electronically distributing a specification for a design to a distributed community of designers, receiving designs from each of a subset of the community of designers in response to the distributed design specification, screening received designs that do not meet the specification, facilitating evaluation of a subset of the received designs by a number of evaluators; and selecting a preferred design in response to the facilitated evaluation of the designs.
