US08366631B2
A method for determining the respiratory flow of a patient receiving bi-level respiratory therapy is provided. The method may include measuring the total air flow through a breathing area at a time approximately when the patient has completed exhalation, measuring the pressure in the breathing area, determining a constant representing a corrective flow factor by dividing the measured total air flow by the square root of the measured pressure, and determining the patient's respiratory flow by subtracting from a subsequent total air flow the product of constant and the square root of a subsequent pressure.
US08366628B2
An implantable apparatus for sensing biological signals from an animal includes at least two electrodes disposed at locations to sense the biological signals. The electrode locations may be internal or external to the animal. Insulated conductors couple the electrodes via a passive network of filters to an instrumentation amplifier that has an internal voltage reference. Thus a sensed biological signal is filtered and amplified to provide an amplified differential signal. A signal analysis module processes amplified differential signal to determine at least one physiological parameter of the animal. The signal analysis module may include a first derivative zero detector for signal transition detection and feature detection and analysis. The apparatus may also comprise a signal presentation module to display amplified signals and physiological parameters associated with those signals.
US08366627B2
The systems, devices, and methods described herein provide for the estimation and monitoring of cerebrovascular system properties and intracranial pressure (ICP) from one or more measurements or measured signals. These measured signals may include central or peripheral arterial blood pressure (ABP), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) or cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV). The measured signals may be acquired noninvasively or minimally-invasively. The measured signals may be used to estimate parameters and variables of a computational model that is representative of the physiological relationships among the cerebral flows and pressures. The computational model may include at least one resistive element, at least one compliance element, and a representation of ICP.
US08366615B2
An apparatus comprises a sheath for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel, at least one electrode provided on the sheath, at least one other electrode; and a measuring device to which at least one pair of electrodes are coupled. The measuring device measures the impedance or conduction velocity between the first electrode on the sheath and the second electrode.
US08366613B2
In various embodiments, there is provided an LED drive circuit and a method for using the same. Specifically, the present disclosure is directed to an LED drive circuit for pulse oximeters. In an embodiment, the LED drive circuit includes a current mirror configured to provide drive current to an LED of a sensor. Additionally, the method includes providing current to first and second current mirrors, wherein the first and second current mirrors are configured to control first and second light sources.
US08366609B2
An actuator has a magnet moved together with a moving lens frame, an SMA wire capable of extending and contracting in a moving direction I of the moving lens frame with execution or non-execution of energization thereof, a fixing member made of a magnetic material attached to a distal end of the SMA wire, a pressing spring which urges the fixing member toward the magnet along the moving direction I, and a stopper member and a stopper portion which limits the movement of the magnet along the moving direction I at a first position or a second position.
US08366604B2
An endoscope including a shaft having a deflectable distal end; a handle at a proximal end of the shaft; and a deflection control connected to the distal end. The deflection control includes a combined lock and deflection control member at the handle. The control member is adapted to be moved to a selected location by a single finger of a user and thereby deflect the distal end. The control member is adapted to be locked at the user selected location by movement of the control member to a locked position by the single finger of the user.
US08366601B2
An implantable hearing aid transducer apparatus provides a simplified approach for interface with a middle ear component. The transducer includes a transducer housing, an actuator for middle ear coupling, and a driver having a magnet or coil interconnected to the actuator to induce movement in response to driver signals. In one feature, the actuator may be advanceable through an aperture of the housing independent from operation of the driver. In another feature, a portion of the transducer may be rotatable. In another feature, a retention apparatus may function to selectively secure a rotatable portion of the housing in a selected position. In an additional feature, a seal may be disposed around a driver component and connected to the actuator.
US08366590B2
A back machine and method that can be employed by individuals particularly those with chronic back pain to stretch the lower back muscles, realign and strengthen the lower spine and also to reduce pain. The back machine includes a base portion and a frame portion. The frame portion includes a lower end attached to the base portion. The frame portion extends in a vertical direction from the base portion to a height that is substantially above that of an average user standing upright on said base portion. The back machine includes a handle bar portion, a right foot support elevated above the base; a right leg restraint adjacent to the right foot support; a left foot support elevated above the base; and a left leg restraint restraining movement of a user's left leg when elevated.
US08366589B2
Exercise equipment is adaptable to a variety of resistance and acceleration configurations which are used improve an individual's start in the forty yard dash, and to improve an individual's performance in a variety of other exercises.
US08366582B2
A planetary gear including a stationary ring gear, a rotatable planet carrier having an even number of at least four mirror-symmetrically arranged planet wheels, and a sun gear and comprising two bearings disposed opposite of the sun gear and arranged between the planet wheels is provided. The bearings connect the input or output element of the planetary gear to the planet carrier in the center plane of the planet carrier, with the bearings forming an imaginary axis of symmetry, and at least two planet wheels having a lesser distance to each other than one of the planet wheels does to a further planet wheel.
US08366572B1
A projectile arrow apparatus not requiring a bow comprising a grip member, a notch opening formed within the shaft and a string tether comprising a knot formed in a first end. The tether is retained taut between the knotted end tightly wound within the notch opening and a second end wrapped around a palm of a user's hand while the user's hand grips the grip member. The apparatus is aimed and thrown forward mimicking a typical throwing action to render the apparatus air-borne as the knotted end of the tether unwinds and releases from the notch. Forward projectile forces pull on the tether as the user's arm moves in a throwing arc, directing the arrow in a desired trajectory toward a preferred target and sending the arrow significantly further and with significantly more force than if thrown by hand.
US08366565B2
A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region, located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The body member may have a first cross-section having a first airfoil-shaped surface in the heel. The first cross-section may be oriented at approximately 90° from the centerline of the club head. The body member may have a second cross-section having a second airfoil-shaped surface. The second cross-section may be oriented at approximately 45° or at approximately 70°. The airfoil-shaped surfaces may be defined by spline points or by equations. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.
US08366564B2
Described is a portable and intuitive golf swing improvement device for indicating the proper shift of a golfer's body weight to the front foot during a down swing. More specifically, the swing improvement device measures the shift of the golfer's body weight during a golf swing and indicates when such shift is in accordance with a technically sound swing. Additionally, the swing improvement device is self-sufficient and portable such that the device is deployable almost anywhere. The swing improvement device also provides swing analysis in a manner that is immediately understandable to the golfer.
US08366563B2
A portable, expandable golf training device that can be placed on the ground to provide alignment. The present invention can supply a plurality of light beams produced by lasers or other light sources or a plurality of extendable tapes or tubes or rods to provide alignment both in the direction of play and perpendicular to it. The device can be used by placing it on the ground in front of the golfer (between the golfer's feet and the ball. Two lines can project outward perpendicular to the direction of play, and two or four lines can project into and away from the direction of play. These lines provide alignment for the golfer. The tapes can be a flat, elongated flexible tape similar to a measuring tape. The rods or tubes can be extendable and/or telescoping.
US08366558B2
An outer ring, an inner ring and a ball that are a rolling contact member formed of sintered β sialon inexpensive and capable of reliably ensuring sufficient durability, is constituted of a sintered body containing β sialon as a main component and having a remainder formed of an impurity, and the outer ring, the inner ring and the ball have raceway/rolling contact surfaces, i.e., an outer ring raceway surface, an inner ring raceway surface and a ball rolling contact surface included in a portion having an outer ring high density layer, an inner ring high density layer and a ball high density layer higher in density than an inner portion.
US08366556B2
An apparatus and method for limiting torque transferred from an engine or motor to a drive shaft or other components. In some embodiments, the torque-limiting device has a spindle disposed within both coupling flanges to increase the resistance to radial forces and to maintain coaxial alignment of the flanges and attached drive shafts. In some embodiments, the axial spacing of bearings that enable rotation of the coupling flanges is based upon the diameter of the spindle. In another embodiment, torque-limiting devices that maintain coaxial alignment may be used to modify vehicle drive shafts to enable long distance towing for long durations at high speeds.
US08366554B1
Game client, game server, Web application server, and database server including database with data representative of a virtual world. Game client or server, or both, includes motifs, motif manager, character manager, scenes-a-faire manager, and display manager coupled to display, all in communication with game manager, and pseudorandomizer, which can instigate changing of a motif. Motifs are representative of a game character or environment. A user interface has mass sensor, accelerometer, haptic device, first device for visual input, output, or both, second device for audio input, output, or both, and tactile sensor, effector or both. Included may be automatic translator, or TTS/STT module. The online game can be virtual world representative of at least two of a northern continent, a western continent, a southern continent, a central continent, and an eastern continent. Methods provide game client, game server, and a database that manipulate character or environment motifs and scenes-a-faire.
US08366553B2
Provided are a method and system for detecting a bot in a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) online and in real time. By analyzing a communication pattern between a client and a server, the bot is detected based on parameters such as data length, inter-arrival time and data length auto correlation. Tests using respective parameters are combined to construct a global decision scheme, and thus more accurate detection results can be obtained. An integrated anti-bot defense system can be built by combining other tests such as a Turing test.
US08366548B2
A game apparatus includes a CPU and a main memory. The main memory stores a first character, is capable of storing a second character, and stores a first movement history being brought into association with the first character. The CPU acquires position information indicating a position in which the game apparatus exists, updates a first movement history on the basis of the position information, receives a second character and a second movement history being brought into association with the second character from another game apparatus, and performs processing of writing down a diary and giving a quiz by the character on the basis of at least one of the first character and the second character, and at least one of the first movement history and the second movement history.
US08366542B2
A computerized management system and methods including accounting, auditing, and correcting systems and processes are disclosed for use with game and/or gaming devices, systems, and methods enable users to remotely monitor, control, and modify financial data, reports, and information related to game and/or gaming machines and apparatuses of different classes, for example Class II and Class III gaming machines and table games, and different facilities, such as Class III gaming establishments, bingo establishments, and lottery establishments.
US08366523B2
The invention relates to a feeding machine for manufacturing sausage-shaped products including storage rods for suspending sausage-shaped products, a device for mounting one end of a storage rod, and a device for feeding the sausage-shaped products, the device for feeding comprising an endless conveyor with a strand running parallel to the storage rod and having conveyor elements spaced at intervals to receive the sausage-shaped products, at least one control element arranged along the strand of the endless conveyor, the conveyor elements being movable and having hooks comprised of two identical partial hooks and being pivotable around horizontal axes from their position holding the suspension elements into their position depositing the suspension elements, the at least one control element forming a moving trigger element along the strand against its forward direction, which triggers the movement of the hooks from their holding into their depositing position.
US08366522B2
A system for producing sausage-shaped products that includes a filling machine for filling a tubular casing with viscous or granular stuff, a clipping machine for dividing the filled tubular casing into sausage-shaped products and closing the sausage-shaped products by closing means; and a transportation device for discharging the sausage-shaped products out of the clipping machine and transporting the sausage-shaped products along a transport path for storing them on rod-like elements, being positioned in an automatic hanging line for accommodating the rod-like elements; wherein the transport path extends from the clipping machine to the distal end of said smoking rod.
US08366519B2
An inner surface grinding tool is provided with a plurality of machining units for simultaneously machining inner surfaces of a plurality of portions of a workpiece. The plurality of machining units respectively include expanding and contracting mechanisms and grinding blade portions. In the respective machining units, outer diameters of the respective grinding blade portions are capable of individually expanding and contracting by the respective expanding and contracting mechanisms.
US08366517B2
A floor treatment apparatus includes a frame, a housing which is rotatable with respect to the frame according to a main axis, at least three head pulleys which are rotatable with respect to the housing according to respective head axes which are regularly spaced around, and which are parallel to, the main axis, a motor supported by the frame, a drive pulley which is drivable by the motor, a main belt tensioning pulley and a main belt which is slung around the drive pulley, the head pulleys and the main belt tensioning pulley. Further an auxiliary pulley is coaxially connected to the main belt tensioning pulley. A fixed pulley is connected to the frame. An auxiliary belt is slung around the auxiliary pulley and the fixed pulley for rotating the housing with respect to the frame.
US08366515B2
A method of form transfer grinding a three-dimensional shape utilizes a form transfer tool over which a belt is driven. The form transfer tool includes a shape that is desired in the finished part and guides a belt that grinds an area of a part to a finished or nearly finished condition.
US08366510B2
A shooting toy where players determine whether or not a shot has hit a target based on image recognition is provided. A determination section (43) of a controller (5) determines whether or not the shot has hit the target based on image recognition by comparing a target image to be recognized, acquired by a target image data acquiring section (41) with a reference image stored in a reference image data storing section (45). A game executing section (35) proceeds with the game based on a hit signal outputted from the determination section (43).
US08366504B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having a TFT substrate and a counter substrate, and prevents brightness unevenness from being caused by orientation film thickness unevenness. Orientation films for the TFT substrate (10) and the counter substrate (20) are formed by offset printing that is performed to transfer an orientation film material from a printing plate to the TFT substrate (10).The direction in which the printing plate for an offset printing machine rotates during offset printing is the long-axis direction of the TFT substrate (10) in the case of the TFT substrate (10) or the short-axis direction of the counter substrate in the case of the counter substrate. This ensures that brightness unevenness caused by orientation film thickness unevenness is inconspicuous even when the orientation film thickness unevenness is produced during offset printing.
US08366500B2
In an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, and a torque converter interposed between the engine and a drive shaft and equipped with a lockup clutch, it is configured to have a throttle opening detector that detects throttle opening of a throttle valve of the engine, a throttle opening change amount calculator that calculates a change amount of the calculated throttle opening, and a clutch ON unit that makes the lockup clutch ON when the calculated change amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and keeps the lockup clutch ON during a predetermined time period. With this, it becomes possible to improve acceleration performance immediately after the engine speed is accelerated.
US08366499B2
A ground terminal is provided for a vehicle. The ground terminal includes a hub having an opening extending therethrough. The opening is configured to receive a fastener for attaching the hub to the vehicle. A plurality of electrical contacts extend radially outward from the hub. Each electrical contact extends outwardly from the hub to a free end portion. The free end portions of the electrical contacts are arranged in an arcuate pattern.
US08366491B2
A cable assembly includes a plurality of contacts, an insulation housing molded to fill and surround the contacts, a printed circuit board including a plurality of holes receiving soldering tin to electrically connect contacts to the printed circuit board, and a cover including a rectangular frame and a extending portion rearward extending from the rectangular frame to enclose a part of the printed circuit board exposed out of the insulation housing.
US08366487B2
An exemplary server includes a housing, a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, a power supply received in the housing, a hard disk drive assembly fixed in the housing and a connection device connected to the hard disk drive. The connection device includes a connector connected to the hard disk drive, an adapter connected to the hard disk drive, a power transferring line connecting the adapter to the power supply, and a data transferring line connecting the connector to the printed circuit board. The adapter has output pins and input pins for transferring power from the power supply to the hard disk drive. Capacitors and resistors are connected between the input pins and the output pins.
US08366482B2
A hardline coaxial cable connector includes a body subassembly, a back nut subassembly and a deformable ferrule disposed within the back nut subassembly. The back nut subassembly is rotatable with respect to the body subassembly and a coaxial cable inserted therein. Axial advancement of the back nut subassembly toward the body subassembly causes the ferrule to deform radially inwardly and be in electrical communication with the body subassembly.
US08366478B2
In the electronic device according to the present invention, a plurality of electronic components are connected to respective terminal blocks through respective signal cables, the signal cables each includes an end connected to a terminal of each of the electronic components, a connector attached to the other end of each of the signal cables is connected to each of the terminal blocks. the plurality of signal cables are bundled together at a deflection position distances to which from the terminals of the plurality of electronic components are different, the plurality of signal cables extend from the deflection position to corresponding terminal blocks, and the positions of the plurality of terminal blocks are shifted from each other in accordance with difference in lengths of the signal cables from the deflection position passing point to the connectors.
US08366469B2
A connector isolator system, having a mounting plate with a contact surface and an opposing operational surface and an aperture extended therebetween; a plurality of backstops spaced a distance away from the operational surface of the mounting plate; a printed circuit board (PCB) or other connector carrier member that is movable out-of-plane between the backstop and the operational surface of the mounting plate, and a plurality of in-plane isolators mounted therein with an electrical connector mounted thereon in a position to pass through the aperture in the mounting plate; and one or more biasing members arranged for urging the connector carrier member toward the mounting plate and the electrical connector through the aperture therein.
US08366468B2
A connector isolator system, having a backstop spaced a fixed distance away from an interface surface; a printed circuit board (PCB) or other connector carrier member that is movable between the backstop and the interface surface, and further comprising one or more in-plane isolators; an electrical connector mounted on the connector carrier member in a position to pass through an aperture in the interface surface; and one or more biasing members arranged between the backstop and the connector carrier member for urging the connector carrier member toward the interface surface and the electrical connector through the aperture.
US08366467B2
An illumination device includes a light tube holder including two connectors for receiving either a light-emitting diode (LED) tube or a fluorescent tube. The connector includes a rotary member rotatably received in a through hole defined in a retainer, and three conductive elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole. One elastic piece is electrically connected to an LED tube drive circuit board, and the other two elastic piece are electrically connected to a fluorescent tube drive circuit board. The rotary member can be rotated to first and second positions, wherein at the first position, the LED tube can be activated, and at the second position the fluorescent tube can be activated. The LED tubes has two conductive pins at each end thereof. The LED tube can be mounted to the connectors regardless an orientation of the LED tube.
US08366465B2
A plug apparatus includes a main body, and a plurality of plugs. The plugs have different plug tips of different recognized standards. The plugs are capable of electrically and detachably sleeving on each other. Each plug is also capable of electrically and detachably sleeving on the main body. When one of the plugs (a first plug) sleeves on the other plug (a second plug), the plug tip of the second plug is hidden by the first plug.
US08366461B2
An electrical plug includes a base having an accommodating portion, a first hinge member rotatably disposed in the accommodating portion and having a recess, a first prong having one end connected to the first hinge member, a second prong having one end connected to the first hinge member. And the recess is disposed between the first prong and the second prong, a second hinge member is rotatably disposed in the accommodating portion, and a third prong has one end connected to the second hinge member. The first prong and the second prong are rotated by the first hinge member to be selectively received in the accommodating portion, and when the first prong and the second prong are received in the accommodating portion, the third prong is selectively rotated to be received in the recess.
US08366460B2
An apparatus includes a first shutter, a first pivot arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is disposed in mechanical communication with the first shutter, a second shutter, and a second pivot arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is disposed in mechanical communication with the second shutter and the first end is disposed in mechanical communication with the first end of the first pivot arm. Linear movement of the first ends of the first and second pivot arms results in linear movement of the first shutter and the second shutter.
US08366456B2
A cable connector assembly includes a conductive housing including a base in cooperation with a cover to define a receiving cavity, a pair of first and second PCBs received in the receiving cavity at different levels, and at least two cables located at a same level at a rear wall of the housing. The receiving cavity includes a hollow portion and a mating port located in front of the hollow portion. Both PCBs have mating interfaces extending into the mating port and mounting portions located within the hollow portion. The at least two cables electrically connect to the mounting portions of the first and second PCBs, respectively.
US08366452B2
A socket connector includes an insulative housing with a plurality of receiving holes, and a plurality of contacts received in the receiving holes. The contact has a soldering portion, and a retaining arm and a resilient arm respectively extending upwardly from the soldering portion. The retaining arm has a broken edge facing downward, which is formed by breaking a carrier from the contact.
US08366438B2
In a mold clamping device including a fixed platen, a movable platen, a plurality of tie bars, and mold clamping half nuts, a pair of additional half members which is restricted in the axial direction of the tie bar and moves in an opening/closing direction of the half nuts relative to the mold clamping half nuts is further provided, and when the mold clamping half nuts are closed and mated with the screw or the ring groove of the tie bar, the additional half members are closed to hold the tie bar so that play at mated parts is removed or cancelled by fixation.
US08366435B2
A mold unit has first and second parts, each with a plurality of cooperating cavity portions. The mold unit further has similarly interconnected third and fourth mold parts. An operating system moves the mold parts to change the mold unit between first and second states. The first and third mold parts meet at a fixed, first parting line to define a first plurality of mold cavities, and the second and third mold parts meet at a fixed, second parting line to define a second plurality of cavities with the mold unit in the first state. In the second state, molded products formed from the parisons can be released from their cavities.
US08366432B2
A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layerwise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and a building space (10) that is arranged in the machine frame. In the building space (10) there are arranged: an application device (27) that applies layers of the building material onto a support device (26) and a previously applied layer, respectively, by an application element (61); a dosage device (28, 29) that provides building material for the application device (27) for an application, and a heating device (31) for heating the applied layers of the building material. The application element (61) and/or the dosage device (28, 29) and/or the heating device (31) are removable from the building space (10) without a tool.
US08366428B2
A method and apparatus for underwater pelletizing and subsequent drying of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers and other high temperature crystallizing polymeric materials to crystallize the polymer pellets without subsequent heating. High velocity air or other inert gas is injected into the water and pellet slurry line to the dryer near the pelletizer exit. Air is injected into the slurry line at a velocity of from about 100 to about 175 m3/hour, or more. Such high-speed air movement forms a vapor mist with the water and significantly increases the speed of the pellets into and out of the dryer such that the PET polymer pellets leave the dryer at a temperature sufficient to self-initiate crystallization within the pellets. A valve mechanism in the slurry line after the gas injection further regulates the pellet residence time and a vibrating conveyor after the dryer helps the pellets to achieve the desired level of crystallinity and to avoid agglomeration.
US08366412B2
A compressor drive system for driving a compressor of an internal combustion engine contains a variable speed drive unit and a planetary gear set, the planetary gear set being connected to the internal combustion engine and the compressor in such a way that a first output shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the compressor, a first drive shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the internal combustion engine, and a second drive shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the internal combustion engine through the variable speed drive unit.
US08366409B2
A reciprocating pump is provided that does not leak working liquid to the exterior. A communicating tube 14 extends over both a first manifold 4 and a second manifold 5 such that a reciprocating member 1 constitutes a part of a reciprocating cylinder 2. An auxiliary O-ring 24 is disposed on connection surfaces 13a and 13b of a first manifold 4 and a second manifold 5 outside of the communicating tube 14 in the radial direction so that liquid leaking from at least one of a first O-ring 15 between the first manifold 4 and the periphery of the communicating tube 14 and a second O-ring 16 between the second manifold 5 and the periphery of the communicating tube 14 toward the exterior is blocked.
