US08220807B2
An antiroll device for the suspension of a motor vehicle comprises a torsion bar and two lateral links articulated to this bar and to two lateral shock absorbers. At least one of the links (9) is telescopic and includes a piston (13) mounted so it can slide in a piston tube (14) via a rod (15) connected to the hinge connecting the link to the adjacent shock absorber, the piston being mobile due to the movement of this connection and cooperating in compression with return means (17) housed inside the said tube. The return means include two compressible stop components (18 and 19) which are designed to impart to the link a progressive stiffness which increases with the amplitude of the movements of the axis of the adjacent wheel (2a), so that this wheel is substantially uncoupled from the torsion bar or coupled to it for small or large-amplitude movements respectively.
US08220803B2
To improve durability of a seal lip (4) of an oil seal (1) in slidably contact with the peripheral surface of a shaft (23), a lubricating oil supply section (11) for collecting adhered oil and dropping it on the shaft (23) is provided at a forward end portion of an installation section (2), the lubricating oil supply section (11) has projections (12) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the installation section (2) to collect oil on the surface thereof, the surface of each projection (12) has a recess (13) for temporarily accumulating oil, guidance projections, or a slope for collecting the oil, and dams are formed on a forward end face (2a) of the installation section (2) to block the oil flowing down along the circumferential direction on the forward end face (2a) and guides the oil toward each projection (12).
US08220802B2
A leaf seal for sealing a shaft rotating about an axis, in particular in a gas turbine, includes a plurality of spaced-apart leaves arranged in a concentric circle around the axis and fixed in position by brazing, the leaves having surfaces oriented essentially parallel to the axis. The leaves are brazed to one another via intermediate spacers made of a brazing foil, so that a brazed joint is produced by brazing alloy from the brazing foils. The brazing temperature may be set to an optimum value just above the solidus temperature of the brazing foil, at which partial melting of the brazing foil occurs and penetration of liquid brazing alloy into the gap between the leaves is avoided.
US08220800B2
To provide a seal layer-transferred metal gasket that can effectively prevent degradation in seal performance due to the wearing and peeling of the coating layer. A head gasket is interposed between a cylinder block and a cylinder head. In the metal gasket seal layers made by laminating a separation layer, a coating layer and an adhesive layer in this order from the bead sheet side is formed at least on the surface of the bead sheet facing the cylinder block and the cylinder head, and, in a state where the head gasket is interposed between the cylinder block and the cylinder head and the three objects are closely attached to each other, the adhesive layer is adhered to the seal target members, and at least some portions of the coating layer and adhesive layer are separated from the bead sheet with a boundary at the separation layer and then transferred to the seal areas of the cylinder block and cylinder head.
US08220790B2
There is provided a technique in which in a case where a sheet folding process or a staple process is performed, even in the case where the size precision of a sheet used is not satisfactory, the high-precision staple process and folding process can be performed to the sheet. In a sheet processing method of a sheet processing apparatus to perform a specified process to a sheet, a relatively moved sheet is detected, the size of the sheet is calculated based on the detection result, and a position where the specified process is performed to a bundle of sheets as an object of the specified process is adjusted based on the calculated sheet size.
US08220788B2
A machine tool including a spindle oriented along a first direction with an adjustable chuck to receive a piece to be worked on. The machine tool further includes a transport device positioned essentially perpendicular to the first direction with deposit areas for the deposit of a number of the pieces to be worked on. The transport device is positioned such that each of the deposit areas may be moved into a transfer position in order to receive a piece to be worked on from the pertinent deposit area by the adjustable chuck or to release it from the adjustable chuck and to deposit it in the pertinent deposit area. An orientation device is provided that is configured to orient the piece to be worked on in a deposit area such that it may be received by the adjustable chuck in the transfer position. The orientation device is so positioned and configured that orientation of the piece to be worked on by means of the orientation device occurs in an orientation position prior to the transport position along the transport direction such that the orientation device releases the now oriented piece to be worked before it achieves the transfer position.
US08220786B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fixture assembly that is capable of holding work pieces such tiles of various sizes in various positions in a manner which enables freehand cutting. Various embodiments include a main fixture having a working top surface area that includes strategically placed cylindrical openings that are configured to receive easily manipulated tile holding clamps, various dogs that can be removably secured to the fixture in order to place tiles in a desirable position to be held during a cutting operations. The fixture is light weight and is easily transportable to a jobsite and has the capability of storing the clamps, dogs, marking instruments and the like.
US08220783B2
An insulator for use with a steam discharge tube of the type having two parallel rows of oppositely facing steam discharge apertures is disclosed. Two elongate channel sections having elongate channel edges are positioned transversely between the two rows and extend longitudinally along the tube on opposite sides of the tube. Sealing and spacing means serves to seal in spaced apart relationship the channel sections from the tube on respective opposite sides of the tube and provision is also made for securing said sections to the tube when in their desired location. The resultant insulator in assembled form reduces unwanted condensation production from the steam discharge orifices and also due to no use or the reduced use of polymers, the generation of unwanted off-gases.
US08220777B2
Disclosed are various systems and methods to generate rotary motion. In one embodiment, a system is provided, which comprises one or more anchors, and a mass configured for rotary motion. Also, one or more compliant two-position mechanisms are attached to the mass and to the one or more anchors. The compliant two-position mechanisms restrict the rotary motion of the mass from a first angular position to a second angular position.
US08220768B1
A furnace riser block configured for placement under residential or commercial furnaces and having a generally isosceles trapezoid configuration when viewed from any of its four sides. It is made from strong and lightweight plastic materials that absorb vibration. At least two riser blocks are used together to support a furnace, each having a bottom flange, four corner protrusions, two side protrusions offset from a central location, a deep draft on all four of its sides, a high width-to-height ratio, vertical ribbing that creates a scalloped configuration and increases its vertical loading capability, and multiple indentations in its top surface each configured for receiving a metal jacket riser member that gives an additional inch of clearance when needed in an installation and/or receipt of a vibration isolator. The furnace riser block is stronger, lighter in weight, and safer to handle and ship, than known furnace supports made from metal material.
US08220767B2
A supporting stand with an angle adjustment function includes two plates and an angle-adjusting means. The angle-adjusting means includes a locking ring, two protruding rings and an adjusting rod. The locking ring is provided on one plate and has axial grooves. The two protruding rings are provided on the other plate. The locking ring is coaxially disposed between the two protruding rings. One of the protruding rings is provided with a restricting slot aligned with the axial grooves. The adjusting rod penetrates the two protruding rings and the locking ring. The adjusting rod is formed with an engaging key engaged with one axial groove and the restricting slot. When the engaging key is removed from the axial groove, the two plates rotate relative to each other by using the adjusting rod as the center of rotation, thereby adjusting the inclination angle of the supported object.
US08220764B2
A tank holding bracket mechanism positionable within a seat back of an emergency vehicle for holding therein of an air tank usable for emergency breathing situations which is attachable to the back of emergency personnel such as firefighters while sitting on the vehicle seats during transport. The holding bracket includes a pivoting head movable between an opened position allow entry of removal of a tank from the bracket mechanism and a closed position retaining a tank with respect to the bracket mechanism. A locking mechanism is adapted to selectively lock the head in the closed position to prevent release of the tank responsive to certain vehicle parameters, such as disengagement of an emergency brake or movement of the vehicle transmission from the park mode. The locking mechanism can be externally activated manually or electrically such as with a powered solenoid.
US08220761B2
A junction box is adapted for flush and straight mounting in a hollow core of a masonry block, without the use of debris or the like in the core. The junction box has a thickness along a pair of side walls thereof defined by a separation of a generally-open front face from a generally-closed rear face. The junction box has a resilient tail-like member that extending away from the rear face of the junction box. The tail-like member has first and second ends with at least one bend or curvature along an intermediate portion and a length such that, in a compressed state, the second end bears against a first inside wall of the hollow core and at least portions of the junction box front face bear against an opposing second inside wall of the hollow core.
US08220755B2
A hinge rib for pivotally connecting an aerodynamic control element such as a spoiler or aileron to an aircraft structure. The hinge rib includes a first hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a first direction and a second hinge rib arm having a grain oriented in a second direction which is not parallel with the first grain direction. The arms may be formed together from a single piece of material, or more typically they are formed separately before being attached together such that the grain of the first arm is not parallel with the grain of the second arm.
US08220753B2
Systems and methods for controlling air vehicle boundary layer airflow are disclosed. Representative methods can include applying electrical energy bursts and/or other energy bursts in nanosecond pulses in the boundary layer along a surface of an air vehicle. In a particular embodiment, electrical energy is discharged into the boundary layer to reduce the tendency for the boundary layer to separate and/or to reduce the tendency for the boundary layer to transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow. In other embodiments, energy can be discharged via pulses having a pulse width of about 100 nanoseconds or less, and an amplitude of about 10,000 volts or more. Actuators discharging the energy can be arranged in a two-dimensional ray of individually addressable actuators. Energy can be delivered to the boundary layer via a laser emitter, and energy can be received in a receiver after having transited over at least a portion of the airflow surface. In another embodiment, high energy electrons can be injected into the boundary layer using a hollow cathode array at the airflow surface. In still another embodiment, energy can be introduced at the surface of the air vehicle at a rate sufficient to heat the flow and cause shock waves to propagate into the flow.
US08220752B2
A cone-shaped wing allows constant propulsion for pulling and lifting various loads. Sails in the shape of a flattened cone with an axis offset downward, whose base is connected to the leading edge in the shape of an oval with a rectilinear and horizontal base and the opposite side that is cut out in the form of a water droplet delimits the trailing edge, offer ranges whose aerodynamic force resultants are opposite one another. Two upper and two lower control lines are distributed around the leading edge and are connected at the other end to a control system designed to keep the two left lines separated from the two right lines and varying the length of the upper lines relative to that of the lower lines. The wing continuously delivers its power in the direction of the wind or on the side while being immobile when the user is stopped.
US08220751B1
A reefing slider for providing improved line management and canopy deployment characteristics of a ram air inflated airfoil type canopy. During initial descent of the parachute the slider, secured by retaining elements, is held against the canopy in the upper reefing position where it mechanically restricts canopy deployment while giving the canopy time to achieve proper orientation following the drop from the launching aircraft. Upon sufficient air flow into the canopy cells, the retaining elements separate, releasing the slider and enabling full opening of the canopy.
US08220750B2
An air cargo loading system also includes a controller, a main control panel and a plurality of PDUs (PDUs), at least the controller and the PDUs being connected by a wired network. Each PDU has a motor, at least one driver roller element coupled to said motor, a light source, a light detector, and a processor. The light detector of each PDU is configured to receive and process an incoming coded light signal from a wireless remote control handset. The PDU's processor determines whether the received coded light signal is a valid command signal and, if so, provides a command information signal to the controller via the wired network. The controller decodes the command information signal and, in view of its knowledge of container locations, various switch settings and other status information, the controller then sends the appropriate control signals to turn on the required PDUs in response thereto. Because wireless remote handsets are used to communicate with the controller, the air cargo system may either be wholly devoid of local control panels or, have only a very small number of local control panels.
US08220742B2
Assembly and method for stowing away and removing a survival kit in a passenger cabin of an aircraft
An assembly for stowing away and removing a survival kit in a passenger cabin of an aircraft, includes a first stowage compartment configured to be put in place in a floor of the passenger cabin. The first stowage compartment is equipped for completely accommodating the survival kit and for leading out a hook that is connected to the survival kit by way of a strap. The hook is used for hooking the survival kit to an attachment device of a rescue device with the first stowage compartment remaining closed.
US08220735B2
An adaptive load limiting seat belt retractor particularly adapted for motor vehicle applications. The retractor provides multiple levels of load limiting through the use of a pair of internal torsion bar elements. The torsion bar elements control the tension force on the seat belt webbing during an impact in a manner which provides desirable crash management characteristics. The retractor can be switched between high and low load limiting modes through activation of a pyrotechnic pretensioner. When the pyrotechnic pretensioner is not activated, the retractor provides a low load level characteristic. Pretensioner activation switches the retractor into a high load level operating condition. A high load limiting level is provided when the pretensioner is not activated if the spindle rotation exceeds a limited level in the low load limiting condition. A degressive load limiting feature may be provided to cause load limiting to begin at a higher level than the high load limiting level, and then step down the high load limiting level.
US08220712B2
A micro scan engine module is provided, which is used to scan and read barcode data. The micro scan engine module includes an outer case and a circuit board, in which the outer case is formed as an integral body. After the outer case and the circuit board are assembled, a complete scan engine module is formed. Through the integral design of the outer case, the errors during assembly the components are reduced, the working efficiency of the scan engine module is effectively improved, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
US08220704B2
A process for manufacturing a device includes performing a plurality of non-bonding processes during at least one web-based manufacturing stage and during at least one sheet-based manufacturing stage. The processes may be performed by a plurality of modules. The modules may be independently controlled and/or monitored. The modules may be interchangeable. One or more modules may receive and/or pass material to another module. The devices that are manufactured may be a layered device, a smart card, a sensor, an actuator, an in vitro diagnostic device, a microfluidic device, or a laminar product. An apparatus for manufacturing device includes at least one web-based manufacturing component and at least one sheet-based manufacturing component. The at least one web-based manufacturing component and the at least one sheet-based manufacturing component are configured to perform a plurality of non-bonding processes.
US08220702B2
Cartons have dispensing features that enable containers or other articles to be selectively dispensed from the cartons while preventing inadvertent escape of the articles from the cartons.
US08220698B2
The present invention relates to a method of brazing two materials (1, 2) together using a filler metal (3), which comprises the following steps: the filler metal is placed between the two contacting materials in a brazing zone where they are intended to be joined; on at least one of the two materials, which is mounted so as to move, a stress force is exerted along each of the directions of expansion provided for the two materials; the assembly in the brazing zone is brought to what is called a brazing temperature, which is both above the melting point of the filler metal and below the melting point of each of the two materials; during the temperature rise, the forces exerted on the materials to be assembled are gradually reduced as said materials expand, so that there is substantially no longer a force exerted on the materials when the brazing temperature is reached; and, once the filler metal has melted and wetted each material to be assembled, the assembly is cooled so as to solidify the filler metal, which therefore provides a bond between the two materials. The invention also relates to a device for implementing said method.
US08220694B2
A friction stir welding method utilizes a joining tool comprising a friction surface; a first workpiece comprising a first treating layer, a second workpiece comprising a second treating layer, and a joining member with a melting point lower than that of the first workpiece and the second workpiece. The joining member is arranged at the joining portion of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, and abutting the first workpiece and the second workpiece. The friction surface of the joining tool is positioned to resist at least one of the first treating layer and the second treating layer. The joining tool is rotated and moved to agitate at least one of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, until at least part of the first workpiece and the second workpiece are plasticized and joined together.
US08220689B2
An apparatus comprising a plurality of chambers for receiving an associated plurality of staples, each formed with a shape memory that allows the staple to adopt a straightened configuration, when placed in a stapler, and a deployed configuration for suturing when released from the stapler; and a sleeve moveable relative to the chambers between a first position, in which the staples are trapped by the sleeve within the chambers in the straightened configuration, and a second position, whereby the staples are freed to adopt the deployed configuration, wherein the sleeve is adapted to move between the first and second positions by rotating relative to the chambers.
US08220673B1
A device for retaining a baseball cap during washing or storage having a rear member with a cap crown support portion and a brim support portion. The brim support portion includes a brim receipt area for either curving the brim or maintaining the brim in a flat position. A front member is rotationally attached to the rear member for closing over the front of the cap's crown to retain the cap in its selected position.
US08220668B2
An apparatus is provided for storing and dispensing a product. The apparatus includes a rigid outer casing adapted to receive a cartridge that is partially covered with a support membrane and has a weakened area capable of rupturing when pressure is applied to the cartridge. The support membrane extends over the weakened area and bursts as the cartridge expands into an expansion chamber or the weakened area ruptures. The support membrane provides support to the front end of the cartridge and resistance during insertion of the cartridge so that the cartridge is ‘primed’ and ready to dispense its contents by a user when necessary.
US08220660B2
A system for supplying at least two fluids in proportioned quantities may include a first and second intake passages configured to be in flow communication with sources of first and second fluids, respectively. The system may include a fluid transfer device in flow communication with the first intake passage and the second intake passage, and a pump in flow communication with the first intake passage. Operation of the pump is configured to supply a quantity of the first fluid to a first chamber of the fluid transfer device such that a quantity of the second fluid is expelled from a second chamber of the fluid transfer device. When operation of the pump is ceased, a quantity of the second fluid enters the second chamber and a quantity of the first fluid is expelled from the first chamber.
US08220658B2
A system for evaporating excess water from a source includes a housing having: an air inlet, the air inlet directing air in a first direction; an air outlet; a plurality of channels arranged generally perpendicular to the first direction, the channels having undulations; and a water reservoir that feeds water into the channels. In some embodiments, baffles are created with walls that depend from the ceiling of the housing and that are interdigitated with dividers that separate the channels. This configuration can remove water generated by the source (such as an external compressor unit) in a quick and efficient manner.
US08220653B2
A lid with a detachable sealing joint, the lid having a crown-type shell having an inner surface and an external surface, a sealing joint upon the inner surface of the shell; a detachable hydrophilic coating; and a coating compatible with the sealing joint upon the detachable hydrophilic coating; such that the detachable hydrophilic coating and the compatible coating form an adhesive interface between the crown and the sealing joint. The detachable hydrophilic coating having at least a water solid polymer, for example polyvinyl pyrrolidone; at least a cross-linking agent, for example, butanediol; and at least a solvent, for example, water. It also describes a method for manufacturing a lid with a detachable sealing joint and a method for bottling beverages using lids with a detachable sealing joint of the invention. The aforementioned to provide a lid with a sealing joint possessing a weaken joint when weakening the adhesive capacity of the detachable hydrophilic coating, as of the moment on which said coating contacts the humidity of the bottle product and thus, easing the detachment of the sealing joint along with the prize mark printing.
US08220645B2
A desk organizer device having a housing member disposed on a substantially hollow base member having open front and back ends. A plurality of compartments disposed on and within the housing member for storing a plurality of items. An electric pencil sharpener, a digital touch screen, a tape dispenser, and at least one of cork board, foam material, and apertures for holding items being located on the housing member.
US08220639B2
The present invention is an apparatus and method for sorting foreign material and undesirable articles from a product stream. A mechanical diverter having a concave shape is responsive to an inspection station coupled to the product stream. The mechanical diverter is employed to effectively launch or otherwise redirect undesirable articles in an alternate path. In addition, an air ejector is responsive to the inspection station and is employed to dislodge foreign material from the product stream.
US08220635B2
A blister strip for receiving medical and/or pharmaceutical and/or food supplement products, includes a roll-up single-web product carrier that can be divided into individual blister sections. The single-web product carrier has individual nests, one behind the other in its direction of transport defining a division of the blister strip for receiving single products, as well as a film-like cover for closing the nests. Each product is arranged in sealed form within a nest. Each nest has a holding chamber formed with two steps and a depression independent of the product geometry and a depression dependent on the product geometry. The depth of the product-independent depression starting from the cover on the one hand being so great that the blister strip can be laterally guided mechanically along the product-independent depression, and on the other hand being less than the thickness of the smallest product to be received within the nest.
US08220634B2
A dispensing system (300) includes a packaging structure (200) and a blank (100) that is constructed to enclose the packaging structure (200). The dispensing system (300) includes a top panel (110) and a bottom panel (112) that define a tubular structure (310) and includes side flaps (120a, 120b) that are configured to extend into the tubular structure (310). The side flaps (120a, 120b) close the open sides of the tubular structure (310).
US08220631B2
A container having a top cover and a bottom cover is provided, which includes a canopy disposed on the bottom cover to form therewith a space to accommodate an article. A plurality of locators is disposed on a surface of the bottom cover so that when the bottom cover is tightly combined with the top cover, the locators are clipped between the bottom cover and the top cover to orient the canopy in a fixed position.
US08220627B2
A bandless packaging assembly for cabinets includes a top packaging member including a front wall, a back wall and first and second side walls; a bottom packaging member including a front wall, back wall and first and second side walls; at least one side member extending between a first side wall of the top packaging member and a first side wall of the bottom packaging member; wherein the side member includes an upper flap and a lower flap which are received in corresponding slots formed in the top packaging member and the bottom packaging member; and at least one strip extending between front and back walls of the top packaging member and the bottom packaging member. The strip is received by slots formed in the front and back walls of the top packaging member and bottom packaging member.
US08220626B2
A protective cover assembly is mounted within a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device defines a through hole. The protective cover assembly includes a resisting portion including a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion, a shielding cover and an elastic member offering an elastic force to make the resisting portion abut against the shielding cover. When the shielding cover resisting the first positioning portion, the shielding cover shields the through hole. When the shielding cover resisting the second positioning portion, the shielding cover exposes the through hole.
US08220622B1
A holder for an absorbent pad, the pad holder having two halves with a bottom wall section bounded by a hinged side and a plurality of wall-in sides, the hinged sides of the two halves cooperating to make the pad holder foldable for packaging, shipment and storage, at least one selectively releasable locking or latching mechanism to hold the pad holder in an unfolded position during use, and a plurality of spaced-apart, selectively releasable pad attachment devices, each preferably disposed in a corner wall section, to limit relative motion between the pad holder and an absorbent pad installed inside it without pressuring any portion of the absorbent pad against the bottom wall.
US08220621B2
An IC device conveying apparatus includes an IC device conveying shuttle, at least a pair of slide guide plates which are placed on the IC device conveying shuttle, and each of which has a plurality of slide guide holes, each of the plurality of slide guide holes being made in a direction inclined to a side of a corresponding slide guide plate, and a plurality of positioning members which guide the placed pair of slide guide plates such that the pair of slide guide plates slides in directions in which sides of the respective slide guide plates are separated from and come into contact with each other, the positioning members being secured to the IC device conveying shuttle and engaged with the plurality of slide guide holes, wherein each of the pair of slide guide plates comprises at least one IC device holding side on a side thereof facing a side of another slide guide plate, and an IC device is placed in an IC device holding space which is formed between at least a pair of the IC device holding sides of the pair of slide guide plates on a top surface of the IC device conveying shuttle, and is held between the pair of the IC device holding sides.
US08220612B2
The step (1) comprises cheeks (5) which are manufactured from deep drawing sheet metal, and a tread element (22) and a deep drawn seating element (24). The arc (BO1) of the seating element (24) follows a first radius (R1) in the upper region and a second radius (R2) in the lower region, wherein the second radius (R2) is somewhat smaller than the first radius (R1). The sheet (BO1) of the seating element (24) merges smoothly at the line (ÜR) from one radius into the other radius. By way of the two radii (R1, R2), the size of the step gap between the tread element (22) and the seating element (24) of the adjacent step is independent of the position of the step gap; the step gap always remains very small, for example smaller than 2.8 mm. As a result, the risk of clothing items, sharp objects, shoes, children's fingers and so on getting jammed is reduced considerably.
US08220609B2
A torque limiter includes a shaft member 1 and a cylinder member 2. An oil-seal preventing groove 35 opened on axial both sides of the shaft member 1 is formed in an outer circumferential surface 20 of the shaft member 1 to be frictionally coupled to an inner circumferential surface 21 of the cylinder member 2 in torque transmission.
US08220606B2
The invention relates to a dual clutch transmission with two friction clutches and a method for controlling it, where the two friction clutches are actuated utilizing electromechanical disengaging units. To counteract lockup of the dual clutch transmission in the event of a failure of an electric motor, the functional capability of the electric motors is monitored. If the function of an electric motor is deficient, a signal is generated in the control device that brings about in the program sequence of the transmission control system a disengagement of all of the gears that are situated in a sub-drivetrain whose friction clutch is actuated by the affected electric motor. In this way it is possible to prevent lockup of the dual clutch transmission during a malfunction of an electric motor during a state in which torque is being transmitted to the sub-drivetrain.
US08220598B2
Friction device includes at least two members, one of which is mobile, or potentially mobile, in terms of relative displacement with respect to the other under the action of an external stimulus. The relative displacement is liable to cause the relative displacement of two friction surfaces subjected to pressing forces, so as to convert the external stimulus into a friction force and to thus control the displacement of the mobile or potentially mobile member. The pressing forces are produced by pre-stressing mechanisms and the members are able to act on the effects of the pre-stressing mechanisms so as to use the resultant effect of the relative displacement of the mobile or potentially mobile member to reduce the pressing forces.
US08220595B2
A brake pad for a disc brake, in particular for a utility or commercial vehicle, including a pad retaining spring which is designed as an arc-shaped leaf spring, can deflect radially and is fastened by way of a hood to a lining carrier plate which supports a friction lining material. The hood is formed as a separate component and has a section which is U-shaped in cross-section. A web of the hood connects its limbs which limbs are guided in parallel and at both sides of the lining carrier plate. The web bears against the pad retaining spring. The pad retaining spring is designed such that an opening is formed through which a limb of the hood is guided.
US08220594B2
An electric brake device comprises a caliper holding braking members and having an electric motor attached thereto, a reduction mechanism for transmitting an input rotation of one input element thereof from the electric motor to two output elements thereof at reduced speeds, a rotation-linear motion converting mechanism for converting the rotation of one of the output elements into a linear motion of one of the braking members, and a thrust force support member connected to the other output element and screw-engaged with the caliper, wherein the rotation-linear motion converting mechanism is supported by the thrust force support member to be movable together in a thrust direction and is provided with rotation limiting portions for limiting the rotation in a reverse direction of the one output element to a predetermined range, and wherein the thrust force support member is set to be greater in resistance to operation than the rotation-linear motion converting mechanism.
US08220590B2
A regenerative elevator system operates in three modes: motoring, idle and regeneration. During the regeneration mode, the elevator motor operates as a generator, and electrical energy is stored in an energy storage system for later use. The energy storage system may be located in a machine room or hoistway where temperature can vary widely. A thermoelectric thermal management system provides thermoelectric cooling or heating to maintain the energy storage system within a desired operating temperature range.
US08220585B2
A non-electronic hearing aid with a left ear member and a right ear member. The left and right ear members are made of flat sheet material. The sheet is die cut into the left and right members. The left member is a mirror image of the right member. The members each die cut to form a hand shaped pattern. The fingers of the pattern each have a locking tab and or a locking slot. The locking tab of one finger engages with the locking slot of the adjacent finger to form a cup shape. The palm portion of the hand shape has a C shaped portion cut out which is sized to fit over a person's ear. A slot running parallel to the central part of the C shaped portion facilitates a bend in the sheet to allow the cup shape that is ninety degrees to the user's ear.
US08220584B2
A measurement instrument comprises a sensor circuit comprising a drive circuit for transmitting a pulse signal at a target of interest and a receive circuit receiving reflected echoes of the pulse signal and developing an analog signal representative of the reflected echoes. An analog processing circuit is operatively coupled to the sensor circuit for receiving the analog signal and comprising a gate for selectively transferring the analog signal to a comparator that compares the gated analog signal to a select threshold level to develop a data signal representative of location of the target of interest. A programmed digital processing circuit is operatively coupled to the sensor circuit and the analog processing circuit and comprises a measurement module to control the drive circuit and evaluate the data signal to determine material location. An echo processing module periodically evaluates a digital representation of the analog signal to determine an expected window time and expected amplitude of a reflected echo representing the target of interest and developing a gate control signal to control the gate based on expected window time and developing the select threshold level based on the expected amplitude.
US08220579B2
Seatbelt use is promoted by determining whether a seat is occupied and then determining whether the seatbelt associated with the seat is buckled. When the seat is occupied and unbuckled, user control of an entertainment system associated with the seat is overridden. In video-equipped entertainment systems, a video encouraging seatbelt use can be played, such as an informational video. When the seatbelt is latched, a reward audio or video clip may be played prior to allowing user control of the entertainment system.
US08220572B2
Various control options are applied for selecting the number of operating power sources for a multi-power source vehicle having a number of prime power sources and, optionally including energy storage systems. This system and method are applicable to large vehicles such as locomotives, mining trucks, tugboats and large cranes. Selectable operating modes are provided for different locomotive speed ranges and work loads. The system and method are based on a common DC bus electrical architecture so that prime power sources need not be synchronized. Multiple-engine locomotives are included in which the engine systems may be electrically connected in parallel or in series or in combinations of parallel and series to a DC bus.
US08220571B2
A frictional drive device comprising a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by a frame around a central axial line in a mutually opposing relationship, a pair of motors actuating the drive disks, a plurality of drive rollers arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk at a regular interval and each having a rotational center line so as to be rotatable along a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the central axial line, and an annular main wheel comprising an annular member and a plurality of driven rollers supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member, the main wheel engaging an object to the actuated, the central axial line of at least one of the drive disks is tilted in an outward direction with respect to a central axial line of the main wheel.
US08220565B1
A method of preparing and using a subterranean formation stabilization agent. The stabilization agent includes a guanidyl copolymer and may be admixed with a fracturing fluid and optionally brine. The stabilization agent is effective in preventing and/or reducing, for example, clay swelling and fines migration from a subterranean formation contacted with the stabilization agent.
US08220560B1
A tractor plow blade is selectively removably mounted on the forward end of the tractor by an attachment frame. The attachment frame is secured to a weight bracket or mount mounted on the forward end of the tractor and to the underside of the tractor. The plow blade may be raised or lowered with respect to the weight bracket and may be optionally pivoted about a vertical axis with respect to the tractor.
US08220553B2
The present invention is a method and system for supplying grease to maintain a sealed well during deployment of line, in particular braided electrical wire. The subsea grease cartridge system includes a subsea assembly; first and second grease containers filled with grease; a pump; a switch; and a restoring device to replenish grease containers. The method of operating the grease cartridge system includes: attaching first and second grease containers to the subsea assembly; applying hydraulic pressure to the first grease container; pumping the grease of the first grease container to a grease head; switching hydraulic pressure from the first grease container to the second grease container instantaneously when the first grease container becomes unable to supply grease properly; and pumping the grease of the second grease container to the grease head. The method includes replenishing containers from cartridges and switching back and forth between the filled grease containers.
US08220552B2
The present invention provides a method of inhibiting formation of solid hydrates in a conduit used to contain a flowing, water-containing hydrocarbon, which method comprises introducing into said hydrocarbon in said conduit a gas which raises the pressure threshold for hydrate formation for said water-containing hydrocarbon, said gas being introduced in a manner which causes it to travel along at least part of said conduit in the direction of hydrocarbon flow.
US08220550B2
A running tool for coaxially setting together subsea wellhead housings, such as a high pressure wellhead housing within a low pressure wellhead housing. The tool includes a conically shaped body that is insertable within the inner most housing, a frame with a base, an axial bore and latches. The base perpendicularly rests on top of an inner housing and the latches extend from the base to connect with an outer housing. The bore is formed to accommodate the tool freely therethrough. Wedge shaped members are provided between the base and inner housing top having their wide ends contactable by the tool. Urging the tool through the bore pushes the wedges radially outward that imparts a force between the base and inner housing top in one direction. The attached latches apply an oppositely directed force onto the outer housing.
US08220548B2
Of the many methods and compositions provided herein, in one embodiment, the invention provides a method comprising: providing an oil-wet well bore surface; providing a surfactant wash treatment fluid that comprises an acid-compatible surfactant, an acid and/or an acid-generating component, and an aqueous fluid; contacting the oil-wet well bore surface with the surfactant wash treatment fluid; allowing the oil-wet well bore surface to become water-wet; and producing fluids from the formation. In another embodiment, the invention provides a surfactant wash treatment fluid for use in a subterranean formation comprising an aqueous fluid, an acid-compatible surfactant, an acid and/or an acid-generating component.