US08366405B2
A screw compressor includes a casing, a screw rotor disposed in a cylinder portion of the casing to define a compression chamber, and a capacity control slide valve. Fluid sucked into the compression chamber is compressed by rotation of the screw rotor. The slide valve is slidable along a rotation axis of the screw rotor and is opposed to an outer circumferential surface of the screw rotor. The slide valve includes a dynamic pressure generator formed on an opposed surface of the slide valve that is opposed to the screw rotor to generate a dynamic pressure using fluid in contact with the opposed surface of the slide valve. The slide valve is configured so that the dynamic pressure generated by the dynamic pressure generator avoids contact between the slide valve and the screw rotor.
US08366404B2
A fuel system is described that comprises a pressure raising and shut-off valve (PRSOV), and a control valve arrangement operable to control a fuel pressure applied to a part of the PRSOV urging the PRSOV towards a closed position, wherein the control valve arrangement is supplied with fuel at a pressure controlled by a variable fluid pressure potentiometer network including a variable flow restrictor which is variable in response to changes in the position occupied by the PRSOV.
US08366400B2
A blade as a main body of a rotor blade has a suction side made convex and a pressure side made concave so as to have an aerofoil profile. A squealer tip having a back face continuous to the suction side and a front face matching with a center plane of the blade is formed at a distal end of the blade. The front face is coated with a hard coating.
US08366395B1
A turbine blade with individual metering and impingement cooling modules spaced around four zones of the airfoil designed to provide local blade cooling based on the heat load as well as tailoring the local pressure distribution to optimize film cooling. Each metering and impingement module is fluidly separated from others.
US08366382B1
A mid-turbine frame buffer system for a gas turbine engine includes a mid-turbine frame that supports a shaft by a bearing. An air compartment and a bearing compartment are arranged radially inward of the mid-turbine frame. The bearing compartment is arranged within the air compartment and includes first and second contact seals arranged on either side of the bearing. The air compartment includes multiple air seals. A high pressure compressor is fluidly connected to the air compartment and is configured to provide high pressure air to the air compartment. A method of providing pressurized air to a buffer system includes sealing a bearing compartment with contact seals, surrounding the bearing compartment with an air compartment, and supplying high pressure air to the air compartment.
US08366379B2
A turbomachine has a housing, a rotor shaft extending along and rotatable about an axis in the housing, and a pair of axially spaced axial-thrust bearings in the housing carrying the shaft and normally only permitting a predetermined small axial displacement of the shaft in the housing. An impeller is rotationally fixed on the shaft. An axially fixed transmission gear is rotationally coupled to the shaft and has an axially directed gear face. A collar fixed axially on the shaft has an axially directed collar face confronting the gear face and normally spaced from the gear face by a clearance equal to more than the predetermined axial displacement. Thus on failure of one of the bearings and axial overtravel of the shaft the gear face and collar face engage each other and limit axial movement of the shaft.
US08366376B2
This is a paper-stacking support with segmented shelves that can support paper and can also fold upon being rotated around rollers by a driver belt. Once an upper shelf is fully loaded, it is moved downwardly by the drive belt and another shelf is moved into an upper loading position by the drive belt. This allows for a continuous running of the stacking operation without an interruption during the unloading of the stacked paper.
US08366368B2
A lock ring (6), which comprises a core part (61) and a twisted wire part (62) around it. The lock ring (6) comprises shape memory alloy or bimetal, whereby the lock ring is arranged to deform as the temperature changes to a predetermined value.
US08366364B2
A piercing fastener is attachable to a panel without a hole by penetrating its surface. The fastener further includes means for attachment of a device to it so that the fastener acts as an intermediate component attaching the device to the panel. The fastener has either male or female attachment means and further includes an outside surface extending from a top end to a bottom end. Near the bottom end, a reinforcement collar includes an annular top surface for receiving a downward pressing force to install the fastener into the panel. A displacer and undercut are located immediately below the collar to effect and receive a cold flow of deformed panel material to secure the fastener to the panel. A plurality of axially extending circumferential teeth are located immediately below the undercut and comprise triangular knurls with sharp edges which penetrate the sheet as the fastener is applied. The bottom of the fastener terminates in a sharp circular cutting edge for penetrating the panel.
US08366358B2
A rotary cutting tool that is composed of a tool shank with at least one chucking groove or chip flute and one exchangeable cutting insert. At the tip of the shank a recess for accommodating the cutting insert is provided. The tool shank, on its circumference, has a limb with a bearing surface that is inclined relative to the tool axis and that corresponds to a likewise inclined bearing surface on a wing of the cutting insert. The inclination of the bearing surfaces produces an axial force that retains the cutting insert on the tool shank.
US08366355B2
A cutting insert, wherein: a cutting edge part having a quadrangular shaped cutting face, which is provided with a pair of side cutting edges extending in a longitudinal direction of an insert body, and a front cutting edge between ends of the side cutting edges that extends in a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction, is formed at an end of the insert body having a bar-shape; and viewed from a direction facing the cutting face perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, at least one of a pair of corner edges where the side cutting edge and the front cutting edge intersect is formed in a convex shape such that it has a point of inflection at which, after a tangent line that makes contact with the corner edge rotates in a direction extending in the longitudinal direction along the corner edge from the front cutting edge, its direction of rotation changes, and it joins the side cutting edge.
US08366349B2
A system for disposing of aggregate material in a mine cavern between a mine ceiling and a mine floor includes a first pump for pumping water from the cavern, a second pump for pumping emulsion to the cavern, a gated proportioning mechanism, and a water line extending between the first and second pumps and being accessible at the gated proportioning mechanism such that aggregate in the gated proportioning mechanism is introduced into the water line to form the emulsion. The second pump is configured such that the emulsion is pumped into the cavern at a pressure between about 20 pounds per square inch and about 30 pounds per square inch and settles on the mine floor in a pile having an angle of repose between about 1:1.5 and about 1:3.5. The pressure is insufficient to fracture the mine floor and insufficient to fracture the mine ceiling.
US08366347B2
Wave-generating apparatus (1) that is installed in an aquatic environment (3) and which comprises, as its main elements, at least one elongated profile (5) that moves tangentially in relation in relation to a uniformly-deep floor (4) by the action of a drive mechanism (6). As a result, a wave (2) forms on the profile (5) and moves along with the profile (2). The profile (5) is disposed to form an angle (8) other than 90° with the direction of displacement (7), the purpose being to generate a wave (2) with an escape area and which can therefore be surfed. Some parameters of the apparatus (1) may be adjusted for the purpose of changing the degree of difficulty of the wave (2) that is generated.
US08366344B2
A pavement joint 101, 102 disposed between two contiguous pavement slabs 103, 104 and 105 incorporating a shear key (12, 13, 22 and 23) and at least one hinge (37, 38, 39 and 40). The shear key and the at least one hinge are operative when at least one of the slabs is subjected to out-of-plane action P with the shear key transferring shear between the slabs, and the at least one hinge accommodating angular displacement of the slabs relative to the joint axis in at least one direction. In one form, a joint member 10, 20, 40, 50 and 60 is disposed between the slabs to provide the shear key and hinge. A joint member and pavement slab for use in the joint is also described.
US08366337B2
A package for dispensing a substance is described, where the package includes a stiff sheet that has a score formed on and traversing the first surface. The package also includes a flexible sheet defining a cavity for receiving the substance between the stiff sheet and the flexible sheet. The package also includes an applicator having a porous material pad, where the applicator is attached to the stiff sheet over the score by two hinges. The stiff sheet is configured to be folded about the score to cause the substance to be expelled from the cavity through a metering hole into the porous material pad and the two hinges allow the porous material pad to remain generally flat as the stiff sheet is folded.
US08366329B2
A lens barrel assembly, a camera including the lens barrel assembly, and a method of assembling a lens barrel are disclosed. The lens barrel assembly is provided that includes an optical lens, a unitary barrel having an outlet slit defined therethrough, and a flexible printed circuit board extending through the outlet slit to communicate signals between an area inside the barrel and an area outside the barrel.
US08366328B2
Apparatus and methodology for mechanically splicing two optical fibers of equal or different diameters. Instead of flat V-groove structure for holding the optical fibers to be spliced, embodiments of the present invention use a concave-walled channel to better align two optical fibers if they have different diameters. The cover holding the fibers in place in the concave channel is similarly curved. The improved alignment results in more area overlap between end surfaces of the two optical fibers to be spliced. This reduces insertion loss by 0.1 dB or better, at the splice junction and, therefore, improves light signal transmission. The radius of curvature of the concave structure can be approximately two to three times the radius of the optical fibers being spliced.
US08366325B2
An optical module 10 according to the invention is comprised of: a substrate 11; a laser diode array 14 implemented on said substrate in an array; a driver IC 15 implemented on said substrate and electrically connected to each of surface emitting semiconductor laser elements of the laser diode array 14; an optical connector unit 12 for holding a plurality of optical fiber 16 in an array, wherein the optical connector unit 12 is fixed to the substrate 11 in a location where center of each single end of said plurality of optical fiber and center of each light injecting region are aligned with each other; and a cover 13. The optical connector unit 12 includes two guide-pin holes 12b on two opposite sides of a plurality of fiber holding hole 12a. Two alignment marks 50 are provided on a surface 11a of the substrate 11, which are visually recognizable through each of the guide-pin holes 12b, and function as alignment reference of said optical connector unit 12.
US08366324B2
A sealing device is mounted in an annular space defined between an inner member and an outer member which rotate relative to each other. The sealing device includes a slinger which has a cylindrical portion which is press fitted on or in one of the inner member and the outer member and an annular plate portion, and a seal main body which has a core metal having a cylindrical portion which is press fitted in or on the other of the inner member and the outer member and an annular plate portion and a seal member fixed to the core metal. A lip for closing a space between the annular plate portion of the slinger and the cylindrical portion of the core metal is provided on the slinger or the seal main body.
US08366323B2
A rotation shaft supporting structure has radial clearance between a bearing surface of an upper tilting pad and a rotating surface of the journal that can be adjusted so that a high pressure oil film is formed in the clearance and carryover of lubrication oil from an upstream pad to its adjacent downstream pad is prevented. Oil supply nozzles are mounted to the bearing housing to be located adjacent to the upstream and downstream side end of each bearing pad. An upstream side nozzle supplies lubrication oil to the bearing surface of the pad and a downstream side nozzle injects oil toward the journal surface to prevent carryover of lubrication oil from the bearing surface of the upstream pad to that of the downstream pad dragged by the rotating surface of the journal. The nozzles also serve as stoppers to prevent rotational movement of the pad.
US08366321B2
A bearing unit includes: a shaft; a radial bearing configured to support the shaft in a circumferential direction; a thrust bearing configured to support one end of the shaft in a thrust direction; a housing having the radial bearing and the thrust bearing disposed in the inside and having a closed structure except a shaft insertion hole into which the shaft is fitted; a coming out preventing member provided on one end side of the radial bearing at which the thrust bearing is provided configured to prevent the shaft from coming out from the radial bearing; and viscous fluid filled in the housing. The coming out preventing member is made of a resin material having a value of a Young's modulus equal to or higher than 3.4 GPa.
US08366314B2
Manual device for adjusting and/or controlling a function of a timepiece comprising a case 2 housing a horological movement, said manual device comprising a rod 3 and a retractable crown 4 mounted in said case, and such that the crown comprises a cylindrical body 16 having a blind cylindrical hollow 5 surrounding a tubular passage 6 designed to surround said rod 3 and connect it kinematically in rotation to the crown 4, at least one elastically deformable means 8 pushing the crown outwards relative to the case 2, the device comprising a base 10 in the shape of a cylindrical cover designed to be fixed into the watch case and traversed by said rod 3, and an indexing structure 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 attached to said base and making it possible to index an indexing ring 15 coupled translationally, but free in rotation, to the end of said tubular passage 6 of the crown, and making it possible, via successive applications of pressure to the crown, to move from a retracted or rest position to a working position.
US08366311B2
A mixing apparatus including a kinetic energy source, a mixing tank, a pivot guide, and transfer shaft is used to drive a mixing paddle through a circular path within a tank without substantial shaft rotation. Sleeved and sleeveless mixing paddles are provided in combination with sealable mixing tanks. A volumetric compensation system responsive to tank wall deflection is used to maintain the internal volume of a mixing tank within predetermined limits. One mixing apparatus includes multiple mixing shafts and paddles coupled to at least one kinetic energy source. Methods for fabricating sleeved paddle-containing mixing apparatuses are further provided.
US08366307B2
A semiconductor light emitting device of what is called a side view type can achieve directional characteristics having substantial symmetry with respect to an optical axis. The semiconductor light emitting device can emit light in a direction substantially parallel to a surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is to be held. The semiconductor light emitting device can include a semiconductor light emitting element emitting light in a light emitting direction parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor light emitting element is to be held, a base substrate having a main surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is held, the main surface being parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is to be held. The base substrate can have a cutoff portion defined forward of the semiconductor light emitting element in the light emitting direction and in a position in which light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element crosses the main surface. A light-transmitting first sealing resin can be provided on the base substrate, to bury the semiconductor light emitting element while filling the cutoff portion. The light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element can travel through the cutoff portion.
US08366300B2
The invention is directed to an ornamental pond fish feeding indicator that has a housing with an indicator end. A first LED is enclosed in the housing at the indicator end of the housing. A second LED is also enclosed in the housing at the indicator end of the housing. A temperature sensing circuit is enclosed in the housing. The temperature sensing circuit transmits a signal to the first LED and the second LED. A float is attached to the housing. Using this invention, a pond owner can simply glance at his or her pond and determine whether or not to feed their fish based on the color of the light on top. The light on top of the indicator is red when pond water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If the pond water is 50 degrees or over, the light is green.
US08366294B2
A light-emitting chip (22) includes: a container (30) having a concave portion (31); first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64), provided to be exposed to the concave portion (31); and a first blue LED to a fourth blue LED (74) mounted on the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) exposed to the concave portion (31). The container (30) includes a first container portion (40) covering the region of the concave portion (31) where the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) are not exposed, and a second container portion (50) contacting the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) without being exposed to the concave portion (31) and accommodating the first container portion (40). The first container portion (40) is formed of a material having higher light reflectivity than that of the second container portion (50), and the second container portion (50) is formed of a material having higher thermal conductivity than that of the first container portion (40). Thus, a decrease in extraction efficiency for light emitted from a light-emitting element can be suppressed, and a rise in the temperature of the light-emitting element in response to the light emission can be suppressed.
US08366280B2
A lens adjusting device including a frame, a lens, a base, at least a positioning structure, and a locking device is provided. The lens is fixed on the frame. The base has a through hole with a predetermined shape formed thereon. The positioning structure is disposed on the base for movably positioning the frame on a plane above the base. The locking device including a screw, a nut, and a fixer is capable of fixing the frame to the base. The screw penetrates the frame and extends to below the base through the through hole of the base. The size of the through hole is greater than the size of a corresponding cross-section of the screw. The nut is disposed below the base and assembled to the screw to position the screw on the base. The fixer is disposed on the frame to constrain the rotation of the nut.
US08366276B2
A filter device includes: a filter unit including a housing in which a roll filter stretched between a feeding shaft and a take-up shaft is housed, the housing including, between the two shafts, an opening for exposing a part of the filter; a filter installation detection sensor for detecting installation of the filter unit; a filter winding driving unit for taking up or rewinding the installed filter; and a control unit for controlling operations of the filter winding driving unit based on a detection signal from the filter installation detection sensor. When the control unit determines based on the detection signal from the filter installation detection sensor that the filter is installed, the control unit causes the filter winding driving unit to rewind the filter by a predetermined amount and determines whether the filter is new or not based on the rewinding. By detecting filter replacement, information on the replaced filter can be reset.
US08366269B2
The invention relates to a method of making a spectacle lens. The method of the invention includes the method steps of providing a prescription for the spectacle lens (200), providing a material for manufacturing the spectacle lens (300), providing at least two design wavelengths (400), providing the particular refractive indices of the material for the at least two design wavelengths (500), computing each an optical predesign for the spectacle lens having the respective determined refractive index of the material for the at least two design wavelengths in consideration of the prescription (600, 700), and computing the optical design of the spectacle lens from the optical predesign for the spectacle lens for the refractive index (800) determined from the at least two design wavelengths.
US08366261B2
An inkjet printer includes an ejector, a waveguide, an electromagnetic wave supplier, a rotating reflector, and a ventilator. The ejector ejects ink onto a medium. Through the waveguide, the medium onto which the ink was ejected passes. The waveguide has a starting end part and a terminal end part. The electromagnetic wave supplier is provided at the starting end part of the waveguide to supply an electromagnetic wave to the waveguide. The rotating reflector is provided at the terminal end part of the waveguide and rotatable to reflect the electromagnetic wave supplied by the electromagnetic wave supplier. The ventilator ventilates an inside of the waveguide.
US08366259B2
When a film containing constituent elements of a target is formed on a substrate through a vapor deposition process using plasma with placing the substrate and the target to face each other, a potential in a spatial range of at least 10 mm extending laterally from the outer circumference of the substrate is controlled to be equal to a potential on the substrate, and/or the substrate is surrounded with a wall surface having a potential controlled to be equal to the potential on the substrate.
US08366258B2
An opening and closing unit for opening and closing an ink flow passage and a filter chamber in which a filter is arranged horizontally are provided in an ink supply system. The opening and closing unit is disposed upstream of the filter chamber, a first room is disposed downstream of the filter and a second room is upstream of the filter in the filter chamber. An ink discharge opening is disposed in the first room, and an ink supply opening and an air bubble storage unit for storing the air bubble flowing in with the ink are disposed in the second room. The ink supply opening and the ink discharge opening are displaced with respect to each other in a horizontal direction for arrangement. The air bubble storage unit is arranged upward of the ink supply opening in a perpendicular direction. A suction unit expands the air bubble stored in the air bubble storage unit.
US08366257B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes a droplet ejection head, a head tank, a tube, an ink cartridge, and a liquid-feed pump. The droplet ejection head has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink. The head tank is mounted on the droplet ejection head, temporarily stores a certain amount of ink, and creates negative pressure in the droplet ejection head. The tube is connected to the head tank. The ink cartridge is connected via the tube to the head tank, the ink cartridge storing ink. The liquid-feed pump is disposed at the tube between the ink cartridge and the head tank to feed ink from the ink cartridge to the head tank through the tube. The liquid-feed pump is operable in reverse to feed ink from the head tank through the tube to the ink cartridge and create negative pressure in the head tank.
US08366256B2
An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device has a protrusion with a predetermined height that is configured to enable a sensor in an ink loader of the imaging device to detect the height of the protrusion. The predetermined height of the protrusion corresponds to a control parameter for the imaging device.
US08366248B2
A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
US08366243B2
An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC). Each of the droplet ejectors has a nozzle aperture and an actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture. The actuator in each of the droplet ejectors is configured to generate a pressure pulse in a quantity of ink adjacent the nozzle aperture, the pressure pulse being directed towards the nozzles aperture such that the droplet of ink is ejected through the nozzle aperture. The actuator is positioned in the droplet ejector such that it is less than 30 microns from an exterior surface of the printhead surface layer.
US08366242B2
A liquid-ejection head unit includes a head, an electric-circuit board, electronic components, and a storage tank. The head includes a frame member and ejects droplets of liquid. The electronic components are mounted on the electric-circuit board and connected to the head. The storage tank stores liquid supplied to the head. The electric-circuit board is disposed between the frame member of the head and the storage tank to form a single multi-layered structure. The electronic components of the electric-circuit board are accommodated in at least one of a first internal space defined by the frame member of the head and the electric-circuit board and a second internal space defined by the electric-circuit board and the storage tank.
US08366241B2
A printhead is provided having a casing mounted on a molding to define a fluid reservoir and a first passage in fluid communication between the fluid reservoir, a wafer at least defining at least a part of a channel spaced from the first passage and at least a part of a second passage arranged to provide fluid communication between the first passage and channel, a plurality of ink ejection devices in fluid communication with the channel, and a metal cap portion which encloses the casing and molding.
US08366236B2
A print cartridge that has a printhead integrated circuit having a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements, a rotor element rotatable between a blot position where the rotor element blots the printhead integrated circuit, a seal position where the rotor element seals the nozzle arrangements, and a platen position in which the rotor element positions a printing medium proximate the printhead integrated circuit, an air distribution channel configured to deliver air along the printhead, communicable with an air supply, a plurality of reservoirs for printing fluids for the printhead integrated circuit and, a refill port arranged in fluid communication with printing fluid conduits each leading to one of the reservoir respectively, the port facilitating refilling of the reservoirs from a refill cartridge.
US08366230B2
An ink jet printing apparatus is provided that can perform printing without degrading printing quality. In the present invention, correction for a head-to-sheet distance change is performed for both forward printing and backward printing during a multi-path printing operation.
US08366228B2
A print controller is provided for generating dot data, which specifies a dot formation state and which is to be provided to a printing unit. The printing unit is configured to execute, based on the dot data, dot-forming operations to form dots in dot rows extending in a prescribed direction by moving a print head in the prescribed direction while ejecting ink droplets from nozzles in the print head and to print an image by repeatedly executing the dot-forming operation to form a plurality of dot rows juxtaposed in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The print controller includes: a printing width determining unit; a density data generating unit; and a dot data generating unit. The printing width determining unit determines a printing width value corresponding to a working distance of the print head in the prescribed direction. The density data generating unit generates density data specifying ink densities related to the quantity of ink for each pixel based on image data specifying a gradation value for each pixel and based on the printing width value, the density data generating unit generating the density data so that an upper limit on a tolerable ink density per pixel grows smaller as the working distance of the print head in the prescribed direction corresponding to the printing width value grows shorter. The dot data generating unit generates dot data by executing a halftone process on the density data generated by the density data generating unit.
US08366225B2
A recording medium detection unit is provided on the upper stream side of a carrier mechanism in a carrier route and detects at least the front and back ends in a carrier direction of a recording medium. A nozzle array control unit controls the drive of a plurality of nozzles on the basis of job information reported by a higher-order device and the detection information of the front and back ends by the recording medium detection unit and enables the plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process for inject ink only an area in the range between the front and back ends of the recording medium. A control unit receives image data and also notifies the higher-order device of the stoppage of image data transfer according to the detection of the back end of the recording medium by the recording medium detection unit.
US08366217B1
An installation device for a slide assembly includes a first rail and a second rail which has a guide seat and two slots for being connected with an exterior equipment. A positioning member is fixed to the second rail and an arm board has a positioning hole located corresponding to one of the slots of the second rail so that one of installation members of the exterior equipment is engaged with the positioning hole. An end board has a through hole and an end piece extending toward the second rail. The release member is movably installed to the second rail. When the release member is moved by an exterior force and positioned by the guide seat, the protrusion of the release member pushes the end piece to keep the positioning hole away from the second rail and the exterior equipment is removed from the positioning hole.
US08366210B2
A braking apparatus for a vehicle includes a hydraulic brake apparatus generating a basic hydraulic pressure so that a basic hydraulic braking force is generated at wheels, the hydraulic brake apparatus generating a controlled hydraulic pressure so that a controlled hydraulic braking force is generated at the wheels, a regenerative brake apparatus causing a regenerative braking force to be generated at any of the wheels, and braking force replacement controlling means for gradually replacing the regenerative braking force with the controlled hydraulic braking force while braking during which at least the regenerative braking force is applied for a purpose of achieving a braking force replacement control to ensure a total braking force required for the wheels by decreasing the regenerative braking force at a gradient within a predetermined range and by increasing the controlled hydraulic braking force in response to the decrease of the regenerative braking force.
US08366206B2
A flange 62 having motor mounting through holes 63 is provided on a motor 6, motor mounting holes 19 are provided on a base body 1, so that motor mounting screw 61 are passed through the motor mounting through hole 63 from a back surface 1b side so as to be screwed into the motor mounting holes 19 to fix the motor 6 to the base body 1. Housing mounting holes 83 are provided on a control housing 8, housing mounting through holes 17 are formed on the base body 1 so as to be offset from portions which are in abutment with the flange 62, so that housing mounting screws 81 are passed through the housing mounting through holes 17 from the back surface 1b side so as to be screwed into the housing mounting holes 83 to fix the control housing 8 to the base body 1.
US08366201B2
A bench mining method, particularly useful for open pit bench mining, which employs a combination of bulldozers and transversely movable apron feeders to provide the primary mechanism for removal of overburden.
US08366195B2
The invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a base frame and comprising a seat frame which can be adjusted relative to the base frame, and comprising a gas spring which acts between this base frame and this seat frame and which is supported against the seat frame, wherein at least one pressure source and at least one valve device which is in fluid connection with this pressure source are provided, and in that furthermore a manually operated actuation element is provided for adjusting the vehicle seat, wherein this at least one valve device is arranged on or in the actuation element.
US08366194B2
A vehicle seat can include a seat cushion having a main portion and a tiltable portion, and a drive mechanism having a small gear and a large gear. The small and large gears are respectively attached to the main portion while meshing with each other. The tiltable portion is arranged and constructed to vertically move when the large gear is rotated upwardly and downwardly with respect to a rotationally reference position based on rotation of the small gear. The small gear and the large gear are positioned such that rotation centers thereof are vertically offset from each other.
US08366193B2
A leisure rocking chair includes a seat, a backrest, a fixed seat, a rocking base and a rocking mechanism. The fixed base includes a horizontal beam on an upper portion thereof. The rocking mechanism includes front and rear rocking rods and a connecting rod. The front and rear rocking rods, the horizontal beam, and the connecting rod are pivotably connected. A fixed support is mounted to the connecting rod. The rocking base is fixed to the fixed support. A positioning plate is mounted to the fixed base and includes a plurality of positioning holes. The rocking mechanism includes an adjusting seat adjacent to the positioning plate. An adjusting lever is mounted to the adjusting seat and includes a tail portion extendible into one of the plurality of positioning holes to fix the rocking mechanism. The adjusting lever includes a control arm on a head portion thereof.
US08366191B2
A vehicle rear seat assembly having a center child safety restraint system comprises a pair of outboard seats and a center console positioned between the outboard seats and stationary with respect to the outboard seats. The console includes a storage compartment disposed at a forward portion of the console and having an opening which allows an associated object to be selectively placed within the storage compartment. A pair of spaced apart recesses is disposed at a rear portion of the console. A first child safety restraint attachment is located within the storage compartment. A pair of second child safety restraint attachments is provided, each second attachment being located in one of the recesses. The first attachment and the pair of second attachments allow a child safety restraint to be selectively secured to the center console.
US08366183B2
At an upper part of a center pillar, a length L1 of a covering portion of a pillar inner panel is set to be substantially equal to a distance L2 between a pair of flange-ridgeline portions of a pillar reinforcement. Meanwhile, at a lower part of the center pillar, a length L3 of a covering portion of the pillar inner panel is set to be longer than a distance L4 between a pair of flange-ridgeline portions of the pillar reinforcement. Accordingly, a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which can secure the proper absorption function of the vehicle collision load with cooperation of the first and second members can be provided.
US08366181B2
A structural member assembly includes a substantially hollow structural member and a structural reinforcer. The hollow structural member is formed by a plurality of panels. At least one of the panels includes a cut-out region extending from the edge of the panel to the interior of the panel so that the cut-out region is not fully enclosed by the panel. The structural reinforcer includes a rigid carrier and a bonding material. The structural reinforcer is installed in the interior of the structural member across said cut-out region.
US08366176B2
In order to avoid a vehicle door hitting the ceiling or wall when the door opens, it is necessary to provide an open-limiting device for holding the door at any open angle. The door is opened with a gear in the open-limiting device. In the open-limiting device for a vehicle door, a ratchet engages with or disengage from the gear by an electric actuator, so that the door is held at any open angle. When the ratchet engages with the gear, the ratchet is capable of disengaging from the gear only if the door is closed, but the ratchet remains in engagement with the gear if the door is opened. So the door can be closed manually by a small force.
US08366173B2
This utility model is provide a locking device of car covers for pick-up trucks composing a swing stem and a lock hook inserted and deposited on the swing stem, the end part of the swing stem is inserted into a locking swing handle, a hinge block is disposed on the car cover, which is characterized in that the top of the swing stem is positioned and hinged on the hinge block. The advantages of this utility model are summarized as: to overcome the sliding friction of existing lock devices, to enhance the force born by the main body of device and to increase the flexibility of the swing stem.
US08366163B1
A device to facilitate the pulling of a wheelchair comprising a leash having a first end and a second end; a loop disposed on the first end of the leash, the loop is for a person to pull on; a first strap disposed at a 90 degrees angle at the second end of the leash, the first strap having a first distal end wherein a first hook-and-loop component is disposed at the first distal end, the first hook-and-loop can detachably secure to a first complementary hook-and-loop component to wrap around an arm of a wheelchair.
US08366159B2
An inertia blocking mechanism operably connected to a door handle on a vehicle having a handle chassis. A counterweight is operably connected to the handle chassis and is pivotally rotatable about a first pivot axis between a non-actuated position and an actuated position. Stanchions extends from the handle chassis. A spring-biased primary inertia lever is operably connected with the stanchions and is pivotally rotatable about a second pivot axis. The spring-biased primary inertia lever is biased to a first position out of rotational alignment with the counterweight. An auxiliary inertia lever is pivotally rotatable about the second pivot axis and is adapted to move the primary inertia lever into a second position in rotational alignment with the counterweight, which prevents the counterweight from rotating downward into the actuated position, thereby actuating the exterior door handle thereby preventing the exterior handle from actuating and releasing the latch.
US08366155B1
A coupler for use in sealing a joint between two pipes. The coupler is comprised primarily of two center sections and two end caps. The two center sections are engagable with one another and the two end caps are engagable with the center sections. Gasket rings create seals between the two center sections as well as between the two center sections and the cap rings. The center sections are dimensioned to create a volume of space within the coupler, thus permitting the coupler to accommodate offset joints. The gasket rings between the cap rings and the center sections can be longitudinally spaced apart, minimizing the angular deflection of the coupler with respect to the pipes when the pipe joint is offset. The center sections and end caps can be lockably engaged.
US08366150B2
A reinforcement tube assembly for a fastener in a vehicle body structure is provided. The reinforcement tube assembly includes a reinforcement tube and a locator. The locator is affixed to the reinforcement tube. The reinforcement tube is operatively configured to receive a fastener and is operatively configured be installed at least partially within a vehicle body structure. The locator includes at least two mounting surfaces operatively configured to engage with a vehicle body structure. The locator includes at least two mounting surfaces operatively configured to engage with the vehicle body structure.
US08366139B2
A stroller comprises a foldable stroller frame including two handle tubes, two front leg tubes connected respectively to lower ends of the handle tubes, and two rear leg tubes connected respectively and pivotally to the front leg tubes. Each of the handle tubes has upper and lower handle tube sections interconnected pivotally by a first joint. Each of the front leg tubes has upper and lower front leg tube sections interconnected pivotally by a second joint. Each of the lower handle tube sections is connected pivotally to the upper front leg tube section of the corresponding front leg tube and the corresponding rear leg tube by a third joint. Upon folding the stroller frame, an assembly of the handle tubes and the front leg tubes is folded in a Z-shaped manner.
US08366137B1
A locking mechanism for a tow bar having a leg with telescoping inner and outer members, the locking mechanism including a shuttle device secured to a proximal end of the inner member and having a peripheral groove spaced between a tapered forward end and a tapered rearward end thereof. The locking mechanism also including an aft latching device for locking the tow bar leg in a deployed configuration, and a fore latching device for locking the tow bar leg in a storage configuration. Each fore and aft latching device including a pair of latch elements pivotally and biasingly mounted in a pair of opposing slots of a housing, the slots being superimposed over corresponding openings through the outer member for cooperatively, simultaneously and lockingly interacting with the peripheral groove of the shuttle device.
US08366131B2
A pivot joint for a bicycle frame is described, which includes an inner bearing sleeve concentrically disposed within an outer bearing sleeve. The inner bearing sleeve has an outer bearing surface in rotatably sliding contact with an inner bearing surface of the outer bearing sleeve, such that the inner and outer bearing sleeves are rotatable relative to each other about a central pivot axis to permit relative rotation of the components joined by the pivot joint. Each of the inner and outer bearing surfaces includes a substantially axially extending region and at least one angled bearing region that defines an angled raceway surface thereon. The angled raceway surfaces are disposed at an angle relative to the central pivot axis and meet in bearing engagement with each other to define a slip plane disposed at the same angle.
US08366120B2
A chuck includes a body having an engaging groove for releasably receiving a bit. A sleeve is mounted around and movable relative to the body along a longitudinal axis of the body between a coupling position in which the bit is retained in the engaging groove and a releasing position allowing removal or insertion of the bit. The sleeve further includes an engaging section that slideably abuts a coupling section of the body. The engaging section is engaged with the coupling section to allow joint rotation of the body and the sleeve about the longitudinal axis. The sleeve further includes a flange with a frictional outer periphery to provide friction when the sleeve is manually rotated about the longitudinal axis by rotating the frictional outer periphery. Furthermore, the flange can be gripped by a user to move the sleeve to the releasing position.
US08366116B2
A shaft-sealing device includes an outer ring for receiving a shaft sleeve to rotate therewith. A magnetic-field generating unit is mounted the around rotary shaft and includes inner and outer magnetic rings. The outer magnetic ring is mounted in the outer ring. A gap is defined between an inner periphery of the outer magnetic ring and an outer periphery of the inner magnetic ring and is filled with a magnetic liquid. One or both of the inner and outer magnetic rings provide magnetic force to retain the magnetic liquid in the gap. A seal ring is mounted between the outer magnetic ring and an end of the outer ring. A lip extends from an inner periphery of the seal ring toward or away from the end of the outer ring and is at a non-parallel angle to a radial direction of the seal ring to form a seal around the rotary shaft.
US08366114B1
A system for cooling packing material utilized for sealing a shaft moving therethrough is described. The packing material held in place by at least one packing cup, wherein a coolant is directed axially through a significant volume of each packing cup close to the packing material. The present system finds use for compressors and pumps where pressure requirements of the fluids acted upon demand the use of packing materials in close contact with the moving shafts.
US08366112B1
An automated blackjack table features a rotating ring with numbered stations (up to 21) matching the numbers at which the players are positioned. By pressing a foot pedal, the dealer can rotate the ring and rapidly deal a card to each passing numbered station allowing the density of players (and, hence the revenue stream) at each table to be tripled.
US08366110B2
A strategy game or game of patience having a playing surface (1) of higher complexity and with increased playing incentive. According to the invention to attain that object it is proposed that the playing surface (1) has a plurality of mutually overlapping circular surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) each of the same respective radius R, and with playing elements (7, 8, 21, 22) which are respectively arranged on at least one of the circular surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), wherein all playing elements (7, 8, 21, 22) which are disposed on any circular surface (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) belonging completely to the playing surface are rotatable jointly about the respective circle center point.
US08366105B1
A media transport includes first, second and third media transports to convey a substrate media. A force transducer outputs a force signal associated with a force between the first and second media transports. A sensor outputs a detection signal associated with substrate media being between the second and third media transports. A control unit outputs a first control signal to the first and/or second drive units, dependent upon a comparison of the force signal with a predetermined value. The first control signal commands the first or second drive unit to drive respective first or second media transports to maintain the force signal at or about no greater than the predetermined value. Responsive to the detection signal, the control unit outputs a second control signal in place of the first control signal, commanding the first and/or second drive unit at a predetermined speed.
US08366103B2
A sheet post-processing apparatus includes: a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet; a sheet accumulating feed path that is arranged on a downstream side of the sheet conveying unit in a sheet conveying direction and being capable of accumulating therein a plurality of sheets; a stopping member that stops a leading edge of a sheet conveyed into the sheet accumulating feed path; a width aligning unit that aligns a width of the sheet stopped by the stopping member and accumulated in the sheet accumulating feed path; and a control unit that performs control to cause: the sheet conveying unit to convey a sheet into the sheet accumulating feed path; the stopping member to stop the leading edge of the sheet; and the width aligning unit to align the width of a sheet every time a sheet is accumulated in the sheet accumulating feed path.
US08366102B2
Accurate sheet leading edge registration system and method including a first and second nip assembly, a first sheet leading edge sensor and a controller. The first and second nip assemblies being spaced apart from one another. The first sheet leading edge sensor capable of detecting an arrival of a leading edge of a sheet at a point in the process direction. The arrival being associated with engagement of the first and second nip assemblies with the sheet. The controller capable of imparting a rotational skew velocity to the sheet using the first and second nip assemblies. A center of rotation of the skew velocity being offset laterally from a center of the sheet leading edge and being coincident with a lateral position of a virtual point, the virtual point lateral position being offset from a lateral position of the first sheet leading edge sensor.
US08366096B2
A document reader has a main conveying path, an auxiliary conveying path, a pickup roller, a first conveying roller, and a second conveying roller. The auxiliary conveying path runs between a first connection point and a second connection point on the main conveying path. The cylindrical surface of the first conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path and partially on the auxiliary conveying path. While the first conveying roller is under the forward or reverse control, it rotates normally. The cylindrical surface of the second conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path between the second connection point and a discharge position. A controller switches from the forward control selected during this mode to the reverse control, while a document being conveyed along the main conveying path is out of contact with the first conveying roller.
US08366095B2
A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge a sheet having a folding portion, a conveyance portion configured to abut on a lower surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction of the discharge portion, a pressing portion arranged at a position opposing the conveyance portion, configured to press an upper surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, and a moving portion configured to move the pressing portion in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, in which the moving portion moves the pressing portion upstream in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, to move the pressing portion from a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is not pressed to a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is pressed.
US08366093B2
A method for determining a subgroup of a group of sheets in a sheet stream starting from a group start of the group comprises determining the subgroup end of the subgroup based on a sheet state parameter. The subgroup is determined by the group start and the subgroup end and comprises a variable number of sheets. The sheet state parameter determines which sheet in the sheet stream is a group end of the group of sheets.
US08366085B2
A locating pin assembly is provided. The assembly includes a body and a cylinder assembly for moving a ram in a reciprocally linear manner. A bearing is coupled to the ram and configured to engage a bearing wedge to reduce “play” between the ram and the assembly. Illustratively, the bearing and bearing wedge reduce or substantially eliminate this “play” to prevent axial rotation of the ram.
US08366082B2
Apparatus is provided for decreasing frictional effects in stacks of Belleville springs and limiting deflection of the springs. In one embodiment, carriers for springs overlap and minimize the effects of lateral forces that are developed as springs in a stack are loaded. Carriers may be used on mandrel guides, in cylindrical guides or without a guide. In other embodiments, maximum load and defection of springs may be provided by the spring carriers.
US08366080B2
Disclosed is an engine fuel supply apparatus which can be made smaller in size and in which the amount of fuel in an air-fuel mixture can be increased with a fast response in correspondence with the operation of a throttle valve when the engine is accelerated rapidly. The fuel supply apparatus is provided with a fuel booster pump. A portion of an air-fuel mixture is introduced into a negative-pressure chamber of the fuel booster pump via a negative-pressure chamber channel, and the fuel booster pump is actuated. The actuation forces air in a pump chamber to flow into a pressure chamber, and fuel in a fuel storage chamber is temporarily supplied to a carburetor.
US08366078B2
Privacy systems for a fence include a plurality of elongated privacy inserts positioned in at least one locking member having a plurality of locking tabs. The locking member is laterally inserted into the bottom of a chain link fence perpendicular to the privacy inserts. Apertures near the bottom edges of the front and rear sides of the privacy inserts engage the locking tabs thereby retaining the privacy inserts in alignment in the chain link fence. The locking tabs on front and rear support walls of the locking member are preferably laterally offset from each other.
US08366075B1
A pry bar sliding fulcrum assembly having a fulcrum and saddle which slidably mates with a conventional prybar and which provides a greater force onto a work material than the conventional prybar alone. The pry bar sliding fulcrum assembly easily and quickly slides away from the work material when a conventional prybar function is desired and slides toward the work material when an enhanced application force or greater prybar end displacement is required. The assembly uniquely mates with or is held with the prybar end whereby the assembly retains a static position relative to the prybar during use.
US08366074B2
An illuminative jack is described; the jack contains a pair of side walls spaced apart from one another. Each side wall has a front portion, an intermediate region, and an end portion. The jack includes a lift arm which has a first end which is pivotally connected to the intermediate regions of the side walls and a second end close to the front portions. A lifting plate is connected to the second end of the lift arm, the plate is designed to engage a lifting location of an object to be lifted. Finally, the jack includes several lights recessed within the plate and a shield material for the lights.
US08366069B2
An isolator assembly includes an elastomeric assembly which is disposed within a socket defined by a supporting structure. The socket defines a transition portion, a retention rib and a stopping rib. The elastomeric assembly is positioned in the socket by sliding the elastomeric assembly through the transition portion so that the elastomeric assembly is compressed as it moves into the retention rib. The stopping rib engages an end surface of the elastomeric assembly once it has been properly positioned in the socket.
US08366066B2
An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections of the linked chains engage individual sections of adjacent linked chains to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections of the linked chains disengage from the individual section of the adjacent linked sections and the individual linked sections may be rolled up for compact storage.
US08366063B2
A method of locking of and a directionally adjustable mount including a first plate arranged to stabilize an anisotropic device, a second plate arranged to engage the first plate and provide a support, a second supporting member arranged to engage the second plate and to rollably support the first plate so as to define a local spacing between the plates, and a first supporting member arranged to have a first axis of symmetry and to contact the first plate and engage the second supporting member. In a locked position, the supporting members are arranged coaxially regarding the axis of symmetry, such that a sum of a positioning force applied by the first supporting member and a locking force applied by the second supporting member upon the first plate substantially vanishes, so that a resulting local moment of force oriented to deform the at least one first plate also substantially vanishes.
US08366061B2
A holder for a paint container can be used on uneven surfaces. The holder comprises a support base. Pivotally coupled to the support base is at least one leg and/or a lifting member. The at least one leg is selectively positionable for fixing the angular orientation of the at least one leg relative to the paint container support base. The lifting member may be located to support a paint container across a lateral axis extending substantially above a combined center of gravity of the holder and the paint container.
US08366057B2
A method and apparatus for an adaptive aerostructure is presented that relies on certified aerospace materials and can therefore be applied in conventional passenger aircraft. This structure consists of a honeycomb material which cells extend over a significant length perpendicular to the plane of the cells. Each of the cells contains an inelastic pouch (or bladder) that forms a circular tube when the cell forms a perfect hexagon. By changing the cell differential pressure (CDP) the stiffness of the honeycomb can be altered. Using an external force or the elastic force within the honeycomb material, the honeycomb can be deformed such that the cells deviate from their perfect-hexagonal shape. It can be shown that by increasing the CDP, the structure eventually returns to a perfect hexagon. By doing so, a fully embedded pneumatic actuator is created that can perform work and substitute conventional low-bandwidth flight control actuators. It is shown that two approaches can be taken to regulate the stiffness of this embedded actuator.
US08366056B2
A winglet comprising a root connected to a distal end of a wing; an upwardly angled section; a tip; and a transition between the upwardly angled section and the tip at which an outboard cant angle of the winglet decreases relative to a reference plane of the wing. In one embodiment the winglet is continuously curved and includes a point of inflection at which the span-wise curvature of the winglet changes sign. In another embodiment the upwardly angled section is planar. The winglet generates a tip vortex when in flight. The tip vortex is displaced outboard from the winglet due to the decrease in outboard cant angle at the transition.
US08366055B2
Micro/nano mono-wing aircraft with the wing configured as a winged seed (Samara) is uniquely suited for autonomous or remotely controlled operation in confined environments for surrounding images acquisition. The aircraft is capable of effective autorotation and steady hovering. The wing is flexibly connected to a fuselage via a servo-mechanism which is controlled to change the wing's orientation to control the flight trajectory and characteristics. A propeller on the fuselage rotates about the axis oriented to oppose a torque created about the longitudinal axis of the fuselage and is controlled to contribute in the aircraft maneuvers. A controller, either ON-board or OFF-board, creates input command signals to control the operation of the aircraft based on a linear control model identified as a result of extensive experimentations with a number of models.