US08220547B2
A method enables stimulation of a well having a plurality of lateral wellbores. The method comprises deploying fracturing equipment downhole for isolated interaction with each lateral wellbore of the plurality of lateral wellbores. The method and the fracturing equipment are designed to enable fracturing of the plurality of lateral wellbores during a single mobilization.
US08220546B2
Methods for using a microemulsion system are disclosed which comprises a solvent subsystem, a co-solvent subsystem and a surfactant subsystem comprises at least one monoalkyl branched propoxy sulfate anionic surfactant, where the microemulsion system are useful in drilling, producing, remediation, and fracturing application to reduce water blocks and water blocking in formation of a producing formation.
US08220537B2
A method of inducing fracture in at least a portion of a geologic structure includes inducing acoustic waves into a fluid medium present in a borehole extending at least partially into the structure. Embodiments may include preheating or pressurizing the fluid medium prior to inducing the acoustic wave therein. A device for fracturing at least a portion of a geologic structure includes electrodes for producing a spark to generate ordinary acoustic waves in the fluid medium. Embodiments may include structures for preheating or pressurizing the fluid medium prior to inducing the acoustic wave therein.
US08220503B2
An automated medication preparation system for preparing a prescribed dosage of medication in a drug delivery device includes a plurality of stations for receiving, handling and processing the drug delivery device so that the prescribed dosage of medication is delivered to the drug delivery device and a transporting device that receives and holds more than one drug delivery device and moves the drug delivery devices in a controlled manner from one station to another station. The system is configured so that two or more separate drug delivery devices can be acted upon at the same time.
US08220500B2
A power loom includes a frame, a plurality of warps, a weft spool, a plurality of wefts, and a speed adjustment device. The speed adjustment device includes a support rack, a rotation shaft, a drive motor, a sensor, a press member, and a press rod. Thus, when the output speed of the wefts is gradually reduced to a preset value, the wefts are tensioned and moved upward, and the press member is moved upward to touch the sensor which sends a signal to actuate the drive motor which increases the rotation speed of the rotation shaft and the weft spool to increase the output speed of the wefts largely so that the wefts can be pulled outward from the weft spool quickly to prevent the wefts from being torn or broken due to an excessive pulling force.
US08220494B2
Using basic physical arguments, a design and method for the fabrication of microfluidic valves using multilayer soft lithography is presented. Embodiments of valves in accordance with the present invention feature elastomer membrane portions of substantially constant thickness, allowing the membranes to experience similar resistance to an applied pressure across their entire width. Such on-off valves fabricated with upwardly- or downwardly-deflectable membranes can have extremely low actuation pressures, and can be used to implement active functions such as pumps and mixers in integrated microfluidic chips. Valve performance was characterized by measuring both the actuation pressure and flow resistance over a wide range of design parameters, and comparing them to both finite element simulations and alternative valve geometries.
US08220481B2
A fuel shutoff valve includes a valve chamber, a casing, a float, and a shock absorber. The casing includes a body, a cylinder, and a seal. The float is accommodated in the valve chamber. The shock absorber includes a seat attaching to and detaching from the seal of the casing. The shock absorber includes a first arm, a second arm, a contact, and a locker. The first arm protrudes outward from the seat of the shock absorber diametrically, and exhibits elasticity. The second arm exhibits elasticity. The contact is disposed at the leading end of the second arm, and comes in contact with the float. The locker is disposed at a diametrically-outer-side leading end of the first arm, and locks to the body of the casing when the shock absorber is positioned at the lowermost level in the valve chamber.
US08220478B2
A main control valve is actuated by a pilot fluid control signal between open and closed positions to supply fluid to an actuator such as a valve actuator. A stack of logic control valves is supported on the main valve- and controls the flow of the pilot signal. Each of the logic control valves has a housing of common design. Intermediate flow-directing plates of different designs provide fluid communication between adjacent housings. The stack has a common pilot feed passage and a common exhaust passage that are each defined by an annular clearance around supporting tie bars that pass through bores in the stack. Each plate has apertures that form part of the exhaust and pilot feed passages and an aperture that interconnects the returning pilot signal with the pilot inlet of the next valve in the stack. The arrangement allows for simplification of the design of the apparatus with a single housing design and multiple plate designs.
US08220474B2
Disclosed is an improved ventilator apparatus for covers. The apparatus comprises a dome section that is associated with a first ventilator plate on the outside of a vehicle cover. The Dome section extends through the vehicle cover where it is associated with a second ventilator plate. A nut is used to releaseably associate the component pieces together so that a portion of the vehicle cover is clamped between the first ventilator plate and the second ventilator plate. Both the first ventilator plate and second ventilator plate are interchangeable so that either plate may be used on the inside or outside of the cover.
US08220464B2
Conventional vasectomy techniques suffer from a number of disadvantages, including, for example, a substantial risk for the development of hematomas and swelling, a potential for spontaneous regeneration and undesired resumption of fertility, a need for a highly skilled surgical professional, as well as a long recovery period, accompanied by severe limitations on post-surgical activity. The invention disclosed herein overcomes the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art by providing a rapid, reliable, less invasive male sterilization procedure as well as a vasectomy device and kit for use therewith.
US08220459B2
A cushion for a patient interface that delivers breathable gas to a patient includes a base wall structured to be connected to a frame, an underlying support cushion extending away from the base wall towards the patient's face in use, and a membrane provided to substantially cover at least a portion of the underlying cushion. The membrane is adapted to form a continuous seal on the patient's face. The underlying cushion has a spring-like connection with the base wall. The underlying cushion and/or base wall define a spring constant that varies along a length of the seal.
US08220457B2
A method and CPAP apparatus for automatically adjusting a continuous positive airway treatment pressure delivered to a patient responds in different manners according to the type of breathing problem. If a respiratory event is an apnea at a treatment pressure below a first value, then the treatment pressure is increased in one manner. If the respiratory event is a partial upper airway obstruction at a treatment pressure below a second value, then the treatment pressure is increased in a different manner; where the first pressure value is less than the second pressure value. In particular, obstructive and central apneas are treated differently by the apparatus.
US08220450B2
A burner fire cap for a gas cooktop includes a substantially annular cover body. A plane is configured on the cover body. At least two bosses protruding from the plane are distributed in a peripheral direction of the fire cap on the plane. Fire holes are disposed on the bosses. In the burner fire cap for a gas cooktop, at least two bosses are disposed and the fire holes are disposed on the bosses. As compared with a burner fire cap for a gas cooktop in the prior art, the distribution of the fire holes on the fire cap is changed, thereby enhancing the uniformity for heating a bottom of a utensil by using a burner having the fire cap.
US08220446B2
A compound archery bow that includes a compound bow frame having a rigid handle section with rearwardly-projecting upper and lower flexible limbs, an upper cam assembly rotatably supported at the free end of the upper flexible limb, and a lower cam assembly rotatably supported at a free end of the lower flexible limb. The upper cam assembly includes an upper bowstring pulley having an upper bowstring let-out track, a first power cord take-up track, and a second power cord let-out track, while the lower cam assembly includes a lower bowstring pulley having a lower bowstring let-out track, a second power cord take-up track, and a first power cord let-out track. The upper and lower bowstring let-out tracks are aligned in a first bowstring plane, while the first power cord take-up and let-out tracks and the second power cord take-up and let-out tracks are aligned in a second power cords plane.
US08220442B2
An exhaust recovery system for use with an internal combustion engine having an air intake device connected to an air/fuel mixing device. The system comprises an improved muffler having a vortex inducing filter mechanism inside the muffler chamber that facilitates separation of engine exhaust air into cool and hot gas streams and encloses a filter element that filters out particulate matter and other pollutants. Engine exhaust air is circumferentially discharged into the muffler chamber and a cone member is disposed inside the chamber to separate and direct the gas streams. The cooled gas stream is redirected to the air intake device through an outlet pipe at the first end of the muffler so pressurized cooled air is directed into the air/fuel mixing device to improve engine performance and efficiency. The filtered hot gas stream is discharged to the environment out a discharge pipe at the second end of the muffler.
US08220435B2
A rotary piston engine includes a generally triangular rotor, a pair of side housings, a rotor housing which is assembled with the rotor and the pair of side housings to define three working chambers, an intake port formed in at least one of the side housings, and an exhaust port formed in at least one of the side housings. The length of one side of the triangular face of the rotor is at least 2.4 times the breadth of the rotor.
US08220425B2
A valve operation control system for an internal combustion engine in which hydraulic pressure applied to a valve operation mode changing mechanism is controlled by hydraulic pressure control means that is formed from a holder mounted on a cylinder head, a spool valve formed by slidably housing a spool valve body in a valve body, and an electromagnetic open/close valve for controlling hydraulic pressure of a pilot hydraulic chamber, wherein the holder (109) is formed by integrally connecting a housed portion (109a) and a projecting portion (109b) by means of a connection portion (109c), the housed portion (109a) being housed between the cylinder head (22R) and a head cover, the projecting portion (109b) projecting outside the cylinder head (22R) and the head cover and having the electromagnetic open/close valve (113, 114) mounted thereon, a seal face (116) with the head cover is formed on the connection portion (109c), and the valve body (110) is provided so as to be connected to the housed portion (109a) while being housed between the head cover and the cylinder head (22R). This enables the sealing properties between the holder and the head cover to be enhanced.
US08220421B2
A cooling system for cooling an internal combustion engine includes a first portion, a second portion and a bypass valve. The first portion forms a first fluid chamber through which a cooling medium passes as it flows from the engine to a heater that utilizes heat generated by the internal combustion engine. The second portion forms a second fluid chamber through which the cooling medium passes as it flows from the heater to the engine. The second fluid chamber is arranged adjacent to the first fluid chamber. The bypass valve is arranged inside the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber to form a bypass flow passage connecting the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber. The bypass valve is configured and arranged to automatically close the bypass flow passage when a temperature of the cooling medium is equal to or higher than a first prescribed temperature.
US08220420B2
A system and associated method for removing accumulated debris from a surface of a vessel. The system includes an impulse cleaning device defining a combustion chamber in which combustible fuel and air are mixed and ignited to produce combustion that is directed at the surface to be cleaned within the vessel, and an eductor assembly surrounding a downstream end of the chamber for inducting surrounding atmosphere into the combustion to widen the area being cleaned.
US08220406B2
A buoyant submersible structure floating above the sea floor includes a support portion to support a load, and a gas-filled tank. The tank has an opening, and a connected tube. The tube is partially filled with seawater defining a water-gas interface at a first level. In operation, the structure is fully submerged below the water surface to a first depth. The second chamber is partially filled with seawater defining a water-gas interface at a first position inside the second chamber. Then, the buoyancy structure is moved to a second, greater depth. Water enters the second chamber to raise the water-gas interface to a second, higher level and without entering the first chamber. Subsequently, the buoyancy of the structure is adjusted to tension the cable, a support structure to support a load is attached to the structure, and then the buoyancy of the structure is readjusted.
US08220405B2
A towrope winch with a safety shutoff device includes a winch configured to wind a rope; and a safety shutoff device which deactivates the winch if the rope moves outside a designated range of angles relative to an intake of the winch.
US08220404B2
Boats and suspensions are provided, wherein the boat includes at least one hull, and at least one sponson, the at least one hull and at least one sponson connected by a shock-absorbing suspension member. The suspension greatly reduces the accelerations of the main hull, such that the hull accelerations are generally substantially less than the accelerations of the sponsons at selected speeds.
US08220396B2
To provide a projectile for bird strike tests, comprising a gel-like or jelly-like material, which makes reproducible and representative results in bird strike tests possible, it is proposed that the projectile comprise a stabilizing device arranged in the projectile for stabilizing the gel-like or jelly-like material.
US08220387B2
A frame for tensioning fabric such as a silkscreen mesh is described. The frame includes a groove for securing the fabric using a locking strip. The groove includes a central cavity between a groove floor and a groove entrance, an insertion cavity coupled to the groove entrance and the floor, a side cavity opposite the central cavity from the insertion cavity and coupled to the groove entrance and the floor, and a pivot disposed on the groove floor. The side cavity includes a vertex. The insertion cavity may be adjacent the central cavity. A portion of the side cavity may be removed at an end of the frame for softening corners of the fabric or mesh. Locking strips may be stitched to edges of the fabric or mesh.
US08220378B2
A composite armor panel and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of ceramic spheres are positioned in contact with an armor substrate. A polyurea layer is interposed between the plurality of ceramic spheres such that the polyurea layer partially encapsulates the plurality of ceramic spheres and bonds the plurality of ceramic spheres to the armor substrate. The plurality of ceramic spheres are partially exposed and oriented in a direction of anticipated impact.
US08220372B2
A combination table-miter saw including a base, an arm rotatably coupled to the base and moveable relative to the base between a first position and a second position, and a platform coupled to the arm and moveable relative to the arm between a first position and a second position. The combination table-miter saw also includes a safety device configured to allow the combination table-miter saw to function as a table saw when the arm is in the first position and to allow the combination table-miter saw to function as a miter saw when the platform is in the first position.
US08220370B2
An apparatus and a method are disclosed for reducing a thickness of a thermomechanically-affected layer on an as-machined surface of a hard metal workpiece being machined by a hard cutting tool exerting a thermomechanical load on a surface of the workpiece. The method involves reducing the thermomechanical load on the surface of the workpiece, and the apparatus includes a means for reducing the thermomechanical load on the surface of the workpiece.
US08220368B2
A screwdriver is convenient for changing various heads. The heads can be easily detached from the screwdriver, and mounted to the screwdriver.
US08220367B2
A transmission extension adapter for connection between a work head and the chuck of a power hand tool includes a cylindrical cap shell coupled to the power hand tool around the chuck and having radial through holes and a positioning member in each radial through hole. An axle sleeve is rotatably coupled to the cylindrical cap shell and has locating holes on the periphery thereof. A transmission axle is inserted through the axle sleeve and has a rear end connected to the chuck and a front end connected with a supplementary chuck for holding the work head. A front cap assembly is affixed to the front end of the axle sleeve to hold an automatic feeder for allowing rotation of the automatic feeder with the axle sleeve. A multi-angle positioning device is adapted for holding down the positioning members in the locating holes to lock the axle sleeve.
US08220362B2
A cam and cam follower apparatus translates linear cam bar movement to perpendicular valve stem actuation in an injection molding system. The cam bars reciprocate up and down on linear bearing rails such that an actuation plate, fitted with a plurality of valve stems, is cycled normal to the direction of the cam bar movement via cam followers traveling within cam slots in the cam bars. The cam slots in the cam bars are profiled such that the cam followers affect the speed and force at which the valve stems travel while at the same time reducing frictional effects and their associated power requirement. The cam followers of the valve stem actuation plate travel in cam slots in the cam bars from a valve stem forward position, to a valve stem retracted position and ultimately, the entire actuation plate may be removed from the cam bars for maintenance via open ended slots in the cam bars.
US08220360B2
A handlebar grip for a bicycle includes a handlebar, two hard shells detachably combined with each other to form a clamping housing which presses an outer wall of the handlebar and is provided with at least one hollow portion, and a soft inner sleeve clamped between an inner wall of the clamping housing and the outer wall of the handlebar and having an outer wall provided with at least one soft protruding portion extending through the hollow portion of the clamping housing and protruding outwardly from an outer wall of the clamping housing to form a soft holding surface. Thus, the two shells of the clamping housing and the inner sleeve can be changed individually according to a user's requirement, thereby enhancing the versatility of the handlebar grip.
US08220347B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a device and method of use thereof for facilitating the analysis of samples of sub-slab soil gas that comprise an adapter body that includes, a first barbed portion, an external engaging portion, a threaded collar portion, a second barbed portion, and an internal cavity that axially passes through the length of the adapter body. The device may further include a tubular body with an interior cavity adapted to receive at least a portion of the second barbed portion of the adapter body to produce a mating engagement therebetween.
US08220338B2
A semiconductor substrate, provided with a differential pressure diaphragm, and a glass pedestal, which is provided on the bottom side of the semiconductor substrate, are provided, wherein: the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate and the top surface of the glass pedestal are bonded together; a pressure introducing hole is formed in the glass pedestal so as to pass through the glass pedestal, connecting between the top and bottom surfaces of the glass pedestal; the pressure introducing hole is formed with a first diameter for the pressure introducing hole at the bottom surface of the glass pedestal from the bottom surface of the glass pedestal to a first position; and a second diameter for the pressure introducing hole at the top surface of the glass pedestal is larger than the first diameter; where a metal thin film layer is deposited on the bottom surface of the glass pedestal.
US08220336B2
A movable plate is provided to a pendulum displaceable by external vibration. A fixed plate is provided to a position opposite to the movable plate. A displacement detector detects an electrostatic capacitance between the plates. A servo amplifier supplies to a force coil, a current in an amount associated with the detection result. A current circuit and a load resistor of the force coil convert the current into a detection signal and output the signal. When the movable plate and the fixed plates, which are conducted to each other, are contacted, the electrostatic capacitance between the plates is removed. A processor detects a change in the detection signal due to the removal of the electrostatic capacitance, and then determines that the plates are contacted.
US08220333B2
A measurement device and method for diagnosing noise in fluidic systems. A microphone, which is arranged at least partially in the area of the flow medium, compensates for pressure surges in the flow medium. The microphone receives the noise via a membrane and converts it to an electrical signal for evaluation of the noise source by an electronic diagnosis unit. To compensate for pressure surges in the flow medium, the membrane of the microphone is arranged in a housing, which is open on both sides of the membrane and whose two openings have pressure applied to them by the flow medium as a sound source, with at least one of the two openings being provided, in order to detect noise, with filter means for attenuation and/or time delay of frequencies which are in an expected noise spectrum, while the filter means allows lower frequencies produced by the pressure fluctuations in the flow medium to pass through.
US08220328B2
A method for evaluating and/or compensating the acceleration offset in a combined accelerometer and gyroscope, wherein the evaluation or compensation is based on a quadrature signal delivered by the accelerometer.
US08220318B2
A system for measuring a property of a sample includes an actuation device disposed on a substrate and includes a flexible surface spaced apart from the substrate and configured so as to allow placement of the sample thereupon. The actuation device also includes a vertical actuator that is configured to cause the flexible surface to achieve a predetermined displacement from the substrate when a corresponding potential is applied thereto. A sensing probe is disposed so as to be configured to interact with the sample thereby sensing the property of the sample.
US08220317B2
Massive parallel printing of structures and nanostructures at high speed with high resolution and high quality using two dimensional arrays comprising cantilevers and tip-based transfer of material to a surface. The array is designed so only tips touch the surface. This can be accomplished by long tips and bent cantilevers and alignment. An article comprising: a two-dimensional array of a plurality of cantilevers, wherein the array comprises a plurality of base rows, each base row comprising a plurality of cantilevers, wherein each of the cantilevers comprise tips at the cantilever end away from the base, wherein the number of cantilevers is greater than 250, and wherein the tips have an apex height relative to the cantilever of at least four microns, and a support for the array. Combinatorial arrays and bioarrays can be prepared. The arrays can be manufactured by micromachining methods.
US08220315B2
A gas gauge has a gas delivery tube arranged to determine a distance to an object. The gas delivery tube includes a gas conduit through which a suitable measurement gas is supplied. The measurement gas leaves the gas delivery tube under pressure via an outlet and impinges on the object in an interaction area, wherein a pressure of a recoiled gas is measured by a pressure detector. A gas having a low atomic number may be used. The pressure sensor may include a membrane positioned in the gas delivery tube at least partially enveloping the gas conduit at or near the gas outlet. The pressure sensor may include a membrane disk arranged about the gas conduit. The pressure sensor may include a suitable plurality of pressure elements arranged in a substantially common plane and which may be spaced apart yet enveloping the gas conduit.
US08220304B2
The invention concerns a machine for cambering, forming, folding or bending a bar, a wire or an extruded shape. The invention includes a bending form provided with a clamping system, a device for orienting the tube, and a bending jaw (8). The bending jaw is prismatic and machined to the tube radius on at least one of its surfaces. The kinematics of the displacement of the bending jaw in a peripheral area at the bending form is provided by any combination of at least two, rectilinear or rotating, movements. The bending jaw is steerable in rotation about a median axis perpendicular to the bending plane. The bending jaw is mobile in the vertical direction to provide multiple bending operations.
US08220302B2
A device and method for making a bimetallic pipe, made up of a pipe telescopically inserted with clearance inside a pipe and projecting from both ends of the latter, including a fixed expansion head and a moveable expansion head, wherein the ends of the bimetallic pipe are inserted before proceeding to the hydraulic or oil hydraulic closure of particular clamping members around each end of the outer pipe while the inner pipe has the ends positioned against the corresponding elastic abutments made inside each of the above-mentioned heads, thus being free to move axially and radially to rotate around its own axis during plastic expansion thereof.
US08220301B2
A tool adapted to form and method of forming a tapped hole within a workpiece in a single pass, includes a piercing section operable to punch a pilot hole in and produce a slug attached to the workpiece, and a tapping section operable to form a female thread along the periphery of the hole, and more preferably, an extruding section operable to push workpiece material away from the exterior surface defined thereby, an expanding section operable to expand the diameter of the hole, a sealing section operable to seal the hole during a hydroforming process, and a burnishing section operable to further expand and treat the periphery of the hole prior to tapping.
US08220297B2
A low cost locking device for securing special forms in paper trays when a printer is unattended that can be easily be field installed without screws or other fasteners or tools includes a bracket tray lock, a tray lock plate assembly and a padlock that cooperate to prevent the paper trays from being removed from the printer without a key for the padlock.
US08220293B2
A treating agent dispensing system for a washing machine including a base unit and at least two supply containers removably and securably disposed on the base unit. The at least two supply containers are respectively configured to receive a treating agent. The treating agent is a powdered treating agent or a liquid treating agent. A delivery device is disposed in the base unit and is operable to deliver the treating agent to the washing machine through a hose.
US08220280B2
In a refrigerant amount determining method of an air-conditioning apparatus, when a refrigerant amount determining mode is requested to be performed, whether or not the amount of refrigerant in the air-conditioning apparatus can be automatically determined. Thus, a user can easily check whether or not the refrigerant charged in the air-conditioning apparatus is excessive or insufficient.
US08220274B2
A system and method of maintaining an optimal temperature range for a catalyst section in a HRSG comprising placing a portion of the exhaust stream in a heat exchanger and superheater, diverting a second portion around the heat exchanger and superheater, combining the two portions and contacting the two portions with a catalyst section. Alternatively, a system of heat exchangers are employed to address the fluctuating exhaust temperature caused by the intermittent use of the duct burners.
US08220270B2
Disclosed is a cross flow apparatus including a surface and at least one outlet located at the surface. The cross flow apparatus further includes at least one guide at the surface configured to direct an intersecting flow flowing across the surface and increase a velocity of a cross flow being expelled from the at least one outlet downstream from the at least one outlet.
US08220266B2
A condenser is provided and includes a body into and through which steam turbine discharge is able to flow, and first and second cooling members disposed in the body, wherein the first and second cooling members are each independently receptive of first and second coolant, respectively, the first cooling member, being receptive of the first coolant, is configured to cool the discharge during at least a first cooling operation, and the second cooling member, being receptive of the second coolant, is configured to cool the discharge during a second cooling operation.
US08220256B2
A hydrostatic drive in an open circuit is provided. The hydrostatic drive has a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are connected to one another via a feed line. In addition, the hydrostatic drive has a storage element for storing pressure energy. A first valve device, which is arranged downstream of the hydraulic motor, alternately connects the downstream connection of the hydraulic motor to a tank volume or to the storage element.
US08220255B2
The invention relates to a drive (1) having an energy recovery function. The drive having an energy recovery function comprises a hydrostatic piston machine (9) and at least one storage element (13) which is connected to said hydrostatic piston machine. Said hydrostatic piston machine (9) and the at least one storage element (13) are connected together by means of a storage line. Said storage line is divided into a first storage line section (11) and into a second storage line section (12) by a throttle value unit (15). Said throttle valve unit (15) comprises a control pressure valve unit (16) and a built-in valve (17). The control pressure valve unit (16) produces a control pressure which acts upon the built-in valve (17).
US08220254B2
A method and arrangement for improving hydrolysis of a reduction agent in an exhaust gas post treatment system for selective catalytic reduction of NOx in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine operated with excess air. A partial exhaust gas stream is branched off from an exhaust gas stream upstream of an SCR catalytic converter. A hydrolysis catalytic converter is disposed in the partial exhaust gas stream downstream of a metering arrangement for supplying reduction agent thereto. The partial stream is conveyed back to the main stream downstream of the hydrolysis catalytic converter and upstream of the SCR catalytic converter. The temperature at the hydrolysis catalytic converter is maintained within prescribed limits by actively controlling exhaust gas quantity conveyed in the partial stream by entirely or partially blocking the partial stream, via a flow control device, if temperature values at the hydrolysis catalytic converter and the main or partial stream exceed or do not reach specified or threshold values, and/or if certain operating conditions or condition changes of the engine occur.
US08220243B2
The invention provides a cable protection and guide device that steadily protects and guides a cable by rigidly anchoring and preventing a connecting arm from being disengaged upwardly. The device smoothly flexes and reduces torsional deformation. The hinged connecting arm extends across the flexional outer peripheral side of a pair of spaced apart right and left link plates and has a hook portion at one end of an arm body and a hinge portion at another end. An engaging circular arc portion of the hook portion engages with an engaging shaft of the link plate. Engaging projecting portions extend from the edge of the engaging circular arc portion and interengage with engaging step portions provided on the engaging shaft.
US08220242B2
According to the method for characterizing fancy yarn, at least one characteristic of the fancy yarn is scanned along the longitudinal direction of the fancy yarn. Values of the scanning are evaluated and the results of the evaluation are outputted. The results of the evaluation are the fancy yarn parameters such as base yarn mass, base yarn diameter, stub distance, mass increase (ΔM) of a stub, slub diameter increase, stub diameter, slub length (LE) and/or slub total mass. At least one result of the evaluation is outputted in the form of a graphic representation, for example as a scatter diagram. Such a graphic representation provides a clear representation of the measurement results. The occurring data is reduced and may be divided up into different categories.
US08220240B2
A landscape care device has a first care tool embodied as a mowing device, a sweeping broom, or the like, and at least one second care tool in the form of a spring tine rake arranged in front of the first care tool and acting simultaneously or with time shift relative to the first care tool. A carriage with a front axle is provided, wherein only the spring tine rake is effective in front of the front axle of the carriage. The spring tine rake has spring tines and the spring line rake is designed such that the spring tines are effective by a substantially straight push movement exerted on the spring tine rake.
US08220239B2
A guard finger attachment apparatus for attaching a crop accessory to a cutting header where guard bolts attaching guards to the header are offset from guard fingers of the guards where the crop accessory is adapted for engagement with a header attachment member and a guard finger when the header attachment member is aligned with the guard finger. The apparatus includes a plate attachable to the header by guard bolts, and header engagement members attached to the plate and configured such that when the plate is attached to the guard bolts, the header engagement members are aligned with corresponding guard fingers.
US08220230B2
A cable bundling device includes a cable positioning and a wrapping mechanism. The cable positioning mechanism includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, which are set in a working zone. The first and second clamping members function to respectively clamp ends of a cable. One of the wrapping mechanism and the cable positioning mechanism is selectively rotatable to have the bundling material loaded in the wrapping mechanism wrapped around the cable.
US08220225B1
A capping chuck assembly embodying the present invention comprises an outer chuck housing, and inner, central guide disc upon which a plurality of circumferentially spaced gripper segments are mounted. Each gripper segment includes an inner jaw portion for engagement with an associated closure, and an outer cam surface. The outer chuck housing defines a plurality of inwardly facing, cam drive surfaces positioned for respective engagement with the outer cam surfaces of the gripper segments, so that rotational drive of the outer chuck housing collectively drives the gripper segments and guide disc to urge the segments radially into engagement with an associated closure.
US08220222B2
These disclosed embodiments relates to a device for fixing a light-weight panel onto a support. Such device includes an insert including at least one flange, such insert being intended for receiving a fixing device of the bolt type.According to the disclosed embodiments, such flange has an outer surface including toothing elements and the device includes a part made of a ductile material including an opening for the passage of the fixing member. The toothing elements are intended for cooperating, upon fixing the panel onto the support, with the part made of a ductile material to allow such fixing without causing any deformation of the panel.
US08220214B1
The present invention may be used for support of a structure attached to a foundation by a structure base flange. A weight distribution element may have a cross-section form that may be generally a trapezoid with an upper surface a lower surface, an outer side surface and an inner side surface. The outer side surface, and inner side surface may be inclined toward a centerline of the cross-section form transitioning from the bottom surface to the top surface. The weight distribution element may be formed of a material that may be moldable to a solid form having multiple bolt through-holes positioned for the weight distribution element to be disposed on bolts to be positioned adjacent a bolt support plate. The material may have a compression and strength composition sufficient to support a structure.
US08220213B2
Non-cementitious tower foundations and structures, kits and methods for making the non-cementitious tower foundations. Aspects of the present invention operate to decouple the required mass for the foundation from the structural components needed to resist compression and tension forces. Aspects of the present invention include a foundation structure made of structural components for resisting the expected forces transferred from the tower. This foundation structure may be filled with non-cementitious fill of any type to provide the required mass to stabilize the foundation and the tower. A non-cementitious tower foundation structure includes a central shaft; a storage tank; and structural members coupling the central shaft to the storage tank. The storage tank comprises one or more voids for containing non-cementitious fill as ballast to stabilize the central shaft. The total volume capacity of the voids may be at least a threshold volume.
US08220209B2
A ground anchor for anchoring a structure positioned on the ground. The ground anchor comprises a base member, a movable anchoring member and a holding member. The base member is fitted in a hole within the ground and fixedly secured to the ground against removal thereof. The movable anchoring member is mounted to the base member and is movable between a non-anchoring position and an anchoring position. The holding member is mountable to the movable anchoring member when in the anchoring position and to the structure positioned on the ground. When the base member is fixedly secured to the ground, and the movable anchoring member is in the anchoring position with the holding member mounted thereto and to the structure, the ground anchor anchors the structure to the ground. A kit comprising a plurality of such ground anchors is also disclosed.
US08220198B2
A dispenser for poisoned bait having a tray and a correspondingly shaped sheet-like lid for sealing the tray with the bait placed therein during manufacture. The lid has a tear-off portion that allows the pest to access the bait while the remainder of the lid continues to cover the enclosed bait so that the user's potential for physical contact with the bait is minimized. The tray includes a gripping flange adjacent the enclosed portion of the tray that allows the user to securely grasp the dispenser and place it into position in a tight or difficult-to-reach space without risk of touching the bait.
US08220191B2
A wristband assembly comprising a wristband strap having a first portion, a second portion, and a fold line between the first portion and the second portion. The wristband strap is in a folded position with the first portion folded in overlapping relation with the second portion. A release layer is positioned on the first portion, and an adhesive is positioned on the second portion in releasable engagement with the release layer. Preferably, substantially the entire release layer is secured to the strap by a permanent adhesive. In use, the wristband assembly is provided to the user in the folded position. The assembly is used by disengaging the adhesive from the release layer, unfolding the first portion relative to the second portion, forming the strap into a loop, and engaging the adhesive with a surface of the strap. Preferably, the length of the assembly is increased when unfolding the assembly.