US08366051B2
An air barrier having a scuff coating is used in connection with the core of a spacecraft to form an inflatable, or expandable, human habitat module. The air barrier is comprised of a number of segments joined together to form a enclosure that has at least one opening. The joined segments are generally gas impermeable, flexible, and have a scuff coating on both sides of the segments.
US08366050B2
A blended wing body cargo aircraft is disclosed. A body section defines a cargo volume, where an outer surface of the body section is shaped to provide an aerodynamic lifting surface. A cargo door and ramp structure is located in an aft end of the body section and is shaped to conform to an outer shape of the aerodynamic lifting surface when in a closed position. A control surface has a slightly cambered downward shape, and is positioned substantially near an aft end of the cargo door and ramp structure.
US08366047B2
A modular fan inlet ice protection system includes a center ring, an outer ring and a plurality of struts. The struts are each coupled at a first end to the center ring, and at a second end to the outer ring. A plurality of shell members are each configured to be removably coupled to a corresponding strut. Moreover, the shell members each include an electrothermal heater element. Preferably the system further includes a plurality of inlet guide vanes each including an electrothermal heater element.
US08366046B2
Quasi-isotropic chopped prepreg is used to make parts found in aerospace vehicles. Exemplary aerospace parts that are made using quasi-isotropic chopped prepreg include aircraft window frames, wing fairing supports, flange supports, frame gussets, rudder actuator brackets, shear ties, seat pedestals, cargo floor flange supports, storage bin fittings, antenna supports, torque tube pans, handle boxes, side guide fittings, wing box covers and intercostals.
US08366044B2
An aircraft seat that includes a seat bottom frame having a back, a seat back frame pivotally connected to the back of the seat bottom frame, and a seat back shell. The seat back shell has at least a front panel, a back panel opposite the front panel, and at least two side panels disposed between the front and back panels which connects the front panel to the back panel. The combination of the front, back, and side panels form a gap to receive the entire seat back frame.
US08366043B2
The present invention provides a fuselage structure (1; 1′) of an aircraft comprising an annular skin segment (2; 2′) which has a cross-sectional opening (3; 3′), a pressure cap (4; 4′) for a pressure-tight closure of the cross-sectional opening (3; 3′), and a plurality of tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) which in each case connect the pressure cap (4; 4′) to the annular skin segment (2; 2′) and absorb loads acting on the pressure cap (4; 4′), as tensile loads. This advantageously means that the tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) do not have to absorb substantially any bending moments. Consequently, the tension struts can be produced with a relatively small cross section, which entails a reduction in weight. Furthermore, it is possible to produce and mount tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) of this type in a simple manner.
US08366038B2
A front attachment device for fastening a turbojet engine to an aircraft fixing strut. The attachment device is adapted to absorb the turbojet engine thrust loads, and includes a top bracket, and a lower bracket. A thrust load absorption vector results from a first convergence point of primary vectors passing through primary fixing points that couple the top bracket to the lower bracket and a second convergence point of secondary vectors passing through secondary fixing points that couple the lower bracket to the turbojet engine. The thrust load absorption vector transmits the turbojet engine thrust loads to the fixing strut, and extends along a longitudinal axis of the turbojet engine.
US08366036B2
A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium wound on a roll, the roll including a first flange that is attached to one end and has a shaft hole and a first receiving portion, and a second flange that is attached to the other end and has a shaft hole; a first holder movable along a rotation axis of the roll, the first holder including a first shaft insertable into the shaft hole in the first flange, and a first flange-support surface that is in contact with an outer periphery of the first flange to support the first flange when the first shaft is not fitted in the shaft hole in the first flange and that has a first engaging portion; a second holder including a second shaft insertable into the shaft hole in the second flange.
US08366033B2
A cord winding device for a window covering includes a casing, a reel rotatably mounted on the casing, a torsion spring biased between the casing and the reel, a limit ring secured on the casing and abutting the reel to limit the reel between the casing and the limit ring, and a pull cord attached a bottom of the casing. Thus, the lift cord of the window covering is wound around and stored in the reel of the cord winding device so that the lift cord is rolled up to a higher position to prevent the children from being tangled with the lift cord so as to protect the safety of the children.
US08366031B2
A mill having a grinding member carrying one or more fixed openings (37) at its periphery, wherein in the vicinity of the fixed opening(s) there is provided one or more variable openings (36), the fixed and variable openings permitting air to flow from beneath the grinding member to above the grinding member. This arrangement allows for good air flow control; air speed may be kept desirably low even when the mill must be run at a high mass flow rate.
US08366020B2
A sprinkler device has an inlet-driving assembly mounted in by a rotary seat, and an outlet valve whose one end is mounted through the rotary seat and in the inlet-driving assembly and the other end has multiple through holes. A spray nozzle assembly is mounted on the outlet valve and has multiple first and second spray holes communicating with the through holes of the outlet valve and the rotary seat, and has a block flange formed around a periphery thereof. A first and a second O-rings are sequentially mounted on the block flange. One end of the spray nozzle assembly is mounted through a cover mounted on the inlet driving assembly. Subjected to a same pressure from water filled in all parts of the sprinkler device, the first and second O-rings reduce friction between the block flange and the cover to enable a smooth rotation of the spray nozzle assembly.
US08366019B2
A device and method for delivering water to a person who is unable to reach household or other types of water dispensing faucets. In some embodiments, the device comprises a trough for delivering the liquid and an attachment member for attaching the trough to a faucet.
US08366014B2
A tank-tankless water heater includes primary and secondary heat exchangers, and a combustor for the production of flue gases. In operation, water is first heated as the water and flue gases flow through primary heat exchanger. The water flows into the tank where it is stored and again heated as the flue gases flow through the secondary heat exchanger. A pump moves the water from the secondary heat exchanger, through the primary heat exchanger, and back to the secondary heat exchanger for storage as needed to maintain the stored water at a desired temperature. Water is drawn from the secondary heat exchanger during initial demand to provide a ready source of hot water, and the hot water supply is maintained by the primary heat exchanger during sustained hot water draws. The primary heat exchanger may include a temperature or temperature differential control system.
US08366011B2
A two-dimensional matrix code containing dark and light square data modules, and a finder pattern of two bars of alternating dark and light square data modules on the perimeter of the symbol for indicating both orientation and printing density of the symbol, wherein all of the data modules are the same dimension and data is encoded based on the absolute position of the dark modules within the matrix, and inner and outer bars are provided along adjacent sides of the matrix code symbol, each bar having a width equal to the square data modules. In one embodiment, the inner and outer bars are solid. In another embodiment, the inner solid is bar and the outer bar is an encoding bar.
US08366009B2
A dual interface (DI) smart card (100) comprising a chip module (CM), a module antenna (MA), a card body (CB) and a card antenna (CA) having two windings (D,E) connected with reverse phase as a “quasi-dipole”. Capacitive stubs (B,C) connected with an antenna structure (A) of the module antenna (MA). The module antenna (MA) overlaps only one of the windings (D or E) of the card antenna (CA). The card antenna (CA) may be formed from one continuous wire. Ferrite (156) shielding the module antenna (MA) from contact pads (CP) and for enhancing coupling between the module antenna (MA) and the card antenna (CA).
US08366008B2
There is provided a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag includes a base formed of an insulating material, a circuit chip adhered to one surface of the base and including a pad for an electrical connection, and an antenna formed by jetting a conductive material onto the one surface of the base and electrically connected to the pad.
US08366003B2
In an illustrative implementation of this invention, an optical pattern that encodes binary data is printed on a transparency. For example, the pattern may comprise data matrix codes. A lenslet is placed at a distance equal to its focal length from the optical pattern, and thus collimates light from the optical pattern. The collimated light travels to a conventional camera. For example, the camera may be meters distant. The camera takes a photograph of the optical pattern at a time that the camera is not focused on the scene that it is imaging, but instead is focused at infinity. Because the light is collimated, however, a focused image is captured at the camera's focal plane. The binary data in the pattern may include information regarding the object to which the optical pattern is affixed and information from which the camera's pose may be calculated.
US08365977B2
A method of forming a wire bond using a bonding tool coupled to a transducer is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) applying electrical energy to a driver of the transducer at a first frequency; and (2) applying electrical energy to the driver at a second frequency concurrently with the application of the electrical energy at the first frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from one another.
US08365976B2
A surgical staple including a crown comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material, a first deformable member, and a second member. In at least one embodiment, the crown connects the first member and the second member, however, after the crown has been dissolved, the first member is unconnected to the second member and, as a result, the first and second members can move relative to each other. Accordingly, the staple can be rigid during the early stages of healing and can be flexible during the latter stages of healing, for example. In various embodiments, the first and second members of the staple are also comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material. In these embodiments, the first and second members can be constructed so that the crown and first and second members dissolve at different rates and/or dissolve away at different times.
US08365974B2
A surgical stapling device having a handle assembly, an elongated body portion, a shell assembly housing a plurality of staples and an anvil assembly movable relative to the shell assembly. An approximation mechanism is movable from a first position to a second position to move the anvil assembly relative to the shell assembly between a spaced position and an approximated position. A firing mechanism for advancing the staples is actuable when the approximation assembly is in the second position and the anvil assembly is in the approximated position. A lockout mechanism operatively associated with the approximation mechanism is movable from a non-blocking position to a blocking position, wherein in the non-blocking position the approximation mechanism is movable from the first position to the second position and in the blocking position movement of the approximation mechanism from the second position to the first position is prevented.
US08365973B1
An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a surgical staple deformable from a first configuration to a second, deployed configuration, where the surgical staple includes a first leg and a second leg; where in the second, deployed configuration the surgical staple forms substantially a D-shape. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt; a surgical staple deformable from a first configuration to a second, deployed configuration, where the surgical staple includes a first leg and a second leg connected to the first leg, where one end of the first leg is frangibly affixed to the feeder belt and one end of said the leg is free; where in the second, deployed configuration the surgical staple forms substantially a D-shape. An exemplary method of treating tissue may include providing a surgical staple; urging the surgical staple into tissue, while the surgical staple has a first shape; and deforming the surgical staple into substantially a D-shape.
US08365971B1
One exemplary surgical apparatus may include: an anvil assembly to which a staple holder assembly detachably connected; feeder belts positioned at least partially within the staple holder assembly; staples separably attached to each feeder belt; a wedge assembly slidable within and along the staple holder assembly, the wedge assembly including an engagement feature; and a deployment handle. Upon closure of the anvil assembly and staple holder assembly relative to one another, the deployment handle engages the engagement feature. The deployment handle is movable along the anvil assembly to drive the wedge assembly relative to the staple holder assembly, feeder belts and staples in order to deform at least one staple to a closed state and separate at least one closed staple from the corresponding feeder belt.
US08365970B2
An electric stapler includes: a driver for driving leg portions of a staple having a U-shaped section to penetrate the leg portions through a paper bundle; a table including a clincher for bending and forming the penetrated leg portions inwardly, the table for holding the paper bundle between the driver and the table; a motor for moving the table and the driver; a photo sensor for detecting an existence of the paper bundle inserted into a gap between the table and the driver; and a control portion for driving the motor. The photo sensor is disposed on the table in such a manner that a detection point of the photo sensor for detecting the paper bundle exists upwardly of a disposing position of the clincher by inclining an optical axis direction of a radiation light to be emitted from the photo sensor in a direction of the clincher.
US08365955B2
A hinged-lid closure equipped with a lid and a base including a plate, an attachment skirt and an external lateral skirt, where the attachment skirt is thicker than the plate and the external lateral skirt. The base is equipped with a radial longitudinal rib attached to an internal surface of the external lateral skirt and located in a plane mid-perpendicular to the hinge.
US08365952B2
A fluid dispensing system having a fluid dispenser supporting a barrel containing liquid to be dispensed. The barrel has a slidable piston therein with the liquid on a forward piston side and a chamber on a rear piston side. Positive and negative pressure fluid circuits have components operable to apply respective positive and negative fluid pressures to the rear side of the piston. A pressure transducer is operable to sense a fluid pressure in the chamber; and a dispenser control is operative to store a pressure-time relationship during an initial dispensing cycle and thereafter, operate a component in the positive pressure fluid circuit to maintain the pressure-time relationship during a subsequent dispensing cycle.
US08365950B2
A medicine dispensing device has a device body (1), shelf members (2) arranged in the vertical directions in the device body (1), and a medicine conveyance member (3) for conveying medicines (D), received in the shelf members (2), on one by one basis from the front face side of the device body (1). A shelf member (2) has cassettes (26) in which medicines (D) are received in line, a pusher (31) for pushing the medicines in the cassettes (26) toward the front face side of the device body (10), and a constant load spring (32) for applying a constant load to the medicines (D) received in the cassettes (26) through the pusher (31). To fill the cassettes (26) with the medicines (D), the shelf member (2) can be pulled out from the front face side of the device body (1) and then positioned by pivoting the shelf member (2) so as to face obliquely downward.
US08365947B2
An infinitely variable diameter beverage sleeve includes a first surface configured to contact the container and extend around a circumference of the container, and a second surface configured to extend around the circumference of the container and face away from the container, and a securing device to hold the sleeve to the outside surface of the container. A first portion of the securing device is provided on one end of the sleeve on the first surface, and a second engaging portion of the securing means is provided as the second surface of the sleeve. The top edge of the sleeve is non-planar and the bottom edge of the sleeve is formed of a plurality of segments with at least two segments having a different radius of curvature.
US08365939B2
A packing that includes a bottle and/or a bottle and box combination wherein the container may have a first handle portion, a second handle portion, and a bottom grip portion. The first handle portion can extend in a front to back direction and the second handle portion can extend in a transverse direction to the first handle portion. The bottom grip may include a protrusion and recess on the bottom of the container. The box can be configured to have openings to provide access to the first and second handle portions such that the container need not be removed from the box to utilize the contents contained therein. The box may also include a bottom opening and a push-up portion to provide access to the bottom grip portion.
US08365934B2
A synthetic resin cap includes a top wall, a skirt wall, and a tamper evidence band connected to the skirt wall with bridges interposed therebetween. An inner face of the top wall includes an annular inner leg, an annular projection, and an annular outer leg. An intermediate part of the inner leg has a substantially constant transverse thickness in a vertical direction. Inner and outer circumferential faces of the intermediate part have substantially the same curvature of longitudinal section and are arcuate and convex inwardly in a radial direction, and an outer circumferential face of a distal end part of the inner leg has a guide face that guides the container mouth part, and the intermediate part is inclined radially outwardly so that an upper end of the guide face is shifted radially inwardly by 0.1 to 0.6 mm when the inner leg is inserted in the container mouth part.
US08365933B2
The present invention relates to a closure system, which comprises a dispensing closure and a spout of a container or a spout for a container, to which the dispensing closure can be attached, wherein the dispensing closure is designed as a rebounding closure. The dispensing closure and spout are designed in such a way that the dispensing closure can be separated from the spout or container via a rotational motion. The invention also relates to a dispensing closure for such a closure system.
US08365932B2
The invention relates to a device for the leak-tight sealing of openings in containers and for the purification of the ambient air located therein as a result of opening and closing cycles, said containers being intended for the packaging of products that are sensitive to gaseous pollutants present in the ambient air. The inventive device is particularly suitable for the packaging of solid-state medicaments in the form of pellets, tablets or capsules, having a reactivity and physical integrity that must be fully conserved.
US08365927B2
A curtain holder includes a mounting plate having a flat surface for mounting flush against a vertical surface. A substantially annular body is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis extending parallel to the mounting plate, such that the body moves up and down about the horizontal pivot axis. The body has at least two body segments pivotally connected for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical pivot axis which is offset from and independent of the mounting plate. The body segments pivot relative to each other about the vertical pivot axis between a closed position in which the body defines a curtain confining enclosure and an open position in which at least one of the body segments pivots away from the mounting plate to permit insertion of a curtain into the curtain confining enclosure.
US08365910B2
A package for containing a medical device can have a bottom portion and inner and outer lids releasably sealed to the bottom portion. The bottom portion defines a cavity for receiving a medical device. A flange extends outward sidewalls of the bottom portion and includes an inner flange portion and an outer flange portion. The inner flange portion can be recessed below the outer flange portion. The sealed inner lid permits passage of sterilization. The outer lid provides a moisture-resistant barrier to the package. A corner portion of the outer lid can extend past a corner of the bottom portion. Upon application of a withdrawing force sufficient to break the seals, the inner lid and the outer lid are together capable of being peeled from the bottom portion.
US08365909B2
A sink assembly is provided. The sink assembly can comprise a container having a generally trapezoidal shaped cross section. The container can be closed about a sink within the container. The sink can be supported in the container by at least one support element, for example a corner support, a top support having a generally triangular shape, and a drain support. Multiple sink assemblies can be efficiently stacked next to one another for shipping and/or storage.
US08365903B2
A roller drive and system of roller drives, which includes a roller component driven by an electric motor, the electric motor being supplied from an electronic circuit, which is connected to a secondary coil, which is inductively coupled to a primary conductor installed in the external environment of the roller component, the electric motor, the electronic circuit, and the secondary coil being at least partially surrounded by the roller component so as to form a housing.
US08365899B2
Hitch guards are provided for spanning a gap formed in a conveying surface between two adjacent rollers. In one aspect, the hitch guards include hitch guard members positioned side-by-side along the gap. An elongate mounting member extends across the conveyor belt and has the hitch guard members releasable mounted thereto. In another aspect, an elongate hitch guard member extends across the belt width in the gap and includes a laterally elongated recess to capture debris.
US08365894B2
A hydraulic system is presented with a hydraulic fluid, with a work element actuable by the fluid, with a fluid pump for the application of a fluid pressure to the fluid, with the fluid pump being operable to generate a reference depression in the system, and with a pressure sensor for the measurement of the fluid pressure which is in communication with a control unit which is designed to carry out a calibration of the pressure sensor with reference to the reference depression.
US08365890B2
A one way clutch comprises an outer race including pockets having a cam surface and projecting portions disposed inwardly in a radial direction and extending toward an inner race; the inner race disposed away from the outer race in an inner diameter direction, relatively rotatably disposed concentrically with the outer race, and having an outer peripheral surface; torque transmission members arranged in the pockets to transmit a torque between the cam surface of the outer race and the outer peripheral surface of the inner race; springs for urging the torque transmission members in such a direction that the torque transmission members mesh with the cam surface of the outer race; and bearing members arranged between the outer race and the inner race and interposed between the projecting portions of the outer race and the outer peripheral surface, of the inner race.
US08365883B2
A splash guard mechanism for preventing the entry of grass, in addition to mud and gravel, in a vehicle such as a an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle). A disc-shaped splash guard mechanism covers a brake disc stored in a concave portion of a wheel to thereby prevent the entry of dirt such as mud, gravel, and grass into the brake disc. If the dirt enters the brake disc, the dirt is ejected from a first cutout portion provided on a lower portion of the splash guard mechanism. Additionally, a grass removal portion substantially triangle-shaped in plan view is provided on a lower portion of the splash guard mechanism. The grass removal portion protrudes toward a vehicle center to push grass on the ground outward and away from the first cutout portion. Since the grass is only pushed out, the grass is prevented from being cut and entering the brake disk.
US08365882B2
A spring for a composite brake disk. The spring has a planar central region with a hole and two spring regions which are formed symmetrically to one another and which in each case on sides lying opposite one another adjoin the planar central region. The spring regions in each case have an arc and a spring arm. Preferably, the spring arms have in each case an end region with a rounded bearing surface. By such a spring being used, a simple construction of a composite brake disk is made possible, the occurrence of hotspots and the effect of thermal rubbing being as far as possible avoided. At the same time, a functionally appropriate fit of the spring is ensured, the load on the pot due to the bearing surface of the spring being kept extremely low.
US08365881B2
A bicycle disk brake rotor apparatus comprises a generally circular first rotor member and a generally circular first second rotor member. The first rotor member has a first fixing component structured to mount the first rotor member to a hub mounting member, and the first second rotor member has a first fixing component structured to mount the first second rotor member to the hub mounting member. The first rotor member is attached to a side of the first second rotor member, and the first second rotor member is formed of a material having greater braking wear resistance than the first rotor member.
US08365872B2
In an elevator device, a car is raised and lowered by a plurality of hoisting machines respectively including hoisting machine brakes. Each of the hoisting machine brakes has a braking force large enough to stop the car by itself. Each of a plurality of brake control sections respectively for controlling the corresponding hoisting machine brakes includes a plurality of calculation sections. The calculation sections can detect a failure of the calculation sections by comparing own results of calculations and cause a corresponding one of the hoisting machine brakes to perform a braking operation upon detection of the failure of the calculation sections.
US08365868B2
A kiosk which is configurable to accept a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. In one example, the kiosk includes a mount; a computer in a first position on the mount including a touchscreen, a card reader, and a processor; a storage medium coupled to the processor containing content; and a content transfer device coupled to the processor. The content transfer device is configurable to include at least one connection of a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. The kiosk further includes a panel in a second position on the mount adjacent to the computer including at least one connection mounting location, and the at least one connection is removably mounted to the panel at the connection mounting location. The processor stores the content in the storage medium, operates the touch screen to display a menu of the content and to record selections made by a customer from the menu, operates the card reader to read a payment card of the customer as payment for content associated with the customer selections, and transfers the content associated with the customer selections to a removable storage medium of the customer.
US08365867B2
The invention relates to a feeding lubricating device comprising a lubricant reservoir (1), a lubricant pump (2) which is driven by a driving motor (16) and is provided with at least one pump element (3) for conveying lubricant to at least one lubrication point, especially at least one feeding distributor (5), via a lubricant conduit (4), a driving member such as a drive shaft, and optional means that are fitted with an eccentric attachment for generating at least one pump stroke of the at least one pump element (3). A pressure relief unit (8) which can also be actuated via the driving member blocks a backflow pipe (4) located between the lubricant conduit (4) and the lubricant reservoir (1) in a pressure phase while unblocking the same in a subsequent relief phase.
US08365861B2
A muffler unit for a fume extractor hood includes an active noise suppression system, at least one loudspeaker, and at least two microphones connected to a control unit, and a passive noise suppression system having sound-absorbent material disposed between the microphones. The muffler unit further includes a conduit with upper fixing element and lower fixing element designed to be removably fixed to a motor unit and to a conveyor plate of the hood.
US08365851B2
A method for operating a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive, including a combustion engine having an engine management and at least one electro machine having a control unit, which is at least intermittently operated in an rpm-regulated manner and which is able to be in operative connection with a drive shaft of the combustion engine. For the closed-loop speed control of the electro machine, its torque is influenced by its rotational speed or a signal derived therefrom.
US08365849B2
Systems for towing a trailer by a towing vehicle and a method for controlling such a system are disclosed. The systems and method are configured to maintain a constant towing load on the towing vehicle as well as optimizing other performance criteria such as fuel efficiency. The system comprises a closed loop controller, a towing arm assembly, a load measuring device, an electric hub motor, brakes, a motor controller and a brake controller disposed on the trailer. In another embodiment, two separate systems are installed, one on each side of the trailer. A load force feeds into a PID controller programmed with preset proportional, differential and integral parameters. The PID controller generates a command signal to either modulate the brakes or motor up or down depending on the sign of the command signal. A process output updates the system which continuously adjusts based on driving conditions.
US08365843B2
In one aspect of the invention, a downhole tool string component has at least one end adapted to connect to an adjacent tool sting component and a bore adapted to accommodate a flow of drilling fluid. A turbine is disposed within the bore and an actuating assembly is arranged such that a clutch may mechanically connect and disconnect with the turbine.
US08365840B2
The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling at least one drill parameter when drilling in rock with a drilling machine. During drilling, an impulse-generating device uses an impact means to induce shock waves in a tool working against the rock, a pressure level for a shock-wave-generating pressure is controlled during the drilling, and said drilling machine includes a damping chamber that can be pressurized. The contact of the drilling machine against the rock is affected at least partially by the pressure prevailing in said damping chamber. When the pressure in said damping chamber exceeds said first level and is below said second level, the percussion pressure is controlled as a function of the pressure in said damping chamber.
US08365838B2
A valve tester suspension assembly for allowing one person to perform the tasks necessary to test underground valves includes an articulated arm attached to a mobile base such as a vehicle. The articulated arm may be biased such that the biasing assists in supporting the weight of a rotating assembly positioned at a distal end of the articulated arm. The articulated arm is pivoted to permit positioning of the rotating device in a substantially horizontal orientation at a desired position within a three dimensional space adjacent to the base to which the articulated arm is attached. A method of use is also described.
US08365836B2
A wide protection range can be ensured by extending the flying distance of fire-extinguishing agent particles electrified and sprayed from a head. A water-based fire-extinguishing agent is pressurized and supplied to an electrification spray head 10 installed in a protection area A via a pipe, the jetted particles of the fire-extinguishing agent are electrified and sprayed from the electrification spray head 10. The electrification spray head mixes and sprays the fire-extinguishing agent having a comparatively small particle size included in a range from 30 μM to 200 μm by a small-particle jetting nozzle 38a and the fire-extinguishing agent having a comparatively-large particle size of 200 μm to 2000 μm by a large-particle jetting nozzle 38b, thereby carrying the group of the fire-extinguishing-agent particles having the small particle size by the air current caused by spraying the group of the fire-extinguishing-agent particles having the large particle size.
US08365834B2
In one embodiment, a tubular gripping assembly for use with a top drive to handle a tubular includes a tubular gripping tool having a mandrel and gripping elements operatively coupled to the mandrel; and a link assembly attached to the mandrel, wherein a load of the link assembly is transferred to the mandrel. In another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a swivel having selectively actuatable seals. In yet another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a thread compensator to facilitate tubular make-up. In yet another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a wedge lock release apparatus to facilitate the release of gripping elements from the tubular.
US08365826B2
A hydraulically powered fishing tool is provided for retrieving another tool or tubular stuck in a well. A tool housing is supported in a well on a work string, and the housing encloses a plurality of pistons (16, 28, 34) each movable in response to pressurized fluid transmitted through the work string. An anchor (52) axially fixes the position of the tool in the well, and a tool mandrel (40) is axially movable relative to tool housing when the anchor is set. A fishing device (82) engages the another tool or tubular, so that axial movement of the mandrel in response to the plurality of pistons dislodges the stuck tool or tubular.
US08365819B2
Well bore fluid redistribution methods to isolate fluids produced in well bores from different geologic sections on either side of an apparatus and redistribute such fluids produced in well bores between different geologic sections to reduce surface discharge of fluids while delivering gas to a well outlet.
US08365803B2
Debris entrapment systems and methods for utilizing are disclosed. One such debris entrapment system includes a track configured to be mounted proximate a window opening. A plurality of slidable carriers are attached proximate an attachment edge of a mesh curtain and are configured to fit with a guide of the track and to be slidably attached to the track. A first plurality of trapped carriers are attached proximate the attachment edge and a first edge of the mesh curtain and a second plurality of trapped carriers are attached proximate the attachment edge and a second edge of the mesh curtain. The trapped carriers are configured to fit with the guide of the track and are trapped from sliding along the guide. The debris entrapment system further includes a reinforcement strip attached to the mesh curtain.
US08365795B2
A window shade that reduces the risk of an individual becoming entangled in cords used to operate the shade includes a headrail adapted for horizontal mounting above a window, a shading material attached to the headrail, and at least one cord for raising and lowering the shading material. The cord is attached to a location adjacent a lower end of the material, and extends upward through cord guides toward the headrail. The cord is encased within a collapsible shroud attached to each cord guide. The shroud is adapted to longitudinally extend as the shading material is lowered toward a deployed position, and then longitudinally collapse as the shading material is raised toward a stowed position.
US08365778B1
A baster for aspirating liquids from a roasting pan and distributing the liquids on the food roasting in the pan is a long straight tube with a rubbery bulb at a first open end. A second open end of the tube is narrow. The tube has a bend adjacent the second end. The bend is less than ninety degrees from the long axis of the tube. This enables the baster to more easily aspirate liquids from a roasting pan in the oven, since there is less vertical clearance required to reach the bottom of the pan. Use of this device does not require pulling the pan so far out of the oven than when basting as with straight basters.
US08365774B2
Around a damaged area of a jacket of a flexible tube, a top coat layer whose adhesion to a polymer layer is weak is peeled off with an adhesive tape. The damaged area and its immediate surrounding area are sanded, and then wiped with ethanol for cleaning. A main agent and a hardening agent are heated and defoamed while being mixed to prepare a repair material. The repair material is applied to the damaged area and the immediate surrounding area. A heat shrink tube is opened along slits in an end portion and covers the flexible tube. The heat shrink tube is shrunk with hot air, pressing the repair material and making it flush with a surface of the jacket. The flexible tube is heated with an electric hot plate to harden the repair material. Thereafter, the heat shrink tube is peeled off from the flexible tube.
US08365773B2
Our valve device, which is used to purge air from a plumbing system, includes a unitary, elastomeric body comprising top wall, a circumferential wall connected to the top wall, and a housing with a cavity that is accessed through a pair of ports. A closure element is moveably disposed within the cavity and responds to fluid entering one port to close the other port. An adjustable strap detachably wrapped around an exterior of the circumferential wall holds our device securely to an open end of a riser conduit of the plumbing system during testing for leaks. The circumferential wall has at least two wall sections of different diameters to accommodate different sized conduits.
US08365772B2
To cause a safety mechanism for an emergency to be activated at lower pressure in comparison with a rupture plate, an accumulator comprises an accumulator housing, a stay having a liquid passage provided in the end surface portion on an end of a stepped tubular portion of the stay, a bellows with a bellows cap, a safety mechanism for pressure drop, and a safety mechanism for an emergency which is structured such that, in an emergency such as a fire, the bellows cap or a member held by the bellows cap presses the stay by high pressure due to the fire in the housing, to buckle the stay at a step of the stepped tubular portion, and open a liquid chamber, wherein a thin portion is provided circumferentially partially at the step of the stay to readily incline the end surface portion of the stay when the stay is buckled.
US08365764B2
Minimum pressure valve having a housing (13) with an inlet (14) and an outlet (15) and in which has been provided a valve body (21) which is pushed against a seating (30) round the inlet (14) in a closed position, and whereby the valve body (21) is situated at a distance from the above-mentioned seating (30) in an open position, such that the inlet (14) is connected to the outlet (15), whereby the valve body (21) is provided in a sliding manner in a valve casing (17) confining, together with the valve body (21) an inner space (36) that is connected to the inlet (14) via a duct (35).
US08365755B2
A ball valve isolator (5) includes a housing (15), a ball valve (60), a first isolator (40), and a second isolator (41). The housing (15) is provided with a first flow passage (29) located between an inlet (30) and an outlet (31). The ball valve (60) that includes a ball portion (63) located in the first flow passage (29) and defines a second flow passage (65) that is aligned with the first flow passage (29) when the ball valve (60) is actuated to an open position. The first isolator (40) is located, at least in part, within the housing (15) and substantially blocks the inlet (30) when the first isolator (40) is actuated to a closed position. The second isolator (41) is located, at least in part, within the housing (15) and substantially blocks the outlet (31) when the second isolator (41) is actuated to a closed position.
US08365754B2
A valve cover assembly for a pump. In an embodiment, the valve cover assembly comprises a first cylindrical member having a central axis and a first throughbore. In addition, the valve cover assembly comprises a second cylindrical member coaxially disposed within the first throughbore and rotatable relative to the first cylindrical member about the central axis between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the second cylindrical member is axially translatable relative to the first cylindrical member. In the second position, the second cylindrical member is axially fixed relative to the first cylindrical member.
US08365753B2
The present invention relates to a magnetic flow controller which transforms a slow reduction in pressure of fluid flow over time to a measurable fluid flow. Once a threshold pressure differential is reached, a flow passage through the flow controller opens rapidly to a relatively large opening, thereby generating a volume of fluid at high flux flowing through the passage, particularly to permit the measurement of the volume of fluid in a conventional flow meter. The device of the present invention integrates this low flux and transforms it to a measurable fluid flux, so that the fluid can be measured by the fluid meter within its optimum error range. This is accomplished while maintaining a pressure drop in the flow meter which is within the permitted standards. Thus, the invention provides relatively sharp shifts between substantially high flux flow and no flow, in a pulse-like manner.
US08365737B2
It is intended to prevent a pelvic organ from slipping out of the body by pushing up the organ having slipped out or just before slipping out. A device for preventing and treating pelvic organ prolapse characterized by comprising a convex push-up member which is made of a flexible material showing a pressing force toward a pelvic organ prolapse site of a wearer and in which the surface to be in contact with the pelvic organ is coated with a coating sheet, or a concave member which is made of a flexible material receiving the pelvic organ prolapse site and in which the surface to be in contact with the pelvic organ is coated with a coating sheet, and a means of holding the convex push-up member or the concave member for tightly pressing the convex push-up member or the concave member to the pelvic organ prolapse site of the wearer as described above.
US08365735B2
A respiratory mask includes: a mask body including a mask shell, and a mask cushion connected to a rear side of the mask shell; a front cover disposed in front of and hinged to the mask shell, and having a support arm extending upwardly; a forehead support unit having a forehead frame connected to a top end of the support arm, and a forehead pad connected to a rear side of the forehead frame; and an adjustment unit connected to at least one of the mask shell and the front cover, and operable to produce relative movements of the mask shell and the front cover so that the mask body can abut against the user's nose with an appropriate abutment pressure.
US08365733B2
A liner for use with a respiratory mask having a face-engaging portion, such as a CPAP mask, includes a body constructed from an absorbent material, the body having an outer edge, an inner edge, and an opening bounded by the inner edge. A perimeter of the outer edge is larger than a perimeter of the face-engaging portion of the respiratory mask for forming an extending portion of the body, and the liner is configured to be releasably held by the mask and a user's face such that the outer edge extends beyond the face-engaging portion.
US08365725B2
The disclosure describes methods and inhalers that deagglomerate dry powder using inspiratory effort of a user of an inhaler. Inhaler fin and mesh configurations are described that facilitate deagglomeration. At least in steady state conditions, a dry powder and airflow pattern can be generated having turbulence with flow vortices, some of which may have a vortex having an axis of rotation that extends in an inspiratory flow direction while others may have a vortex that is substantially orthogonal to the inspiratory flow direction in an inspiratory airflow path, as an amount of dry powder travels through the inhaler to thereby deagglomerate the dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder during inhalation.
US08365724B2
An anesthetic vaporizer and a method of control thereof includes measuring a composition of the carrier gas with a first sensor and measuring a composition of a combined gas with a second sensor, and using these values with a controller to operate a flow valve for the regulation of the flow of an anesthetic agent into the combined gas.
US08365721B2
A method for performing intraocular brachytherapy and an apparatus for performing the same is disclosed. The apparatus preferably comprises a hand-held delivery device that advances a radiation source into an associated cannula or probe that is positioned adjacent the target tissue. The handpiece provides for shielded storage of the radiation source when retracted from the cannula and includes a slider mechanism for advancing and retracting the radiation source. The radiation source is mounted to a wire that has a flexible distal end and a relatively stiffer proximal end. A positioning system for the cannula is also disclosed.
US08365714B2
A tile cutting machine includes a tub for receiving water and a tile supporting surface for supporting thereon a tile to be cut. A cutting head assembly is positioned above the tile supporting surface and includes a motor driven blade. A tile hold down mechanism extends downwardly from the cutting head assembly to engage the tile and apply downward pressure thereto to hold the tile in place during the cutting process. The tile hold down mechanism may take the form of flexible hold down feet, downwardly biased rollers and/or bristle skirts. The tile supporting surface may be fabricated of a high friction material and include a plurality of nubs to cooperate with the hold down mechanism to hold the tile stationary with respect to the supporting surface during the cutting process. The tile cutting machine provides for a method of cutting tile where a user does not have to hold the tile with their hands during the cutting operation.
US08365710B2
An internal combustion engine and ignitor therefore is provided. The ignitor has an insulator extending between a nose end and a terminal end with an electrode extending outwardly from the nose end to ignite an air/fuel mixture with a cylinder chamber. A terminal extends from the terminal end and is configured in electrical communication with the electrode. A metal shell surrounds at least a portion of the insulator. The metal shell is free of external threads for attachment to a cylinder block. A connecting wire extends from the terminal for electrical communication with a power source. A tube has a lower end that receives the terminal end of the insulator therein. The tube extends about the connecting wire to an upper end opposite the lower end. The lower end of the tube compresses the shell into fixed relation within the opening of the cylinder head.
US08365707B2
Provided is a plasma apparatus using a cylinder head, which comprises a discharge device installed with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in the cylinder head, an antenna installed to protrude from the cylinder head into the combustion chamber, a bulging portion bulging from the cylinder head to the combustion chamber so as to cover the antenna, made from insulator or dielectric, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the cylinder head and with one end connected to the antenna and the other end, covered with insulator or dielectric, penetrating the cylinder head to extend to an outer wall of the cylinder head, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave transmission line. At compression stroke, discharge is generated with the electrode of the discharge device and the electromagnetic waves, fed from the electromagnetic wave generator through the electromagnetic wave transmission line, are radiated from the antenna.
US08365706B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for testing the tightness of a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a vehicle, with a pressure switch which communicates with the interior of the fuel tank, and a diagnosis means for testing the serviceability of the pressure switch by evaluating the switching status of the pressure switch. So that diagnosis of the pressure switch is possible even with the internal combustion engine shut off or the vehicle turned off and for internal combustion engines with exhaust gas turbochargers, it is proposed, according to the invention, that the diagnosis means test the opening behavior of the pressure switch when the temperature rises.
US08365705B2
A stem is installed to an injector body and is resiliently deformable upon receiving a pressure of high pressure fuel conducted through a high pressure passage of the injector body. A strain gauge is installed to the stem to sense a strain generated in the stem. A molded IC device executes an amplifying operation, which amplifies a signal received from the strain gauge. A retainer is threadably fastened to the injector body and is configured to be rotatable relative to the stem. The stem, the strain gauge the molded IC device are integrally assembled together to form a fuel pressure sensing unit, which is installed to the injector body by threadably fastening a threaded portion of the retainer to the injector body.
US08365693B2
A camshaft assembly is disclosed which comprises an inner shaft (12), an outer tube (14) surrounding and rotatable relative to the inner shaft (12), and two groups of cam lobes mounted on the outer tube, the first group of cam lobes being fast in rotation with the outer tube, and each cam (10) lobe (18) of the second group being rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the tube (14) and connected for rotation with the inner shaft (12) by means of one or more drive members (50) passing through circumferentially elongated slots in the outer tube. In the invention, each drive member comprises a (15) drive component (50d) engaged with fixed alignment in the cam lobe (18) and a separate fastener (50b) that is rotatable to clamp the drive component against a flat surface on the inner shaft (12), each drive member (50) being constructed such that during the tightening of the fastener (50b) no relative (20) sliding movement is required at the interface between the drive component (50d) and the inner shaft (12).
US08365685B2
A flexible loop for restraining animals during handling such as during grooming or examination or operation or in bath tubs with a swivel snap closure mechanism or fixed means at its top and, at the bottom of the flexible loop, fixed means. The loop is suitable for attachment to a grooming arm or to tethers to cross-tie the animal in place. The fixed means is preferably a D-ring.
US08365683B2
An aquarium which includes a block shaped tank with projecting studs or posts on one face and aligned openings on an opposite face allowing the tanks to be arranged in any desired configuration by interlocking the tanks via the posts of one tank interlocking with the openings of another tank.
US08365679B2
A seed spacing monitoring system is used In an agricultural seeder for planting seeds. The agricultural seeder has a furrow opener, a seed meter for metering seed to be dispensed in the furrow, and a furrow closer to cover the seed in the furrow. The seed spacing monitoring system includes a detector supported to detect seeds in the furrow prior to the seeds being covered. The detector provides a plurality of seed presence signals, with each seed presence signal being indicative of a respective seed present in the furrow. A speed sensor is associated with the seeder and provides a speed signal indicating a ground speed of the seeder. An electrical processor receives the plurality of seed presence signals and the speed signal. The electrical processor determines a seed spacing, dependent upon the seed presence signals and the speed signal.
US08365678B2
The extensible table includes: a main surface (5) supported by a support base (3A, 3B; 3); a first auxiliary surface (19) and a second auxiliary surface (21), arranged underneath the main surface (5) when the table is retracted in a condition of minimum extension and coplanar and side by side to the main surface when the table is extended in the condition of maximum extension; a table extension mechanism. The extension mechanism includes two movable supports (15, 17) arranged side by side, each carrying a respective auxiliary surface (19, 21). The movable supports are supported and guided on the support base of the table for symmetrically and synchronously moving close and away the two auxiliary surfaces one with respect to the other during table extension and retraction movement. Each of the movable supports (15, 17) includes a lifting and lowering member (23A, 23B; 27A, 27B) of the respective auxiliary surface during the table extension and retraction movement.
US08365677B2
A foldably constructed force-resisting structure comprises a top member and a bottom member foldably constructed and assembled from one or more blanks of sheet material, preferably corrugated paperboard, initially in a flat condition. The top member includes a base panel and at least one side portion folded downwardly from the base panel. The bottom member includes a base panel and at least one side portion folded upwardly from the base panel. The top and bottom members are assembled in nested relation to define an interior of the force-resisting structure between the base panels, which are at least substantially parallel to one another. The force-resisting structure includes a vertical support rib structure in the interior defining an X-shaped or cross-shaped configuration. The support rib structure is foldably constructed from the top member base panel and/or the bottom member base panel and provides vertical support for a load disposed on the base panel of the top member.
US08365676B1
A wall mounted luggage stand assembly for supporting a piece of luggage in a hotel room. The luggage stand assembly has a backboard that is mounted to a wall. A shelf is provided that has a bottom surface and a rear edge. The shelf is connected to the backboard with a hinged connection proximate that enables the shelf to rotate between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. At least one damper piston is provided that retards the movement of the shelf from its vertical orientation to its horizontal orientation. A vertical support panel is connected to the bottom surface of the shelf. The vertical support panel rotates with gravity to always remain in a vertical orientation. The vertical support panel contacts the floor when the shelf rotates to its open horizontal position, therein supporting the shelf.
US08365665B2
A fireworks igniter system and method for safely igniting fuse-type fireworks including a handheld igniter module and a remote control module. An igniter head at the proximal end of the igniter module includes a heater element and fuse clamp slide which receives and biasingly molds the fuse against the heater element. A microprocessor in the igniter module includes an infrared receiver and an igniter module actuator. The remote control module includes an infrared emitter and a remote control module actuator, the infrared emitter emitting a coded IR signal in response to activation of the actuator. The IR signal is sensed by the infrared receiver to activate the igniter module actuator and deliver electric current to the heater element sufficient to ignite the fuse.
US08365660B2
In a printing press and a method, provided are an offset rotary press for printing predetermined information on a web using a printing plate, a printer for digitally printing specific information desired by a reader and reader identification information at a specific location on a web surface, and a dispatch system for reading the reader identification information on a newspaper, thereby sorting the newspaper by delivery destination. The offset rotary press and the printer are collectively driven by a controller, thereby improving the productivity of printed matter.
US08365648B2
The Highly Survivable Urban Utility Vehicle (HSUUV) provides a novel way to balance the concerns of armor, mobility and cost. Prior art distributes armor to protect all areas of the vehicle evenly, thereby distributing the maximum armor weight capacity evenly. The HSUUV provides armored protection in levels, which vary depending on the location of the armor and that location's ballistic threat. Entrance to the HSUUV is located in location(s) other than the traditional side door(s) so as to provide additional armored protection in the area receiving the greatest ballistic threat. Using the HSUUV, soldiers can safely and quickly enter areas that they otherwise would have had to fight and sustain casualties to enter. The vehicle will give United States forces an unprecedented amount of flexibility, allowing for better strategic and tactical decisions.