US08220190B2
Disclosed is a holding device (1) for a poster-shaped information carrier, comprising two board segments (2) for receiving the information carrier therebetween, at least one of the board segments (2) being transparent in order for the information support to be visible. A base (3) is used for inserting the two board segments (2). A means (4) is provided for leaving a gap between the two board segments (2) for receiving the information carrier. Said means (4) for leaving the gap (20) between the two board segments (2) is a web which is arranged within the base (3) and extends between the board segments (2), and/or a spacing element (4) that lies between the board segments (2).
US08220188B1
A device for connecting a placard to the rearview mirror of a motor vehicle includes a hanger which connects to the stem of the rearview mirror. A placard holder has a first jaw and an opposite second jaw, the first and second jaws are shaped and dimension to removably receive the placard. The placard holder is removably connectable to the hanger. In embodiments of the invention, the placard holder is magnetically connected to the hanger, and the jaws of the placard holder are magnetically urged together to hold the placard.
US08220186B2
Footwear sole structures include: (a) a chassis member including a lateral side, a rear heel portion, and a medial side, wherein the chassis member includes an opening defined between the medial side and the lateral side; (b) an impact-attenuating member engaged with the chassis member, wherein the impact-attenuating member includes a lateral side arm and a medial side arm that extend toward a forefoot portion of the sole structure, and wherein the impact-attenuating member further includes a rear heel portion joining the lateral and medial side arms; and (c) an outsole element extending beneath the impact-attenuating member, wherein the outsole element extends around the rear heel portion of the impact-attenuating member and engages the rear heel portion of the chassis member.
US08220180B2
An air injection nozzle has an air injection face with a number of air injection holes arrayed at an interval (Py) in first and second staggered rows. The first row and the second rows are positioned at an interval (Px). The air injection face and the sheet running face confront each other at a distance (L). The air injection holes in the air injection face have a diameter (D). The interval (Px), the interval (Py), the distance (L) and the diameter (D) satisfy Formula (1): 6≦(L/D)/(Px/Py)≦9, and Formula (2): 4≦L/D≦8. This air injection nozzle is employed as a resin film heat treating apparatus in a tenter oven to be used for manufacturing the resin film.
US08220178B2
A liquid solid separator utilizing inductive heating. An electrically conductive scroll conveyor is contained within a non-magnetic and non-conductive housing under vacuum. A moveable alternating electric coil is disposed around the housing. The scroll pulls the solids through the housing. Operation of the coil heats the scroll which heats the solids. The vacuum lowers the boiling point of the liquids, and they are vaporized at a relatively low temperature. The vapors are condensed and collected. Because of the low temperatures, the separated liquids are less likely to deteriorate during separation, facilitating recycling. Thermocouples and a computer track the internal temperature of the separator and coordinate the position of the coil to maintain the desired temperature. The housing is provided with a heat insulating outer layer and the interior of the scroll is pressurized with nitrogen. The separator surfaces exposed to the atmosphere are maintained at or below 150° F.
US08220176B2
This gauge for mounting a screw in a cage nut or in a nut (23), with the aim of assembling at least two parts (13, 15), comprises a shank (37) with a smooth section (39) having graduations (47) and with a threaded end (41), which are similar to those of said screw. A sleeve (49) is slidably mounted on said smooth section (39). The axial length of said sleeve (49) and the distribution of said graduations (47) are such that, when the shank (37) of said gauge is screwed as far as it will go into said cage nut or into said nut (23) and when said sleeve (49) is pressed against one (13) of said two parts (13, 15), the graduation indicated by said sleeve (49) on said smooth section (39) is representative of the distance separating the thread (43) of said cage nut or said nut (23) from the outer surface of the part (13) situated facing away from this cage nut or said nut (23).
US08220171B2
Spirit levels including a horizontal bubble vial with improved bubble visibility for assisting user readability for leveling purposes. The improved bubble visibility is achieved by coloring a bubble's uppermost surface as perceived by a user.
US08220167B2
The method uses a cable measurement and cable positioning or laser projection device to measure a structure to produce a digitized design of the structure and to put the design on a panel by laser pointer projection or by cable positioning so that the panel can be marked and cut for fitting on the structure.
US08220160B2
A utility knife includes a handle body having sidewall portions defining a guide channel, a blade shuttle mounted for extension and retraction movement within the guide channel, and a hand-grip lever coupled to the handle body at a fulcrum for pivotal movement between an at-rest position in which the blade shuttle is in a non-use position, to an in-use position in which the blade shuttle is in an extended position. In the non-use position, a blade mounted on the blade shuttle is enclosed in the guide channel. In the extended position, a portion of the blade projects from the guide channel. The hand-grip lever is rotatably coupled to the blade shuttle through a transmission comprising a pin coupled to the lever such that a distance from the fulcrum to the pin stays substantially fixed as the lever pivots between the at-rest and in-use positions.
US08220154B2
A method for manufacturing an aircraft fuselage includes an internal framework surrounded by an external skin made of composite material, in which the internal framework at least partially constitutes a mould for manufacture and/or the support for the mould for the external skin made of composite material. The disclosed embodiments also relate to an aircraft fuselage produced using this method.
US08220153B2
A production method for complex bearings includes: preparing an outer member and a cylindrical sintered bearing member. The outer member includes a fitting hole having: an almost circular cross section; an inner peripheral surface; and a surface roughness of the inner peripheral surface which is 3.2 to 100 μm at a maximal height. The sintered bearing member includes: an outer diameter allowing clearance fit of the sintered bearing member into the fitting hole of the outer member. The production method further includes: inserting the sintered bearing member into the fitting hole of the outer member and inserting a columnar core rod into an inner peripheral surface of the sintered bearing member; and compressing the sintered bearing member in an axial direction. By the compressing, an expanding peripheral surface of the sintered bearing member is pressed onto the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hole of the outer member, and the outer member and the sintered bearing member are thereby integrated with each other, and the inner peripheral surface of the sintered bearing member is pressed onto the core rod, and a hole size of the fitting hole of the sintered bearing member is thereby adjusted.
US08220142B2
Electronic devices are provided with housing components that have improved aesthetics. One or more holes may be formed through a portion of the housing and then the housing portion may be anodized. The anodization process may increase or decrease the geometries of each hole. The holes may be formed through the housing portion from a cosmetic side of the housing portion to an interior side of the housing portion.
US08220138B2
The present invention provides an apparatus for the horizontal stacking of laminations 10 and donuts to form a stator core. A stator generator frame 2 has multiple keybars 6 that run the axial length of the frame. The laminations 10 have grooves 12 there-in that engage the keybars to provide a secure fit of the laminations to the generator frame. By extending two or more of the keybars 6, these extensions 7 may be used as rails on which the laminations may be horizontally inserted into the stator frame.
US08220137B2
An apparatus for removing caps from tubular containers, including a fixed frame provided with a grasping unit for holding a container in a fixed vertical position and a head assembly which is movable above containers of variable height along the vertical axis thereof. The head assembly has a cap receiving cavity with an upper abutment surface for matching the upper surface of the cap of containers of variable size and is provided with a plurality of movable sharpened elements for catching the cap of the container when received in said cavity. There are provided a first driving unit for moving the sharpened elements towards the cap of the container to catch it and a second driving unit for moving the sharpened elements in at least one further direction to remove the cap from the container.
US08220126B1
The invention described herein relates to method by which a leak-proof connection may be made to a refrigeration device using shape memory characteristics of crosslinking and overmolding to affect the leak-proof connection.
US08220125B2
The invention relates to an assembly aid for positioning a hinge (1) on a door arrangement part (12) in a reproducible manner, said assembly aid comprising a clamping screw (22) having a screw shank (23) and a screw head (21), and an adjusting element (20) which is applied to a part (17) of the hinge (1) in a positively locking manner. The adjusting element (20) radially engages with said screw shank (23) and can be axially fixed to the door arrangement part (12) by means of the clamping screw (22). The invention also relates to a method for the reproducible positioning of a hinge (1) on a door arrangement part (12) whereon a positioning axis (30) is provided. The aim of the invention is to provide an assembly aid and a method that enable a hinge to be precisely positioned in a simple and reproducible manner. To this end, the inventive assembly aid is embodied in such a way that there is radial play between the adjusting element (20) and the screw shank (23), and the screw head (21) engages with the adjusting element (20), or, according to the inventive method, an adjusting part (19) is arranged as a primary reference member at a distance from the positioning axis (30), and an adjusting element (20) is fixed in the position thereof as a secondary reference member with radial play in relation to the positioning axis (30).
US08220114B2
Disclosed herein is a pull-down fastening device for objects having bores, with a fastening unit which includes a fastening element. A pull-down fastening device is disclosed, with which the various fastening processes can, when necessary, be performed. For this purpose, the pull-down fastening device features a modular interchangeable fastening insert which insert includes a fastening element. Such pull-down fastening devices engage into bores of, for example, pallets or workpieces to be processed, for the purpose of interior fastening.
US08220110B1
A castor includes a connecting board, a base bracket connected with the connecting board, a locking disk connected with the connecting board, a wheel mounted on the base bracket, a mounting bracket secured on the base bracket, a braking member connected with the mounting bracket, and a drive unit connected with the braking member. The locking disk has a locking portion. The braking member has a first end provided with a locking section and a second end provided with a mounting portion which has a braking section. Thus, the braking member is pivoted by the drive unit so that the braking section of the braking member is moved to press and brake the wheel, and the locking section of the braking member is moved to engage the locking portion of the locking disk so as to lock the base bracket.
US08220107B2
A cleaning apparatus is described and which includes a housing which is moveable across a supporting surface; a first electrically actuated fluid pump which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to deliver a first stream of fluid at a pressure of at least about 150 PSI to less than about 1200 PSI; a second electrically actuated fluid pump which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to deliver a second stream of fluid, at a pressure, of less than about 600 PSI; and an electrically actuated heater which is mounted in the housing, and which is operable to impart heat energy to the second fluid stream.
US08220102B2
A toothbrush head comprising a flexible bristle carrier such as an elastomer or gel pad or flexibly linked segments, on which bristles are mounted, with a support which supports the carrier at its base near the handle and at the opposite tip part, leaving the carrier unsupported thereby in a region longitudinally between these parts, the carrier being flexible such that it can deform under the forces of toothbrushing so that both its longitudinal and widthways sections become distorted. Preferably the support is also flexible.
US08220098B2
A portable cleaning apparatus includes a handle (11) and a wheel (13) rotatably mounted to the handle and the wheel having a plurality of scrubbing elements (74). Pressurized fluid enters the apparatus and a fluid flow director (16) delivers the fluid to the scrubbing elements to rotate the wheel. The scrubbing elements can be secured to the wheel to limit pivoting movement of the scrubbing elements in a direction of rotation of the wheel while permitting greater pivoting movement of the scrubbing elements in direction opposite the direction of rotation of the wheel. Different types of treatment material dispensing systems (100) are operable position a flow director to spin a dispenser of treatment material, or to position a dispenser in the rotational path of the scrubbing elements, to apply treatment material to the scrubbing elements.
US08220097B2
A toothbrush head includes a base portion having a first surface and a pivot portion having a first cleaning element holder having a second surface, wherein the second surface is superjacent the first surface. The pivot portion also includes a second cleaning element holder and a third cleaning element holder which extend longitudinally from the first element holder. The head includes a pivot element for pivotally coupling the base portion and the pivot portion.
US08220095B2
An example method of expanding a highway have a multiple lanes passing under a highway overpass bridge having a center pier is described. The center pier may be between lanes passing in opposite directions. The center pier may be replaced with two replacement central piers having a gap there between. Additional lanes may be added through the gap between the replacement central piers. Various methods of construction and detailed designs for such bridges are also described.
US08220093B2
The present invention relates to a washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine. According to a washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine in accordance with the present invention, a drum operates at a first speed so that part of the laundry tumbles within the drum and another part of the laundry adheres to the drum. The laundry amount within the drum is sensed during the first speed operation. Operation commands for driving the drum after the first speed operation are changed based on the sensed laundry amount. Accordingly, at the time of the dehydration cycle, stability of the washing machine and laundry balancing can be ensured.
US08220089B1
A sleeper apparatus for holding an infant designed to simulate the feeling of being held in a caregiver's arms is herein disclosed. The sleeper is similar in shape to that of a canoe and is able to accommodate most infants via a removable insert section. The insert may be added or removed, depending on the size of the infant. The sleeper is made using padded foam materials and comprises an air bladder located along an inside wall of a perimeter enclosure. The bladder is connected to a DC-powered air pump, which pumps air in and out of the bladder to simulate human breathing. The inner space of the sleeper is contoured to conform to the babies shape. The head area is larger with minimal padding to provide for unobstructed and clear breathing. The foot area is slightly declined and would be provided with additional padding. The sleeper provides a comforting and secure resting place for infants.
US08220085B2
A stackable bed platform includes a primary sleep surface and a secondary sleep surface. The primary sleep surface includes a first bunk rail having a top edge formed by a first side wall, connected to a first end bunk rail having a top edge formed by a first end wall, connected to a second side bunk rail having a top edge formed by a second side wall, connected to a second end bunk rail having a top edge formed by a second end wall. The primary sleep surface also has a first supportive surface connected to the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall. The secondary sleep surface includes a second supportive surface opposing the first supportive surface that is connected to the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall.
US08220080B2
A device for spraying an inner surface of a toilet bowl with a cleaning and/or deodorizing chemical is disclosed. The device includes a container for the chemical, a spray nozzle through which the chemical can be sprayed laterally around a perimeter of the nozzle, a conduit in fluid communication with the container and the spray nozzle, fluid delivery means for delivering chemical from the container through the conduit and to the spray nozzle, and means for attaching the spray nozzle near a rim of the toilet bowl. The spray nozzle of the automatic or manual toilet bowl cleaning device can operate such that the chemical is applied to the entire circumference of the inner surface of the toilet bowl whereby the entire toilet bowl is cleaned around the inner circumference of the toilet bowl.
US08220077B1
A safety stocking (10) in the form of a sock (11) includes an elastic, stretchable fabric portion (12) and a patterned anti-skid tread (13). The foot section (14) has a top surface (19) and a bottom surface (20). Both the top surface and the bottom surface are joined to the anti-skid tread. The anti-skid tread pattern extends continuously and symmetrically from a first point (23) adjacent the toes of a wearer to a second point (24) adjacent the heal of a wearer.
US08220071B2
A ball glove having a palmar panel, a dorsal panel, and a webbing may have a palmar force attenuation system, a dorsal force attenuation system, or both. The palmar panel and dorsal panel may define a hand cavity having five finger voids. The webbing may be secured to the ball glove and may be positioned between finger voids for the thumb and index fingers. A palmar force attenuation system may include at least one chamber sealed to enclose a fluid. A majority of the palmar force attenuation system may be positioned between the front surface of the palmar panel and the hand void. The palmar force attenuation system may be L-shaped, and it may enclose a foam structure. A dorsal force attenuation system may include at least one chamber sealed to enclose a fluid and may be secured to the dorsal panel.
US08225410B2
Methods, systems, and devices secure content in memory. When the content is received, the content includes a lock that prohibits reading the content from memory. Prior to expiration of the lock the content cannot be read from memory. At expiration, however, the content is then readable.
US08225409B2
A security control verification and monitoring subsystem of a managed computer system performs security control verification operations regularly and for each security control verification operation determines the applicable security benchmark level for use by a given computer. The subsystem assigns security risk categories to groups of computers based, for example, on overall system or group administrator supplied potential impact settings and/or system type and business or information type selections. The subsystem further associates the security risk categories with security benchmark levels based on mapping information supplied by the overall system or group administrator. The subsystem then directs the computer to benchmark definition files based on the assigned security risk category, the associated security benchmark level and attributes of the computer. The subsystem performs the security control verification operations whenever the computer performs computer profile data update operations, and thus, monitors essentially continuously the security control compliance of the computer. The subsystem stores the results of the security verification operations and includes the results in reports for the system, group or computer.
US08225408B2
A method for scanning content, including identifying tokens within an incoming byte stream, the tokens being lexical constructs for a specific language, identifying patterns of tokens, generating a parse tree from the identified patterns of tokens, and identifying the presence of potential exploits within the parse tree, wherein said identifying tokens, identifying patterns of tokens, and identifying the presence of potential exploits are based upon a set of rules for the specific language. A system and a computer readable storage medium are also described and claimed.
US08225406B1
Computer-implemented methods and systems for using reputation data to detect shared-object-based security threats are disclosed. In one example, an exemplary method for performing such a task may comprise: 1) identifying a process, 2) identifying an executable file associated with the process, 3) identifying at least one shared object loaded by the process, 4) obtaining reputation data for both the executable file and the shared object from a reputation service, 5) determining that the shared object represents a potential security risk by comparing the reputation data for the executable file with the reputation data for the shared object and determining that the reputation data for the shared object is significantly different from the reputation data for the executable file, and then 6) performing a security operation on the shared object. Corresponding server-side methods and systems for identifying malicious shared objects based on reputation data are also disclosed.
US08225405B1
Unknown malicious code is heuristically detected on a host computer system. A virus signature for the malicious code is created locally on the host computer system. A blacklist on the host computer system is updated with the virus signature for the heuristically detected malicious code. Accordingly, the blacklist is updated with the virus signature of the heuristically detected malicious code without distribution of the virus signature to the general public. Further, the host computer system is scanned for other instances of the heuristically detected malicious code using the created virus signature. Accordingly, file based detection and remediation of the malicious code is achieved without requiring execution of the malicious code for detection and the associated risks.
US08225397B1
A system for detecting an observing program on a computer system is disclosed as including accessing instructions that access observer data that includes data descriptive of the observer program. The system also includes reading instructions that read memory of the computer system to obtain memory data. Further, the system includes comparing instructions that compare the observer data with memory data read in from memory to determine whether the observer program is present on the computer system. The system may also include generating instructions that generate results from the reading and comparing. The results generated indicate whether the observer program is present on the computer system. In addition, the system includes outputting instructions that obtain the results and provide the results for a user.
US08225395B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for detecting an indication of a suspicious event associated with personal information of a child. Personal information representing a social security number of the child and a name of the child is received. Parent personal information representing contact information for a parent of the child is received. A child file for the child is created and stored on a computer-readable medium. The child file for the child includes the personal information representing the social security number of the child and the name of the child. The child file for the child is locked by associating an electronic notice to the child file for the child to prevent access to a database using at least part of the personal information of the child. The database includes credit data. The child file and the credit data is monitored for the indication of the suspicious event using the personal information representing the social security number of the child. A notification is transmitted to the parent using the parent personal information representing contact information for the parent. The notification is transmitted after detecting the indication of the suspicious event. The notification includes information associated with the indication of the suspicious event.
US08225387B2
A method and a system for access authentication. A shared services resource includes a second factor authentication module. At least one network resource each include a first factor authentication module. A trusted computing base communicates with the shared services and the at least one network resource through a pipe. An assertion may be obtained on a trusted computing base for accessing at least one network resource. At least one of the at least one network resource may be accessed with the trusted computing base when the assertion has been obtained by the trusted computing base and is valid.
US08225379B2
A method for securing a network including providing one or more information sources, identifying one or more devices on the network using the information sources and determining whether identified devices are authorized.
US08225376B2
A system and method for dynamically generating a privacy summary is provided. The present invention provides a system and method for dynamically generating a privacy summary. A profile for a user is generated. One or more privacy setting selections are received from the user associated with the profile. The profile associated with the user is updated to incorporate the one or more privacy setting selections. A privacy summary is then generated for the profile based on the one or more privacy setting selections.
US08225363B1
A wireless information signal transfer and interactive television system comprises: a first communication unit, operatively coupled to a television set, for generating an information signals and for generating display signals for display on the television set; a remote keyboard device, wirelessly coupled to the first communication unit, for permitting a system user to control display of the display signals on the television set and enter data corresponding to the display of the display signals; a satellite network, operatively coupled to the first communication unit, for wirelessly transferring signals including the information signals; a second communication unit, operatively coupled to the satellite network, for receiving the information signals; and a server, operatively coupled to the second communication unit, for processing the information signals and providing data included in the information signals to a network; wherein the server retrieves return data from the network and provides the return data to the second communication unit, the second communication unit generating return information signals and providing the return information signals to the satellite network, the satellite network wirelessly transferring the return information signals to the first communication unit, which generates the display signals for display on the television set.
US08225358B2
A content recommendation apparatus that can recommend contents suitable to user's taste immediately even after introduction of the system even if a TV set is used by unspecified users. Among previously-determined recommendation ranks of contents, the content recommendation apparatus of the present invention lowers the recommendation rank of a VOD content that is similar to TV programs broadcast in other media at a prescribed time. As the prescribed time, can be employed a time designated by a user, a time on a prescribed cycle, or a time when a TV program on the air in another media is changed, for example.
US08225350B2
A controlled device such as a TV is vended with a legacy remote commander (RC) and legacy user interfaces (UI), but is programmed with authentication information to accept downloaded UI updates from an authenticated after market RC with more capabilities than the legacy RC.
US08225349B2
Disclosed is a digital broadcast receiver including a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) module for receiving digital broadcastings of multiple channels; an output unit for outputting voice and image signals of the digital broadcastings; and a controller for controlling the DMB module to receive the digital broadcastings while successively and automatically switching the channels at a predetermined time interval, and controlling the digital broadcasting data received in the DMB module to be transmitted to the output unit.
US08225338B2
An optical disc reproduction apparatus as electronic apparatus has a display unit mounted via a hinge unit on a main body unit which has a main body case having lower and upper cases for housing a control board and a hinge connecting portion connected to a main body-side joint member of the hinge unit. The hinge connecting portion is formed of a part of the main body case, and has upper and lower connecting members formed of a part of the upper case and a part of the lower case, respectively. The lower connecting member is overlaid on a lower surface of the upper connecting member. The main body-side joint member is attached to the upper connecting member, and connected to both the upper and lower connecting members with hinge mounting screws so as to be connected to the hinge connecting portion.
US08225333B2
A framework for point of sale system is discussed. The framework includes an application program stored on a tangible computer medium. When executed by a computing device, the application is capable of communicating using a first protocol. The framework further includes a first point of sale hardware device externally located from the computing device and configured to communicate with the computing device using a second protocol and a device abstraction layer capable of communicating with the application program using the first protocol and the first point of sale hardware device using the second protocol to pass information between the application program and the first point of sale hardware device.
US08225332B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for protocol offload in paravirtualized systems may be disclosed. Exemplary aspects of the method may include preposting of application buffers to a front-end driver rather than to a NIC in a paravirtualized system. The NIC may be enabled to place the received offloaded data packets into a received data buffer corresponding to a particular GOS. A back-end driver may be enabled to acknowledge the placed offloaded data packets. The back-end driver may be enabled to forward the received data buffer corresponding to the particular GOS to the front-end driver. The front-end driver may be enabled to copy offloaded data packets from a received data buffer corresponding to a particular guest operating system (GOS) to the preposted application buffers.
US08225329B1
A network device may include a line interface to receive and transmit data units, a memory including instructions associated with a user space and a kernel space that are executable by a processor, the user space including a first-in-first-out (FIFO) region for storing the data units and corresponding metadata, where the kernel space writes the data unit and the corresponding metadata to the FIFO region, the metadata including a next pointer that identifies a memory address for storing the next data unit in the FIFO region, a user space process determines whether to transmit or drop the data unit, the user space process being a single process, and the user space transmits the data unit from the FIFO region without involving the kernel space when the user space process issues a command.
US08225326B2
A method for evaluating objects in a data structure is provided. The method includes assigning one or more objects to one or more nodes in a data structure having at least a root node, in which the objects are assigned to the nodes in accordance with a first order to maintain pre-existing dependencies between the objects and to allow the objects to be evaluated in a serial manner to avoid deadlock when concurrently executing threads to evaluate the objects, and selecting a first object for evaluation, in response to determining that the current object is unevaluated.
US08225323B2
This invention provides a data transfer control device for carrying out data transfer using a plurality of transfer resources. The data transfer control device comprises a transfer resource management portion that set the plurality of transfer resources to either one of a transfer-enabled state whereby data transfer is enabled and a plurality of standby states on the basis of a load on the data transfer control device and that manages the plurality of transfer resources so as to assume the set operating status; and a load distribution portion that distributes the data to transfer resources that have been set to the transfer-enabled state. The plurality of standby states are states which data transfer is disabled and which mutually differ at a minimum in terms of at least one of power consumption level and transition time to the transfer-enabled state.
US08225320B2
A computing method and system is presented that modifies a standard operating system utilizing two or more processing units to execute continuous processing tasks; such as processing or generating continuous audio, video or other types of data. One of the processors is tasked with running the operating system while each processing unit is dedicated towards running a single continuous processing task. Communication is provided between both processors enabling the continuous processing task to utilize the operating system without being affected by any operating system scheduling requirements.
US08225319B2
A scheduling process is provided for scheduling allocation of resources to a task, each resource having a plurality of attributes, the task having one or more operational constraints including a required plurality of capabilities, and having a performance condition. For example, the resources' attributes are reviewed to identify combinations of resources that collectively satisfy the task's capability requirements. Each identified combination of resources is evaluated according to a performance algorithm to identify an associated performance cost. A combination of resources is selected whose identified performance cost meets the performance condition. The task is scheduled based on the selected combination of resources.
US08225310B1
Automatic detection and redistribution of content management code is disclosed. A new or updated software object class is received at a repository. A change record at the repository is updated to reflect that the new or updated software object class is available from the repository.
US08225293B2
A method is provided for controlling ROM parameters embedded in a microprocessor software executable without modifications to the underlying source code. The method includes: presenting a software program having a plurality of machine instructions of a finite number of fixed lengths in an executable form; searching through the machine instructions of the executable and finding at least one appropriate instruction defined in a read only memory space to replace; defining a replacement instruction for identified machine instructions in the software program; and replacing identified machine instructions in the executable form of the software program with the replacement instruction. The replacement instruction may be further defined as a branch instruction that references an address outside an address space for the software program.
US08225282B1
Methods, systems, frameworks, and software products are disclosed for building well-defined software modules through the optionally nested aggregation of other similar modules at any depth. The invention provides visual methods of aggregation and nesting of software interfaces withincomposite software services with an automated runtime platform. Other aspects of the invention include, but are not limited to, innovative methods for routing the flow of invocation, inter-service communication, and exception handling. Industry standards are leveraged to integrate the methods discussed in this invention to any computer system, programming language or software platform. The semantic-based and visual nature of the invention discussed can significantly reduce the complexity of building, maintaining and deploying computer systems and software products.
US08225279B2
A method for service composition whereby a tag query is received and a processing graph is composed in accordance with the tag query. The processing graph is composed by using annotated primal data and services. The processing graph includes at least one of the services. The service included in the processing graph is deployed in an execution environment.
US08225278B2
Hierarchical state diagrams are reflected in a tree structure with the initial state of the diagram represented as the parent node, intermediate states represented as intermediate levels of the hierarchy, and final states represented as the lowest level in the hierarchy. Information on the modification(s) on a child or subsequent level is transferred to the parent node. Such information includes quantifying and displaying of the modification(s). Accordingly, content and extent of any modifications to the diagram can be viewed at the parent node without requiring review of different levels in the hierarchy to view modifications to the state and/or transition in such levels.
US08225275B2
An electronic device with a graphical language environment that includes a method which examines a graphical model to identify textual items having intrinsic executable computational meaning within the graphical model is discussed. The method identifies at least one textual item with intrinsic executable computational meaning. The method further provides an indicator for the at least one identified textual item with intrinsic executable computational meaning in a display of the graphical model. The indicator may be based upon a characteristic of the identified textual item.
US08225273B2
A system, method and program product for displaying unified model (UM) data in a UM visualization. A system is provided that includes: a weighting system for assigning weights to UM elements; a clustering system for clustering UM elements into categories; and a visualization system for displaying clustered and weighted UM elements within a conceptual framework.
US08225271B2
Methods and apparatus for configuring process, environmental, industrial and other control systems generate and/or utilize models representing configurations of control systems and/or the systems controlled by them. Records of changes to the models or the configurations represented by them are maintained, thereby, for example, providing bases for determining current states, prior states and histories of changes. Objects in the model have characteristics, such as an object type characteristic and an area characteristic. Users can have corresponding permissions. A security mechanism apparatus controls access by users to the objects. Composite objects are defined by definition objects and are displayed in encapsulated or expanded formats. Objects can include an edit control type identifier that determines how they are presented for editing. Functionality responds to user commands by transferring characteristics of a first object depicted by the graphical user interface to a second object. Configuration-time formulas contained objects are evaluated to constants prior to downloading to the control system.
US08225269B2
During a method, a hybrid graphical user interface (GUI), which is associated with electronic-design-automation (EDA) software, is displayed. This hybrid GUI allows users to efficiently specify useful analysis equations using textual and/or graphical information. In particular, the hybrid GUI has a first window that includes graphical objects associated with a circuit design. A user can select one or more of the graphical objects and associated electrical parameters using a user-interface device, such as a mouse. The hybrid GUI has a second window that has icons and other graphical controls that allow the construction of an analysis equation using the user-interface device. In addition, the hybrid GUI has a third window that includes an equation editor that provides a symbolic representation of an analysis equation based at least on one or more text entries provided by a user using a second user-interface device (such as a keyboard) and/or user selections of a given graphical object in the graphical objects and an associated electrical parameter.
US08225265B2
A method for modifying a logic circuit layout to optimize circuit propagation delays for improved circuit operation is presented. The layout includes multiple logic gates connected by conductive segments. An initial layout of a physical electronic logic circuit having the plurality of logic gates is input. A respective size is determined for each of the logic gates in accordance with the initial layout and a circuit propagation delay criterion. The circuit propagation delay criterion is a joint function of properties of at least some of the logic gates and at least some of the conductive segments. A modified logic circuit layout is output. The modified logic circuit layout includes a layout of the logic gates arranged in accordance with the initial layout, where each of the logic gates is modified according to the respective determined size, thereby to obtain a modification of the logic circuit layout incorporating an optimized circuit propagation delay.
US08225263B2
A design method of a semiconductor integrated circuit carried out by a computer, including: a DRC step of performing a design rule check (Design Rule Check) with reference to layout information on an internal wiring in a capacitor cell and layout information on a signal wiring in the semiconductor integrated circuit; an integration step of integrating layout information on the internal wiring into layout information on the signal wiring when being determined in the DRC step that there is an error; and an elimination step of eliminating an error portion in the internal wiring from the integrated layout information.
US08225261B2
First and second virtual grates are defined as respective sets of parallel virtual lines extending across a layout area in first and second perpendicular directions, respectively. The virtual lines of the first and second virtual grates correspond to placement locations for layout features in lower and higher chip levels, respectively. Each intersection point between virtual lines of the first and second virtual grates is a gridpoint within a vertical connection placement grid. Vertical connection structures are placed at a number of gridpoints within the vertical connection placement grid so as to provide electrical connectivity between layout features in the lower and higher chip levels. The vertical connection structures are placed so as to minimize a number of different spacing sizes between neighboring vertical connection structures across the vertical connection placement grid, while simultaneously minimizing to an extent possible layout area size. The vertical connection structures may be contacts or vias.
US08225260B2
A programmable analog tile integrated circuit placement tool allows a user to manipulate a graphical representation of a first power management integrated circuit (PMIC) tile with respect to a graphical representation of a second PMIC tile in a proposed Multi-Tile Power Management Integrated Circuit (MTPMIC). The novel PMIC tiles have pre-defined physical structures including a bus portion and a memory structure for storing configuration information for configuring the tile. When appropriately placed in a MTPMIC, the bus portions of the selected tiles automatically form a standardized bus that accommodates all signal communication required for a functioning MTPMIC. A remote user with minimal training in analog circuit design may command the placement of individual tiles in a proposed MTPMIC layout. Upon receiving a user response indicating satisfaction with the placement of PMIC tiles, the tool quickly and automatically generates physical layout data suitable for fabrication of the MTPMIC.
US08225256B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems and techniques that accelerate project start and tape-out. During operation, a system can receive a set of technology files and a set of libraries. Next, the system can identify deficiencies in the set of technology files and the set of libraries. The system can then construct update utilities that when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to fix the deficiencies in the technology files and the set of libraries. Further, a system can receive a set of checks that are performed by a foundry. Next, the system can construct tape-out scripts that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the set of checks on the circuit design. The update utilities and the tape-out scripts can then be provided to a customer with an electronic design automation software to accelerate project start and tape-out.
US08225254B2
A apparatus for analyzing a delay in path between flip-flops, including: a calculator that performs delay calculation and generates a delay calculation result on wiring and layout of logic circuits; a analyzer that performs delay analysis for each delay calculation results, and generates delay analysis results for paths by adding delay of logic elements and flip-flops, and by multiplying the sum calculated by a scattering coefficient; a sorter that stores delay analysis results for paths, thereby generating a maximum delay sorting result; a probability calculator that generates probability density functions for paths on a condition by performing processing in which a path is selected from paths in order of maximum delay on the maximum delay sorting result, and a probability density function is generated for the path selected between the flip-flops; and a value calculator that performs maximum value calculation for the probability density functions for all the paths.
US08225249B1
A static formal verification tool is used to test properties for a circuit design, where the properties are written in a verification language, such as SystemVerilog, that allows local variables. The use of local variables presents implementation challenges for static formal verification tools because it requires multiple instances of the local variables to be tracked during the verification process. To deal with local variables, the static formal verification tool translates a property containing local variables into an optimized, statically allocated data structure that does not need multiple representation of different instances of the local variables. The formal verification is then performed using the data structure. This reduces the verification complexity and makes the size of the problem representation predictable.
US08225238B2
Systems, devices, and methods for designing and/or manufacturing transparent conductors. A system is operable to evaluate optical and electrical manufacturing criteria for a transparent conductor. The system includes a database including stored reference transparent conductor data, and a controller subsystem configured to compare input acceptance manufacturing criteria for a transparent conductor to stored reference transparent conductor data.
US08225237B2
A method to determine a process window is disclosed. First, a pattern data is provided. Second, a bias set is determined. Then, a resizing procedure is performed on the pattern data in accordance with the bias set to obtain a usable final resized pattern to be a target pattern of changed area. The final resized pattern is consistent with a minimum spacing rule, a contact to poly rule and a contact to metal rule. Accordingly, the target pattern is output.
US08225230B2
Supporting a visualization of an object model in which multiple dependencies exist between each of a plurality of objects by limiting one or more object instances in the object model and filtering one or more attributes associated with one or more of the object instances. The limiting and filtering is performed by utilizing a plurality of windows, panels, or sub-windows to display a corresponding list of one or more objects for a dimension, along with one or more attributes associated with each of the one or more objects; and updating a second window, panel, or sub-window in response to receiving a selection of an item from a first window, panel, or sub-window according to a relationship defined in the object model, wherein the updating is performed in a hierarchical manner.
US08225225B2
Detail-in-context techniques are described. In an implementation, an original image is distorted to produce a distorted region for a selected object at a first position in an original image displayed on a display screen. The distorted region magnifies at least a portion of the object. A signal is received to drag the object and the distorted region from the first position to a second position. A signal is received to drop the object at the second position. The distorted region is removed from the original image after the object is dropped at the second position.
US08225222B2
An apparatus and methods for modifying the security status of a computer component are disclosed. The apparatus represents a plurality of computer components; represents interactions among the plurality of computer components; and allows modification of a security setting associated with at least one of the computer components. The methods disclosed teach depicting a plurality of computer components; depicting interactions among the plurality of computer components; and modification of a security setting associated with at least one of the computer components.
US08225218B2
Methods and systems for identifying, assessing and clearing conflicts of interest are described herein. Consistent with some embodiments, a conflicts management system receives a conflict search request, and processes the request utilizing a risk matrix that encompass and represents the risk tolerance or risk profile of a law firm. The risk matrix maps certain request types to different search queries and rules that are to be evaluated for a given request type. Based on the execution of the queries and the rules for the request, a score is assigned to a party, such that the score represents the level of risk that would be undertaken if the party was engaged as a client.
US08225217B2
A method and system for displaying information in a user interface of a computer program uses documents, such as mark-up language documents and style-sheet language documents, to specify how the user interface is to be rendered on a computer display. The user interface has a variety of possible appearances, or “skins.”
US08225212B2
A method of providing a description of a remote control device to a communication device configured to interact with an electronic device over a communication network as a remote control device is presented. In the method, the communication device transfers an indication of the electronic device over the network to a communication node. Afterward, the communication device receives the description of the remote control device associated with the electronic device from the node over the network. The communication device transfers a command associated with the remote control device over the network to the electronic device, wherein the command is generated using the description of the remote control device.
US08225209B2
A capsule endoscope image display device displays, on a display screen, at least a search character input window, a thumbnail specification input button for specifying a thumbnail, and a report specification input button for specifying a report. When the thumbnail specification input button is operated, thumbnails to which a comment including characters input in the search character input window is added are searched for in a recording device, and their listing is displayed in a scrollable manner. When the report specification input button is operated, reports including the characters input in the search character input window are searched for, and their listing is displayed in a scrollable manner. In this way, data associated with an image of desired position, lesion portion, etc. can be easily grasped from among many pieces of image information.
US08225207B1
Systems and methods for audio editing are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving digital audio data and displaying a representation of the received digital audio data as an audio waveform. The display also includes a representation of one or more controls for applying one or more effects to the digital audio data. A user input is received manipulating a first control relative to the audio waveform. The displayed representation of the audio waveform is modified according to the relative position of the first control and a corresponding effect is applied to the digital audio data. The modified digital audio data is then made available for further processing.
US08225205B2
An electronic document processing apparatus and an electronic document processing method are provided that can perform a sophisticated search such as concept search with a high precision even on images including decorated text strings. Text strings are extracted from an electronic document containing layout information, and a baseline of the extracted text string is detected. Subsequently, a line segment A extending forward from the baseline and a line segment B of a different type from the line segment A extending backward from the baseline are provided. It is determined, for different text strings, that the different text strings are concatenated if the line segments A and B, which are provided for the different text string, overlap with each other.
US08225204B2
The present invention is a system and method for computer optimization of content and reusing documents. The invention provides integrated user interfaces to facilitate reuse of static or dynamic content. The system further includes on a display, a first window and a second window where the system includes programming instructions operable to control the processing unit to output to the first window the content of memory. The content output to the first window is simultaneous to output being displayed in the second window of the separate program. Each of these programs may reside in the same memory space or different memory space. The separate program can provide documents or content to be used in the first window. The system further includes programming instructions operable to transform selections retrieved from documents of the second window into content for the first window.
US08225203B2
User input is received, specifying a continuous traced path across a keyboard presented on a touch sensitive display. An input sequence is resolved, including traced keys and auxiliary keys proximate to the traced keys by prescribed criteria. For each of one or more candidate entries of a prescribed vocabulary, a set-edit-distance metric is computed between said input sequence and the candidate entry. Various rules specify when penalties are imposed, or not, in computing the set-edit-distance metric. Candidate entries are ranked and displayed according to the computed metric.
US08225190B1
Methods and apparatus are described for scoring documents in response, in part, to parameters related to the document, source, and/or cluster score. Methods and apparatus are also described for scoring a cluster in response, in part, to parameters related to documents within the cluster and/or sources corresponding to the documents within the cluster. In one embodiment, the invention may identify the source; detect a plurality of documents published by the source; analyze the plurality of documents with respect to at least one parameter; and determine a source score for the source in response, in part, to the parameter. In another embodiment, the invention may identify a topic; identify a plurality of clusters in response to the topic; analyze at least one parameter corresponding to each of the plurality of clusters; and calculate a cluster score for each of the plurality of clusters in response, in part, to the parameter.
US08225187B1
A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bit-slice circuit including a plurality of AND gates coupled with configuration data is described. The configuration data may enable the plurality of AND gates to provide a set of CRC input data and feedback polynomial data meeting a plurality of CRC protocols. The CRC bit-slice circuit accepts a generator polynomial as an input design parameter to build a CRC module. The modularity of the design then allows a larger CRC design to be constructed from multiple CRC modules such that wider data width may be accommodated. Several CRC modules can be cascaded to accommodate various data widths and to meet a plurality of CRC protocols.
US08225180B2
We investigate error-correcting codes for a novel storage technology, which we call the rank-modulation scheme. In this scheme, a set of n cells stores information in the permutation induced by the different levels of the individual cells. The resulting scheme eliminates the need for discrete cell levels, and overshoot errors when programming cells (a serious problem that reduces the writing speed), as well as mitigates the problem of asymmetric errors. In this discussion, the properties of error correction in rank modulation codes are studied. We show that the adjacency graph of permutations is a subgraph of a multi-dimensional array of a special size, a property that enables code designs based on Lee-metric codes and L1-metric codes. We present a one-error-correcting code whose size is at least half of the optimal size. We also present additional error-correcting codes and some related bounds.
US08225175B2
In order to correct errors of a first page on one plane in a two-plane NAND flash memory, use data of a second page on another plane to mix the encoding and leverage the error correction code of the first page. Each of the error correction codes of the first page and the second page is divided into an inner correction code and a cross correction code. The inner correction codes are used to correct errors of their own pages and the cross correction codes are used to correct errors of two distinct groups, grouped from the even and odd bytes of the two pages respectively. The second page, with fewer errors, is therefore used to enhance the correcting ability of the first page, without lengthening the error correction code of the first page.
US08225174B2
To provide a decoder capable of efficiently dealing with various Z, even when in-block parallel degree is fixed in MP decoding of quasi-cyclic LDPC codes. A reception value aligning device keeps the first S or less reception value data from the block head. If block size Z is not a multiple of S, (S−(Z mod S)) data of the block head are added to the end of the reception value data of the block so that the block size Z is a multiple of S. The block size is written into reception value memory. A message aligning device performs cyclic permutation. If Z is not a multiple of S, the first (S−(Z mod S)) messages from the block output head are added to the end of the output message of the block so that the Z is a multiple of S and is outputted to the message memory.
US08225173B2
A method for creating cyclic permutation matrices P (810), with an arbitrary size Z×Z set by a parameter Z5 and which are used to create one or more LDPC related matrices in OFDMA systems, comprising: defining an integer value Z; creating an initial matrix (810); creating a matrix (810) by using cyclic shifts to each row; repeating stage 3, up to Z−2 times as required, thus creating up to Z−2 matrices: P(o) . . . P(Z−I); creating an additional stairs matrix P(st). A method for using cyclic per-mutation matrixes P (840), with a fixed size Z×Z set by a parameter Z, and which are used to create one or more LDPC related matrices (820) in OFDMA systems, comprising: defining an integer value Z; storing in memory means an initial matrix (810) and its cyclic shifts permutations (840), thus keeping memory means matrices: P(o) . . . P(Z−I); storing an additional stairs matrix P(st) (840); using these matrices (810) to create LDPC related matrices (840) or LDPC operations.
US08225170B2
A MIMO wireless system with Diversity processing is provided having Turbo Codes Decoders for computing orthogonal multipath signals from multiple separate antennas. The invention decodes multipath signals that have arrived at the terminal via different routes after being reflected from buildings, trees or hills. The Turbo Codes Decoder with Diversity processing increases the signal to noise ratio (SNR) more than 6 dB which enables the Wireless system to deliver data rates from up to 600 Mbit/s. A Turbo Codes Decoder block is provided to compute baseband signals from multiple different receiver paths. Several pipelined max-Log-MAP decoders are used for iterative decoding of received data. A Sliding Window of Block N data is used for pipeline operations.
US08225165B2
Methods and apparatuses for encoding data in a wireless communication system including receiving an information sequence, and encoding the received information sequence to generate three subblocks of sequences. A first subblock of the three subblocks is the information sequence, a second subblock of the three subblocks is an encoded sequence, and a third subblock of the three subblocks is an interleaved and encoded sequence. The method further includes permuting the three subblocks of encoded sequences separately by subblock permutation, and continuously mapping the three subblocks into a circular buffer, the circular buffer including a first part, a second part, and a third part. Further, the method includes bit-selecting bits from the circular buffer, in a circular order corresponding to the first part, the second part, and the third part, to generate a first redundancy version and a second redundancy version, wherein bit-selection for a first redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions begins at a first position in the circular buffer, bit-selection for each successive redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions begins after a last position in the circular buffer corresponding to a previous redundancy version, and wherein, when a complete codeword is selected, bit-selection is offset from the first position by a fixed number of bits X. Finally, the method includes transmitting at least one redundancy version of the plurality of redundancy versions to at least one receiving device.
US08225160B2
A decoding apparatus includes a unit decoding and inversely quantizing coded data to obtain frequency domain audio signal data, a unit computing from the coded data one of the number of scale bits composed of the number of bits corresponding to the scale value of the coded data and the number of spectrum bits composed of the number of bits corresponding to the spectrum value of the coded data, a unit estimating a quantization error of the frequency domain audio signal data based on one of the number of scale bits and the number of spectrum bits of the coded data, a unit computing a correction amount based on the estimated quantization error and correct the frequency domain audio signal data obtained by the frequency domain data obtaining unit based on the computed correction amount, and a unit converting the corrected frequency domain audio signal data into the audio signal.
US08225151B2
An integrated circuit test controller and method defining a number N of failure events, applying the test to an integrated circuit under test by applying a predetermined sequence of input and output operations according to a test algorithm. Output data is compared to expected data, and a failure signal is generated when the output data does not correspond to the expected data. If a failure signal is generated, failure data related to the failure event is stored in a failure data register set. If the number N of failure events has been reached or if there are no more tests left, the content of the data failure register set is read out through a parallel failure data output port.
US08225146B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method for providing continuous data protection for a virtual volume (VV). The method may comprise conceptually dividing the VV into a plurality of same sized chunks; preserving contents of the VV at a specified time; creating a Point in Time (PiT) instance for the VV at the specified time, comprising: a PiT Temporary Virtual Volume (PTVV) for storing modifications to the VV subsequent to the specified time, wherein data stored in the PTVV is prohibited from been overwritten; a re-allocation table for providing read access to a most recent version of each of the plurality of chunks of the VV; and a Continuous Data Protection (CDP) log for providing read access to a historic version of a chunk stored in the PTVV; and updating the PiT instance when a chunk of the plurality of chunks of the VV is being modified.
US08225145B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a display unit; an information generating module configured to generate, based on a first error code that represents an internal state of the information processing apparatus, a second error code that is more acknowledgeable to a user as compared with the first error code; and a display controller configured to control the display unit to display the second error code so as to allow the user to dictate the internal state of the information processing apparatus by use of the second error code.
US08225143B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for injecting noise onto a link of a network. The apparatus, system, and method include, providing a noise injector card, connecting the noise injector card to the link, receiving a control signal to activate the noise injector card, switching a switch of the noise injector card, and injecting noise onto the link.
US08225135B2
Methods and apparatus automatically identify certain types of data storage system problems, such as a flawed storage device or an incompatibility between a data storage system and a data storage device or an incompatibility between the storage system and a user computer. The existence of such a problem may be highlighted to a user through an indicator on the storage system and/or through a “dashboard” application being executed by the user computer, and the problem may be automatically corrected by automatically downloading a fix (e.g., new firmware or a “patch”) from a server (e.g., a server managed by the storage device manufacturer, a server managed by the storage system manufacturer and/or a server managed by a third party) and automatically implementing the fix.
US08225125B2
In the field of electronic technologies, a power supply selector and a power supply selection method are provided. The power supply selector includes: a first selection module, configured to select a power supply from multiple candidate power supplies; a control module, coupled to the first selection module, and configured to use the power supply selected by the first selection module as a power supply, and compare voltages of the multiple candidate power supplies to generate a control signal of each candidate power supply; and a second selection module, coupled to the control module, and configured to select a power supply for output in the multiple candidate power supplies under the control of the control signal of each candidate power supply. The technical solution is used to select a power supply from multiple candidate power supplies.
US08225124B2
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for determining a class of power delivered via power sourcing equipment (“PSE”) utilizing power over Ethernet (“POE”) technology. Described is a method including operating an network device at a first power setting, increasing a power requirement of the network device, detecting a second power setting based on an amount of power available from a power source, the second power setting being greater than the first power setting, determining whether one or more resources of the network device is operable at the second power setting, operating the network device at the second power setting if the one or more resources is operable, and activating an alert if the one or more resources is not operable. Further described is a system including a network device operating at a first power setting, the network device increases a power requirement, a power source providing an amount of power to the network device at a second power setting, the second power setting being greater than the first power setting, and a server determining whether one or more resources of the network device is operable at the second power setting, wherein the network device operates the at the second power setting if the one or more resources is operable, and the network device activates an alert if the one or more resources is not operable.
US08225119B2
The described implementations relate to energy-aware server management. One implementation involves an adaptive control unit configured to manage energy usage in a server farm by transitioning individual servers between active and inactive states while maintaining response times for the server farm at a predefined level.
US08225103B2
A system for controlling access to a protected network includes a network access control module that is coupled to the protected network and which is configured to restrict access to the network to an authorized user through a computer coupled to the protected network. The system also includes a communication device associated with the computer. The communication device automatically transmits a unique identifier corresponding to the communication device to the network access control module when a user uses the communication device to request access to the protected network via the computer. When the network access control module receives the unique identifier, the network access control module is configured to authenticate the communication device based on the unique identifier, to authenticate the user via the communication device when the communication device is authenticated, and when the user is authenticated, to submit log-on information directly to a log-on interface of the computer associated with the communication device so that the user can access the protected network via the computer.
US08225098B2
Direct Anonymous Attestation, DAA, involves a Signer entity using a credential supplied by an Issuer to attest its possession of a particular characteristic to a Verifier without the identity of the Signer being revealed. Security and performance improvements are disclosed where DAA is performed using a non-degenerate, computable, bilinear map with the credential being a CL-LRSW signature on a secret known only to the Signer.
US08225095B2
Communicating keys between network devices on a network using asymmetric cryptographic techniques, for which asymmetric keys may be derived from a single (same) password. Knowledge or partial knowledge of the password may be the only information shared between parties prior to execution of a key exchange, and may be the only criteria by which one party will base trust in the other. A first network device may encrypt a key using a password-based key derived from a password, and authenticate a second device based on the second network device's ability to decrypt the encrypted key using a key derived from the same password. Knowledge of the password may be conveyed by the second device to the first device—a session key may be generated as a function of the decrypted key, and a function of this session key may be communicated from the second device to the first device.
US08225089B2
The method includes the steps of receiving at the PEAD first digital data representing the transaction request. The PEAD provides information to the user regarding an ability to approve the transaction request. When the transaction request is approved by the user, the PEAD receives second digital data representing the electronic service authorization token. A remote agent server may provided a bridge between the electronic transaction system and the PEAD. In another embodiment, the private key is stored on the portable device, encrypted. The decryption key is stored outside of the device, at a trusted 3rd party location. When the user attempts to make a signature the software sends a request for the decryption key, along with the user's password or pass phrase keyed in at the keyboard of the PDA, smart phone, or cell phone, to a server belonging to the trusted 3rd party.
US08225080B2
According to an aspect of the embodiment, a grid processing control apparatus includes a grid OS being an OS dedicated to grid computing, a general-purpose OS being an OS other than the grid OS, and an OS boot up unit selectively allowing the grid OS or the general-purpose OS to operate. The OS boot up unit allows only the grid OS to operate during grid use term when the grid OS is operated, and allows only the general-purpose OS to operate during general-purpose OS use term when the general-purpose OS is operated.
US08225075B2
Method, apparatus, and program means for shuffling data. The method of one embodiment comprises receiving a first operand having a set of L data elements and a second operand having a set of L control elements. For each control element, data from a first operand data element designated by the individual control element is shuffled to an associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set and a zero is placed into the associated resultant data element position if its flush to zero field is not set.
US08225071B2
A virtual memory system implementing the invention provides concurrent access to translations for virtual addresses from multiple address spaces. One embodiment of the invention is implemented in a virtual computer system, in which a virtual machine monitor supports a virtual machine. In this embodiment, the invention provides concurrent access to translations for virtual addresses from the respective address spaces of both the virtual machine monitor and the virtual machine. Multiple page tables contain the translations for the multiple address spaces. Information about an operating state of the computer system, as well as an address space identifier, are used to determine whether, and under what circumstances, an attempted memory access is permissible. If the attempted memory access is permissible, the address space identifier is also used to determine which of the multiple page tables contains the translation for the attempted memory access.
US08225069B2
Methods and apparatus for control of On-Die System Fabric (OSF) blocks are described. In one embodiment, a shadow address corresponding to a physical address may be stored in response to a user-level request and a logic circuitry (e.g., present in an OSF) may determine the physical address from the shadow address. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08225065B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to memory management. In aspects, a hierarchical, customized memory allocator may be created that allocates memory to memory consumers. The memory allocator may use a data structure to classify blocks of memory at each level in the hierarchy according to fill factors of the blocks of memory. Allocations may be based on lifetime characteristics, proximity to consumer, fill factor, and other factors. An allocator may use one or more active blocks to allocate memory to consumers. The number of active blocks for an allocator may depend on contention.
US08225060B2
A computer-enabled method of storing an input dataset in a storage medium includes storing a copy for each of a plurality of repeatable blocks of data in an input dataset in a storage medium. The process further includes finding a location in the storage medium of the copy of a block of data in the input dataset. Finding the location includes determining a most likely location in the storage medium of the copy of the block of data from one or more blocks of data preceding the block of data based on statistics of past stored data. Finding the location further includes if the determined most likely location contains a block of data that matches with the actual block of data, retrieving the location in the storage medium of the copy of the block of data. The process also includes storing the location of the copy of the block of data.
US08225049B2
Provided is a data storage device. The data storage device includes an interface, a buffer controller, a memory controller, a non-volatile memory, and a self-powered semiconductor device adjacent to and electrically connected to the buffer controller. The self-powered semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip and a rechargeable micro-battery attached to the semiconductor chip. The rechargeable micro-battery includes a first current collector and a second current collector, which face each other, a first polarizing electrode in contact with the first current collector and facing the second current collector, a second polarizing electrode in contact with the second current collector and facing the first polarizing electrode, and an electrolyte layer formed between the first and second polarizing electrodes.
US08225030B2
Systems and methods for using a page table in an information handling system including a semiconductor storage device are disclosed. A page table in an information handling system may be provided. The information handling system may include a memory, and the memory may include a semiconductor storage device. NonDRAM tag data may be stored in the page table. The nonDRAM tag data may indicate one or more attributes of one or more pages in the semiconductor storage device.
US08225028B2
An access method for use in a memory device is provided. The memory device comprises a data area having a plurality of data blocks and a spare area having a plurality of spare blocks. First, data from a host is received. A spare block is popped from the spare area and the received data is programmed into the popped spare block accordingly. A data block corresponding to the data is pushed to the spare area. The pushed data block is erased when the memory device is waiting for a specific instruction to be issued from the host.
US08225026B2
A data packet access control apparatus and a data packet access control method are disclosed. RAM resources in a data packet processing chip are used to implement a Bypass FIFO. The Bypass FIFO is used as a first-level cache for small amount of data, and an external RAM of the data packet processing chip is used as a second-level cache for large amount of data. In this way, some data packets are read and written within the chip and not all data packets have to be read and written through the external RAM. A data packet reading/writing operation may be performed to the external RAM by a BANK interleave mode.
US08225025B2
A motherboard for selecting one of sub-systems immediately includes a plurality of sub-systems, a shared/control unit, and an input/output unit. The plurality of sub-systems individually has a corresponding kernel unit, a corresponding interface control unit and a corresponding power circuit. According to an external selecting signal, the shared/control unit selects a corresponding sub-system to be the target sub-system, so that the target sub-system can control all the shared peripherals.
US08225004B1
Method and system for transmitting data using a network protocol and a storage protocol via an adapter is provided. The method includes receiving an input output control block (IOCB) from a host system for transferring data stored in a host system memory; acquiring data from the host system memory; copying a header template in a local memory of the adapter, wherein the header template is created by a driver executed by the host system; creating a header for the network protocol and a header for the storage protocol; wherein a first module for the adapter creates the network protocol packet header and the first modules uses an assist module to create the storage protocol packet header; and creating a packet to transfer a portion of the acquired data, wherein a packet size is based on a payload size for the storage.
US08224995B2
A method, system and reporting arrangement for providing an accurate address of a device which receives media are described. In particular, these method, system and reporting arrangement enable a request to be received for establishing communication with the device. In addition, the accurate address (which is an actual address) of the device is determined using the method, system and reporting arrangement. Thereafter, the request is responded to using a response, which includes the accurate address of the device that can be transmitted to the device.
US08224992B2
A method, device and system, whereby communication delay that affects the advancement of an interactive task such as a multiple-player participation game is reduced is disclosed. A game system has a large number of game devices. A game device is grouped with three or more other devices to form a group, in which one device becomes a provisional parent node, and the other devices become provisional child nodes. Each of the game devices in the group generates measurement data indicating the sum of response times with respect to other game devices with itself as an origin. The game device that has generated measurement data indicating the minimum sum is selected as a parent node by the provisional parent node, and the other game devices are selected to be child nodes. A child node communicates with another child node via a parent node.
US08224980B2
A method and system for optimizing SOAP messages combines mechanisms of accelerating the composition of SOAP messages, reducing SOAP parsing overheads, and reducing SOAP message sizes by leveraging elements of the previous two techniques and policies for configuring these mechanisms. A byte-level partial representation of a SOAP message may be constructed upon its first use and each new instantiation of the same message is composed from this representation and the encoded parameters or return values. SOAP message parsing may be accelerated using a cache of associations. Each entry may associate the byte-level encoding of an XML tag with its component in the internal data representation of the received message. These two techniques can be used independently on one or both SOAP endpoints.
US08224978B2
Two participants may observe periodic data sources available only in the vicinity of physical trust (i.e. a wifi beacon). If an initial test of whether each participant has received the same key is passed, each party may hash the periodic source and communicate it to the other over a non-proximal communication channel (an IP network) and both are able to verify that the other (or agent of the other) is within the same vicinity.
US08224964B1
A client-server network system implements a multi-tier caching strategy for a user to access a document efficiently. When serving a document to client, the document is examined for embedded references to other documents. The embedded references are extracted and then assigned a priority. The documents referenced are obtained locally from the server cache or obtained from their respective web hosts and transmitted according to the assigned priority. If the client determines that it has the document, the transmission of is terminated. If the client or server determines that a newly requested document is one of the referenced documents being transmitted, the transmission is given a higher priority. In some instances, the server calculates a content difference between a current version of a referenced and a previous version and transmits this content.
US08224957B2
Migrating virtual machines among networked servers, the servers coupled for data communications with a data communications network that includes a networking device, where migrating includes: establishing, by a virtual machine management module (‘VMMM’), one or more virtual machines on a particular server; querying, by the VMMM, the networking device for link statistics of a link coupling the network device to the particular server for data communications; determining, by the VMMM in dependence upon the link statistics, whether the link coupling the network device to the particular server is degrading; and if the link coupling the network device to the particular server is degrading, migrating a virtual machine executing on the particular server to a destination server. In some embodiments, migrating occurs is carried out only if non-degrading link is available. If no non-degrading links are available, the network device, rather than the link, may be failing.
US08224950B2
The present invention provides a system and method for restricting access to data received by a computer over a network by filtering certain data from the data received. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a computer based method for filtering objectionable or target text data from World Wide Web pages which are received by a computer system connected to the Internet. According to the method, if the web page requested by the user contains only a minimum of objectionable or target data, the user may receive a portion of the filtered web page for downloading and viewing on his or her computer. If the web page requested contains a large amount of objectionable or target data, the invention will cause a “forbidden” page to be displayed on the user's computer monitor.
US08224948B2
A device receives a traffic fencing (TF) function for a network, and provides a TF attribute, based on the received TF function, over a link of the network to enable activation of a TF rule of a link state routing (LSR) algorithm used by the network to implement the TF function for the network.
US08224946B2
Each access node is associated with one or more IP subnets with a preferred default subnet. Each subnet is instantiated as a unique virtual Ethernet broadcast domain. As client nodes register on the communication network, they will dynamically try to obtain an IP address for use on the communication network. As part of this process, the MAC address of the client node will be checked to ensure that it is not a duplicate of another MAC address associated with another client node that has already been assigned an IP address from the default subnet. When duplicate MAC addresses are detected, the device with the duplicate MAC address will be assigned an IP address from a different subnet so that more than one client device with the same MAC address are not associated with the same subnet. In one embodiment, a DHCP server may implement the process of checking for duplicate MAC addresses. In an Ethernet context, different IP subnet prefixes may be mapped to different S-VID values so that the different subnets are implemented as different VLANs within the Ethernet network.
US08224945B2
The present invention relates to a memory management system and method for open platform. The memory management system and method of the present invention utilizes the main spirit of sharing service in open platform. When the used memory in local open platform exceeds an upper limit, the standard service bundle access interface is used for accessing the standard service bundle in remote open platform. Therefore, the standard service bundle in local open platform can be off-loaded to release the memory space so as to resolve the memory shortage problem. The stability of the whole system can be maintained.
US08224943B2
A service appliance is installed between production servers running service applications and service users. The production servers and their service applications provide services to the service users. In the event that a production server is unable to provide its service to users, the service appliance can transparently intervene to maintain service availability. To maintain transparency to service users and service applications, service users are located on a first network and production servers are located on a second network. The service appliance assumes the addresses of the service users on the second network and the addresses of the production servers on the first network. Thus, the service appliance obtains all network traffic sent between the production server and service users. While the service application is operating correctly, the service appliance forwards network traffic between the two networks using various network layers.
US08224941B2
A system resource manager of a site management server registers a server domain as a group of servers having a uniform physical wire connection, registers a server group as a group of servers that use uniform software in a registered server domain, and changes an application of a server by controlling a switch of software that is stored in a RAID device connected to a server belonging to a registered server group via a SAN for each application and that is used by the server.
US08224940B2
A strategy is described for constructing bloom filter information and exception information. The bloom filter information is constructed to express a set of items in a lossy compressed form. The exception information reveals occasions in which the bloom filter information erroneously indicates that a candidate item is a member of the set. The strategy can apply the bloom filter information and the exception information to select a representative device among a group of devices on which a user may maintain simultaneous presence.
US08224934B1
Running applications to support a storage server is made more efficient by at least establishing a sandbox to run the applications as embedded agents within the storage server. To accomplish this, in at least one embodiment, a management module of the storage server designates resources of the storage server to establish the sandbox using a role based access control mechanism. The sandbox communicates with the management module to access the resources of an operating system of the storage server to run the applications. Based on this, the need for separate external computers to run the applications is eliminated. Additionally, an administrator can control operations of the applications through the management module, thus providing the administrator a uniform interface for controlling both the storage server and the applications. The applications also utilize an existing user interface of the storage server to display logs and events to the administrator.