US08365639B2
A device for gripping a cylindrical object comprises two gripping springs and an actuator, wherein: each gripping spring comprises a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an arcuate section disposed therebetween; the gripping springs are disposed on the device such that the first ends are pivotally coupled to the device, and the arcuate sections oppose each other so as to define an opening through which the cylindrical object is inserted; and the actuator is mechanically coupled to at least one of the second ends of the gripping springs such that movement of the actuator causes the arcuate sections of the gripping springs to grip the cylindrical object when inserted into the opening.
US08365638B2
A soil auger for creating smooth-walled cylindrical holes in the earth is provided for use with a drill. The auger has a central rotational axis with a tubular body that is open at a bottom cutting end, and enclosed at a top end by a cap assembly. The cap assembly has a top wall and a bottom wall. The top and bottom walls have apertures aligned with the central rotational axis for receiving a shaft in alignment therewith, and for attachment to a drill. The distance between the top wall and bottom wall compared to the overall length of the assembled auger determines the minimum height of the cap assembly to minimize the rotational imbalance of the auger during use for a given body length. A method of manufacturing the auger is provided using precision cutting tools to create apertures in the body and to maintain concentricity of the auger components.
US08365634B2
An actuation and control system for a steering mechanism of a mobile vehicle includes a motor including a drive shaft that is rotatable in two opposing directions, a securing structure configured to be secured to the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle, and a linking structure that couples the motor with the securing structure. The system is configured such that rotational motion of the drive shaft is imparted to the securing structure to facilitate control of the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle. The system is relatively easy to assemble and install and in a mobile vehicle and can be used with a variety of different vehicles to facilitate remote and/or unmanned navigational control of a mobile vehicle.
US08365625B2
A double clutch transmission comprising two clutches each having an input side connected to a drive shaft and an output side connected to one of two transmission input shafts coaxially arranged with respect to one another. At least two countershafts, on which toothed idler gearwheels are pivotally supported and toothed fixed gearwheels are disposed on both transmission input shafts in a rotationally fixed manner and mesh with at least some of the idler gearwheels. A plurality of coupling devices connect an idler gearwheel to a countershaft in a rotationally fixed manner. One output gear is provided on both countershafts which is coupled to gearing of an output shaft. At least one first shift element connects two toothed gearwheels in a rotationally fixed manner such that a plurality of power shifting forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be shifted.
US08365624B2
A dual clutch transmission having countershafts, idler gears and input shafts with gears which engage with the idler gears. The countershafts have a power take-off gear that is coupled to an output shaft. Shift elements connect gear wheels to engage forward and reverse gears. The transmission has two dual gear planes and two single gear planes, one idler gear of the countershafts being respectively associated with a fixed gear of one of the transmission input shafts in each of the dual gear planes. An idler gear in each dual gear plane is utilized for two gears and one idler gear of one countershafts associating with an input shaft fixed gear to shift at least one winding path gear via at least one shift element on each countershaft, and at least one winding path gear can be shifted with a coupling device associated with the take-off gear of the first countershaft and is disengaged.
US08365610B2
A testing device for structural panels is characterized in that it includes passive apparatus in the form of a mount and interface apparatus between the mount and the panel to geometrically apply stresses representing the stresses caused by the parts surrounding the panel during a normal utilisation thereof.
US08365608B2
A tension detection mechanism includes a linear member which extends in a longitudinal direction, and which is configured to transmits power, a restraining member including a restraining portion through which the linear member extends and which is configured to restrain movement of the linear member in the longitudinal direction partially, and a detection member which is provided to the restraining member and which is configured to detect tension of the linear member. A length of a portion of the linear member restrained by the restraining portion is larger than a distance between two ends of the restraining member in the longitudinal direction of the linear member.
US08365602B2
A weld seam tracking device for tracking weld seams on pipes or the like uses NDT/NDI sensor(s) in conjunction with an NDT/NDI operation, such as an ultrasonic phased array (PA) inspection. Processing of the weld seam tracking data is integrated or combined with the existing data processing element of the existing NDT/NDI inspection devices. Wide scanning areas of phased array probes allow weld seam tracking and inspection to be performed using a single set of probe and data processing elements to achieve both fault scanning and seam tracking with a single run of the PA scan.
US08365600B2
The invention is a method using ultrasound for non-destructive examination of a test body, whereby ultrasonic waves are coupled into the test body with one ultrasonic transducer or a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and the ultrasonic waves reflected inside the test body are received by a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and converted into ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic signals detected in the single measurement periods are individually stored and are accessible for off-line evaluation after termination of the measurements. Application of corresponding reconstruction algorithms permits subsequent synthetization of any desired ultrasonic coupling-in angles and focussing into the volume region of the test body from the stored ultrasonic signals without requiring any additional ultrasonic measurements.
US08365599B2
An acoustic emissions testing device includes a pressurizable chamber, a rock sample, and one or ore acoustic sensors communicably coupled to the rock sample. The chamber includes a first chamber being pressurizable to a first pressure and a second chamber pressurizable to a second pressure. The rock sample is positioned within the pressurizable chamber such that a first portion of the sample is exposed to the first pressure and a second portion of the sample is exposed to the second pressure. The second pressure is increased to a threshold pressure, maintained at the threshold pressure for a time period, and then decreased. The acoustic sensors detect one or more acoustic events occurring within the rock sample. In certain embodiments, one or more of the intensity, the spatial location, and the propagating direction for one or more acoustic events are determinable. The system includes the testing device coupled to a recorder.
US08365597B2
An apparatus with a second movable portion that moves along an x-axis direction and a z-axis direction and a first movable portion that only moves along the z-axis direction is disclosed. The apparatus is provided with a fixed portion fixed to a support portion, a plurality of first spring portions connected to the fixed portion, a first movable portion connected to the plurality of first spring portions, a second spring portion connected to the first movable portion, and a second movable portion connected to the second spring portion. A spring constant of each of the plurality of first spring portions in the z-axis direction is lower than spring constants of each of the plurality of first spring portions in the x-axis and a y-axis directions respectively, and a spring constant of the second spring portion in the x-axis direction is lower than spring constants of the second spring portion in the y-axis and the z-axis directions respectively. The first movable portion is configured to move along the z-axis but not to move along the x-axis and the y-axis nor to rotate around the z-axis, and the second movable portion is configured to move along the x-axis and the z-axis with respect to the support portion.
US08365591B2
A static port apparatus for an aircraft having a static plate having inner and outer surfaces for fixture on the aircraft. The static plate including a first set of a plurality of port apertures and at least a second set of a plurality of port apertures. Each port aperture of the second set of port apertures is coaxially positioned with respect to each port aperture of the first set of port apertures.
US08365586B2
A method of monitoring soot mass in a particulate filter of an exhaust system includes predicting soot mass in the particulate filter based at least partially on a pressure differential between exhaust flowing into the filter and exhaust flowing out of the filter. The predicted soot mass is then revised based at least partially on measured operating parameters indicative of mass flow rate of nitrogen oxides in exhaust flow of the exhaust system and temperature of the particulate filter.
US08365581B2
A leak detector for detecting a leak in a line includes a transmitting device for generating radiation to be coupled into the line. By a receiving device, radiation that has emerged from the line through a leak is received, as a result of which the leak becomes detectable.
US08365572B2
The means 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, comprising 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.
US08365566B2
A device for adjusting the distance of stripper chisels from a circumference of work rolls supported in chocks of a roll stand, wherein the stripper chisels are movable parallel to the rolling line in direction towards and away from the roll gap. To adapt to different operating positions and diameters of the work rolls, the stripper chisels are arranged in a horizontally displaceable stand roller table. The movement of the stand roller table is linked with the vertical movement of the bottom work roll so that the stripper chisel can be moved away from the work roll when the bottom work roll moves upward, and vice versa.
US08365552B2
In an evaporator unit for a refrigerant cycle device, an evaporator is connected to an ejector to evaporate refrigerant to be drawn into a refrigerant suction port of the ejector or the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet of the ejector. The evaporator includes a plurality of tubes in which the refrigerant flows, and a tank configured to distribute the refrigerant into the tubes or to collect the refrigerant from the tubes. The ejector is located in the tank, and the nozzle portion is brazed to the tank to be fixed into the tank. The tank may be a header tank directly connected to the tubes or may be a separate tank separated from the header tank.
US08365550B2
This invention relates to an aircraft air conditioning system with at least one compressor, a first conduit connected with a pressure side of the compressor and at least one cooling unit provided downstream of the compressor. A second bypass conduit is connected with the pressure side of the compressor to conduct at least part of the compressed air around at least one cooling unit and has a throttle for varying air flow therethrough.
US08365544B2
An embodiment of method used to control operation of a screw compressor of a refrigeration system may include receiving status signals regarding operation of the screw compressor of the refrigeration system. The method may further include determining an operating point of the screw compressor based upon the received status signals, and selecting a torque profile for the screw compressor based upon the operating point. The method may also include driving the screw compressor per the selected torque profile. Refrigeration systems and compressor systems suitable for implementing the method are also presented.
US08365538B2
The invention relates to a high temperature-resistant sealing assembly comprising a sealing segment and a component border which is connected to the sealing segment. A flexible sealing element is provided in order to joining the sealing segment and the component border. The invention is characterized in that the flexible sealing element compensates both thermal expansions and relative movements of the component border and the components resting against the sealing segment. The flexible sealing element and the sealing segment are subject to little wear and have a long service life. The invention further relates to a combustion chamber that is equipped with a high temperature-resistant sealing assembly as well as a gas turbine encompassing such a combustion chamber.
US08365529B2
A high temperature solar power tower system includes a molten salt heat transfer medium, a high temperature solar receiver, and an energy conversion system. The molten salt heat transfer medium is capable of being heated to a temperature of at least approximately 1200 degrees Fahrenheit by the high temperature solar receiver. The energy conversion system uses the heated molten salt to generate power.
US08365528B2
Systems and methods for controlling air flow in an engine including a turbocharger are provided. One example method includes adjusting valve operation for a turbocharged engine. The method may improve scavenging and reduce exhaust blow down interference.
US08365527B2
A cooling circuit and an independent heat recovery circuit are associated with an internal combustion engine. A coolant is circulated a pump in a first and a second cooling sub-circuit. An increase in pressure in a work medium is achieved within the heat recovery circuit by a pump. This work medium is changed from liquid aggregate state to vaporous aggregate state and back to the liquid aggregate state in heat exchangers. This work medium is divided after the pump into two parallel partial flows and is changed into vaporous state in a first parallel branch in an EGR heat exchanger through which recycle exhaust gas flows and in a second parallel branch in an exhaust gas heat exchanger through flow exhaust gas downstream of the low-pressure turbine flows. This vaporous work medium is then fed to an expander and is then conducted through a cooled condenser and, liquefied again.
US08365518B2
An upstream cylinder (21) and a downstream cylinder (24) are fixedly mounted to a support member (19), and a filter cylinder (26) is provided mountably and dismountably between the cylinders (21) and (24). In consequence, only the filter cylinder (26) can be dismounted with the cylinders (21) and (24) left as they are on the support member (19), so that the maintenance operation of a particulate matter removing filter (28) can be performed easily. In addition, pressure conduits (32) and (33) and a pressure sensor (34) of a pressure detection unit (31) for detecting a clogged state of the particulate matter removing filter (28) are disposed at positions offset from a moving path (30) of the filter cylinder (26). In consequence, only the filter cylinder (26) can be easily mounted or dismounted without being obstructed by the pressure conduits (32) and (33) and the pressure sensor (34).
US08365516B2
In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine, the regeneration of a filter and the purification of NOx are made compatible with each other while suppressing an excessive supply of HC. The apparatus includes a first exhaust gas purification unit for purifying NOx, a second exhaust gas purification unit arranged in series with the first exhaust gas purification unit for collecting PM, HC supply units for supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and the second exhaust gas purification unit, respectively, and a priority decision unit for deciding priority between supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and supplying HC to the second exhaust gas purification unit, wherein an amount of HC to be supplied to a lower priority one is made smaller when a request for supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and a request for supplying HC to the second exhaust gas purification unit overlap with each other than when the HC supplying requests do not overlap with each other.
US08365514B1
A gas turbine engine has, in at least a first mode of operation, a core engine, a fan, and an auxiliary turbine engine coupled as follows. The core engine has, along a core flowpath, at least one compressor section, a combustor, and at least one turbine section. The fan is upstream of the core flowpath and drives air downstream along the core flowpath and along a bypass flowpath. The auxiliary turbine engine has an axial compressor, a fan, a combustor, and an axial turbine. The fan has fan blades and a continuation of the bypass flowpath extends sequentially downstream through the axial compressor and radially outward through passageways in the blades of the fan and a continuation of the core flowpath passes axially through the fan. The combustor is downstream of the fan along the continuation of the bypass flowpath. The axial turbine is downstream of the combustor along the continuation of the bypass flowpath and comprises at least one stage of blades rotating with the fan.
US08365502B2
A structural member such as a strut includes a composite material tube having metal end fittings that are attached to the tube by co-bonded, double shear joints. The double shear bond joint construction reduces the residual stress on the bonds that result from mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the composite tube and the metal end fittings. The ends of the fittings that are bonded to the tube may include a stepped profile that functions to limit the peak stresses in the bonds.
US08365501B2
Wide-body connectors are provided for concrete sandwich walls. Each connector includes a body with longitudinally thickened portions defining flanges and a thinner inner connecting web extending between the flanges. The flanges provide increased bending stiffness for the connector, while the web provides enhanced shear transfer between the concrete layers of the wall. Anchoring surfaces are formed into or overmolded onto the body to anchor the ends of the connector in the concrete layers of the wall and assist in the creation of end moments ofr the transfer of forces between the concrete layers. Preferably, a lip is provided on the connector to limit the penetration of the connector through the insulation layer of the wall. The connectors transfer forces between the concrete layers, without thermal bridging, such that the wall has a substantially composite character.
US08365499B2
A method of assembling resilient floorboards is disclosed that includes the step of bending an edge of a floorboard during the assembling. The bending reduces the force required for connection of the edge to another edge of a juxtaposed floorboard.
US08365497B2
The insulated panel comprises exterior sheathing, studs, rigid foam panels and a spray-pour foam. The rigid foam panels are placed up against the sheathing between the studs, and the spray-pour foam is used to fill in the voids.
US08365494B2
Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.
US08365490B2
An improved purlin clip has an arm and a leg defining a channel to receive the lower flange of a ceiling purlin. A pin is integrally formed with the lower leg of the clip and extends downwardly. The pin is adapted to penetrate a ceiling membrane. A cap is frictionally fit onto the pin to retain the membrane adjacent the purlin, and to support the membrane, with the insulation blown in between the membrane and the ceiling deck. The pin includes teeth or barbs for retentively engaging the cap.
US08365480B1
A door assembly with installed glass panel, or insulated glass panel, security glass panel, or a decorative leaded glass panel, void of holes in the door or in glass panel, wherein the door assembly has a dual support connector with connector body, connector hole extending through the connector body, a glass flange integral with the connector body for overlaying an edge portion of the glass panel; an structural panel flange integral with the connector body, extending at a right angle to the connector hole away from the connector body parallel to while opposite the glass panel flange for overlaying an edge portion of the structural panel while in a plane apart from a plane of the glass flange.
US08365474B2
Synclastic hollow core building panels are employed to form dome-like structures. The synclastic curve allows the panels to be lightweight, yet capable of carrying the weight of the structural loads. When combined, the panels create a sphere or a section of a sphere for enclosing space, with optional egress, skylight, and foundation portals incorporated into the structure without disturbing the spherical curvature of the interior or exterior surfaces. The spheres or sphere sections require no additional framing; the panels themselves are the frame. Workers with only the basic assembly skills can construct a sphere or sphere sections using these panels.
US08365467B1
A prevegetated blanket protects an exposed soil surface from erosion in an efficient manner. The prevegetated blanket has a fibrous structure, with a water retaining composition, water retention substance and topsoil to receive the desired seeds. Components of the prevegetated blanket of this invention grow a living membrane for native and cover crops in a controlled environment in a weed free, state. Then, the prevegetated blanket is transferred to a specific site and installed immediately after soil is prepared.
US08365461B2
Provided is a long line fishing that prevents a tubular sleeve from separating from the external circumference of a main line no matter how large force may be radially applied from the outside, reduces friction, and makes it possible to quickly and easily connecting a string to a simple connection hook of a swivel. The present invention may be implemented by fitting a plurality of tubular sleeve on a long main line at predetermined positions, disposing clover stoppers at both sides of the tubular sleeves at predetermined positions to prevent the tubular sleeve s from longitudinally moving, and protruding hook from the external circumference by striking the external circumference of the tubular sleeve with a punch through a hole.
US08365459B2
The invention relates to a stem guide that is configured to receive a replaceable cartridge. The stem guide includes a cartridge receiving end having a cartridge attachment means for attaching the cartridge to the stem guide in a manner that the cartridge can be removed from the stem guide without causing an amount of damage to either the cartridge or the stem guide which prevents either the cartridge or stem guide from being used again. The stem guide may be provided in a kit form with a variety of replaceable floats, scent sticks and light sticks.
US08365457B2
A bird repellent apparatus having an integral base member and a plurality of prongs. The base member, by means of a plurality of tabs having holes for receiving screws or other fasteners, can be affixed to virtually any desired surface. The plurality of prongs with sharp tips presents an impossible barrier to birds that would otherwise land or perch on the surface to which the present invention is affixed. The combined base member and prongs are formed from injection molded plastic structure that also provide the tabs having holes to secure the base member to the underlying surface.
US08365455B2
A scope may include an adjustment dial, which may be moved among a plurality of positions to configure the scope to compensate for projectile drops. The adjustment dial may be labeled with dial-calibration data, which may include one or more distance indicators and/or one or more windage hold-off indicators. The scope may be attached to a gun and the dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using ballistics performance data based on shots fired by the gun. The dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using shooting conditions. An electronic device may include a derived distance calculation module, which may be configured to use a distance to a target and actual shooting conditions to calculate a derived distance. The derived distance may be used in connection with an adjustment dial labeled with dial-calibration data at least partially generated using shooting conditions different from the actual shooting conditions.
US08365448B2
The memorial display is a retainer and display for funereal and memorial related items, such as obituary pages, sympathy cards, funeral flowers and the like. The memorial display includes a page retainer for receiving a display page, such as an obituary page. A transparent holder is provided for receiving the page retainer and securing the display page therein. A face plate, such as a memorial placard, is secured to a front face of the transparent holder. A framing mat, having opposed front and rear faces and a central cutout portion formed therethrough, is positioned against the transparent front face of the transparent holder for bordering the face plate. A frame member receives the page retainer, the transparent holder, the face plate and the framing mat such that the face plate is displayed through the front end of the frame member and the display page is displayed through the rear end.
US08365446B2
A garment care system includes a steam generator having a steam outlet, and a handset having a steam inlet arranged for coupling to the steam outlet, an opening for releasing steam and a steam control unit for controlling a valve for controlling the release of steam. The steam control unit includes a selector unit having at least two selection options, and a steam release switch connected to the selector unit and arranged for starting or stopping the release of steam in dependence on the selected option.
US08365434B2
A method for controlling the operation of a dryer comprising dispensing a treating chemistry from a dispensing system into a treating chamber of the dryer based on an output from the environmental drying sensor.
US08365426B2
A coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a frame structure on which a probe head is arranged. The probe head has a probe head sensor system, a body part and a coupling part which can move relative to the body part. The frame structure is designed to move the probe head relative to the measurement object. The probe tool has at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object, and also has a rotating plate. The stylus is coupled to the coupling part by means of the rotating plate, such that it can rotate. At least one roll motion projection is formed on the body part. The rotating plate can be rolled along this roll motion projection by means of a movement of the coupling part in order to set a defined orientation of the stylus.
US08365423B2
An archery range finder that is mounted to a bow sight. The range finder is manufactured such that there is an individual range finder for each type of game. The huntsman selects the range finder that is predetermined in size such that the predetermined sizes will fit the size of the game that is being hunted. For purposes of using these range finders the devices provide an easy and convenient means by which the range finders can be easily attached to a bow sight and removed from the bow sight.
US08365388B2
A method of joining plates of material to form a predetermined structure, the method comprising: assembling a first plate (40) of a material comprising at least one recess (100) against a second plate (80) of material such that the at least one recess (100) of the first plate (40) is in an exterior surface of the first plate (40) on a side of the first plate opposite to the side which faces the second plate (80); bonding a portion (120) of the first and second plates (40, 80) to one another; superplastically forming the bonded plates, wherein the superplastic forming causes the material of the second plate (80) which is opposite to the at least one recess (100) of the first plate (40) to be driven towards the recess (100), and wherein the unbonded portion of the second plate (80) is deflected away from the plate to form the predetermined structure.
US08365386B2
A framing device (1) and a method are provided for connecting disk-type bodies (6) to a frame (5) by a manipulator (2). A joining device (4) is associated with the manipulator (2), for joining individual frame parts (8, 9, 10, 11) to the disk-type body. The manipulator (2) guides the disk-type body (6) and inserts it into the frame parts (8, 9, 10, 11) provided, the frame parts being pressed against the disk edge (7) at the same time or one after the other.
US08365382B2
A pipe from a plastic material having memory properties is extruded. The extruded pipe is cut to form a pipe part (7). The pipe part (7) is warmed and the end (6b) of the pipe part (7) is bent. The pipe part (7) forms a clamping ring (6) and the bent end (6b) of the pipe part (7) forms a stop edge (10) in the clamping ring (6).
US08365378B1
A molding removal tool assembly includes a handle having a first end and a second end. A plate is attached to the second end. The plate has a distal edge with respect to the handle. A blade is attached to the distal edge. The blade has a first side, a second side and a free edge. The blade has an opening therein extending into the first side and outwardly of the second side. The opening has a bottom edge. A tab is attached to the bottom edge and is angled toward the handle so that the plate extends over the tab. The free edge is configured to be extended between a wall surface and molding attached to the wall surface to urge the molding off of the wall surface with the tab.