US08224931B1
Techniques are described for providing managed computer networks. In some situations, the techniques include managing communications for computing nodes of a managed computer network by using one or more particular computing nodes of the managed computer network that are configured to operate as intermediate destinations to handle at least some communications that are sent by and/or directed to one or more other computing nodes of the managed computer network. For example, a manager module associated with a source computing node may select one or more particular intermediate destination computing nodes to use for one or more particular communications from the source computing node to an indicated final destination, such as based on a configured logical network topology for the managed computer network. The manager module then forwards those communications to a first of the selected intermediate destination computing nodes for further handling.
US08224925B2
A method and apparatus for managing bookmark information of a media server through a network based on the UPnP AV standard is disclosed. If a request for bookmarking a content item is made, a bookmark item is created and the created bookmark item is linked to the content item by adding the ID of the created bookmark item to the property information of the content item and recording the ID of the content item to be bookmarked in the created bookmark item.
US08224924B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for electronic discovery and, more particularly, remotely collecting a custodian's data that is stored in one or more network storage areas residing on a network. For example, embodiments of the present invention utilize a collection tool to access a mailbox residing on an email server, copy at least some of the active email data stored in the mailbox, and transmit the copied active email data from the mailbox to a collection server and then to a long-term storage device.
US08224918B2
Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for syncing data between a client device and a server. Synchronizing data includes initiating a sync session by negotiating a sync mode between a client device and a server for each of one or more dataclasses. A status code is generated based on a result of the negotiating. Based on the generated status code, the client device and the server exchange one or more data items to be updated for the one or more dataclasses using the negotiated sync mode for each dataclass. The exchanged one or more data items are updated at the client device or the server. The updated one or more data items are committed at the client or the server.
US08224917B1
Techniques are described for providing reminders for electronic communications. For instance, response patterns of a user are determined by communication type based on monitoring past response behavior of the user and the response pattern data is stored for the user by communication type. After storing the response pattern data for the user by communication type, a particular communication that is for the user and that is initiated by a first sender is received. A type of the particular communication is determined and response pattern data associated with the determined type of the particular communication is accessed. A response reminder time for the particular communication is set based on the accessed response pattern data associated with the determined type of the particular communication.
US08224913B2
A server transmits a message from a sender to a destination address. During transmission, the server and the destination address have a dialog constituting an attachment, via a particular one of SMTP and ESMTP protocols, concerning the message, the server and the destination address. The message passes through servers between the server and the destination address. This passage is included in the attachment. Verifiers are provided for the message and for the attachments. The verifiers may constitute encrypted hashes of the message and of the attachment. The sender receives the message, the attachments and the verifications from the server before authentication and transmits the message, the attachments and the verifiers to the server to obtain authentication by the server. The server operates on the message and the message verifier to authenticate the message and operates on the attachments and the attachments' verifier to verify the attachments.
US08224910B2
A method of managing a collaborative process using a computing system. The method includes: receiving a first message from a first user, generating a second message, inserting into the second message an information taken from the first message and at least one selection link of a response choice to the message in relation with all or some of the information taken from the first message, and inserting into the link a response address and at least one first identifier to identify a response choice corresponding to the link and to the information taken, the link being configured to generate a response message containing the first identifier when it is selected by a user that has received the message.
US08224909B2
A bifurcated interface for integrated use in a fax-to-email system provides an alternative or additional method for command entry a fax-to-email system preferably through a remote, commercially available, personal digital assistant or like device modified by software to perform the command entry functions. Delivery of commands, and other data, from the PDA is made, preferably, via infrared signals, but, alternatively, by direct cable syncing and other techniques. Thus, the interface is bifurcated having a portable traveler portion and a host portion in a more permanent connection with the fax function of the fax-to-email system. The PDA functions as the interface traveler portion, and becomes (at least temporarily) a specially programmed data entry tool with command communicating ability and a protocol shared by (or matched to) the interface host portion. The system can also be used in cooperation with Internet Web service for reporting, accounting, information services, and user interaction.
US08224891B2
An electronic game-based learning system capable of providing a game-based learning environment(s) to at least one user is described. The system having at least one host system capable of selectively providing video and output portions of a game-based learning environment(s) and at least one client system capable of selectively providing input portions to the host system such that the client system provides the user within an interactive game-based learning environment(s).
US08224888B2
A system for interfacing information between subsystems of an embedded software system with subsystem independence. It is a public variable system that defines a simple, extensible framework for interfacing between product subsystems such as control engines, input/output subsystems, and communications protocols. Server subsystems within the embedded software system are given the ability to make public information available for use by client subsystems within the system, with isolation between client and server subsystems.
US08224883B2
A packed half-word addition and subtraction operation is performed by a microprocessor in parallel upon half-word operands obtained from designated top or bottom half-word locations of designated source registers of a register file and the sum and difference results of such operation are packed into respective top and bottom half-word locations of a designated destination register. The microprocessor includes an arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) with adder circuitry that can be selectively split into separate half-word adders that are independently selectable to perform either an addition operation or subtraction operation upon the selected half-word operands. The half-word adders of the ALU access the operands from source registers via a set of multiplexers that select among the top and bottom half-word locations. Operations with halving and saturation modifications to the sum and difference results may also be provided.
US08224879B2
In a management system for a storage system including plural file sharing environments, a maintenance interval calculating part calculates a time interval average for operation commands given to the file sharing environments; a management difficulty calculating part calculates an index showing difficulty of managing the file sharing environment; a usage degree calculating part calculates an index showing a usage degree of each of the file sharing environments; a processing content keeping part keeps numerical ranges for the average maintenance interval, the management difficulty, and the file sharing environment usage degree in association with processing contents for the maintenance interval calculating part, the management difficulty calculating part, and the usage degree calculating part; a storing area stores each of the file sharing environments and the processing contents in association with each other; and a processing content executing part executes the processing contents for each of the file sharing environments.
US08224876B1
A method and apparatus of uniquely tagging a computer system that is provisioned using a provisioning server. The unique tag is hidden within the computer system by exploiting select characteristics of the computer system to ensure that the tag is both hidden and semi-immutable. The tag may be embedded by manipulating such characteristics as the INODE differentials, the disk sector differentials, or the directory order. The tag may encode the unique identifier for the provisioned computer, as well as other information about the provisioning server, such as serial number, version number of the software, or any other information that is pertinent to identifying or monitoring the use of the software.
US08224869B2
A traceability link establishing method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computing system, mapping data comprising data associating elements of a source model to elements of a target model. The computing system retrieves the target model and elements of the target model. The computing system processes an element of the elements. The computing system retrieves first traceability links from the element. The computing system processes the traceability links. The computing system retrieves supplier data associated with the traceability links. The supplier data comprises data associated with a first supplier. The computing system verifies if the supplier comprises a valid supplier. The computing system stores results of the verifying process. The results indicate if the supplier comprises a valid supplier.
US08224864B1
A method and apparatus for striping a directory across storage server nodes. Each storage server node services one of a plurality of persistent mass storage facilities. The method comprises mapping each filename in the directory to one of the persistent mass storage facilities. According to the mapping of the filenames, the directory is distributed across the storage server nodes for storage on the persistent mass storage facilities.
US08224857B2
Techniques are presented for automatically selecting information sources that are most relevant to user queries. Results of searches returned by information sources for queries are analyzed and the information sources are ranked based on this analysis. The information sources that have high rankings for a query are subsequently used to search for relevant results. This process can be adaptive, as the returned results of old queries can be analyzed at a later date to update the ranking of the information sources, automatic searches can be performed to update the ranking of the information sources, new queries can be used for analysis and stored, new information sources added, and old information sources deleted. A linguistic library is used to store personal categories for one or more users and general categories. Each category is associated with keywords and ranked lists of information sources. The library also contains general categories, taxonomies, and dictionaries.
US08224856B2
A system and method are provided for intelligently, or programmatically, assigning weights for one or more criterion utilized to score media content items based on an analysis of a group of media content items. In general, scoring criteria to be used to score media content items for a user are defined. A group of media content items associated with the user is then analyzed with respect to the criteria to provide results such as a number or percentage of media content items from the group of media content items that satisfy each of the scoring criteria. Based on the results of the analysis, a weight is assigned to each of the scoring criteria. Thereafter, media content items are scored for the user as a function of the weights assigned to the scoring criteria.
US08224853B2
The disclosed system empowers technical and non technical users to author logical business objects, author intelligent business forms, and create automated workflows. The logical business objects include data definitions and methods from existing and new data sources. An object broker interprets the business object definition and brokers data/information and method calls to the data sources. The intelligent business forms are created by an information worker in a rich web-based tooling environment. Each form is intelligent enough to recognize other forms that it might co-exist with on a single page, as well as how to react based on events that occur on these related forms. The automated workflow tools include process discovery features that assist users during the process identification phase. The tools assist both technical and non technical users to identify processes within the organization, including supporting solution artifacts such as forms, rules, actions, outcomes and business objects involved. Process modeling features include the ability to combine defined artifacts into a process model that can be published into a runtime environment where it can be executed and used by business users in the organization.
US08224852B2
In a method for protecting at least parts of product data, which are stored on at least one server and/or in at least one database and associated with a product identified by an RFID tag, from unauthorized access, an authentication and authorization check of an accessing party is performed upon access to a server and/or database, additionally proof being required upon access that the product is located within the discretionary area of the accessing party, the proof being provided by the RFID tag upon detection by an RFID reader by an access token in the form of a data structure, by which the RFID tag authorizes the accessing party to access at least parts of the product data associated with the product identified by the RFID tag, and stored on the server and/or in the database, wherein the product data can be queried and/or changed depending on the application.
US08224850B2
A method and system are disclosed allowing for determining those users of multiple users who satisfy desired condition(s), where characteristics of the users in at least some embodiments vary dynamically. In at least one embodiment, the method includes receiving at a server device a request for a determination regarding which of a plurality of users satisfies a plurality of conditions respectively relating to a plurality of user characteristics, and obtaining at the server device a conditions specification. Additionally, the method includes accessing at least one repository in which is stored information regarding the users to obtain at least some of the information, the information concerning the user characteristics. The method also includes making a determination regarding which of the users satisfies the plurality of conditions, obtaining at the first server device updated information from the at least one repository, re-evaluating the determination, and sending output information regarding the re-evaluated determination.
US08224847B2
Embodiments are configured to provide information relevant to individuals of interest to a searching user. In an embodiment, a method includes identifying relevant individuals of a network using a relevance model that includes the use of a number of managed properties and ranking features to identify relevant individuals of a defined network. The relevance model of one embodiment is defined by a schema that includes a textual matching ranking feature, social distance ranking feature, a levels to top ranking feature, and a proximity ranking feature.
US08224839B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for search query extension are disclosed. A particular method retrieves a set of queries related to a search query from a query repository. The search query includes one or more search words and at least one search word is included in each query in the set of queries. A set of context words based on one or more computer-readable files accessible to a computer is generated and an intersection is calculated. The intersection is based on the set of queries and the set of context words. An extended search query is generated based on the calculated intersection and the search query.
US08224827B2
A system may determine an extent to which a document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results, generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the extent to which the document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results; and rank the document with regard to at least one other document based, at least in part, on the score.
US08224826B2
The present invention provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for searching and ranking linked information sources. The techniques include receiving multiple content items from a corpus of content items; receiving digital signatures each made by one of multiple agents, each digital signature associating one of the agents with one or more of the content items; and assigning a score to a first agent of the multiple agents, wherein the score is based upon the content items associated with the first agent by the digital signatures.
US08224822B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with template based entity transformation are described. One example method includes generating a difference set that describes differences between an existing data entity and a template. The example method may also include applying the template to the existing data entity based on the difference set and conflict resolution choices.
US08224818B2
A music recommendation method and a computer readable recording medium storing a computer program performing the method are provided. In the music recommendation method, music items and rating data matrix comprising ratings and user IDs are first provided. Then, the ratings of each music item are classified into positive ratings and negative ratings. Thereafter, a pre-processing phase comprising a frame-based clustering step and a sequence-based clustering step is performed to transform the music items into perceptual patterns. Then, a prediction phase is performed to determine an interest value of a plurality of target music items for an active user. Thereafter, the target music items arranged into a music recommendation list in accordance with the first interest value and the second interest values, wherein the music recommendation list is a reference for the active user to select one of the target items.
US08224811B2
Computer-implemented systems and associated operating methods use performance maps created by evaluating robustness of a database operator, query plan, or query to analyze health of a currently-executing query. The computer-implemented system comprises logic that receives one or more robustness maps of measured database system performance acquired during database execution in a predetermined range of runtime conditions. The logic analyzes state of a currently-executing query by locating the query's performance on the robustness maps.
US08224808B2
Storing historical/previous values of a field of a relational database in the same table. The previous values can be conveniently used to revert back to any of such previously stored values. Thus, for each update/modify operation, the present value is stored as a previous value. In one embodiment, the previous values are stored in a VARRAY associated with each field. The indexed entries of the VARRAY store the present as well as previous values of the field.
US08224803B2
An electronic document and associated system, methods and apparatus is described. The electronic document is loaded in a user device configured to communicate with an external device that generates instructions for augmenting content contained in the electronic document with links to contextually relevant information. The content can be augmented with one or more user interface elements, and the augmented content can be displayed with one or more attributes which can be selected by a document author. The document author can mark or otherwise designate one or more portions of the electronic document to be excluded from the augmenting process.
US08224798B2
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for reducing the number of operations performed by a persistence manager against a persistent store of data items. A plurality of requests from an application are received. Each request is mapped into a transaction for performance against the persistent store, each transaction having at least one operation. Transactions are accumulated and preprocessed to reduce the number of operations for performance against the persistent store.
US08224794B2
A computerized system, method and process allows telecommunications carriers to find, evaluate and select locations for equipment through direct access to end users, while providing citizens the opportunity to offer the use of their dwelling or other assets to carriers. The system and method further provides a computerized mechanism for (a) creating an inventory and marketplace for available properties for use in telecommunications networks, (b) providing quality and/or performance monitoring and control for wireless communication systems based on data in the clearinghouse, and (c) providing localized content over wireless networks using the clearinghouse.
US08224791B2
In the described systems and methods for information lifecycle cross-system reconciliation, a number of reconciliation indicators for a certain type of data are defined. A first set of values of the reconciliation indicators are calculated at a first computer system based on data stored in a memory of the first computer system. A second set of values of the reconciliation indicators are calculated at a second computer system based on data transferred from the first computer system. The two sets of values are received at reconciliation cockpit and stored in a reconciliation data structure. Further, the reconciliation data structure is examined to identify inconsistency between the data stored in the memory of the first computer system and the data transferred to the second computer system. If such an inconsistency is identified, the data transfer is cancelled. If inconsistency is not identified, the data transfer is confirmed.
US08224786B2
Methods and a system to acquire and perform write validation of data generated by one or more networked host nodes to perform secondary storage are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method to passively acquire and perform write validation of data generated by one or more networked host nodes to perform secondary storage in a SAN-based data storage and recovery network includes generating data to store in primary storage. The method further includes generating metadata describing the data generated to store in primary storage, sending the data and metadata to a primary SAN storage device, acquiring passive access to data traveling a data path between a generating node and the primary SAN storage device, the data mirrored over an access line to a secondary storage server. The method further includes receiving, at the secondary storage server, an exact copy of a data stream that passes a splitter.
US08224782B2
System and method for reducing costs of moving data between two or more of multi-tiered storage devices. Specifically, the system operates by moving only high tier portion of data and merely remapping the low tier data to migration target device, which eliminates a large amount of data movement (low tier) while maintaining the SLA of high tier data. Specifically, when a command to migrate a thin provisioned volume is received from a source primary storage device to another target primary storage device, the system doesn't copy all of the tier1 and tier2 chunk data that the source thin provisioned volume holds, but copies only tier1 chunk data to the target storage device. The copy operation is performed after the storage system prepared the target thin provisioned volume on the target side. After that, tier2 chunks are remapped from the primary storage device to another target primary storage device without copying.
US08224781B2
Systems and methods herein provide for protecting data using snapshots and images of those snapshots to quickly recreate data upon request. For example, a storage controller of a data storage system allocates a period of time between creating snapshots of data in a first storage volume of the data storage system. The controller then logs received write requests to the first storage volume and generates snapshot of data in the first storage volume based on the allocated period of time. Thereafter, the controller may receive a request to recreate data. The controller locates the snapshot in the first storage volume based on that request to recreate the data. In doing so, the controller generates a snapshot image in a second storage volume. The controller then retrieves logged write requests and applies them to the snapshot image to recreate the data in the second storage volume.
US08224775B2
A system and a method manage, control and/or render media in a network. The system utilizes a media management application that manages, controls and/or renders digital media files in the network. A user browses, searches, manages and/or consumes content from multiple storage devices and servers in the network. The user may view a visual representation of active media connections between the available servers and/or the available rendering devices connected to the network.
US08224771B2
A system for resource sharing for document production. Available resources are determined for performing at least one document production task. The capacity of an available resource is determined. A task is selecting to send to the resource based at least partly on its availability. An identifier is associating with a set of task data, which can include document data and insertion data. The identifier can be used to track the progress and completion of the task. The task can be sent to the resource for processing. The completed task is received from the resource.
US08224767B2
A system and method enable rapid knowledge transfer, for example between a plurality of experts and a plurality of apprentices located remotely from the experts. The system makes use of unique tools to facilitate transfer of knowledge and collaboration between individuals, even among remotely located individuals. An input to the system is a Knowledge Transfer Plan which has been designed to orchestrate the knowledge transfer. The knowledge transfer system integrates a shared repository and collaboration tools for use by the expert and apprentice. The collaboration tools may be accessed through role-specific portals which are automatically created from the Knowledge Transfer Plan. In one embodiment, the system is configured with a World Wide Web-based interface and an integrated suite of tools to support knowledge transfer activities on a global basis to facilitate knowledge transfer among workers engaged in an outsourcing business process.
US08224766B2
Systems and computer-implemented methods are provided for comparing, associating and deriving associations between two or more spatial temporal data trails. One or more spatial-temporal data trails comprising one or more places are received at a processor. Each place is identified by a spatial temporal data point. And each spatial-temporal data trail is associated with an individual. The similarity between pairs of places is determined to establish one or more groups of places or one or more groups of individuals. Similarity and/groups can be determined based on demographics associated with the place or individual.
US08224758B2
Systems and methods are provided for managing the transportation of dangerous materials. In one embodiment, a system is provided. The system comprises a database for storing master data for a set of materials. Each material has an assigned regulation applicable for the transportation of the material. The master data indicates at least one exception of one of the assigned regulations. The at least one exception defines a modification of the one of the regulations. The system further comprises a user interface for selection of a sub-set of the set of materials to be transported and a processor for checking compliance of the sub-set with the regulations that are assigned to the materials of the sub-set.
US08224751B2
Some embodiments provide an account-based DRM system for distributing content. The system includes several devices that are associated with one particular account. The system also includes a set of DRM computers that receives a request to access a particular piece of content on the devices associated with the particular account. The DRM computer set then generates a several keys for the devices, where each particular key of each particular device allows the particular device to access the particular piece of content on the particular device. Through a network, the DRM computer set of some embodiments sends the particular piece of content and the generated keys to the devices associated with the particular account. The network is a local area network, a wide area network, or a network of networks, such as the Internet. In some of these embodiments, the DRM computer set sends the content and keys to one device (e.g., a computer), which is used to distribute the content and the key(s) to the other devices associated with the account. In some embodiments, the DRM computer set individually encrypts each key in a format that is used during its transport to its associated device and during its use on this device.
US08224735B1
An investment method provides a predictable monthly income to a retiree or other investor while increasing asset growth potential and decreasing the likelihood that assets will need to be sold during market downturns. The method may be implemented by computer equipment and computer programs operated by an investment services provider. Funds are first received from an investor and used to purchase assets for a Growth Component and an Income Protection Component. The assets in the Growth Component are invested primarily in growth-oriented investments, and the assets in the Income Protection Component are invested primarily in income-oriented investments. The investor may be paid distributions from the Income Protection Component. As the Income Protection Component is depleted through the payment of the distributions, it is periodically replenished by selling assets from the Growth Component. To minimize the likelihood that assets will be sold from the Growth Component during down markets, the amount of assets sold from the Growth Component is based at least partially on the rate of return of the Growth Component and may also be based on the state of the Income Protection Component.
US08224731B2
A payment device, method, and apparatus configured to determine the form factor of the payment device used in a financial transaction, without requiring a different primary account number for each payment device form factor.
US08224728B2
A system, method, and computer program product for allocating assets among a plurality of investments to guarantee a predetermined value at the end of a predetermined time period. A computer program controls the allocation of assets in the investment vehicle, which allows the investor to initially invest one hundred percent of the initial deposit in non-secure, high risk investments. At the end of the each trading day, the computer program determines if assets should be reallocated from the non-secure investments to the secure investments, from the secure investments to the non-secure investments, or if no reallocation is necessary.
US08224722B2
Systems and methods are provided to enable filtered searches of marketing-related data by extracting marketing project information, including marketing activities, promotions, and campaigns information from an existing marketing system database and restructuring the extracted information in a hierarchical series of selectable nodes. In an embodiment, some of the nodes may be grouped into time, accounts, products, agreements, or marketing plan tabs. In an embodiment, once one or more nodes are selected and a search is activated, the results may be presented in a list or Gantt chart. In an embodiment, the Gantt chart may be supplemented with additional information including additional date ranges, key performance indicators (KPIs), and/or trade spends. In an embodiment, this additional information may vary according to a user role and the nodes selected.
US08224720B2
A computer-based system for tracking inventory based on sales. The system can include a processor configured to process, manage, and analyze data. Additionally, the system can include a computing device operably coupled to the processor, wherein the computing device is associated with an entity. Notably, the processor can be configured to request information associated with a product from the computing device, wherein the information comprises an on-hand inventory quantity of the product and a total sales quantity of the product for a designated period of time for the entity and receive the requested information associated with the product from the computing device. The processor can also be configured to determine whether the on-hand inventory quantity is at least one and the total sales quantity of the product for the designated period of time is zero. Furthermore, the processor can be configured to select the entity when it is determined that the on-hand inventory quantity is at least one and the total sales quantity of the product for the designated period of time is zero.
US08224717B2
An inventory of service parts may be managed by assessing a company's capability, optimizing the inventory and implementing a management program based on the assessment and optimization. Optimizing target stock levels for the inventory of parts may be accomplished by calculating an inventory baseline for understanding information about the currently held inventory; developing a service strategy for a set of segments; quantifying a service level for each of the segments; analyzing the segments and their service levels for identifying at least one logistically distinct business; assigning each of the segments to a “best-fit” planning model for indicating each segment's deployment, replenishment, forecasting and review characteristics; identifying a probability distribution function for estimating a demand process of each of the segments; and calculating a target stock level for each segment.
US08224712B2
A system for point of sale personalization of an information handling system (IHS), includes one or more subsystems to allow a customer to access a server to select a model of IHS, allow the customer to choose an operating system for the IHS, allow the customer to choose hardware for the IHS, simulate the IHS to the customer including the operating system and the hardware, receive personalization data from the customer, store the personalization data, assemble the IHS, including the hardware and installing the operating system, and download the personalization data to the IHS.
US08224707B1
A social network for shopping may be provided in which a user may provide a listing of an item they would like and the identity of a seller the item may be retrieved from. Another user may agree to pick up the item from the seller and deliver the item, perhaps for a small fee. The listing of the item may be posted on a website, sent to other users by a web feed such as RSS, sent by a text message, instant message, email, or communicated in any other manner to one or more users, etc. Alternatively, a user may post the identity of a seller that they are going to and ask if any users would like any items picked up from the seller and delivered to them, perhaps for a small fee.
US08224703B2
A selection system (100) that selects fluid process systems is comprised of an interface (101, 103) and a processing system (102). The processing system (102) directs the interface (101, 103) to transfer a first signal that indicates user prompts. The interface (101, 103) receives a second signal that indicates user inputs provided responsive to the user prompts. The user inputs indicate fluid process information. The processing system (102) processes the fluid process information to select a first one of the fluid process systems. The processing system (102) obtains first performance and specification information for the first one of the fluid process systems. The processing system (102) directs the interface (101, 103) to transfer a third signal that indicates the first performance and specification information for the first one of the fluid process systems.
US08224701B2
A detecting device for a cash drawer is used for detecting a status of the cash drawer. The detecting device includes an operation logic circuit and a switch element. The operation logic circuit has a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal. The first input terminal and the second input terminal are respectively coupled with a micro switch. The first input terminal and the second input terminal are respectively inputted with a high level voltage. When the first input terminal and the second input terminal have the same logic voltage levels, the operation logic circuit outputs a first logic level to the output terminal. When the first input terminal and the second input terminal have different logic voltage levels, the operation logic circuit outputs a second logic level to the output terminal. The switch element is coupled between an electromagnetic switch and the first input terminal.
US08224689B1
An advertiser may be provided with fast and accurate estimates of the future performance of at least one of their advertisements. These estimates may be broken down by keyword, thereby providing, up-front, useful information to the advertiser about how different keywords will affect the performance and cost of their ad campaign. Estimates and/or suggestions for a set of keywords, given additional campaign parameters, may be generated by using historical search traffic (or some other ad serving trigger) data to predict future inventory and to find useful keyword (or some other serving constraint) variations. Current data on competing ads may be used to simulate the competitions (e.g., real-time auctions) that the given ads will participate in.
US08224688B2
A computer-implemented method transforms transactional data into a forecast of demand for controlling a commerce system. Goods move between members of a commerce system. The transactional data is recorded. Daily disaggregating parameters (DDP) are estimated by minimizing an error function of day of week and transactional data grouped according to promotion, price range, or customer. Model parameters are estimated based on the DDP and transactional data using a demand model to generate a weekly forecast of demand for the good. The weekly forecast of demand is disaggregated into daily components using the DDP. The daily components of the forecast of demand are provided to a member of the commerce system to control the movement of goods in the commerce system. Any variation in the demand model due to promotions, price changes, out-of-stock, and low selling product is taken into account when determining the daily components.
US08224681B2
Techniques are described for Stackelberg games, in which one agent (the leader) must commit to a strategy that can be observed by other agents (the followers or adversaries) before they choose their own strategies, in which the leader is uncertain about the types of adversaries it may face. Such games are important in security domains, where, for example, a security agent (leader) must commit to a strategy of patrolling certain areas, and robbers (followers) have a chance to observe this strategy over time before choosing their own strategies of where to attack. An efficient exact algorithm is described for finding the optimal strategy for the leader to commit to in these games. This algorithm, Decomposed Optimal Bayesian Stackelberg Solver or “DOBSS,” is based on a novel and compact mixed-integer linear programming formulation. The algorithm can be implemented in a method, software, and/or system including computer or processor functionality.
US08224679B1
A method for modeling insurance coverage includes displaying within a user interface, claim scenario parameters for an insurance policy issued to a member, wherein the insurance policy includes a coverage limit associated with damage to the property and injury to the person. The method also includes receiving a value associated with each of the plurality of claim scenario parameters, generating a claim scenario, using the processor, the data related to the plurality of claims, and the values associated with each of the plurality of claim scenario parameters, and generating, using the processor and the claim scenario, a plurality of coverage parameter disparities including a difference between the coverage limit associated with damage to the property and the monetary amount for the damage to the property and a difference between the coverage limit associated with injury to the person and the monetary amount for the injury to the person.
US08224670B2
A system and method provide for determining and displaying on a user interface a patient's infection risk associated with a specific healthcare provider encounter. Specifically, a patient's infection risk assessment is presented in the form of a graphical representation of a set of infection risk values determined through utilization of a set of benchmark infection risk factors. Each infection risk value is associated with a particular point in time. This provides a visualization of changes in infection risk over time for the patient.
US08224658B2
A method, medium, and apparatus encoding and/or decoding an audio signal. The method of encoding an audio signal includes transforming an input audio signal into an audio signal in a frequency domain, quantizing the frequency-domain transformed audio signal, and performing bitplane coding on the quantized audio signal using a context that represents various available symbols of an upper bitplane.
US08224648B2
A hybrid approach is described for combining frequency warping and Gaussian Mixture Modeling (GMM) to achieve better speaker identity and speech quality. To train the voice conversion GMM model, line spectral frequency and other features are extracted from a set of source sounds to generate a source feature vector and from a set of target sounds to generate a target feature vector. The GMM model is estimated based on the aligned source feature vector and the target feature vector. A mixture specific warping function is generated each set of mixture mean pairs of the GMM model, and a warping function is generated based on a weighting of each of the mixture specific warping functions. The warping function can be used to convert sounds received from a source speaker to approximate speech of a target speaker.
US08224644B2
Embodiments are provided for utilizing a client-side cache for utterance processing to facilitate network based speech recognition. An utterance comprising a query is received in a client computing device. The query is sent from the client to a network server for results processing. The utterance is processed to determine a speech profile. A cache lookup is performed based on the speech profile to determine whether results data for the query is stored in the cache. If the results data is stored in the cache, then a query is sent to cancel the results processing on the network server and the cached results data is displayed on the client computing device.
US08224638B1
A method of managing programmable device configuration can include running a server configuration image within the programmable device and storing a different configuration image within a non-volatile memory communicatively linked with the programmable device. Responsive to a switch request sent from the client to the programmable device over the communications link, the different configuration image can be loaded into the programmable device.
US08224637B1
An aspect of the invention relates to modeling a transistor in an integrated circuit design. Layout data for the integrated circuit design is obtained. A geometry relating the transistor to at least one well edge of at least one implant well is extracted from the layout data. An effective well proximity value for the transistor is calculated based on the at least one well edge using a complementary error function. The transistor is modeled using the effective well proximity value. In one embodiment, the effective well proximity value is added to a post-layout extracted netlist for the integrated circuit design. The integrated circuit design may be simulated using the post-layout extracted netlist. The effective well proximity value may be used to calculate a threshold voltage for the transistor during the step of simulating the integrated circuit.
US08224634B2
Systems and methods for determining active constraints in a surface facility network, which include the use of slack variables and multipliers in system equations to eliminate the extraneous (inactive) constraints.
US08224630B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a technique to model applications and storage used thereby. An aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for managing a computer system which includes at least one host computer and at least one storage system which are connected via a network, the at least one host computer having an application running thereon. The method comprises modeling an application running on a host of a computer system as an application object, which includes associating storage utilized by the application with the application object; tracking operation of the storage associated with the application object as a service being delivered by the storage to the application; and presenting result on the service being delivered by the storage to the application based on tracking the operation of the storage.
US08224617B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for calculating a temperature dependent Green's function using an appropriate weight function. The apparatus includes a material temperature change information input unit inputting change information of a material temperature; and a temperature dependent Green's function calculation unit receiving the change information of the material temperature through the material temperature change information input unit, calculating a temperature dependent Green's function using a weight function, and outputting the calculated result. According to aspects of embodiments, accuracy in the calculation of a thermal stress value can be improved by designing the weight function such that changes in physical properties of a material that change according to temperature changes are considered.
US08224613B2
An Arbitrary Waveform Generator has a controller programmed to generate a sequence of test waveforms using previously-defined waveform data files. The controller generates this series of test waveforms by direct synthesis to cause each waveform to contain a respective different predetermined amount of Rj, Sj and ISI jitter components. In this way, the Arbitrary Waveform Generator produces a sequence of waveforms incorporating varying amounts of ISI to sweep the ISI jitter components from an initial amount of ISI, for example, zero ISI, and continually increment the amount of ISI to a full unit interval of ISI in predetermined increments, for example, 0.1 UI steps.
US08224611B2
Described herein is a sensor assembly that can be calibrated after manufacture and a method for calibrating that assembly. The assembly comprises a sense element, microprocessor and a protection circuit. The assembly can use pins on the existing connector to input calibration data. The present invention also is a method of calibrating sensor outputs using an assembly that contains a protection circuit to prevent the sensor assembly from electrostatic discharge and high and reverse voltage.
US08224610B2
A method of calibrating an oscillator within a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag includes storing a plurality of calibration values within a memory structure. Each of the calibration values corresponds to a respective oscillation frequency of the oscillator. A selected calibration value is selected from the plurality of calibration values stored, according to a first selection criterion. The oscillator is then calibrated in accordance with the selected calibration value.
US08224608B1
The calibrating breathalyzer comprises an alcohol sensor, a non-volatile memory, a processing unit or processor, a display and a housing to house these components. The processing unit can calibrate the breathalyzer using the user's body as a simulator based on the user's metabolism rate, type and amount of alcohol consumed by the user. The processing unit determines a sample time to receive a breath sample from the user based on a time to a predetermined calibration point from the drinking start time calculated using the user's metabolism rate and the determined maximum alcohol level. The BAC % measurement based on the user's breath sample at the sample time is used as a reference point in calibrating the breathalyzer.
US08224605B2
Inspection standard setting device, inspection standard setting method and process inspection device
An information processing device stores an extracted feature of each inspection item of the process inspection, and a determination result of a final inspection in a memory device, calculates a separation degree between a distribution of features of products which were determined as good products at the final inspection and a distribution of features of products which were determined as defective products at the final inspection for every inspection item or every combination of inspection items based on data of the products stored in the memory device, selects an inspection item whose inspection standard is to be reset from the inspection items or the combinations of the inspection items based on a value of the separation degree. Thus providing a method of appropriately setting an inspection standard for detecting a defect sign during process inspection. Further a process inspection device and inspection standard setting device which implements the same.
US08224601B2
A semiconductor device includes an element coupled between a first power supply line and a second power supply line, and a capacitor coupled between the first power supply line and the second power supply line. A capacitance value of the capacitor is estimated based on a first value that depends on a period of a change in an input signal input to the element and a change in an output signal output from the element, and a second value that depends on a voltage between the first power supply line and the second power supply line.
US08224597B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for testing and storage of information related to a component. A data collection device having a memory is fixedly connected to the component. A test device communicates with the data collection device to store test data concerning the component in the data collection device. The test device also performs analysis of the test data and provides information concerning the health and maintenance history of the component. The present invention also provides systems and methods for determining the current drawn or supplied by electrical components connected in parallel in an electrical system. A current sensor located between the electrical components determines the current supply or draw of one of the electrical components, while a current sensor between the electrical components and the remainder of the electrical system determine a cumulative current draw or supply by both the electrical components.
US08224585B2
A method and system in a computing environment for documenting mutation observations is provided. The method includes receiving mutation information, disassembling the mutation information into discrete elements and storing the discrete elements. A method and system for presenting mutations is also provided. The method includes obtaining discrete elements for a mutation, obtaining a standard for presenting the mutation and assembling the mutation presentation utilizing the discrete elements and the standard of presentation.
US08224575B2
A method for processing data in an inertial navigation system having a Kalman filter and computer-readable storage medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform the same. The method produces more accurate estimates of the position, velocity and attitude of the inertial measurement unit. The method is fully automatic and enables zero-velocity updates and fixed-azimuth updates to be performed simultaneously. The method may also include a multi-stage filtering process to filter digital compass data when used in an environment with extraterrestrial magnetic field sources. The method may also include a fixed-lag smoother to improve estimates of the position, velocity and attitude of the inertial measurement unit. The method also may include processes to constrain altitude errors.
US08224573B2
An azimuth detecting device mounted in a mobile object and having: a geomagnetic sensor; GPS signal receiving means; and measuring means for measuring a position of the mobile object by using a GPS signal, the azimuth detecting device being characterized in calculating a gain correction amount by means of a method of least squares, using an output value of the geomagnetic sensor when a level of the GPS signal received by the GPS signal receiving means is lower than a predetermined level, and calculating a declination correction amount and/or an inclination correction amount on the basis of information obtained from the GPS signal and correcting the output value of the geomagnetic sensor, when the level of the GPS signal is at least the predetermined level.
US08224570B2
This on-vehicle map display apparatus comprises a map scale setting unit that sets a map scale, a summary map generation unit that generates a summary map by abbreviating road shapes if a map scale that is less than a predetermined scale is set by the map scale setting unit, a summary map display control unit that displays the summary map generated by the summary map generation unit upon a display monitor, a congestion information acquisition unit that acquires congestion information, and a congestion information display control unit that displays the congestion information acquired by the congestion information acquisition unit as superimposed upon the summary map displayed upon the display monitor by the summary map display control unit.
US08224564B2
A control unit sets a current total risk function for each of white lines, guardrails, side walls, and three-dimensional objects existing around a vehicle, estimates a temporal change in the position of each object, and calculates a minimum of the total risk function at the vehicle position for each time. An objective function is generated for the time, and a turning control amount that minimizes the objective function at the time is calculated as a turning control amount of the vehicle. Risk functions provided when the vehicle moves by the turning control amount are set for respective routes. A final avoidance route is selected from the risk functions of the routes, and steering and braking are controlled.
US08224560B2
An eco-drive support device that notifies a driver of the eco-friendliness of a vehicle driving operation being performed by the driver includes: an operating unit that calculates eco-drive support information that indicates the eco-friendliness of the vehicle driving operation being performed by the driver; and a notification control unit that controls a notifying unit to notify the driver of the eco-drive support information, if there is a request from an input unit for notification of the eco-drive support information. In this device, the notification control unit controls the notifying unit to notify the driver of the eco-drive support information though there is not a request from the input unit for notification of the eco-drive support information, if a predetermined condition for providing the eco-drive support information is satisfied.
US08224559B2
A method for operating an internal combustion engine configured to operate in a controlled auto-ignition combustion mode and equipped with a mass airflow metering device includes monitoring an engine combustion state, monitoring states of engine operating parameters, calculating a nominal intake air mass flowrate corresponding to the states of the engine operating parameters, estimating an intake air mass flowrate corresponding to the nominal intake air mass flowrate and the engine combustion state, measuring intake air mass flowrate with the mass airflow metering device, comparing the estimated and measured intake air mass flowrates, and detecting a fault related to the mass airflow metering device when a difference between the estimated and measured intake air mass flowrates exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08224557B2
A system includes a cylinder equivalence ratio (EQR) module, a location estimation module, a sensor module, and a fuel control module. The cylinder EQR module determines a first EQR corresponding to a first exhaust gas expelled from a first cylinder and determines a second EQR corresponding to a second exhaust gas expelled from a second cylinder. The location estimation module determines when the first and second exhaust gases mix in an exhaust manifold to form a third exhaust gas having a third EQR. The sensor module estimates an EQR of a fourth exhaust gas based on the third EQR. The fourth exhaust gas is located at an oxygen sensor in the exhaust manifold. The fuel control module controls an amount of fuel supplied to an engine based on a difference between the estimated EQR and an EQR corresponding to measurements from the oxygen sensor.
US08224555B2
In an in-cylinder injection type spark ignition internal combustion engine in which the intake air amount is controlled by use of an intake valve or an exhaust valve, which is provided with mainly a variable valve mechanism, instable combustion during a low-load operation is avoided without an increase in pumping loss (without a decrease in the thermal efficiency). In the in-cylinder injection type spark ignition internal combustion engine, during low-load operation, on the basis of the cooling water temperature of the engine the opening and closing timing of the intake valve is controlled in a retard angle manner and the opening and closing timing of the exhaust valve is controlled in an advance angle manner. Furthermore, the fuel injection timing is controlled in a retard angle manner on the basis of the retard angle amount of the intake valve opening and closing timing.
US08224553B2
An internal combustion engine has at least one cylinder and an exhaust gas tract, which contains a component to be protected. An estimated dynamic component temperature of the component is determined in accordance with at least one operating variable of the internal combustion engine, taking into consideration the dynamic behavior of the section of the internal combustion engine. An estimated stationary component temperature of the component is determined in accordance with at least one operating variable of the internal combustion engine without taking into consideration the dynamic behavior of the section of the internal combustion engine. An actual value is determined for the component temperature of the component in accordance with the estimated dynamic and stationary component temperatures of the component to be protected. Protective measures for the component are implemented in accordance with the actual value of the component temperature of the component to be protected.
US08224540B2
An agricultural vehicle and method of operating the same, where the agricultural vehicle has an engine, a continuously variable transmission, a processor, an inching controller, and a speed controller. The speed controller sends a first signal to the processor, and the processor controls the transmission to operate the vehicle at a first speed based on the first signal. The inching controller sends a second signal to the processor, and the processor controls the transmission to move the agricultural vehicle in a forward or reverse direction, depending on the second signal. If the first speed based on the first signal is zero, the second signal triggers the processor to control the transmission to move the agricultural vehicle in the forward or reverse direction a predetermined first distance. The control of the vehicle to be at zero speed or to be in a particular position is effectuated by a position control mechanism.
US08224525B1
A method and apparatus for operating a vehicle under manual or automatic steering mode is disclosed herein. An estimation of an attraction domain of stability is calculated for the vehicle using the vehicle's current position and orientation information relative to a target trajectory. If an unstable estimation of the attraction domain is determined, then the vehicle is operated in manual mode under control of an operator.
US08224524B2
A vehicle includes first and second rotary bodies in contact with a road surface. The vehicle also includes a rotation sensor that detects a rotational state of each of the first and second rotary bodies. Additionally, the vehicle includes a turning sensor that detects a physical quantity representing a turning state of the vehicle on the road surface. The vehicle also includes a calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of a turning parameter representing a turning amount of the vehicle by use of a difference between first and second physical quantities which represent the rotational states of the first and second rotary bodies. In addition, the vehicle includes a slip detection unit that detects occurrence of a slip of the first or second rotary body by comparing the predicted value with an actual measured value of the turning parameter obtained by receiving an output signal of the turning sensor.
US08224516B2
The different illustrative embodiments provide a method for generating an area coverage path plan using sector decomposition. A starting point is identified on a worksite map having a number of landmarks. A first landmark in the number of landmarks is identified. A path is generated around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected. In response to detecting the obstacle, the path is made linear to a next landmark. The path is generated around the next landmark.
US08224505B2
A method and device are provided for determining a target altitude for an emergency descent of an aircraft that is to be reached by the end of the emergency descent. The method includes determining an initial target altitude representative of the initial position of the aircraft and then repeatedly determining a current target altitude along a reference horizontal distance. The current target altitude is compared to the initial target altitude and is used to update the emergency descent if the current target altitude is lower than the initial target altitude. Each target altitude is selected as the larger of a predetermined threshold altitude and a security altitude that ensures any obstructions along a remaining horizontal distance are avoided.
US08224501B2
A method for controlling an unmanned platform from a manned station is provided. The method includes transmitting a master arm control message from the manned station to the unmanned platform via a first control path, transmitting a first critical control message from the manned station to the unmanned platform via a second control path that is independent of the first control path, and transmitting a second critical control message from the manned station to the unmanned platform via a third control path that is different than the first control path and the second control path.
US08224494B2
Therefore, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method and system for providing an application of a resource to plants. A plurality of per plant prescriptions for a plurality of plants are received and a source is selected to fulfill the plurality of per plant prescriptions to form a selected source. Movement of a mobile utility vehicle is controlled to the selected source, the resource is obtained, and movement of the mobile utility vehicle is controlled to each plant in the plurality of plants. The resource is applied from the mobile utility vehicle to each plant according to the per plant prescription.
US08224486B2
There is provided a device for evaluating and correcting a robot operation program for evaluating an appropriateness for the robot operation program and correcting the robot operation program, comprising a computer including a simulation function for confirming a robot operation. The computer includes a load calculation section for calculating a load given to a motor for driving an operating portion of the robot by a simulation conducted by a computer; and an evaluation section for evaluating, by an evaluation function, whether or not the load exceeds a predetermined allowed value.
US08224481B2
A miniaturized fluid dispensing system for dispensing customized fluids. The dispenser may include first and second reservoirs containing constituent fluids; a drive motor; at least two pump assemblies commonly driven by the drive motor and in communication with the first and second reservoirs; first and second valve assembly in communication with the first and second pump assemblies; and a control system for selectively controlling the valve assemblies to blend and discharge a composition from the constituent fluids. The system may include a dispensing header to house the valves and to define ‘discharge’ and ‘recirculation’ flow paths for each constituent fluid. The present invention also provides a method for dispensing a fluid regimen (e.g. a plurality of compositions) by periodically blending and discharging varying compositions over time.
US08224477B2
A control system is provided for each pair of a work fixing part and a work machining part. In each control system, a work receiving program block, a work machining program block and a work discharge program block are provided, and the work machining program block starts on the condition that the work receiving program block ends and the work discharge block program starts on the condition that the work machining program block ends. The work receiving program block is associated with the work supply program of the work supply apparatus, or the work discharge program block is associated with a work transfer program of a work transfer apparatus so that a command is issued to the work receiving program block or the work discharge program block, and a command to perform a cue of the head of the program of each control system is provided at the last part of the control system.
US08224474B2
In a method of controlling operation of a processing system, a host computer, a process tool and a component of an evacuation system, for example an abatement tool, are connected to a system bus. The abatement tool monitors signals transmitted on the system bus between the host computer and the process tool, and signals received directly from the process tool. The abatement tool uses information contained within the monitored signals to generate a signal for the process tool regarding an operating characteristic of the abatement tool. This signal is transmitted either directly or over the system bus to the process tool, which uses the generated signal to control an operating state of the process tool.
US08224468B2
A method is used for providing sensing data to a control system of a machine. The method may include providing a plurality of virtual sensors, each of which may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include integrating the plurality of virtual sensors into a virtual sensor network; determining interdependencies among the plurality of virtual sensors; and obtaining operational information of the plurality of virtual sensors. Further, the method may include recording measurement data and performance information of the virtual sensor network and the plurality of virtual sensors; and generating one or more calibration certificate of the virtual sensor network based on the operational information, the measurement data, and the performance information.
US08224466B2
A controller for dynamic redefinition of a short stack initialization to provide a low cost generic controller. The controller may be built with a network variable interface which has its variables initially selected by the time of the completion of the build. Thus, if different network variables are desired, then the controller needs to be placed with the builder or special technician for implementing the changes. The present invention modifies that controller so as to provide a capability of changing the network variables without the need of the builder or anyone else to modify the network variables in the controller's interface. The network variables may now be changed by an operator or customer, even while that controller is in operation.
US08224460B2
A nerve stimulation lead has a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length. The nerve stimulation lead includes a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal end, a plurality of terminals disposed at the proximal end, and a plurality of conductive wires electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes electrically to the plurality of terminals. The nerve stimulation lead also includes at least one anchoring unit disposed on the nerve stimulation lead. The at least one anchoring unit is configured and arranged for anchoring the nerve stimulation lead against a bony structure.
US08224459B1
The present disclosure describes various embodiments of an insertion tool that affords steerability of the paddle-style electrode during implantation without causing damage to the insulation and/or the contacts of the paddle-style electrode. One embodiment is described as having a “pin fork” configuration; another a “shovel” configuration; and yet another has tabs or a lumen on the paddle-style electrode for facilitating the insertion of a stylet. The various embodiments for the insertion tool allow for adjustments of the paddle-style electrode in both the medial/lateral and inferior/superior directions allowing the surgeon to steer the paddle-style electrode to the desired stimulation site within the epidural space of the spinal column.
US08224443B2
The present invention includes a method for controlling pacemaker therapy in a patient with an implanted biological pacemaker. The method may include pacing a heart at a predetermined rate using an electronic pacemaker and configuring the pacemaker to periodically enter a biological pacemaker weaning mode. The weaning mode may include ceasing pacing for at least a predetermined length of time and monitoring the heart to detect electrical depolarizations of a ventricle of the heart during the predetermined length of time. The weaning mode may further include determining the length of time between the cessation of pacing and the detected electrical depolarization and determining if the length of time between the cessation of pacing and the detected electrical depolarization is less than a maximum predetermined interval. The pacemaker therapy may be withheld as long as the length of time is less than the maximum predetermined interval. Further, if the length of time exceeds a maximum interval, the pacemaker will exit the weaning mode.
US08224442B2
A resuscitation device for automatic compression of victim's chest using a compression belt which exerts force evenly over the entire thoracic cavity. The belt is constricted and relaxed through a motorized spool assembly which repeatedly tightens the belt and relaxes the belt to provide repeated and rapid chest compression. An assembly includes various resuscitation devices including chest compression devices, defibrillation devices, and airway management devices, along with communications devices and senses with initiate communications with emergency medical personnel automatically upon use of the device.
US08224440B2
A lead body adapted for in-vivo implantation in a living subject includes a proximal end configured for electrical and mechanical connection to a therapy or a monitoring device, and a distal end. A collar is disposed at the distal end of the lead body, and a casing is disposed within the collar and is translatable along a central longitudinal axis of the collar. At least one electrical conductor extends substantially the length of the lead body, and an electronic component is disposed within the casing and conductively coupled to the electrical conductor. An electrode is mechanically connected to the casing and conductively coupled to the electronic component. A seal is disposed between the casing assembly and the collar to prevent passage of ionic fluid into the lead body through its distal end.
US08224435B2
This invention relates to an electrotransport device, which incorporates a flexible conductive element within the reservoir housing of the device, which permits electrical communication from within the housing to outside of the housing without the use of opening, which require various methods of sealing the opening against leaks and moisture.
US08224430B2
A system for the detection of cardiac events occurring in a human patient is provided. At least two electrodes are included in the system for obtaining an electrical signal from a patient's heart. An electrical signal processor is electrically coupled to the electrodes for processing the electrical signal and a patient alarm means is further provided and electrically coupled to the electrical signal processor. The electrical signal is acquired in the form of electrogram segments, which are categorized according to heart rate, ST segment shift and type heart rhythm (normal or abnormal). Baseline electrogram segments are tracked over time.
US08224427B2
Proposed invention is related to the field of photodynamic therapy and photodiagnosis. Specifically, a new algorithm is presented for visualization and spatial demarcation of various types of tumors and unhealthy tissue through unsupervised segmentation of the fluorescent multispectral image. Image is acquired through recording of the emission of the tissue illuminated by the light that induces fluorescence in the tumor. For this purpose tissue is treated by photo sensitizer. Algorithm for real time visualization and spatial demarcation of the tumor by means of the analysis of fluorescent image consists of the recording of the fluorescent image (1) that represents linear combination of the unknown classes S by multispectral camera, transformation of the fluorescent multispectral image into new multispectral image (2) applying nonlinear dimensionality expansion, linear transformation of the multispectral image (2) with extended dimensionality, independent component analysis of the innovation representations of the multispectral image (3) that is result of the transformation of the fluorescent image (1) and multispectral image (2), extraction o the tumor map or class of interest in accordance with the chosen criterion and visualization of tumor on monitor.
US08224422B2
An esophageal mapping catheter enables a physician to map the location of the esophagus so as to avoid damaging the esophagus during radio frequency (RF) ablation procedures. Information from the esophageal mapping catheter is communicated to a patient information unit, communications unit and/or electroanatomic mapping system. The electroanatomic mapping system uses the information from the esophageal mapping catheter to develop a three-dimensional map of the esophagus and to monitor the temperature within the esophagus in order to prevent the creation of esophageal fistula.
US08224420B2
This invention provides a MRI guided ultrasound therapy apparatus. It comprises a static field magnet adapted to apply a static magnetic field in an magnetic resonance volume at a predetermined disposition; at least one ultrasound energy applicator adapted to apply energy within an energy application zone at a predetermined disposition; and The mechanical positioning means for moving said ultrasound energy applicator to position the applicator so that the energy application zone intersects said magnetic resonance volume within said region of the subject. In that apparatus, the static field magnet is open at both ends or open at side. The sided open is upward or downward and the mechanical positioning means of this ultrasound energy applicator is close to and is located outside of this sided open. This invention reduces the space limitation for the mechanical positioning means of the ultrasound transducer. Meanwhile, the non-magnetic requirement on the mechanical positioning means become less greatly and particularly the problem of interference from magnetic field produced by working current of the transducer power cord to MRI system can be solved.
US08224401B1
A system and method controls a powered device of the user that is connected to a communications network and draws power therefrom. A determination is made if the user is in the vicinity of the communications network by generating a probe packet to a wireless access point (WAP) of the communications network that is returned positive when a wireless communications device of the user that is configured to connect to the communications network via the WAP is connected thereto. If the probe packet is returned positive indicative of the presence of a user, the network switch port of a network switch connected to the powered device of the power is enabled to allow the powered device to draw power from the communications network. The network switch port is disabled when the probe packet is returned negative indicative that the user is not in the vicinity of the communications network.
US08224400B2
Various embodiments are directed to systems and techniques for reducing power consumption in a mobile computing device. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a user environment based on detected antenna impedance or detected current. After the user environment is determined, the mobile computing device may confirm that total radiation power (TRP) for the mobile computing device at an initial conducted power level exceeds the minimum TRP threshold required by the network carrier to receive acceptable quality of service (QoS). Based on the excess TRP for the particular user environment, the mobile computing device may determine a reduced conducted power level to be input to an antenna system. Accordingly, significant power savings may be achieved. To save additional power, the mobile computing device may automatically adjust and/or improve antenna impedance matching based on user environment allowing a further reduction in conducted power. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08224399B2
A method and apparatus to supply a power voltage to a mobile device in a variable manner in order to provide high output power and a high quality sound environment and a mobile device using the same. The apparatus includes a volume control unit to detect installation of an external power supply and to generate a voltage control value corresponding to a current volume level, and a DC-DC converter unit to convert a voltage of an internal power supply in a variable manner on the basis of the voltage control value generated in the volume control unit in order to drive the switching power amplifier.
US08224390B2
Disclosed are devices and methods of a mobile communication device including receiving data related to an image exhibited on a display device of a digital frame and processing the received data to access at least one communication initiation address. The communication device and the digital frame may establish communication in any number of manners. For example, the communication device may be in the proximity of the digital frame or may touch the frame itself, for example on a touch screen of the digital frame. In any event, the digital frame may include a transceiver to transmit data to the communication device so that at least in part based on data of the digital frame the communication device may automatically or semi-automatically initiate a communication to a communication address associated with the data. Accordingly, a user's desire to place a call telephone based on viewing a photo may be simply initiated.
US08224383B2
An extensible mobile computing platform. The extensible system can extend the mobile communication device resources by pairing the mobile communication device with a mobile extender device. The mobile device extender device includes peripheral ports that can receive standard peripherals so that users can operate the peripherals when the mobile communication device and the mobile extender device are paired. The mobile extender device includes an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), operating system and an extender device component. The mobile communication device includes a mobile communication device component as well as a powerful processor and an operating system.
US08224377B1
A method and apparatus for advertising a service on a wireless device. The method includes: storing authentication information in the wireless device; using the authentication information to establish communication between the wireless device and a service provider; and subsequent to the communication being established between the wireless device and the service provider, advertising, on the wireless device, context-specific information about a service associated with the service provider based on at least one of (i) an ambient temperature, (ii) a body temperature of a user of the wireless device, and (iii) a heart rate of the user.
US08224376B1
The mobile phone comprising a mobile phone updating implementor which updates battery controller, CCD unit controller, microphone controller, speaker controller, or vibrator controller by utilizing the mobile phone updating data received via antenna.
US08224363B2
Methods and apparatus for enabling short message service (SMS) and supplementary services (SS) in a long term evolution (LTE) network via evolved packet system (EPS) mobility management (EMM) over the LTE control plane are described. In one embodiment, the radio resource control (RRC) connection signaling radio bearer (SRB) is used for SMS and SS transport over the LTE control plane between a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a mobility management entity (MME). EMM interfaces and primitives are defined for actions towards SMS and SS entities for enabling SMS and SS services in LTE via the LTE control plane media. Message formats for SMS and SS message transport are also disclosed for sending SMS and SS messages within EMM uplink (UL) non-access stratum (NAS) transport and downlink (DL) NAS transport messages.
US08224360B2
A system for handling special number calls placed from a calling instrument using a text messaging format includes: a plurality of message handling units configured in at least one communication network accessible by the calling instrument. At least one selected message handling unit of the plurality of message handling units operates to recognize an extant call placed from the calling instrument using a special number and expressed in the text messaging call format. The plurality of message handling units cooperates to effect querying the calling instrument to ascertain a substantially pinpoint geographic location of the calling instrument substantially contemporaneously with the extant call. The plurality of message handling units cooperates to use the geographic location for routing the extant call to at least one selected special number answering station coupled with the at least one communication network and situated generally proximate with the geographic location.
US08224354B2
A method of identifying proximate mobile devices, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sensory identifier (ID), a first mobile device (1) detecting the sensory identifier (ID), a second mobile device (2) detecting the sensory identifier (ID), the first mobile device (1) sending a request message associated with the sensory identifier (ID) to the second mobile device (2), and the second mobile device (2) sending an acknowledgement message to the first mobile device (1) so as to establish mutual identification. The sensory identifier (ID) may comprise a visual identifier, such as a bar code, and/or an audio identifier, such as a sound signal. An audio identifier may be produced by tapping the mobile devices together.
US08224351B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for identifying proximity of a mobile computing device to another mobile computing device. A computing system determines that a set of mobile computing devices are geographically proximate to a first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices received a first type of signal from an emitting device for which the first mobile computing device also received the first type of signal. The computing system determines a subset of the mobile computing devices that share a physical space with the first mobile computing device based on identifying that each of the mobile computing devices emitted a second type of signal that was detected by the first mobile computing device, or detected the second type of signal that was emitted by the first mobile computing device.
US08224350B2
A method of determining the location of a portable device comprises obtaining identities of wireless communication devices detectable by the portable device at a particular location which is to be determined, thereby to obtain a set of identities. The set of identities is compared with the content of a database, which database stores a plurality of findings, to select one or more findings; each finding comprising a reference location and a set of identities of wireless communication devices sighted at that location. The location of the portable device is found based on processing the selected findings.
US08224348B2
Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device's usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of anti-social behaviors.
US08224347B2
A method and apparatus for providing location information of a user terminal is provided, which makes it possible to mark the location of a user terminal using geographical information stored in a broadcast receiver.
US08224345B2
A method may include determining whether a discrepancy exists between scheduling headroom computable by a first device and scheduling headroom computable by a second device, determining one or more load measurements that the second device bases its computation of the scheduling headroom if it is determined that the discrepancy exists, modifying the one or more load measurements, and calculating the scheduling headroom based on the modified one or more load measurements.
US08224340B2
Method for estimating position information of base stations as well as terminals for three dimensional centralized real-time spectrum management to achieve high spectral efficiency. In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises i) understanding the position information of plurality of base stations, wherein the plurality of terminals and the base stations form a wireless network, ii) determining, at the central controller, position of a terminal via plurality of communication wirelessly between the base stations and a terminal and between the base station and the central controller, iii) applying network wide real time knowledge at the central controller to electronically steerable antennas to use a resource in a different direction then where it is used by other base stations to achieve frequency reuse of one.
US08224336B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for improving network performance in a communication system. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to group a plurality of wireless base terminals (WBTs) into first and second groups that share at least one common WBT and select a resultant communication path for the at least one common WBT to a mobile telephone switching office based on differential delays associated with alternative communication paths for combinations of WBTs in at least one of the first and second groups. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08224333B2
A method for managing UMA communications within a local area network and a network controller are disclosed. The method includes establishing a first connection between a first UMA device and a LAN-based UMA network controller (LAN-UNC) and establishing a second connection between a second UMA device and the LAN-UNC. The first and second connections are carried over the local area network. The first and second UMA devices are connected to the same local area network. The method provides establishing a third connection between the LAN-UNC and a UMA network controller (UNC). The UNC is connected to an external network and the third connection extends over the external network. The method includes transporting packets received using the first and second connections to the UNC using the third connection. Packets received using the third connection are transported to the first UMA device using the first connection and to the second UMA device using the second connection.
US08224301B2
A communication server in cooperation with a telematics center receives a result message for condition guidance service selection result information from the telematics center to control a driver terminal according to traveling condition recognition of a vehicle, stores a driver terminal number, call control request information during traveling, and condition notice information during traveling included in the result message, sets a condition guidance service, and controls call connection with a call connection attempting terminal for attempting a call connection to the driver terminal according to a type of the result message.
US08224298B2
In embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for media services may comprise transmitting a message comprising content to a handset, soliciting a response message, wherein the solicitation indicates a short form command structure for the response, receiving a response from the handset comprising a short form command, and processing the response using the short form command. User engagement may be facilitated by developing locally produced, personalized channels for delivery of relevant content. The mobile platform may enable building mobile-oriented communities around original content. Content may be local, authentic, relevant, insider, original, aggregated, a multi-modal mash-up, and the like.
US08224297B2
By using the location information of a wireless communication terminal, an advertising information display method, etc. is provided to display on a display, highly useful advertising information, that is, advertising information of an advertising information transmission source, which is located at a location that is close to the location at which the user of the wireless communication terminal is present. This advertising information display method, which displays, on a display 2b of a mobile telephone device 2 that is capable of transmitting terminal location information 2b, advertising information 3a, which is transmitted from a store 3, and is capable of transmitting store location information 3p and advertising information 3a, has: a step to obtain terminal location information 2p and the transmission time thereof tm, a step to obtain the store location information 3p and the advertising information 3a, a step to perform a ranking of the advertising information of the advertising information 3a based on time difference information T between the advertising information transmission time ta when the advertising information 3a is transmitted to the mobile telephone device 2, and the terminal location information transmission time tm, and location difference information L between the terminal location information 2p and the store location information 3p, a step to transmit the advertising information 3a by being associated with the ranking information H, to the mobile telephone device 2; and a step to display the advertising information 3a on the display 2b of the mobile telephone device 2, based on the ranking information H.
US08224293B1
A security system includes a software application running in a user's smartphone and a separately carried visual key that the user can image at will with the smartphone's camera. An effective visual key would typically comprise digital data encoded in a series of colored cells arranged in a colorgram. Such digital data is treated as a what-you-have security factor, and is concatenated with other security factors so users can authenticate themselves to websites, internet services, and even within the smartphone device itself or its applications. In one aspect, when users authenticate themselves to a server, the server returns a short-term supply of one-time-passwords or account numbers for use in secure access and financial transactions on other systems.
US08224290B2
A method in a wireless telecommunications device operative with a plurality of radio access networks, the method comprising: when operating with a first radio access network reading at least one ciphering variable applicable in the second radio access network (e.g. in UMTS reading the value of a variable START from the USIM of the device). When at least one ciphering variable applicable in the second radio access network renders ciphering in the second radio access network infeasible without further authentication (e.g. in UMTS when the value of START in USIM is equal to a value THRESHOLD), using a substitute value for the ciphering parameter (e.g. START) when establishing a connection with the second radio access network.