US08365374B2
Disclosed herein is a method of installing an elastomeric element onto a tubular. The method includes, positioning the elastomeric element onto a radially expandable member, radially expanding the radially expandable member and the elastomeric element installed thereon, positioning a tubular coaxially with the radially expandable member, and axially urging the elastomeric element off the radially expandable member thereby allowing the elastomeric element to be positioned coaxially about an outer perimetrical surface of the tubular.
US08365372B2
In a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric oscillating circuit in thin film technology, wherein the oscillating circuit includes a predetermined natural frequency and a plurality of layers, first of all at least a first layer of the piezoelectric oscillating circuit is generated. Subsequently, by processing the first layer a frequency correction is performed. Subsequently, at least a second layer of the piezoelectric oscillating circuit is generated and processed for performing a second frequency correction.
US08365366B2
A clamping collar includes a belt that co-operates with a tightening member(s) and that is made up of two belt portions interconnected at their connection ends. Each of these connection ends has a joggle between an end segment and a coupling segment. The joggle is provided with a slot that extends transversely to a step. The connection ends are thus interlocked, the step of each connection end being disposed in the slot of the other end and the coupling segment of each of the ends being disposed against the end segment of the other end, so that the retaining surfaces belonging to respective ones of the two ends co-operate with each other.
US08365362B2
A safety release device for Roman blind pull cord is disposed between the control pull cord of the Roman blind and a lower suspension thereof. The safety release device includes a latch body for connecting with the pull cord, a latch ring seat connected with the lower suspension of the Roman blind, and a connection barrel. The latch body can be plugged into and latched with the connection barrel or extracted out of the connection barrel. The latch body has a latch force greater than the weight of the suspended Roman blind. When an abnormal pulling force greater than the latch force between the latch body and the connection barrel is applied to the pull cord in any direction, the latch body will be easily extracted out of the connection barrel to avoid tangle of the pull cord with a kid and ensure safety in use of the Roman blind.
US08365356B2
A carrier for a window sash having an actuatable friction adjuster. The friction adjuster has a carrier interface that interacts with a mating friction adjuster interface of the carrier such that the actuation of the friction adjuster by rotating it within an oblong slot in the carrier causes the carrier interface to interact with the friction adjuster interface and forces a rear portion of the friction adjuster into progressively increasing frictional contact with an adjacent portion of a window frame sash channel.
US08365351B2
Water slider for a floor cleaning machine 1, comprising a sliding unit 2 located in front of the brush unit 5 of the machine, characterized by actuating means 3, 6, 13; 3, 6′, 11, 12; 3, 6, 7; 3, 6, 7′; 3, 6, 7″; 3, 6′, 10; 3, 6′, 10′; 3, 6′, 10″ for raising and lowering the sliding unit. The actuation of the water slider can be obtained in several ways: automatically via an actuating bar 3 which connects the sliding unit to the driving wheels of the machine mechanically and which raises/lowers the sliding unit on a forward/backward movement of the wheels; intuitively via a mechanical connection of the bar 3 to the steering handle 8 via a negative gear transmission; manually via an actuating lever 7; 7′; 7″; or by a powered mechanism 10; 10′; 10″ which is steered by the electronics of the machine and which raises/lowers the water slider when the machine is moved forward/backward.
US08365339B2
The device for fixedly holding the head of a toothbrush in a processing machine comprises holding parts with a support surface that is formed on a holding flange. The holding flange is inserted between the bristle carrier and the holding plate of the head of the toothbrush and supports the bristle carrier with the support surface thereof.
US08365336B2
A rotatable root saw blade for routing through a sewer line for purposes of cutting debris or roots from the interior wall of the sewer line includes a body having an arcuate portion having a forward cutting edge which moves along a substantially circular path when rotated, and the forward cutting edge defines a series of V-shaped teeth therealong. Each V-shaped tooth has a leading cutting edge and a trailing edge which meet at an apex. The leading cutting edge of each tooth is substantially parallel to the direction of axial movement of the saw blade along the length of the sewer line, and the trailing edge of each tooth forms an angle with the direction of axial movement of the blade which is between about 22° and 63°. Furthermore, a notch is defined between each successively-arranged pair of teeth wherein the notch has a depth of between about 0.5 and 1.0 inches as measured from the apex of an adjacent tooth.
US08365334B2
A washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine are provided. According to the washing machine and method of controlling the washing machine, the drum is operated at a first speed so that part of laundry within the drum tumbles and another part of the laundry adheres to the drum. When an unbalance amount of the drum operating at the first speed is a first specific value or less, the speed of the drum is increased to a second speed so that all of the laundry adheres to the drum. When an unbalance amount of the drum detected during the increasing to the second speed is a second specific value or more, the rotation of the drum is decelerated. Accordingly, at a time of a dehydration cycle, stability of the washing machine and laundry balancing can be ensured.
US08365333B2
The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a method for controlling the same, wherein the laundry machine includes a steam generator (300) for generating and supplying steam to a drum (130) and a detergent liquid flow passage (340) for providing a passage to supply detergent liquid to an inside of the steam generator (300), thereby permitting easy washing of the steam generator (300) in the laundry machine.
US08365328B2
A baby supporting device is provided which includes a frame. The frame includes a first portion for mounting onto a wall and a second portion pivotally coupled to the first portion and rotatable between a first position and a second position. A first stop member extends from the first portion, and a second stop member extends from the second portion, such that when the second stop member engages the first stop member it stops the second portion at the second position. A first surface covers at least a portion of the first portion, and a second surface covers at least a portion of the second portion.
US08365327B2
An improved support for use by a pregnant woman to achieve greater comfort while resting or sleeping on her side. The support comprises two pillows connected together by a piece of stretchable fabric. The pillows are shaped to provide greater comfort to the woman, especially over long periods of time, compared to prior designs that employ rounded pillows. Different types of foam are used for the two pillows to tailor the degree of support for the part of the woman's body that is being supported by each pillow. The stretchable fabric enables the support to adapt to the growth of the woman during pregnancy (particularly late term pregnancy). The support may be assembled into a compact, attractive unit for storage.
US08365324B2
A bed rail having an operating position at one of the sides of a bed and a stored position between a mattress and box spring of the bed. To take down the bed rail, a guard frame portion is disengaged from a base frame portion, then the guard frame portion is pivoted and slid into the base frame portion. To set up the bed rail, the guard frame portion can be slid out of the base frame portion, pivoted relative to the base frame portion, then engaged to the base frame portion and into the operating position at a side of the bed.
US08365317B1
A combined automatic toilet self-cleaning and user hygienic system, A combined automatic toilet seat-cleaning and user hygienic system, having a housing assembly, an electrical system, a liquid matter system, a turbine assembly, and a manifold assembly. The manifold assembly has a first at least one cut out. The manifold assembly is partially housed within a manifold. The manifold assembly has ducting for air to flow originating from the turbine assembly. The manifold assembly further has a bidet for liquid matter to exit from the liquid matter system directed onto a user positioned on a toilet seat assembly. A toilet seat assembly has mounting brackets to mount onto the manifold assembly for rotary movement of the seat assembly. A cover assembly has a mounting frame to mount onto the manifold assembly. The cover assembly further has a rotating arm assembly.
US08365316B2
An airbag jacket having a good fitting performance of an expanded airbag for a body in the airbag jacket where the airbag is expanded along an outer surface of the body of the wearer. An airbag 2 is provided in a manner so as to cover a waistline and both shoulders of the wearer. An inside of the airbag 2 is partitioned into a plurality of cells 2a by means of that an inner panel 3 constituting a first surface on a wearer side of the airbag 2 and an outer panel 4 constituting a second surface on an opposite side to the wearer is partially stitched by means of a line-shaped stitching portion 6. Each of the cells 2a is formed to have a shape extending in a body height direction of the wearer. Thereby, the airbag 2 is brought to be expanded along an outer surface of a body portion of the wearer as a whole.
US08365314B2
An elastomeric article, such as a glove or a condom, is coated with a compound containing silicone, collagen and allantoin.
US08370949B2
Systems and methods automatically scan content, such as advertisements, for a list of terms and/or phrases that may not be allowed in the content. In one implementation, the terms and/or phrases include trademarks. In this implementation, incoming advertisements may be automatically scanned for the presence of trademarks.
US08370938B1
Remediating a suspicious element in a web page is disclosed. An indication of a suspicious element is received. A quarantine instruction is sent to a server of the web page. One example of a quarantine instruction is an instruction to block the page from being served. Another example of a quarantine instruction in as instruction to block an element of the page from being served.
US08370935B1
The auditing of a device that includes a physical memory is disclosed. One or more hardware parameters that correspond to a hardware configuration is received. Initialization information is also received. The physical memory is selectively written in accordance with a function. The physical memory is selectively read and at least one result is determined. The result is provided to a verifier.
US08370926B1
A computer-implemented method for authenticating users may include identifying an image associated with a user for mutual assurance during an authentication process. The computer-implemented method may also include modifying the image based on a prompt message to create a modified image that displays the prompt message. The computer-implemented method may further include determining that user input comprises an expected response to the prompt message. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08370922B1
Disclosed herein are systems, methods and computer program products for providing secure Internet access to a user device in an unsecure network environment, such as a public wireless network. The system includes a portable security device configured to establishing a first secure direct wireless connection with the user device and a second secure network connection through the public wireless network to a security server, which provides Internet access. The security device provides Internet browser and e-mail application, which can be used instead of unsecure applications of the user device to access Web resources through the first and second secure network connections. In addition, the security device includes a secure keyboard, which can be used by the device user instead of the unsecure keyboard of the user device to enter user authentication data for accessing the desired Web resources.
US08370921B2
Packet sequence number checking through a VPN tunnel may be performed by assigning sequence numbers on a per-priority class basis to packets traversing the VPN tunnel. In one implementation, a network device may receive a packet that is to be transmitted over a VPN tunnel, the packet including control information that includes at least a QoS priority class of the packet. The network device may extract the priority class of the packet from the control information and generate a sequence value that describes an arrival sequence of the packet relative to other received packets of the same priority class as the packet. The network device may additionally generate an IPsec header for the packet, the IPsec header including the sequence value and the priority class of the packet; attach the IPsec header to the packet; and transmit the packet through the VPN tunnel.
US08370919B2
A host firewall can determine and consider whether unsolicited traffic is inbound from beyond the edge of the network and allow or block such traffic based at least in part upon this characteristic. In one implementation, an edge traversal parameter can be set on a host firewall rule, which typically includes other parameters such as port, protocol, etc. If the unsolicited traffic received via an edge traversal interface matches a host firewall rule that has the edge traversal criterion, then the firewall does not block the traffic. On the other hand, if the unsolicited traffic received via an edge traversal interface fails to satisfy the edge traversal criterion on any firewall rule, then the firewall blocks the traffic.
US08370918B1
Disclosed herein are systems, methods and computer program products for providing secure Internet access to a user device in an unsecure network environment, such as a public wireless network. The system includes a portable security device configured to establishing a first secure direct wireless connection with the user device and a second secure network connection through the public wireless network to a security server, which provides Internet access. The security device provides Internet browser and e-mail application, which can be used instead of unsecure applications of the user device to access Web resources through the first and second secure network connections. In addition, the security device includes a secure keyboard, which can be used by the device user instead of the unsecure keyboard of the user device to enter user authentication data for accessing the desired Web resources.
US08370916B2
A first user (110) requests a service provider (130) to create (200,400) a record of a transaction. The service provider (130) creates (230,430) a digital receipt (300,700,900), which includes a description (310,710,720,910,1020) of the transaction understandable by humans, tamper-proof evidence (320) of the transaction, and a verification prompt (330,740,940,1030). A second user (120) who desires to verify the transaction displays (265,465) the digital receipt (300,700,900) and activates (270,470) the verification prompt (330,740,940,1030). Upon activation, the tamper-proof evidence (320) is verified without requiring further human interaction to identify the tamper-proof evidence.
US08370907B1
A connection between a monitoring device and a remote user is accomplished securely over the Internet by using a communication channel with public/private key encryption to connect the two locations and by performing authentication of a user at the local monitoring device rather than at a device server at the remote location, thereby effectively removing the device server as vulnerable point for attack. In particular, when a remote user attempts to log in, via a web browser or interactive telephone system, the encrypted channel is established using the public/private key of the device and the device server proxies the log-in request to the monitored device. The device itself is then responsible for granting or denying access.
US08370898B1
The invention relates to systems, methods and computer-readable media for controlling access to compute resources in a compute environment such as a cluster or a grid. The method of providing conditional access to a compute environment comprises associating a required service level threshold with a compute environment, associating a service level with a requestor, receiving a request for access to the compute environment from the requestor; and, if the service level of the requestor meets the specified service level threshold, then allowing access to the compute resources. The threshold-based access may be enforced by reservations, policies or some other method.
US08370896B2
A system and method for determining a security encoding to be applied to a message being sent by a user of a computing device. In one broad aspect, the device comprises a processor configured to: determine whether a general message encoding configuration setting indicates that when a security encoding is to be applied to a message then the security encoding is to be established by a policy engine; if the general message encoding configuration setting so indicates, query the policy engine for the security encoding to be applied to the message; otherwise, determine the security encoding to be applied to the message in accordance with a user-selected security encoding; and apply the determined security encoding to the message prior to transmission of the message to at least one recipient.
US08370889B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a switched digital video (SDV) client to intelligently generate and transmit reverse request in a SDV system. In this manner, reverse channel traffic is reduced. During rapid channel changes using the up and down keys on a remote control, the SDV client waits a predetermined amount of time before generating a reverse request that is subsequently transmitted upstream to a headend server. By way of example, changing broadcasted channels quickly will not generate a reverse request until the predetermined amount of time is over. In the event that a changed channel is an SDV session, a program select request is immediately generated in order to begin receiving the SDV session.
US08370884B2
An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.
US08370880B2
A telephone control service is described. In embodiment(s), a request to interface with a content distributor can be received from a mobile phone, and the content distributor can correlate the mobile phone with a television client device that receives television media content from the content distributor. The content distributor can communicate an instruction to configure a client device feature according to the request from the mobile phone. In other embodiment(s), a request for a video clip can be received from the mobile phone, and the content distributor can obtain and communicate the video clip to be rendered on the mobile phone. In other embodiment(s), a request to interface with the content distributor as a diagnostic aid can be received from the mobile phone. The content distributor can execute diagnostic instructions according to the request to identify system problems, and communicate the system problems to the mobile phone as diagnostic feedback.
US08370879B2
A connection interface allows individuals (such as guests at a lodging facility) to use portable personal electronic devices (such as laptop computers, digital audio players, and digital audio/video players) in conjunction with a television. The connection interface device includes inputs to receive signals from various portable devices, and includes selection keys by which a guest can select a particular type of input to the television. The connection interface senses presence of video and audio signals on its inputs, and the state of the selection keys, and provides data over an in-room network with a television interface terminal. The connection interface device also routes the signals received at its inputs to corresponding inputs of the television. The television interface terminal responds to inputs from a remote control, keyboard or game controller and provides commands to the television to tune to selected channels for free-to-guest programming pay-per-view movies, video games, Internet, and other interactive services. Based on data from the connection interface, the television interface terminal can command the television to receive and play selected inputs from the connection interface.
US08370855B2
A mechanism is provided for managing a process-to-process intra-cluster communication request. A call from a first application is received in a first operating system in a first data processing system. The first operating system passes the call from the first operating system to a first host fabric interface controller in the first data processing system without processing the call. The first host fabric interface controller processes the call without intervention by the first operating system to determine a second data processing system in the plurality of data processing systems with which the call is associated. The first host fabric interface controller initiates an intra-cluster connection to a second host fabric interface controller in the second data processing system. The first host fabric interface controller then transfers the call to the second host fabric interface controller in the second data processing system via the intra-cluster connection.
US08370852B2
A partnership object is created to manage interactions between objects in an object oriented computing environment. An interaction license is issued by a licensing framework executing on a computing device to each of a group of objects indicating that the group of objects is authorized to form partnerships, where the group of objects interact by requesting formation of the partnerships using the provided interaction licenses. A first object requests to interact with a second object. A partnership object is created and each of the first and second objects is provided with a reference to the partnership object. The request from the first object may include identifiers of licenses associated with the first and second object and the partnership object may be created only if both licenses are validated. The first object then is able to interact with the second object by using the reference to the partnership object.
US08370848B2
There are provided mechanisms and methods for providing a client access to an external service via an application services platform. These mechanisms and methods for providing a client access to an external service via an application services platform can provide effective access to such external service without necessarily forcing the client to access the external service separately with respect to the application services platform. The ability to provide such technique can enable the integration of an external service with an application services platform, thus allowing the client to access the external service in a more effective manner.
US08370842B2
Disclosed are a method, a system and a computer program product of operating a data processing system that can include or be coupled to multiple processor cores. The multiple processor cores can be coupled to a memory that can include multiple priority queues associated with multiple respective priorities and store multiple work items. Work items stored in the multiple priority queues can be associated with a bit mask which is associated with a respective priority queue and can be routed to respective groups of one or more processors based on the associated bit mask. In one or more embodiments, at least two groups of processor cores can include at least one processor core that is common to both of the at least two groups of processor cores.
US08370837B2
This invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for performing on-the-fly migration of a virtual server from one network node to another node on the network. All active processes executing on a virtual server are frozen and the state of these processes, including virtual server network connectivity information, are saved into a dump file. The dump file is transferred to the destination network node. Using the information stored in the dump file, the execution state of all active processes and the state of network connections of the virtual server are restored at the destination node to the state existing immediately prior to on-the-fly migration.
US08370835B2
A sequence of programs enable execution of a guest operating system (OS) (116) installed on virtual hard disks (VHDs), one storing system, one storing user data (210, 212). The VHDs are stored on a storage device as for example a USB flash drive (216). The storage device is connected to a host system (110). Virtual machine monitor (VMM) (118) type, available RAM and an access path to an internal storage device (220) are detected. The guest OS (116) configuration is modified to support hardware emulated by the detected VMM. A virtual machine (VM) configuration for this VMM is created allocating a portion of the detected RAM for the VM (112). Both VHDs are attached as copy-on-write VHDs, and VM write operations to VHDs (210, 212) are redirected to overlay files (228, 230) on the host's internal storage device. After shutdown overlay files can be merged with corresponding VHD base files.
US08370831B1
A multi-chassis router allows an administrator to install software from a single user interface. The multi-chassis router automatically forwards the software to each chassis within the multi-chassis router when given a single command to install the software from an administrator. The multi-chassis router also automatically validates the software on each chassis. After reporting the results of the validations, the multi-chassis router may wait for the administrator to issue a commit command before committing each chassis within the multi-chassis router to the software. Alternatively, in response to a failed validation or for other reason, an administrator can issue a single ROLLBACK command. This allows each chassis within the multi-chassis router to have the same software during all stages of a software installation and ensures software on each chassis is compatible with software on every other chassis.
US08370829B2
Embodiments of the present teachings provide for standardized post installation configuration of a software application. For Linux-based applications, a portal service provides a Red Hat Packet Manager (“RPM”) package that includes selected software to be installed on a user's computing device, and a post install configuration file (“PIC”). A post-install configurator accesses the PIC file and performs post-installation configuration based on the contents of the PIC file. The PIC file thus provides a standardized mechanism in which software vendors can specify post-installation configuration of their applications, without having to develop their own tools or applications.
US08370828B2
Techniques to perform gradual upgrades are described. An apparatus may include a database with a data set for a first version of an application program, and a computing device to couple to the database. The computing device may have a processor and memory, with the memory to store a first version of an application program, an installer program, and a gradual update engine. The processor may execute the installer program to install a second version of the application program, and said gradual update engine to convert the data set to a data schema used by the second version one data segment at a time. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08370824B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention a method is disclosed. The method includes requesting a class to be dynamically loaded during program execution. The class includes an attribute. A properties file is searched for the attribute. An associated delegation policy is found in the properties file. The associated delegation policy is associated with the attribute. The class is loaded by applying the associated delegation policy.
US08370823B2
Device, system, and method of computer program optimization. For example, an apparatus to analyze a plurality of versions of computer program includes: a code analyzer to determine one or more code differences between first and second versions of the computer program, based on at least one optimization log associated with at least one of the first and second versions of the computer program.
US08370818B2
Methods and apparatus for analyzing the interface usage and requirements within software applications. In one embodiment, the interfaces comprise application programming interfaces (APIs) used with Java-based software, and the apparatus comprises a computer program that analyzes file paths (or classpaths) containing one or more files comprising Java bytecode. The names of the classes are extracted and placed into a class dictionary. The different classes listed in the dictionaries are broken down into their individual methods. Each method is then dissembled and analyzed for method or field invocations on other classes found in the dictionary. Methods called are added to a “used class” report. The used class report preferably contains the name of the class, method and the instruction information.
US08370809B2
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for automated test case generation and scheduling. These mechanisms and methods for automated test case generation and scheduling can provide an automated manner of generating test cases and scheduling tests associated with such test cases. The ability to provide this automation can improve efficiency in a testing environment.
US08370801B2
Architecture that extends existing types including constructed and sealed types using extension methods. Extension methods are static methods that can be invoked using instance method syntax. Extension methods are declared by specifying the keyword “this” as a modifier on the first parameter of the methods. Extension methods have all the capabilities of regular static methods. In addition, once imported, extension methods can be invoked using instance method syntax. Also disclosed are rules for importing extension methods, and extension method invocations. Extension methods are imported through using-namespace-directives. In addition to importing the types contained in a namespace, a using-namespace-directive imports all extension methods in all static classes in the namespace. In effect, imported extension methods appear as additional methods on the types that are given by their first parameter and have lower precedence than regular instance methods.
US08370798B2
An analytical software design system arranged to receive informal system design specifications and to convert them into verified design specifications for use in creating source code and carrying out implementation testing of the source code is described. The system comprises a verified black box specification generator arranged to process the received informal system design specifications to create formal specifications; to generate from the formal specifications mathematical models representing the system behavior; to analyze the mathematical models to determine if they have the required behavior; to adjust the formal specifications until the required behavior is achieved; and to derive the required verified design specifications from the mathematical models.