US08224287B2
A broadcast information notification method according to the present invention includes: starting to repeatedly transmit, at a network node, a broadcast message irrespective of transmission timing of a paging message, when the network node is instructed to notify a mobile station of the broadcast information; receiving, at the mobile station, a broadcast message reception parameter by using a parameter specified by the paging message transmitted by the network node at a predetermined timing; receiving, at the mobile station, a receivable broadcast message by using the received broadcast message reception parameter; and performing, at the mobile station, processing corresponding to the broadcast information.
US08224278B2
Path delay information generated by a path searcher module of a wireless receiver is used to generate net channel coefficients for use in suppressing interference from a received signal. According to one embodiment, interference is suppressed from a signal transmitted over a communication channel including transmit and receive pulse shaping filters and a radio channel by generating net channel coefficients for the communication channel at processing delays such as G-Rake finger delays or chip equalizer tap delays. Medium channel coefficients are generated for the radio channel at estimated path delays as a function of the net channel coefficients. The net channel coefficients are regenerated at arbitrary delays as a function of the medium channel coefficients and an impairment covariance estimate is generated based at least in part on the regenerated net channel coefficients.
US08224266B2
An embodiment of the invention is a predistortion approach to linearize a power amplifier without frequency conversion of the RF signals by using envelope and phase detectors to detect the error to be corrected, and then one or more analog multiplier(s) and a DSP-based processor. For the analog embodiment, the inherent nature of the analog circuitries allows digital predistortion processing structured directly at the RF band, and enables a single power amplifier to support multi-modulation schemes, multi-carriers and multi-channels. As a result, the predistortion architecture is particularly suitable for wireless transmission systems, such as base-stations, repeaters, and indoor signal coverage systems. The wireless system performance can be improved and upgraded just by using the new PA module rather than change or rebuild new subsystem in existing base station. The analog embodiment can also mix and match its analog multipliers with other analog components such as phase splitters, phase shifters, attenuators, filters, couplers, mixers, low-noise amplifiers, buffers, envelope detectors, and etc., to provide additional features.
US08224263B2
An rf signal transmitter for transmitting rf signals through a plurality of antennas is described, which comprises: a transmit section adapted to selectively set, with respect to an input signal, the initial phase of an output to at least one of said antennas depending on a time or frequency region used for communication and to provide delay to the output on an antenna-by-antenna basis and on the basis of a transmission timing or a transmission frequency; and a quality information receive section for receiving quality information from destination station, i.e., a wireless terminal unit, said quality information concerning the rf signal transmitted from said transmit section and received at said destination station.
US08224262B2
An identification information reader includes an antenna commonly used for transmission of a radio wave to a radio frequency identification tag and reception of a radio wave that has been modulated with at least identification information and transmitted from a radio frequency identification tag, a transmitter which outputs a radio wave to be transmitted from the antenna, a receiver which demodulates a radio wave received by the antenna to acquire at least the identification information, a directional coupler which is connected between the transmitter and the receiver, guides the radio wave output from the transmitter to the antenna and guides the radio wave received by the antenna to the receiver, and an attenuator which is connected between the antenna and the directional coupler and attenuates the radio wave guided to the receiver to reduce saturation of the receiver due to an increase in voltage standing wave ratio of the antenna.
US08224258B2
A portable terminal includes a main body, a display, a plurality of sensors and a plurality of light elements. The main body includes a wireless communication unit. The display is coupled to the main body and is configured to output visible information. The plurality of sensors is coupled to the body and located at a peripheral region surrounding the display. A corresponding at least one sensor of the sensors is configured to receive user input for controlling a function associated with the visible information. The plurality of light elements is configured to output visible light. Each of the light elements is associated with one of the sensors to output the visible light proximate to the associated sensor. The corresponding at least one sensor is determined by which of the plurality of sensors is configured to permit controlling of the function associated with the visible information.
US08224257B2
A system for configuring wireless communication in apparatuses based on sensed spectrum information. Apparatuses interacting via a shared information space may exchange configuration information that may, for example, comprise communication transport information. The configuration information may then be utilized in formulating spectrum sensing parameters that are distributed to one or more of the apparatuses via the shared information space. The spectrum sensing parameters may be used by the apparatuses for performing signals sensing operations in their respective environments, the results of which may be shared via the shared information space. The spectrum sensing results may then be utilized to configure and/or manage communications in one or more of the apparatuses.
US08224253B2
Methods and systems for packet-by-packet directional mobile wireless transmission utilizing plurality of directional antenna sectors, such that, the transmission of each packet is performed by at least one selected antenna sector. A plurality of directional antenna sectors, at least one receiving controller, and at least one transmitting controller, are all physically located at the same location. The direction of transmission is selected responsive to the direction in which the best electromagnetic signal reception was received. For each plurality of data packets, the transmission direction is selected again. Switching logic is coupling the out going transmission signal to selected ones from the plurality of the antennas responsive to the motion of the mobile user. The antenna design in this invention is aimed at increasing the gain and minimizing the interfering signals with respect large number of mobile users who are concurrently and continuously tracking and communicating with their access points, and consequently, increasing the bit rate of each transmission and the aggregate capacity of the wireless system.
US08224250B2
Aspects of a method and system for compensating for estimated distortion in a transmitter by utilizing a digital predistortion scheme with a single feedback mixer are presented. Aspects of the system may include at least one circuit that enables generation of an output signal in response to one or more generated input signals. A feedback signal may be generated within a single feedback mixer circuit that may perform a frequency mix-down operation on the generated output signal. The generated feedback signal may be inserted at one or more insertion points in a receiver. Each of the insertion points may be located between a mixer stage of the receiver, and one or more circuits that generate a baseband signal based on the generated feedback signal.
US08224247B2
A novel and useful apparatus for and method of integrating the advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) audio codec into a Bluetooth controller for audio streaming applications. The mechanism functions to break the prior art Bluetooth protocol stack by integrating a profile packet composer into the controller. The profile/stack control signaling is performed by the host while the profile data packet composer is implemented in the controller. The integrated data packet composer does not break the data path and flow control over the standard HCI. Further, the integrated packet composer allows the controller to open a dedicated data interface for specific applications (e.g., PCM/I2S for audio data).
US08224240B2
The present invention relates to a device for realizing beam-forming in CDMA mobile telecommunication system by employing smart antenna technique and method thereof, which forms multiple fixed beams in a sector, and uses multiple fixed beams to form the traffic channel with narrow beams and the common channel with sector beams simultaneously in the same smart antenna system, and overcomes the problem of inconsistency of phrases of respective channels due to the variations of time and temperature without complicated correction technique, thereby improving the capacity and performance of CDMA system with multiple antennas. It solves the problem that the fixed beams in some area correlate with and counteract one another or are greatly reduced due to the correlating addition of the space vectors of each fixed beam when the multiple antenna CDMA system transmits the common channels, and makes the strength of the pilot channel and the traffic channel in corresponding proportion in the coverage area, and improves the signal to noise ratio of receiving signals by the mobile station. By adding an optical transceiver system between the base band and the radio frequency TRX, the base band part can support more sectors. The radio frequency part is very close to the antennas, therefore the power consumption is reduced.
US08224239B2
A transmitting/receiving circuit holds a communication at a frequency f1 by using an antenna or an antenna, and a transmitting/receiving circuit holds a communication at a frequency f2 by using an antenna. In response to a receiving signal intensity, a switching circuit connects any one of the antennas to the transmitting/receiving circuit as a selected antenna for use in communication, and connects the other antenna to a terminating circuit as a non-selected antenna. The terminating circuit connected to the non-selected antenna has an impedance that satisfies a predetermined phase condition at the frequencies f1, f2 respectively, suppresses an inter-antenna coupling between the non-selected antenna and the selected antenna and the antenna, and suppresses degradation in antenna characteristic caused due to the inter-antenna coupling between the selected antenna and the antenna.
US08224231B2
A finishing unit includes a first compiling module and a second compiling module operatively connected in parallel with the first compiling module. Each compiling module includes a finishing head adapted to perform a finishing operation upon a plurality of sheets of media. A printing system includes a sheet media source, a finishing unit operatively spaced from the sheet media source and a marking unit operatively disposed therebetween. A method of performing a print job using such first and second compiling modules is also included.
US08224230B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a toner image forming section; a transfer section which transfers the toner image onto a transfer sheet; a separation section which separates the transfer sheet from the image carrier; and a process cartridge which holds the image carrier, the toner image forming section, the transfer section, and the separation section as a unit detachable from a main unit of the image forming apparatus. The separation section includes a resin guide member which is a base for the separation section, a separation pawl for separating a transfer sheet from the image carrier, a metal reference plate fixed to the resin guide member and a resin engaging member fixed to the reference plate. The resin engaging member engages with a process cartridge member which supports the separation section allowing the separation section to move in an axial direction of the image carrier.
US08224227B2
A document feeding device comprises a document input tray, a document output tray, a feeding mechanism provided for a feeding path connecting the document input tray and the document output tray via a scanning position to feed each document from the document input tray to the scanning position and to the document output tray, a turnover mechanism provided for a turnover path connected to the feeding path to return the document after passing through the scanning position to the upstream side of the scanning position while interchanging the front end and rear end of the document, and an ejection mechanism configured so that its document ejection mode can be switched between a first ejection mode for successively ejecting each document while stacking it on documents already ejected to the document output tray and a second ejection mode for successively ejecting each document while sliding it under the already ejected documents.
US08224219B2
A cylindrical rotating member rotatably supported in a device in state where it is configured to contact a medium and that is heated in state where it is supported in the device, including: an elastically deformable base body that is a metal cylinder extending in a width direction of the medium, the width direction intersecting a transport direction of the medium, the base body being configured such that: when the base body is rotated and a portion of the base body reaches a contact-portion at which the base body contacts the medium, the portion of the base body elastically deforms, applies pressure to the medium, increases the size of a contact-area with the medium and applies heat to the medium; and after the base body is further rotated and the portion of the base body has passed the contact-portion, the base body elastically recovers its original shape is provided.
US08224206B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, an exposure device to irradiate light to the photosensitive body to form the electrostatic latent image, a developing device to adhere a developer to the photosensitive body to form a visible image, a transfer device to transfer the visible image formed on the photosensitive body onto a printing medium, and a fusing unit to fuse the visible image to the printing medium. The fusing unit includes a heating roller to apply heat to the printing medium, a press roller to contact the heating roller to press the printing medium, a press lever to press any one of the heating roller and the press roller to the other, an adjusting lever rotatably coupled to the press lever, and a pressing force adjusting device to operate the adjusting lever to move the press lever. Accordingly, a fusing pressure between the heating roller and the press roller can be decreased with a small force by operating the adjusting lever hingedly coupled to the press lever.
US08224204B2
In a device or method for sealing a shaft against penetration of a two-component toner mixture comprising magnetic carrier particles and toner particles, an annular, stationary sealing device is arranged radially at a distance of an annular gap around the shaft. The annular gap is charged with a magnetic field. The annular gap is filled with a mixture of a semi-fluid, highly viscous barrier medium and magnetic carrier particles, and wherein the mixture in the annular gap contains 40 to 85 percent by weight or 15 to 60 percent by volume of the magnetic carrier particles.
US08224193B2
An image forming apparatus may include a printer to fix images on paper sheets that travel along a first paper path and a second paper path, and first and second doors that may be open to uncover the first and second paper paths, respectively. First and second sensors may detect if the respective doors are open and first and second jam detectors may detect jams along the respective paper paths. A memory may store first and second jam removal guidance for the jams along the respective paper paths. A controller may cause a display to switch from displaying the first jam removal guidance read from the memory to displaying the second jam removal guidance read from the memory upon the second door sensor detecting the second door is open.
US08224192B2
An image forming apparatus forms an image by fixing, on a recording medium, a toner image formed by an image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit which determines whether a delay has occurred during conveyance of a recording medium, based on the detection result of the recording medium discharged from a fixing unit for fixing a toner image on the recording medium, and a control unit which controls the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the determination result of the determination unit and a determination result indicating whether a jam processing operation was executed for the fixing unit.
US08224178B2
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for effectively performing a streamlined photo distribution procedure is disclosed. A source device initially captures a photographic image of a target or subject using known techniques. The term “photographic image” as used herein is not limited to single photographs but includes moving pictures, video images and any other known or future means of capturing an image of an event. The source device is likewise broadly defined and includes, but is not limited to, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones with digital photo capture means, computers, including PDA's or other devices or combination of devices with communication and photo capture means, as well as other image capture means.
US08224176B1
A method for capturing an improved archival image using an electronic image capture device having a flash, comprising: capturing at least two preview images of a scene at different capture times using the image capture device; determining a scene brightness; using a processor to analyze the captured preview images to determine a motion velocity for the scene; determining a flash exposure setting and an ambient exposure setting responsive to a ratio between the determined scene brightness and the determined motion velocity; and capturing an archival image using the determined flash exposure setting and the determined ambient exposure setting.
US08224173B2
A small imaging apparatus (1) implementing an optical image stabilizing function has a vibratory driving device (3) which comprises a driving shaft (7), an electromechanical transducer (6) consisting of a plurality of elongatable portions capable of elongating and contracting in an axial direction of the driving shaft (7) respectively and integrated with each other, and a driving member (8) slidably engaging on the driving shaft (7); a axially movable optical member (10) of which position is restrained in the axial direction by the driving member (8); and a vertically movable optical member (9, 11) of which position is restrained in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by the driving shaft (7), the elongatable portions uniformly elongating and contracting repeatedly to displace the driving member (8) slidingly on the driving shaft (7), and unequally elongating or contracting to incline the driving shaft (7) to displace the driving member (8).
US08224171B2
A method of driving a lens barrel includes detecting a movement detection signal that indicates an operation of the lens barrel which operates using a stepping motor; determining a limit time during which movement of a lens barrel component is detected based on the movement detection signal; detecting the movement from the movement detection signal; and changing a driving level of the stepping motor from a first driving level to a second driving level when movement of the lens barrel component is not detected from the movement detection signal within the limit time, wherein torque of the second driving level is greater than torque of the first driving level.
US08224169B2
An optical imaging device, wherein an imaging unit is displaced to correct the vibrations, and the imaging unit is supported on a stationary object by a total of four suspension wires. A first imaging unit drive mechanism and a second imaging unit drive mechanism are provided as a pair at two positions on either side of the optical axis L. In the imaging unit drive mechanisms, imaging unit drive magnets, are held on the imaging unit side, which is the movable side, and imaging unit drive coils, are held on the stationary object side.
US08224161B2
An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data. The second after-recording-purpose data are made into bit streams without being multiplexed with the main data.
US08224141B2
A fiber optic cable includes an inner jacket and an outer jacket. The inner jacket surrounds an optical fiber and a strength layer positioned between the optical fiber and the inner jacket. The inner jacket includes a liquid crystal polymer within a base polymeric material. The outer jacket defines an elongate transverse cross-sectional profile. A strength member is positioned outside the inner jacket. The outer jacket is removable from the inner jacket such that the fiber optic cable forms a first cable portion that extends from a first end of the fiber optic cable to an intermediate location of the fiber optic cable and a second cable portion that extends from the intermediate location to a second end of the fiber optic cable. The first cable portion is more rugged than the second cable portion.
US08224140B2
Fiber optic cables and methods of manufacturing fiber optic cables are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a fiber optic cable includes a plurality of optical fibers having a lay length of greater than 160 mm. The fiber optic cable also includes strength material surrounding the plurality of optical fibers and a polymer jacket surrounding the strength material. Each of the optical fibers is configured to exhibit a bend-induced optical attenuation of less than or equal to about 0.6 dB when wrapped one turn around a 7.5 mm mandrel.
US08224131B2
An image processing apparatus includes a user interface for setting an instruction from a user and is capable of switching a language used in a display screen of the user interface. The image processing apparatus creates text data by determining the language used in the display screen of the user interface and by performing character recognition suitable for recognizing a document of the determined language on read image data. The image processing apparatus also creates a file in which the text data and the image data are associated with each other. Therefore, character recognition is properly performed in the image processing apparatus by automatically selecting the type of the language.
US08224126B2
The present invention relates to a method for interpolating a subpixel at an interpolation position, which is situated in the chronological order between two source frames. Thereby the calculation of the interpolated subpixel's value is based on the value of the pixels of the two source frames and additional weighting coefficients, which are based on the motion vectors correlating the two source frames.
US08224125B2
This invention concerns the spatial interpolation of color images and, in particular, the reconstruction, or “de-mosaicing” of data from a single sensor-array electronic camera.Electronic cameras typically have an image sensor comprising a matrix of individual pixel sensors, each sensor being responsive to a color component. In order to obtain color component information for all pixels, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, green component pixel values (203) are interpolated to obtain green component pixel values for all pixels (209). A difference value (B−G) (212) is formed from the green color component values (207) and the original blue component values (204) at blue pixel locations, and the difference values (B−G) (212) are then interpolated to obtain difference values for all pixels (216). Blue component values for all pixels (225) can then be obtained from the difference values for all pixels (216) and the green component values for all pixels (209).
US08224123B2
A technique is provided for reducing the size of each of images included in an image signal and generating a high-resolution image with minimized degradation in the image quality from the reduced images. Alias components and motion information that are included in the image signal having the reduced images are used for conversion of the images included in the image signal into a high-resolution image. Low pass filtering is performed on a frequency component in the direction of a motion included in the image signal and a frequency component in a direction other than the direction of the motion. The cut-off frequency of the low pass filter in the direction other than the direction of the motion is lower than the cut-off frequency of the low pass filter in the direction of the motion.
US08224113B2
A system for generating an image enhanced output product and method for operating the same are provided. An image enhanceable product is identified having a tangible surface and a printing map is defined that defines a plurality of window areas in which images are to be printed on the tangible surface. A desired visual impact characteristic is determined based upon the appearance of the image enhanceable product and the printing map and a selection of a plurality of digital images are received. An image processing method is selected method based upon the determined visual impact characteristic and at least one of the digital images is automatically processed in accordance with the selected image processing method. At least some of the digital images, including the automatically processed image, are provided on the tangible surface according to the printing map.
US08224109B2
A method for estimating the white Gaussian noise level that corrupts a digital image by discriminating homogeneous blocks from blocks containing a textured area and skipping these last blocks when evaluating the noise standard deviation.
US08224102B2
A Method for encoding a picture with a first region and a second region is described wherein the first region is encoded according to a first encoding scheme, the second region is encoded according to a second encoding scheme and the second encoding scheme is carried out taking a parameter representing the visual perception of the second region into account.
US08224100B2
A method and a device for intra prediction coding and decoding of an image in which the intra prediction according to a selected intra prediction mode based on a direction of an input image is performed are provided. In the method and the device, an input block is frequency transformed, a direction of pixels in the input block is determined, and the intra prediction is performed according to an intra prediction mode that has the most similar direction to the determined direction of the pixels.
US08224099B2
A difference region extracting section 122 extracts differential regions based on screen data of a previous screen stored in transmission screen data storage section 124 and a current screen stored in a screen data storage section 121. A priority determining section 123 calculates change data density indicating a degree of a change of pixel values for every differential region. For example, when a user operates an icon on the screen, the change data density of the differential region corresponding to the icon becomes larger than the change data density of the differential region corresponding to the background portion of a video image. An encoding section 125 writes screen code data of each differential region in a transmission buffer 141 in descending order of the change data density.
US08224098B2
A façade rendering system is described. In various embodiments, the façade rendering system identifies horizontal waveforms and vertical waveforms from an image of a structure, combines the identified horizontal and vertical waveforms to generate façade waveforms that model a façade of the structure, and renders the façade waveforms as a façade for the structure. The façade rendering system can include or employ information about the structure from which to create waveform information, waveform information to create a façade waveform for modeling the structure, and a component that renders the structure based on the waveform information.
US08224086B2
Methods and apparatuses for color image restoration and enhancement. In at least one embodiment, color signals for individual channels of an image (e.g., red, green, or blue) are adjusted based on a weighted set of averages (e.g., of the entire image, the center portion, the surrounding portion, or other portions). In one example, pixels with extreme values of color signals (e.g., pure black or white pixels) are ignored for the purposes of restoring color; and, the different averages are weighted according to the pixel location (e.g., the distance from the pixel to a center point). In one example, after color restoration for individual channels, the luminance of each pixel is adjusted back to their original levels; and the range of luminance of the image is further adjusted to provide improved brightness and contrast, where in determining the luminance the red, green and blue color channels are given an equal weight.
US08224080B2
An image pickup apparatus is provided that allows image data to represent colors within the human visible region adequately. The apparatus includes an encoding part which encodes a color of each of pixels forming an image represented by image data that are input from an image pickup part, using an excitation purity and either a dominant wavelength or a complementary wavelength that are determined in a color space capable of representing an entire visible region based on a predetermined reference point within a visible region and a locus of a visible light spectrum in the color space, and which outputs obtained encoded data.
US08224075B2
Tools disclosed herein comprise progressive, paint stroke based region recognition and selection tools. Using these tools, a user may partially paint a region of interest directly on an image (by using a paint brush or other similar tool). Unlike conventional selection tools, a user is not required to paint the entire region pixel-by-pixel. Rather the desired region is automatically and intelligently recognized based on the partial selection. This is accomplished via a progressive selection algorithm. In addition, these tools provide the ability to quickly execute such region selections on multi-megapixel images.
US08224074B2
An image-processing device includes: a memory that stores a red range occurring within a color space; an acquisition unit that acquires image data representing a document image that includes characters; and a production unit that produces image data representing an overall image that includes: the document image represented by the image data that is acquired by the acquisition unit, a differentiation image that is positioned within the document image and that allows the user to differentiate an image of red characters residing in the range from an image formed of colors other than red, and an information image representing information for acquiring the document image in a state in which the differentiation image is not positioned.
US08224072B2
A method normalizes a feature of an object in an image. The feature of the object is extracted from a 2D or 3D image. The feature is displaceable within a displacement zone in the object, and wherein the feature has a location within the displacement zone. An associated description of the feature is determined. Then, the feature is displaced to a best location in the displacement zone to produce a normalized feature.
US08224069B2
When a feature point extractor sets feature points on one of the images acquired by a first and second image acquirer, a template setting unit sets a base template containing a feature point onto an edge-extracted image of the acquired image. If the image within the base template is segmented by an edge, the template setting unit sets a transformed template, wherein a segmented sub-region that does not contain the feature point is deleted from the base template, and a region equal in area to the deleted region is added to the sub-region that does contain the feature point. A distance computing unit conducts template matching with respect to the one or more other images using either the base template or the transformed template, and computes the shooting distance to the matching feature point.
US08224067B1
A system and method for characterizing and adjusting an offset between displayed stereo image pairs allows for calibration of the stereo image content for each display environment. The stereo image content is typically authored assuming a particular display image size. When the stereo image content is displayed in a display environment that does not conform to the particular display image size the offset between displayed stereo image pairs is increased or decreased, resulting in a viewing experience that is different than intended. In some cases, the viewer may experience discomfort due to eye strain or eye fatigue. Adjusting the offset during the playback of the stereo image content may improve the viewer experience.
US08224053B2
A method and system for displaying quantitative segmental data in a 4D presentation along with local deformation is disclosed herewith. The method comprises: identifying a segment in a volumetric image data. Then, the following steps are iterated to produce a four-dimensional rendering. The iterated steps include: tracking the segment of the volumetric image data to produce a displacement field. Local deformation of the segment is identified using the displacement field. And the segment is rendered with reference to the displacement field and the local deformation.
US08224052B2
Certain embodiments of the present technology provide systems, methods and computer instructions for computer aided analysis of images. In certain embodiments, for example, such a method includes: isolating a motion area in an image; segmenting the image; utilizing a support vector machine to identify a region of interest in the image; utilizing a graph-cut algorithm to refine the region of interest; and verifying the region of interest. In certain embodiments, for example, such a method further includes: aligning a set of images and/or outputting a set of aligned images sequentially. In certain embodiments, the systems, methods and computer instructions disclosed herein can be used to aid analysis of cardiac images, for example. In certain embodiments, the systems, methods and computer instructions disclosed herein can be used to aid analysis of four dimensional images, for example.
US08224046B2
An image point in a displayed reference image R is selected and a non-rigid transformation resulting in a transformation field g(rR) mapping every location rR to a corresponding location rF in a floating image F is applied, next a rigid body transformation is applied to floating image F such that rF coincides with the selected image point and the transformed floating image is displayed.
US08224044B2
A fingerprint sensing module includes a sensor substrate having a sensing side and a circuit side, an image sensor including conductive traces on the circuit side of the sensor substrate, and a sensor circuit including at least one integrated circuit mounted on the circuit side of the sensor substrate and electrically connected to the image sensor. The sensor substrate may be a flexible substrate. The module may include a velocity sensor on the sensor substrate or on a separate substrate. The module may further include a rigid substrate, and the sensor substrate may be affixed to the rigid substrate.
US08224043B2
A fingerprint image acquiring device includes: a fingerprint image input unit to which fingerprint images are input consecutively; an image correlating unit to correlate a plurality of fingerprint images input from the fingerprint image input unit, the image correlating unit matching the input fingerprint images in position; a resolution enhancing determining unit to determine whether an area making resolution enhancing possible is present by detecting an area overlapping between fingerprint images as a result of image correlating and estimating similarity between the fingerprint images; an image synthesizing unit to synthesize the fingerprint images based on a result of the position matching by the image correlating unit; and a resolution enhancing unit to enhance a resolution of the area making resolution enhancing possible in the fingerprint image, wherein a fingerprint image is generated by partially enhancing the fingerprint image input to the fingerprint image input unit in resolution.
US08224021B2
An apparatus and method for providing automatic threat detection using passive millimeter wave detection and image processing analysis.
US08224013B2
A digital audio player device can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form an intraoral MP3 player. In another embodiment, the device provides an electronic and transducer device that can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a DAP. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device fabricated from a thermal forming process utilizing a replicate model of a dental structure obtained by conventional dental impression methods. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.
US08224005B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for enhancing the performance of hearing aids and the like. For example, an extension for a hearing aid can include a stem having one or more flanges formed thereon. The flanges can be configured to enhance the fit of the hearing aid in the ear canal. The extension can cushion sensitive tissues of the ear canal from contact with the hard plastic inner end of the hearing aid. The extension also inhibits undesirable leakage of sound around the hearing aid. Thus, both comfort and effectiveness of a hearing aid or the like are enhanced.
US08224004B2
A hearing system includes a hearing device with a signal processing unit. A control input of the signal processing unit is connected to a device communication port. A remote control device has a wireless communication port for single or bi-directional wireless communication with the device communication port. A computer is embedded in the remote control device. An output of the computer is connected to the wireless communication port and to a machine/man interface at the remote control device. An input of the computer is connected to a man/machine interface at the remote control device. A set of application programs is executable by the computer.
US08224003B2
The installation size of hearing apparatuses and in particular of hearing devices is to be reduced. Provision is thus made for a hearing apparatus with a transmitting facility including an antenna for the wireless, electromagnetic transmission of data and a switching controller including an inductor, which is used to supply energy to the hearing apparatus and the transmitting facility, with the inductor of the switching controller being identical to the antenna of the transmitting facility. This multiple use of the inductor can save on installation space. In order to avoid mutual interference of the transmitting facility and the switching controller, the signals thereof are modulated independently of one another.
US08223998B2
An electrostatic speaker is constituted of a vibrator, conductive cloths, and elastic members, which are laminated together and woven together using strings. Since all the constituent elements are restrained in positioning by strings, the overall structure thereof is not substantially changed even when the electrostatic speaker is deformed in shape by bending or curving, wherein it is possible to secure the prescribed positional relationship between the constituent elements, which are not deviated in positioning. It is possible to introduce a sheet composed of a thermoplastic resin, which holds the vibrator and elastic members therein. The conductive cloths can be replaced with film electrodes, each of which is formed such that a conductive polymer layer is formed on a base film composed of a thermoplastic resin.
US08223994B2
A method of limiting the maximum permitted sound volume in an earphone, a headset or the like, includes the step that the size of the driving signal for driving the earphone is sensed. The driving signal has a voltage that is less than approx. 0.7 V. If the driving signal exceeds a certain level, one part of the driving signal is shunted past the earphone and another part of the driving signal is diverted. Either the voltage of the diverted part is increased and controls the shunt device by which the first part of the driving signal is shunted past the earphone, or it is supplied to a unit with a detector device and the shunt device. The unit is sensitive to work at voltages below approx. 0.7 V. An earphone or the like for the above-mentioned method comprises a shunt device and a detector device whose current source is the signal source of the earphone.
US08223987B2
An object is to enhance workability in attachment in a sound generating apparatus that generates sound by vibrating a vibration plate with a vibrator while ensuring acoustic performance as good as that achieved by fastening with fine screw threads. Workability in attaching operation is improved while ensuring acoustic performance as good as that provided by fastening with fine screw threads, by providing first fixing portion that brings engagement portions into screw engagement with each other by rotation by a predetermined angle that can be attained by a user without taking his/her hand that holds a coupler off it and second fixing portion for fixing the coupler to a bracket so as to prevent the coupler from rotating relative to said bracket in a direction to loosen the engagement achieved by said first fixing portion.
US08223986B2
Electronic devices and accessories are provided that may communicate over wired communications paths. The electronic devices may be portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones or media players and may have audio connectors such as 3.5 mm audio jacks. The accessories may be headsets or other equipment having mating 3.5 mm audio plugs and speakers for playing audio. Microphones may be included in an accessory to gather voice signals and noise cancellation signals. Analog-to-digital converter circuitry in the accessory may digitize the microphone signals. Digital voice signals and voice noise cancellation signals can be transmitted over the communications path and processed by audio digital signal processor circuitry in an electronic device. Digital-to-analog converter circuitry in the accessory may convert digital audio signals to analog speaker signals. Digital noise cancellation signals may use digital noise signals to cancel noise from digital audio signals that have been received from an electronic device.
US08223983B2
The present invention relates to a method for fitting and verification of direct bone conduction hearing devices to a patient, wherein a. in a first step the hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are measured directly on a titanium implant of a patient, b. in a second step these hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are converted to equivalent force thresholds (FHT) and loudness discomfort levels (FLDL) on an artificial skull force measuring device, c. in a final step the output force levels of the direct bone conduction hearing device is measured in a free sound field with the device attached to the said artificial skull force measuring device and compared to the FHT and the FLDL as the base for final adjustments of the device.
US08223981B2
A microphone system has an output and at least a first transducer with a first dynamic range, a second transducer with a second dynamic range different than the first dynamic range, and coupling system to selectively couple the output of one of the first transducer or the second transducer to the system output, depending on the magnitude of the input sound signal, to produce a system with a dynamic range greater than the dynamic range of either individual transducer. A method of operating a microphone system includes detecting whether a transducer output crosses a threshold, and if so then selectively coupling another transducer's output to the system output. The threshold may change as a function of which transducer is coupled to the system output. The system and methods may also combine the outputs of more than one transducer in a weighted sum during transition from one transducer output to another, as a function of time or as a function of the amplitude of the incident audio signal. Methods of operating the system may include equalizing the outputs of two or more transducers prior to coupling one or more outputs to the system output.
US08223977B2
Sound waves having a proper phase difference are received by microphones fixed in a mesh-formed casing, while other sound waves pass through the casing, and reach a front surface of a diffuse reflection member. The randomly uneven front surface of the diffuse reflection member diffusely reflects the sound waves, thereby preventing the reflected sound waves from reaching the microphones at the proper phase difference. Any reflected sound waves that do reach the microphones are received at a phase difference that is different from the proper phase difference and are determined to be noise by a sound-source determining circuit, thereby enabling a sound receiver to receive only sound waves having the proper phase difference, and hence, improving directivity thereof.
US08223975B2
A method and apparatus are provided for generating a personalized radio channel playlist by time division multiplexing songs from multiple received channels from one or more broadcast source streams in a queue. Users specify favorite channels for building personal playlists, or multiple default playlist channels are provided by genre. Thumbs up/down buttons on the radio receiver enter a song or artist being played back into a favorites list used to search all channels for matches or a banned list used to block songs from future playlists. A matched channel carrying the favorite is added to the playlist. Segments on the playlist are dynamically truncated to reduce the average time each segment is played and facilitate preview. Preview times can vary depending on the size of the playlist or number of channels used. Connectivity options and web interfaces facilitate transfer and sharing of customization parameters for personalized radio configuration.
US08223967B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit for the processing of conditional access television signals that includes an input interface for receiving encrypted television signals and an output interface for output of decrypted television signals. The semiconductor integrated circuit is provided with some functionality restricted in some way by preventing one or more hardware circuit elements from operating, such as an MPEG decoder, display engine, IO ports or main CPU. To enable the functionality, a subscriber must pay for a service and then receives an encrypted message broadcast to the semiconductor integrated circuit that is decrypted and instructs functionality to be turned on or off.
US08223965B2
A communication infrastructure containing a plurality of templates stored in an intermediate routing node and data rights management service function that determines an incoming packet contains media content by comparing the packet contents with the plurality of predefined templates and verifies whether associated license in the packet is valid. The intermediate routing node triggers the data rights management service function, if the associated license is not valid. The data rights management service function verifies rights of the user of the destination device to use the media content and interacts with the destination device to verify the validity of the license. In addition, the intermediate routing node interacts with a media manufacturer's server to verify the validity of the license. An external data rights management server may in part or full carry out the DRM functionality, to assist the intermediate routing node.
US08223964B2
A system, method, and apparatus for authenticating microparticle marks or marks including other three-dimensional objects. The authentication utilizes two or more sets of information captured or acquired for the mark in response to illumination of the mark by electromagnetic energy such as in the visible frequency range. These sets of information are then used to verify that the mark includes three-dimensional objects such as microparticles. The two or more sets of information about the mark preferably vary from each other in time, space/directionality, color, frequency or any combinations thereof, and can be captured or acquired as part of one, two, or more images of the microparticle mark.
US08223961B2
A method (200) and device (100) for answering an incoming call to an electronic communication device enables the device to answer the incoming call using one of a plurality of answer modes, in response to when an answer call signal is input from a user of the device. The method (200) comprises allowing the device (100) to answer the incoming call, using a first answer mode, in response to an answer call signal input from a user at a user interface of the device before expiration of a first predetermined time period (step 205). The device is then allowed to answer the incoming call, using a second answer mode, in response to an answer call signal input from the user at the user interface of the device after expiration of the first predetermined time period (step 210).
US08223951B1
Interpersonal communications initiated from devices such as various phones and voice/chat devices automatically transport via an optimal path by invoking a service selector of communication mediums for selecting at least one of several alternate routing paths for user communications from among available communication mediums common to both an initiator and recipient. A user registration database identifies communication mediums applicable to each user, and identifies or maps an appropriate communication medium between users for completing a particular call. The service selector identifies and intercepts an outgoing communication attempt (call, email, text) from a user, identifies the user and recipient in the database, and selects an optimal communication medium defining an alternate routing path from the initially specified (i.e. default) transport mechanism.
US08223949B2
A method, apparatus and software is disclosed in which a gateway server provides communications between an Internet Protocol (IP) network and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to enable messaging between an IN server device in the PSTN and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Application Server (AS) on the IP network.
US08223948B2
A multi-tiered communication system for minimizing communication latency for a caller in a remote location who initiates contact with a local data center. The system includes a local data center located in a first location including one or more Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) functions that are configured for use with a caller who initiates contact with the local data center. The system also includes a remote media server located in a second location. The remote media server is configured to route an incoming call from the caller to the local data center, to route one or more IVR messages to the caller and to connect the caller with an agent for real-time communication. The agent is located in one of the second location or a third location that is substantially closer to the second location than the first location. Having the local data center in the first location enables the IVR message to be received by the caller after a period of expected delay and having the remote media server in the second or third location enables the real-time communication between the caller and the agent to be within an acceptable latency.
US08223925B2
A collimating device is described. The collimating device includes a housing defining an interior surface and an exterior surface of the collimating device. The housing includes an inlet and an outlet and a cavity extending between the inlet and the outlet. The collimating device also includes a plurality of ridges extending from the interior surface of the housing toward a center of the cavity. The plurality of ridges form a plurality of slits within the cavity configured to collimate radiation entering the inlet and exiting the outlet.
US08223920B2
The present invention is related to a patient positioning imaging device for positioning a patient in a hadron therapy device provided with a rotatable gantry (20). The patient positioning imaging device comprises a rotatable structure (10) provided with an extensible arm or foldable pivoting arm (12) arranged for connecting an imaging beam source (121) and an extensible structure or foldable pivoting structure (14) arranged for carrying an imaging beam receiver (141). The rotatable structure (10) is arranged for taking CBCT shots of the patient while the patient is located in an offset position with respect to an isocentre of the hadron therapy device, said offset position being in the direction of a rotational axis of the rotatable gantry (20). The rotatable structure (10) is arranged for being rotated while the rotatable gantry (20) remains fixed, and while the extensible or pivoting arm (12) and the extensible or pivoting structure (14) are in extended or unfolded position.
US08223908B2
Systems and methods are provided to generate a set of synchronization channel sequences that optimize time and frequency acquisition. A set of root indices of Zadoff-Chu sequences in a first domain (e.g., time domain) that optimize a performance metric or merit factor are identified. An optimal index is determined that also optimizes a performance metric in a reciprocal domain (e.g., frequency domain). Optimal indices satisfy a centro-symmetric relationship with respect to a half-value of sequence length: When 1 is an optimal index, N−1 is also an optimal root index. For sequences of length Q2=N, a base sequence generated with an optimal sequence can be utilized to generate at least two disparate optimal sequences through sign-flip, conjugation, and periodic modulation operations.
US08223903B2
A method provides for an improved compensation Fourier channel characteristics in a wireless communication embodiment. The method identifies one or more information carriers as pseudo pilot tones whose information may be realized to enhance the determination of the complex coefficient of the communication channel.
US08223901B2
A wideband signal comprising both a wanted signal and narrowband interference is received in a wideband receiver. The receiver comprises an interference detection unit comprising a set of sub-band filters. With the aid of the sub-band filters the received signal is processed to detect a sub-band containing the narrowband interference in time domain.
US08223900B2
In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a receiver with automatic gain includes a receiver stage, an AGC stage, and a digital processor which collectively define an AGC loop. Preferably, the AGC stage has a control circuit and a feedback circuit with matched transfer characteristics. A digital processor is operative to develop a gain control signal to set a desired gain level of the receiver stage to an optimal level based upon a waveform analysis derived from the gain feedback signal.
US08223898B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for down-converting an electromagnetic (EM) signal are described herein. Briefly stated, in embodiments the invention operates by receiving an EM signal and recursively operating on approximate half cycles (½, 1½, 2½, etc.) of the carrier signal. The recursive operations can be performed at a sub-harmonic rate of the carrier signal. The invention accumulates the results of the recursive operations and uses the accumulated results to form a down-converted signal. In an embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to a baseband information signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is down-converted to a non-FM signal, such as a phase modulated (PM) signal or an amplitude modulated (AM) signal.
US08223892B2
An apparatus and method for inter-channel data exchange in multi-channel data acquisition systems is disclosed. A multi-channel data acquisition system may include a data exchange layer coupling two or more channels of the data acquisition system. Data may be transmitted via the data exchange layer between the channels, enabling data from one channel to be processed and output by another channel. The data exchange layer may include a serial exchange layer or a parallel exchange layer.
US08223890B1
A method for identifying the modulation scheme of a software defined radio in real-time without pilot symbols between transmitters and receivers, includes providing a predetermined look-up table (LUT) in the software-defined radio wherein the LUT is prepared by pre-calculating discrete likelihood ratio test (DLRT) function values; storing the pre-calculated DLRT values in said LUT; and indexing the pre-calculated DLRT values by addresses.
US08223886B2
A transmission circuit switches a bias circuit without allowing a power amplifier to enter a non-bias state. A first bias circuit supplies a first bias signal to a power amplifier, and a second bias circuit supplies a second bias signal to the power amplifier. A first delay circuit delays the switching of an operation of the first bias circuit using a first delay time, and a second delay circuit delays the switching of an operation of the second bias circuit using a second delay time. The first bias circuit and the second bias circuit are both simultaneously operated for a predefined time period, in order to prevent a transistor for amplification from entering a non-bias state when switching an operation mode of the power amplifier.
US08223877B2
An apparatus and method for detecting a signal in a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) system are provided. The method includes filtering each stream of a received signal, acquiring a new search space by acquiring a set of candidates having reliability greater than a threshold with respect to each filtered stream, and detecting a signal for each stream of the new search space.
US08223872B1
An equalizer is applied to a signal to be transmitted via at least one multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) channel or received via at least one MIMO channel using a matrix equalizer computational device. Channel state information (CSI) is received, and the CSI is provided to the matrix equalizer computational device when the matrix equalizer computational device is not needed for matrix equalization. One or more transmit beamsteering codewords are selected from a transmit beamsteering codebook based on output generated by the matrix equalizer computational device in response to the CSI provided to the matrix equalizer computational device.
US08223866B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for sending a data block in an OFDM, or other MCM, communication system with reduced PAPR is provided. The data block is combined with a random scrambling sequence. An IDFT operation is performed upon the combined sequence, and its PAPR, peak-to-average power ratio, is calculated. The PAPR is compared against a threshold. If the PAPR is smaller than a threshold, the transformed, combination sequence is transmitted. Otherwise, a different scrambling sequence, if available, is used to form a new combination sequence, and the process iterates until either a PAPR smaller than the threshold is obtained, or a pre-defined maximum number of iterations is reached. If the maximum number of iterations is reached and no combination sequence is created that leads to an acceptable PAPR, then the transformed, combination sequence that exhibits the smallest PAPR level is selected for transmission.
US08223862B2
The OFDM channel estimation and Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) cancellation method uses a few pilots within Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems in general, and mobile OFDM systems in particular. The frequency domain channel is estimated using an eigenvalue based model reduction technique with high accuracy. A Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) based Finite Impulse Response (FIR) equalizer is then used to obtain an ICI free estimate of the transmitted signal.
US08223860B2
An OFDM system includes a frequency-time transformer configured to receive and transform input data to be transmitted to a time-domain sequence; a serial/parallel transformer configured to divide the time-domain sequence into plural sequences; a phase rotating module configured to perform phase rotation in respects to each of the divided time-domain sequences; and a minimum PAPR signal selector configured to select a sequence having a minimum peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) among the sequences outputted from the phase rotating module.
US08223859B2
A multi-tone modem with shared and discrete components forming a transmit path and a receive path configured to couple to a wired communication medium to communicate at least one multi-tone modulated communication channel thereon. The modem includes a multi-tone modulator component and a configurable frequency up converter component. The multi-tone modulator component is configured for multi-tone modulation and demodulation of a transmitted and received communication channel at a base band frequency range. The configurable frequency up converter component is coupled to the multi-tone modulator to selectably up convert the frequency range of the transmitted base band signal from the multi-tone modulator to that of a selected communication band and down convert received signals from the selected communication band to the base band for demodulation by the multi-tone modulator.
US08223845B1
Method for determining frame slice sizes of a frame for multithreaded decoding. The frame is encoded using at least two different slice types based on size where a large-type slice is at least two times larger than a small-type slice and/or the large-type slices comprise 70-90% of the frame. In some embodiments, the number of large-type slices is equal to the number of threads available for decoding and comprise the beginning slices of the frame to be decoded before the small-type slices. Methods for multithreaded deblocking of the frame under the H.264 codec is provided where first and second threads processes first and second sections of the frame in parallel. The first section comprises macroblocks on one side of a diagonal line and the second section comprises the remainder, the diagonal line extending from a first corner of a sub-frame to a second corner of the sub-frame.
US08223842B2
A moving image decoding device decodes moving image data encoded by a predictive encoding method. In decoding a block that has been encoded by an inter-screen predictive encoding, if a reference block is not stored in frame memory, the moving image decoding device decodes the block assuming that the block has been encoded by an intra-screen predictive encoding.
US08223834B2
A signaling unit of a display terminal establishes communication with a content server, video communication terminal, and PC server through a communication unit, and transmits/receives image data compressed by MPEG2, MPEG4, and JPEG. A media control unit switches compression schemes for decoding in a media processing unit on the basis of the received image data. The media processing unit performs decoding processing including inverse orthogonal transformation processing and dequantization processing in accordance with the switched compression scheme. At this time, a single processing circuit performs inverse orthogonal transformation processing and dequantization processing.
US08223825B2
A method of estimating a signal quality value in a receiver, the method comprising receiving a plurality of reference symbols; determining error rate for the plurality of received reference symbols; mapping the determined error rate to a signal quality value model; and determining mapped signal quality from the model to be signal quality value estimate. A signal quality estimator, a receiver, a communication apparatus, and a computer program for estimating signal quality are also disclosed.
US08223818B2
A wireless communication apparatus capable of minimizing the degradation of the separation characteristic of response signals to be code-multiplexed. In the apparatus, a control part (209) controls both a ZC sequence to be used for the primary spread in a spreading part (214) and a Walsh sequence to be used for the secondary spread in a spreading part (217) according to the associations between sequences and CCEs established in accordance with the probability of using response signal physical-resources corresponding to CCE numbers. The spreading part (214) performs the primary spread of the response signal by use of the ZC sequence established by the control part (209). The spreading part (217) performs the secondary spread of the response signal, to which CP has been added, by use of the Walsh sequence established by the control part (209).
US08223816B2
A signal sequence generating method of generating a signal sequence used by a user equipment terminal in a mobile communication system includes the steps of generating, by a base station, a predetermined hopping pattern; generating, by the base station, a hopping sequence by applying an offset to the predetermined hopping pattern; transmitting, by the base station, the hopping sequence to the user equipment terminal; and generating, by the user equipment terminal, the signal sequence according to the hopping sequence.
US08223810B2
A method of generating laser pulses having a predefined amplitude, phase and/or polarization at a distal end of an optical transmission system having at least one optical fiber, includes the steps of: generating laser pulses and inputting the laser pulses into a pulse shaper; calculating a control signal for controlling the pulse shaper, wherein at least one physical parameter of the optical fiber is taken into account; applying the control signal to the pulse shaper and modulating the amplitude, phase and/or polarization of the laser pulses whereby modulated laser pulses are formed; and inputting the modulated laser pulses into a proximal end of the optical transmission system.
US08223809B2
A laser gain medium crystal comprising a square rod of laser gain medium material having top and bottom surfaces that are finely ground to introduce scattering surfaces to cancel parasitic lasing. The square rod of laser gain material has input and output faces and side surfaces, and portions of the side surfaces near the output face of the square rod are finely ground to introduce scattering surfaces to cancel parasitic lasing. The rest of the side surfaces of the square rod are polished.
US08223806B2
The present invention relates to the domain of video equipment. More specifically, it concerns a reception device that comprises the means for: receiving packets containing samples, that come from data sampled every Tech period, where Tech is from a time base synchronized on all the stations of said network, regenerating a counting ramp having a count increment and a range value PCR_Modulus, using a phase-locked loop PLL1 that receives the samples and that delivers local samples every Tech period and a reconstituted clock, initializing, at every zero-crossing of the counting ramp, an image counter that is determined by the reconstituted clock. According to the invention, it comprises, further, means for determining the values of count increments.
US08223800B2
A network for coupling at least one telephone service signal to at least one telephone device over a wiring. The network includes: a wiring having at least two conductors for carrying multiple time-domain multiplexed digitized voice channels; an exchange side device coupled to the wiring and operative to couple at least one telephone service signal to at least one digitized voice channel; and at least one subscriber side device coupled to the wiring and operative to couple the at least one telephone device to at least one digitized voice channel.
US08223796B2
A graphics multi-media integrated circuit (GMIC) is connected to a host processor over two serial links: a half duplex bi-directional serial link which accords to a protocol defined for a display serial interface, and a uni-directional serial link which accords to a compatible protocol defined for a camera serial interface. The GMIC receives packets according to the protocol from the host over the half duplex bi-directional serial link and processes these packets. The GMIC sends packets according to the protocol to the host over the uni-directional serial link. A packet from the host can request a processing operation by the GMIC or can initiate a memory operation at the memory of the GMIC. The GMIC can also send packets to the host to initiate a memory operation at the memory of the host. The GMIC may be connected to a display over a bi-directional serial link according to the display serial interface protocol and to a camera over a uni-directional serial link and a bi-directional control link according to the camera serial interface so that the host controls the display and camera indirectly through the GMIC.
US08223795B2
A computer system and method for transmitting LAN signals over transport systems. LAN signals are generated in any client LAN compliant interface. A transceiver receives the client LAN signal in the LAN format. The client LAN signals are not converted to a SONET transmission format at any time before reaching the transceiver. The transceiver then converts the client LAN signal to an internal electrical LAN signal before re-clocking the internal electrical LAN signal. The re-clocked internal electrical LAN signal is then re-modulated into a second LAN signal. The second LAN signal is then transmitted to a transport system.
US08223792B2
A low cost mechanism that may be used to extend Ethernet capability to low end devices provides sufficient capacity to support Ethernet communications using only a single twisted pair medium. Because only a single twisted pair is used, the overall cost, complexity and size associated with the integrating Ethernet functionality into an end device is reduced. A distributed power system delivers power to a Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) device over the single twisted pair medium. With such an arrangement, Ethernet capability and power may be simultaneously delivered to low end devices at a reduced cost.
US08223790B1
A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing no back-off forwarding are presented. A timer (NAV) is maintained at each respective node of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). A frame is designated as a time-sensitive Quality of Service (TSQ) frame to be fast-forwarded from a first node to a second node of a plurality of nodes of the WLAN. The TSQ frame is forwarded by the second node according to a predetermined protocol, wherein a shorter back-off period is used for the TSQ frame than the back-off period normally used according to the predetermined protocol when the NAV of the second node expires.
US08223789B2
To prevent a collision from occurring at the time of random access in cases such as handover, response to paging and the like where a mobile station apparatus performs random access in response to directions from a base station apparatus. In a mobile communication system in which a mobile station apparatus 200 uses a signature of a beforehand determined signature group at the time of random access with a base station apparatus 100, the signature group is comprised of a signature group managed by the base station apparatus 100 and another signature group managed by the mobile station apparatus 200. The signature group managed by the base station apparatus 100 includes signatures associated with particular random access reasons to be selected by the base station apparatus 100.
US08223784B2
A network having a hierarchical structure includes a plurality of clusters. Each of the clusters includes a plurality of nodes and a cluster head connected to the nodes in a mesh format. Each of the nodes is connected to other clusters via the cluster head.
US08223776B2
A communication system includes a switching network and a wireless network. The switching network includes a first gateway for receiving a communication from a caller, a second gateway for establishing an external connection through which the communication can be routed, and a command center that allows the first and second gateways to make an internal connection. The wireless network includes a visited mobile switch center and a home location register. The visited mobile switch center generates routing information, receives the communication from the external connection of the switching network, and routes the communication to a wireless network subscriber. The home location register locates the visited mobile switch center, and passes the routing information from the visited mobile switch center to the command center of the switching network. The command center causes the external connection to be established based on the routing information.
US08223774B2
An apparatus includes an converter for changing network data into asynchronous transfer mode data for cellular transmission as a digital subscriber line signal, and for reconstructing network data from a cellular reception of a digital subscriber line signal.
US08223772B2
A clock supply device includes a receiving unit configured to receive frame synchronization packets from an asynchronous network and generate timing signals; a phase comparing unit configured to perform phase comparison by comparing phases of the timing signals generated by the receiving unit and clock signals generated by an internal oscillating unit; a phase variation detection unit configured to detect a frequency variation of the frame synchronization packets based on a trend of a variation amount of a phase difference that is obtained by performing a statistical process on count values obtained as a result of the phase comparison; and an oscillating frequency control unit configured to control an oscillating frequency of the internal oscillating unit when the phase variation detection unit detects the frequency variation of the frame synchronization packets.
US08223767B2
A method and apparatus of dynamically distributing multicast stream to different hosts on a link-aggregation-group is described. A network element receives, on a link-aggregation-group, multicast requests and determines the bandwidth for that request by the information stored in the request. The network element further allocates bandwidth requirement on the least utilized link in link-aggregation-group. The network element additionally updates a forwarding table to indicate that the multicast stream in that request is to be forward out the allocated link.
US08223759B2
A scalable router-switch that grows from a capacity of a few gigabits per second to hundreds of terabits per second is disclosed. In one embodiment, the router-switch comprises a plurality of switch units arranged in a plurality of combinations. Within each combination, each switch unit cyclically connects to each other switch unit to form a contention-free temporal mesh. Each switch unit belongs to a number of combinations and any two combinations have at most one switch unit in common. The router-switch further includes a distributed-control system which comprises an outer controller associated with each of the switch units and an inner controller associated with each combination. The structural simplicity significantly simplifies the operation and control of the router-switch.
US08223753B2
An apparatus and method for realizing the access of a legacy terminal to an IMS system. The apparatus includes a session control module, a downlink signaling interface function module, a downlink bearer interface function module, an uplink signaling interface function module, an uplink bearer interface function module and a media interworking module. The session control module registers the terminal that has entered service status to the I-CSCF on IMS side. During the session, the uplink signaling interface function module provides SIP signaling interaction with the CSCF function entity of IMS core network; the downlink signaling interface function module provides signaling interaction with the legacy terminal; the media interworking module provides the connection and media adaptation between the uplink bearer interface function module and the downlink bearer interface function module. The invention enables the services of the legacy networks such as PSTN/ISDN and the like to be integrated with those of IMS networks, thus reducing the cost of network construction and operation.
US08223751B2
Sensor nodes (or addresses therefore), acting as real-time message decoys, are distributed across a real-time communications network to attract unsolicited real-time messages. Filtering rules are derived from the message characteristics (such as the source address) and messaging content of the traffic encountered at the sensor nodes. The filtering rules are distributed to filtering agents positioned in the communications network in such a way that they can filter traffic for legitimate users. The filtering agents may identify and control the disposition of real-time messaging traffic that is part of a mass communication campaign on behalf of legitimate users of the real-time messaging communication system. Disposition may include suppressing, diverting, or labeling.
US08223743B2
Synchronization of a macrocell network with one of its sub networks (e.g., a femtocell network, a microcell network) is important for reducing the level of inter-carrier interference (ICI) that exists between the uplink users of a macrocell network and the sub-network. Even though blind synchronization techniques based on single-user signal conditions are known, the signal models are ineffective in multiuser scenarios and do not provide for reducing ICI effects. A blind synchronization method is disclosed which reduces ICI for sub network communications. Additionally, a method is disclosed which accurately and blindly synchronizes to the first user using an extended correlation window.
US08223737B2
Receiving units will switch between performing a DC bias suppression and not removing the DC distortion at the receiver depending on the amount of DC interference level observed/measured/estimated. Since the overall DC interference is from all uplink transmitters, potentially at different power levels, the amount of DC distortion can be measured based on the difference between the received power level and the expected power level on the DC sub-carrier. Additionally it can be estimated based on the number of active transmitters, their allocation bandwidth, power control target and/or a rough estimate of the DC distortion introduced by each active transmitter and also the distortion introduced by the receiver. Once this distortion level is estimated, a decision is then made whether or not to remove the DC distortion.
US08223734B2
A method is provided for transmitting a downlink shared control channel including a control signal necessary for restoring a transmission data signal in a mobile communication system that transmits a data signal using multiple antennas. It is determined whether the transmission data signal is coded with two or more codewords before being transmitted. One of a first element index of a sub-codebook configured only with a one codeword-dedicated precoding in a precoding codebook and a second element index of a sub-codebook configured only with a more-than-two codeword-dedicated precoding is selected, according to the determination result. A control channel is generated by including the selected element index in the precoding information. The generated control channel is mapped to a particular resource block and the mapped control channel is transmitted to a particular reception apparatus.
US08223732B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for balancing a load across access devices in a wireless network. A method comprises receiving an association request at a first access device of a plurality of access devices, and determining, in response to the association request, if the first access device is the least-loaded access device among the plurality of access devices. The method further comprises granting the association request if the first access device is the least-loaded access device. If the first access device is not the least-loaded access device, the method may further comprise denying the association request.
US08223727B2
An association method for associating a communication management apparatus, a bandwidth allocation management apparatus, a relay apparatus and a wireless terminal with each other is disclosed. In the method, the wireless terminal sends a request for terminal registration including a communication management apparatus identifier to the relay apparatus; the relay apparatus sends a first request for terminal registration to the communication management apparatus specified by the communication management apparatus identifier; the communication management apparatus sends a bandwidth allocation management apparatus identifier to the relay apparatus; the relay apparatus sends a second request for terminal registration of the wireless terminal to the bandwidth allocation management apparatus specified by the bandwidth allocation management apparatus identifier; and the bandwidth allocation management apparatus stores association between the wireless terminal and the relay apparatus.
US08223726B2
A wide area communication network includes at least two hub sites which are interconnected by a communication backbone Each hub site provides wireless coverage in at least one sector. At least two remote sites reside in each sectors and are coupled to a corresponding hub site via a point to multi point broadband wireless system. The network preferably includes at least one service node which is accessible to the remote sites via the hub sites and backbone.
US08223721B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a wireless transceiver, memory and a controller. The apparatus may be configured to assign, by a first physical access point (AP), a unique transferrable virtual AP address to one associated mobile station address; and perform, in response to a network request for handover, a handover for the associated mobile station address including: transferring the transferrable virtual AP address assigned to the associated mobile station address from a first physical AP to a second physical AP; and providing association state information for the associated mobile station address to the second physical AP.
US08223719B2
Provided are an apparatus for controlling handover between heterogeneous networks, a method of performing handover between heterogeneous networks in a mobile router, and a mobile router. The method includes determining whether a handover to a network employing a different method from a network to which the mobile router belongs is required based on information prestored in the mobile router, the network to which the mobile router belongs determined by current location information of the mobile router and performing the handover according to the result of the determination. Mobility detection time can be reduced by applying the handover technique between wireless/satellite networks based on link trigger and location to a mobile router moving at high speed. Thus, service interruption can be prevented regardless of movement speed, even in a satellite shadow region such as a station.
US08223717B2
A roaming gateway has at least one IP network interface, and at least one cellular network interface, and inter-working functions for inter-working between a wireless IP network and a cellular network. The inter-working functions communicate with user devices in an IP network according to a machine-level subscribe-and-notify event package protocol for managing handover of mobile devices roaming between IP and cellular networks. They also poll a cellular network for subscriber status on that cellular network in the absence of a mobility event package. The inter-working functions comprise HSS functionality programmed to access data on a HLR of a cellular network and to perform HSS operations using said data. The gateway applies routing policies specific to call types, allowing or disallowing the anchoring of calls originating in either an IP network or a cellular network based on number prefixes. The inter-working functions comprise an application server programmed to communicate with a user device as a client. The server provides a staging point for cellular supplementary services while anchoring calls, retrieving configurations from cellular network elements and applying appropriate routing based on these configurations and the current state of a call.
US08223706B2
A method for transmitting/receiving data in a mobile communication system and a method for efficiently using more radio resource if allocation of the more radio resource is required in addition to a predetermined radio resource are disclosed. An example of a method for receiving data in a mobile communication system includes receiving first control information using a first identifier, receiving second control information transmitted in the same time period with the first control information using a second identifier, and receiving the data via at least one of a first radio resource indicated by the first control information and a second radio resource indicated by the second control information.
US08223705B2
A method optimizes a performance of a multi-cell orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) network that includes a set of base stations (BSs) located in a cell, and each BS transmits data on downlink channels to a set of mobile stations (MSs) in the cell. Each BS acquires channel state information (CSI) and inter-cell interference information (ICI) for each downlink channel to each MS in the cell. Each BS selects a power level and a modulation coding scheme level (MCS) for transmitting the data to each MS on the downlink channels based on the CSI and ICI, such that a bit rate is maximized and the ICI is minimized. Then, time and frequency resource are allocated for transmitting the data on the downlink channels to the set of MSs, such that the allocated resources are minimized to optimize the performance of the network.
US08223696B2
A radio base station (200A) according to the present invention includes: a radio related information retainer unit (206) configured to retain radio related information on connection between a mobile station (100) and the radio base station (200A); a handover request signal generator/transmitter unit (208) configured to transmit a handover request signal including the radio related information retained by the radio related information retainer unit (206) to a connection target radio base station (200B); and a handover command signal generator/transmitter unit (202) configured to transmit, to the mobile station, a handover command signal for notifying difference information between the radio related information retained by the radio related information retainer unit (206) and radio related information set by the connection target radio base station (200B) based on a handover request acknowledgment signal.
US08223690B2
A streaming service method and system of the present invention is provided for improving service quality and reliability by transmitting data through an optimal wireless link selected among multiple wireless links available between a server and a client. A streaming service method for a system including a server and at least one client that can establish more than two wireless links with each other includes sending a link selection request message containing a content identifier from the client to the server; selecting, at the server, one of the wireless links for transmitting a content indicated by the content identifier; sending a link selection response message containing a link identifier of the selected wireless link from the server to the client; and receiving, at the client, the content transmitted by the server through the wireless link established with reference to the link identifier.
US08223684B2
According to this invention, there is provided a method applicable to the system which comprises a plurality of base stations each forming radio zones and storing a mobile terminal, and a gateway being connected to a packet communication network and relaying packet communication between the packet communication network and the mobile terminal. The method comprises buffering packets transmitted by a downlink to the mobile terminal in a packet buffer, requiring retransmission of unarrived packets in handover accompanied by movement among the radio zones, reading the packet required from the mobile terminal to retransmit the packet to the mobile terminal that is a request source, and assigning serial identification numbers to packets at least in a start to an end of the handover. When the identification numbers of the reached packets are discontinuous, the mobile terminal requires retransmission of packets needed to eliminate the discontinuity.
US08223683B2
Automatic provisioning of an access point base station or femtocell. The method may include the femtocell transmitting first information (e.g., location information, signal measurement information, capability information, etc.) to a service provider (e.g., over an IP network). The femtocell may receive second information from the service provider, where the second information includes one or more operational parameters. The operational parameters may include hand-off parameters, admission policy information, PN or scrambling codes, power parameters, and/or other parameters. The femtocell may operate according to the received parameters to provide access for a plurality of access terminals in a local area.
US08223675B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus includes a first module and a second module. The first module includes a first signal generator that produces a first signal by coding a first transmitted data into a waveform not including a direct-current component, having a polarity being inverted in each half period of a clock; a first signal sending unit that sends the first signal; and a signal subtracting unit that subtracts the first signal from a received signal. The second module includes a clock detecting unit that detects the clock based on the polarity inverting period of the first signal received from the first module; a second signal generator that produces a second signal by coding a second transmitted data into a waveform not including the direct-current component; and a second signal sending unit that sends the second signal while the second signal is synchronously added to the first signal.