US08370788B2
A change point finding method applied to a logic circuit is provided. The method first defines an indication map and performs a functional equivalent check to judge whether the indication map is correct. When a result is confirmative, the method adds a trap to an RTL HDL of the logic circuit, so that a plurality of comparing points are generated in an APR gate level HDL of the logic circuit. Then the method performs a backward functional equivalent check on the APR gate level HDL of the logic circuit to find a change point according to the comparing points.
US08370787B2
Methods, apparatuses and articles for testing security of a mapping function—such as a Physically Unclonable Function (PUF)—of an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. In various embodiments, one or more tests may be performed. In various embodiments, the tests may include a predictability test, a collision test, a sensitivity test, a reverse-engineering test and an emulation test. In various embodiments, a test may determine a metric to indicate a level of security or vulnerability. In various embodiments, a test may include characterizing one or more delay elements and/or path segments of the mapping function. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08370783B2
Systems and methods for interconnect planning which utilize probabilistic methodologies. One embodiment comprises a method for planning interconnect models in an integrated circuit design. Nets and a set of interconnect models that can be used to connect the pins of each net are first defined. For each net, the probability that each interconnect model will be used to connect the pins of the net is evaluated. Tiles in the integrated circuit design are then assigned probabilities indicating the likelihood that each of the interconnect models will traverse the tiles. A map is then generated to indicate probabilistic routing characteristics (e.g., probabilities of wire congestion, interconnect component congestion, power densities, interconnect model usage) based on the probabilities assigned to each of the tiles in the integrated circuit design. The map may then be output (e.g., printed or otherwise displayed) to a user or stored for later use.
US08370763B1
A method and system for creating an electronic-calendar entry from a note-entry application is described. The note-entry application includes a function to create the calendar entry directly in a calendar application. The system may include an interface to allow the user to modify and confirm the calendar entry before its creation.
US08370759B2
A method of creating a blending mode for blending base colors and blend colors to produce resultant colors for one or more pixels of a digital image includes displaying by a display device a relationship between a first independent variable representing the base colors and a dependent variable representing the resultant colors for a specific value of a second independent variable representing blend colors. The method also includes receiving user input altering the relationship, displaying the altered relationship, and storing the relationship as a blending mode.
US08370757B2
When a set of screen elements are identified as a family a bounded extent is placed around the identified elements. Items can be automatically grouped based on their association with a set of data defined in a DBMS as a family, for example. When one of the elements within the group is moved, the extent automatically resizes to a new geometry that fits around each of the elements within the group. If an element within the group is moved against the extent and then extended beyond the boundaries of the extent, the extent automatically resizes to cover a bigger area; if an element within the group that is against the extent is moved inside the boundary of the extent, the extent automatically resizes to cover a smaller area. It is possible to nest a set of these extensible groups within a single extensible group thereby providing maximum flexibility while still maintaining optimal flexibility. In addition, it is possible to “unlink” an item so that it maintains its association with the group but does not effect the extent.
US08370751B2
A system comprising an application data retriever configured to request application data; a mapping data handler configured to request a set of mapping data which is associated with at least a selected user interface (UI) view; a customizing data handler configured to request a set of customizing data associated with the selected UI view; a UI data aggregator configured to combine, at least, the mapping data and the customizing data into a UI view generation data set; and a UI generator configured to generate a UI view utilizing, at least in part, the UI generation data set from the UI data aggregator and the application data.
US08370743B2
A user can access a searching component that allows the user to enter search terms to search for commands associated with a computer program. Some specific embodiments pertain to methods for supporting user access to the searching component, to methods for processing search terms submitted by the user, and to methods for guiding the user in terms of their formulation and selection queries. Methods for generating, organizing and manipulating the search results are also provided.
US08370735B2
Reader and writer XML processing APIs may process XML documents without blocking a thread by initiating any potential I/O necessary prior to reading from or writing to the XML processing API and by providing a callback which may be notified when the I/O, if any, is complete. The XML processing API may be able to simultaneously process multiple XML documents in various formats and sizes.
US08370732B2
A system for peer-to-portal broadcasting, including a portal web server serving a portal web page that includes source code received from and generated by a broadcast server, to a web browser, in response to a request received from the web browser, a broadcast server, including a source code generator for generating the source code that is included in the portal web page, in response to a request received from the portal web server, a web client computer for requesting the portal web page from the portal web server and for executing the source code included in the portal web page, and a publisher computer that enables a publisher to broadcast media files from the publisher computer to the web client computer via the broadcast server, in response to the web client computer executing the source code included in the portal web page.
US08370727B2
The invention provides a method for decoding an error correction code. First, an error syndrome of the error correction code is calculated. A plurality of coefficients of an error locator polynomial of the error correction code is then sequentially determined according to the error syndrome. When a new coefficient of the error locator polynomial is determined, it is also determined whether the new determined coefficient is equal to zero. When the new determined coefficient is equal to zero, a speculated error locator polynomial is built according to a plurality of low-order-term coefficients of the error locator polynomial, wherein the orders of the low-order-term coefficients are lower than that of the new determined coefficient. A Chien search is then performed to determine a plurality of roots of the speculated error locator polynomial. The error correction code is then corrected according to the roots of the speculated error locator polynomial.
US08370723B2
A communication apparatus complying with the ITU-T Recommendations v.34 and control method thereof are disclosed. The communication apparatus predicts a timing at which reception of image data in an amount of the error frames sent from another communication device is terminated, based on the number of error frames which are not normally received when receiving image data from the another communication device through a primary channel. The communication apparatus controls to shift from the primary channel to a control channel in accordance with the predicted timing when the image data is received in an amount of the error frames on the primary channel from the another communication device.
US08370721B2
A bandwidth sensing system operates to sense the existence of additional bandwidth available for transmitting data over a best effort communication. The operations include receiving an original block of data from a transmitting node and calculating error correction data based on the original block of data. The original block of data and the error correction data is then transmitted toward a receiving node. The data may be simply appended or, the entire block may be modified during the error correction data process. When the original block of data and error correction data is received at the receiving end associated with the receiving node, the data is analyzed to determine if any errors occurred in the transmission. If so, the error correction data is used to maintain the integrity of the transmitted data by restoring the original block. However, if no errors are detected, because the error correction data inherently requires the transmission of additional data, the receiving end can conclude that additional bandwidth is available over the channel. Thus, the transmitting node can be notified of the available bandwidth so that additional bandwidth can be utilized on subsequent transmissions.
US08370720B2
A solid-state mass storage device and method for its operation that includes performing preemptive scrubbing of data during offline periods or disconnects from a host system to which the mass storage device is attached. The device includes a system interface adapted to connect the drive to a host system, at least one nonvolatile memory device, controller means through which data pass when being written to and read from the memory device, a volatile memory cache, a system logic device, and an integrated power source for powering the drive. The system logic device is configured to operate when the drive is not functionally connected to a host system, execute copy commands without accessing a host system, and prioritize preemptive scrubbing of addresses in the memory device on the basis of risk of data loss based on one or more parameters logged by the internal system logic device.
US08370716B2
A universal serial bus (USB) device for receiving data from a link partner is provided. An electrical physical unit receives a series of data from the link partner via a cable and generates a symbol string corresponding to the series of data, wherein the symbol string includes a plurality of symbols. A correction unit receives the symbol string, determines whether each symbol of the received symbol string is a first type symbol and counts a quantity of the received first type symbol, wherein when the counted quantity is odd and a next received symbol is a second type symbol, the next received symbol is replaced with the first type symbol by the correction unit.
US08370714B2
A method of reading and correcting data within a memory device that includes reading each data bit of a data word using a plurality of reference cells corresponding to each data bit, performing error detection on the read data bits, and correcting a read data bit when an error is detected using error correction code (ECC) and writing each corresponding reference cells to an original memory state thereof.
US08370711B2
While decoding a representation, imported from a channel, of a codeword that encodes K information bits as N>K codeword bits, by updating estimates of the codeword bits in a plurality of iterations, the iterations are interrupted upon satisfaction of an interruption criterion that is either an order-dependent interruption criterion or an interruption criterion that includes an estimate of mutual information of the codeword and a vector that is used in the decoding iterations. Either the iterations are terminated or the iterations are resumed after one or more elements of one or more vectors used in the iterations is/are modified.
US08370707B2
A digital broadcast transmitting and a method of processing broadcast data in a digital broadcast transmitting system are disclosed. The method includes randomizing mobile service data; RS encoding and CRC encoding the randomized mobile service data to build an RS frame; dividing the built RS frame into L (L>1) number of portions and adding K bytes (K≧0) of dummy data to one of the portions; encoding data in the portions at a code rate of 1/H (H>1); first interleaving the encoded data; mapping the first interleaved data into data groups and adding known data sequences and transmission parameters to each of the data groups, deinterleaving data of the data groups; second interleaving the deinterleaved data; and transmitting a transmission frame including the second interleaved data.
US08370706B2
An optical device transmits ECC codewords using an interleaved technique in which a single ECC codeword is transmitted over multiple optical links. In one particular implementation, the device may include an ECC circuit configured to supply ECC codewords in series, the codewords being generated by the ECC circuit based on input data and each of the codewords including error correction information and a portion of the data. The device may further include a serial-to-parallel circuit configured to receive each of the codewords in succession, and supply data units in parallel, each of the data units including information from a corresponding one of the codewords; an interleaver circuit to receive the data units in parallel and output a second data units in parallel, each of the second data units including bits from different ones of the data units; and a number of output lines, each of which supplying a corresponding one of the second data units.
US08370701B2
A system and method for achieving greater than 10 Gbit/s transmission rates for twisted pair physical layer devices. An architecture is provided that enables transmission at the next standardized transmission rate over structured cabling.
US08370698B2
Provided are an interleaving apparatus for improving transmission performance and an interleaving method used by the interleaving apparatus. The interleaving apparatus determines the type of data at each element position of an interleaving matrix, reads encoded data, which corresponds to the determined type of data at each element position, from an encoder, rearranges the read data in an order determined by the interleaving matrix, and outputs the rearranged data. Since the interleaving apparatus does not include a memory, it can prevent delay in signal processing, thereby improving transmission performance.
US08370693B2
A system and method communicates commands from a command originator to receiving devices, yet the receiving devices do not confirm receipt of the command. The most current command (e.g. the one with the highest sequence number) is rebroadcast by the command originator and the receiving devices, tending to be more frequent upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was not received by at least one other device, and less frequently upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was provided with sufficient duplication that if another device could receive it, the device likely did receive it, subject to a maximum and minimum rate.
US08370686B2
The method comprises and executes constitutional information collection processing of collecting constitutional information of the apparatus, constitutional information of a logical unit which is a logical existence obtained by abstracting the apparatus, constitutional information of the application and constitutional information of the dependency relation of the performance established among the apparatus, the logical unit and the application; performance information collection processing of collecting each performance information of the apparatus, the logical unit and the application; and saturation indication detection processing of analyzing a correlation between a change value with time of the performance information of the apparatus and a change value with time of the performance information of the logical unit having the dependency relation of the performance with respect to the apparatus for a predetermined period, and detecting that the apparatus has the saturation indication, when a correlation coefficient obtained by the correlation analysis is a predetermined threshold value or more.
US08370685B2
An electronic device includes a serial signal test system to test serial signals generated by a serial signal generator. A test method tests serial signals using the electronic device. The test method sets test parameters that tests serial signals. Furthermore, the test method identifies an error bit from coded bits of each of the serial signals, and identifies abnormal attribute data of each of the serial signals. In addition, the test method generates a test report according to all identified error bits and abnormal attribute data.
US08370681B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a backup utility are described. One example system causes a backup utility to identify a remote device as local to a client device. Backup data may then be retained on the remote device identified by the backup utility as being local.
US08370678B2
Exemplary systems and methods include a distribution device that maintains a dock rate and distributes a series of tasks to a group of execution devices. Each task has a plurality of samples per frame associated with a time stamp indicating when the task is to be executed. The execution devices execute the series of tasks at the times indicated and adjust the number of samples per frame in relation to the dock rate maintained by the distribution device.
US08370673B2
A system and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system are disclosed. In a particular form, a method of utilizing an information handling system can include detecting an operating state controllable by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating environments including a host environment and a reduced power environment. The method can also include detecting an event operable to alter the operating state to enable an operating environment of the plurality of operating environments. According to an aspect, the operating environment can be used separate from a host system operable to enable the host environment.
US08370670B2
A disclosed electronic apparatus includes a first communication unit for connecting the electronic apparatus and an external device; a second communication unit for connecting the electronic apparatus and other external devices via a network; a first detection unit for detecting a connection status of the first communication unit; a second detection unit for detecting a connection status of the second communication unit; and a power control unit for controlling power to the electronic apparatus. The first detection unit determines the connection status of the first communication unit when the electronic apparatus is turned on. The power control unit monitors the connection statuses of the first and second communication units via the first and second detection units after a connection to the first communication unit is detected and keeps the electronic apparatus turned on while a connection to at least one of the first and second communication units is detected.
US08370668B2
Portable information processing apparatus having a switchable operating state and method of the same
The present invention relates to a portable information apparatus which can realize electrical power for a longer period of time. Under the condition that the suspending mode is set, when an exclusive key is manipulated, a switch monitoring circuit detects this condition and issues an interruption to the CPU. In this timing, the CPU supplies the necessary electrical power to the CD-ROM controller, CD-ROM drive and audio circuit which are required for reproduction of CD. Thereby, a CD can be reproduced under the suspending mode.
US08370664B2
An electric device is capable of operating in a normal operation mode and a power save operation mode. The electric device includes a first processor for processing information input externally in the normal operation mode, and a second processor for processing an internal operation of the electric device in the normal operation mode. The second processor consumes power smaller than that of the first processor. In the electric device, power of the first processor is restricted through a restriction process in the power save operation mode. Further, in the power save operation mode, the second processor restricts the internal operation and processes the information input externally. When the second processor detects the information input externally, power of the first processor is released through a restriction releasing process.
US08370659B2
Systems and methods that may be implemented for time-based management of storage memory controller (e.g., RAID controller) backup battery life in information handling systems by limiting the backup battery system operation time in order to save energy, reduce the impact of leakage current, and prolong memory controller backup battery shelf life while at the same time meeting requirements of back-up time for storage/server applications. The disclosed systems and methods may be implemented, for example, by providing a battery system controller that implements a pre-set memory controller backup battery operation time, in combination with a hardware-controlled mechanism that extends backup battery system operation time by disabling one or more current leakage paths within the storage memory controller circuitry.
US08370654B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a first operational circuit module receiving a first supply voltage from a first voltage regulator that is external to the integrated circuit, and a first adaptive voltage scaling module to adjust the first supply voltage based on performance characteristics of the first operational circuit module. In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first adaptive voltage scaling module includes a first performance monitoring module. The performance monitoring module is disposed on the integrated circuit, and is configured to generate at least a first indicator corresponding to at least one performance characteristic of the first operational circuit module. Further, the first adaptive scaling module includes a first voltage requirement determination and voltage feedback generator module that is disposed on the integrated circuit, and is coupled to the first performance monitoring module. The first voltage requirement determination and voltage feedback generator module is configured to output a first feedback voltage signal having a voltage level that varies as a function of at least the first indicator. The first voltage regulator is configured to regulate the first supply voltage as a function of the first feedback voltage signal.
US08370648B1
In one aspect, a method to manage encrypted data includes configuring a first portion of a storage medium to store encrypted data. The encrypted data is encrypted using a time-based encryption key. The method also includes configuring a second portion of the storage medium to include metadata identifying the time-based encryption key and storing the time-based encryption key in a location other than the storage medium.
US08370632B2
There is presented a method and apparatus for incorporating digital signature to within a document for paper-less office. The method comprises generating the document to be signed on a computer and transferring it and displaying it on a device for incorporating digital signature wherein the device comprises a screen, signature means such as electronic pen or fingerprint capturing device, and et least one smart card reader. Then, the document is being digitally signed. The digitally signed document is being encrypted and transferred to the computer so as to prevent restoration of the digital signature. From the customer side, the procedure is based on “what you see is what you sign”.
US08370631B2
A trusted certification authority service allows a user to control a combination or a subset of personal credentials associated with different trusted identities of the user to create a new identity that may be used by the user to entitle him to access or obtain a third party service. The copying and/or transfer of trust values (such as bank balances or loyalty points) between different trusted identities in order can maintain the anonymity of a person having one or more of said identities.
US08370623B2
Many secure tunnels require protocols that require special handling, authorization or security certificates, such as L2TP and PPTP. This often eliminates them for use between a corporate or agency network and outside, public networks. A secure socket tunnel protocol (SSTP) adds drivers in both the kernel and user mode to route standard protocol traffic, such as PPP, over a common HTTPS port. In the event of network interruptions, an exchange of a session cookie allows fast reconnection of the underlying HTTPS connection without affecting higher level applications.
US08370619B2
Provided are a method and a device for booting a host embodying a downloadable conditional access system (DCAS), wherein one of a plurality of pre-determined booting modes is decided as a booting mode of the host based on first information indicating whether a host can communicate with a broadcasting service provider and second information indicating whether a software-based security client providing information required for decrypting broadcasting data is installed to a hardware-based security module connected to the host, and the host is booted in the decided booting mode.
US08370618B1
Technologies are provided herein for multiple platform support in a computer system firmware. A firmware is built for each hardware platform to be supported. At built time of the firmware for each platform to be supported, an instance of platform specific information is extracted from the built firmware and stored. Once the platform specific information instances have been collected for each platform to be supported, the platform specific information instances are stored in a multi-platform firmware. At run-time of the multi-platform firmware, the particular hardware platform that the multi-platform firmware is executing upon is identified. Once the platform has been identified, the particular instance of platform specific information corresponding to the identified platform is selected. The selected instance of platform specific information is then loaded and exposed for consumption by other programs.
US08370611B2
Provided is a memory card device. The memory card device includes a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory includes a boot area storing boot data, and a user area storing user data. The controller accesses the boot area or the user area according to an external command. Boot data can be stored in a memory card integrated in an electronic device. Also, when a host requests an access to boot data/user data stored in the memory card, the boot data/user data can be accessed under control of the controller.
US08370600B2
A dispersed storage (DS) unit for use within a dispersed storage network is capable of self-configuring using registry information provided to the DS unit. The registry information includes a slice name assignment indicating a range of slice names corresponding to a plurality of potential data slices of potential data objects to be stored in the DS unit. Based on the registry information, the DS unit allocates a portion of physical memory to store the potential data slices.
US08370595B2
A first SMP computer has first and second processing units and a first system memory pool, a second SMP computer has third and fourth processing units and a second system memory pool, and a third SMP computer has at least fifth and sixth processing units and third, fourth and fifth system memory pools. The fourth system memory pool is inaccessible to the third, fourth and sixth processing units and accessible to at least the second and fifth processing units, and the fifth system memory pool is inaccessible to the first, second and sixth processing units and accessible to at least the fourth and fifth processing units. A first interconnect couples the second processing unit for load-store coherent, ordered access to the fourth system memory pool, and a second interconnect couples the fourth processing unit for load-store coherent, ordered access to the fifth system memory pool.
US08370590B2
This storage controller providing a volume for storing data transmitted from a host system includes a management unit for managing the data written in the volume with a first block area, or a second block area in the first block area which is smaller than the first block area; a snapshot acquisition unit for acquiring a snapshot of the volume at a prescribed timing; and a transfer unit for transferring the data of the volume acquired with the snapshot of the snapshot acquisition unit to an external device with the first block area or the second block area.
US08370588B2
A host computer is coupled to a first fabric, a source storage apparatus is coupled to a second fabric, and a destination storage apparatus is coupled to a third fabric. A destination port of the destination storage apparatus comprises a same WWPN as a WWPN of a source port, and is logged in to the fabric beforehand. Duplicate WWPNs are allowed to exist because an inter fabric router separately manages the second fabric and the third fabric. When a switchover is instructed, the inter fabric router switches a coupling destination of the host computer to the destination storage apparatus.
US08370579B2
A pipelined cache memory supports global operations within the cache. The cache may be a spiral cache, with a move-to-front M2F network for moving values from a backing store to a front-most tile coupled to a processor or lower-order level of a memory hierarchy and a spiral push-back network for pushing out modified values to the backing-store. The cache controller manages application of global commands by propagating individual commands to the tiles. The global commands may provide zeroing, flushing and reconciling of the given tiles. Commands for interrupting and resuming interrupted global commands may be implemented, to reduce halting or slowing of processing while other global operations are in process. A line detector within each tile supports reconcile and flush operations, and a line patcher in the controller provides for initializing address ranges with no processor intervention.
US08370578B2
Provided is a storage controller and method of controlling same which, if part of a storage area of a local memory is used as cache memory, enable an access conflict for access to a parallel bus connected to the local memory to be avoided.A storage controller which exercises control of data between a host system and a storage apparatus, comprising a data transfer control unit which exercises control to transfer the data on the basis of a read/write request from the host system; a cache memory which is connected to the data transfer control unit via a parallel bus; a control unit which is connected to the data transfer control unit via a serial bus; and a local memory which is connected to the control unit via a parallel bus, wherein the control unit decides to assign, from a cache segment of either the cache memory or the local memory, a storage area which stores the data on the basis of a CPU operating rate and a path utilization of the parallel bus connected to the cache memory.
US08370573B2
To enhance capacity expansion property of a storage system for providing thin provisioning logical volumes, a computer system includes a first storage system and a second storage system for providing a second volume to the first storage system. The first storage system is configured to define at least one first volume, define a first storage pool including the defined first volume and the provided second volume, and provide to the host computer a first thin provisioning volume that is recognized as a volume having a capacity equal to or larger than that of storage areas assigned from the first storage pool. The first thin provisioning volume is thus assigned with both storage areas of the first volume and storage areas of the second volume, which are included in the first storage pool.
US08370569B2
A method, system, and apparatus a method for remote data back up with de-duplication and recovery from clustered secondary storage arrays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes writing a set of data of a primary storage module (e.g., may be coupled to the secondary storage cluster with a fiber channel network) to a secondary storage module of a secondary storage cluster, writing an other set of data of the primary storage module to an other secondary storage module coupled to the secondary storage module, writing the set of data from the secondary storage module to the other secondary storage module of the secondary storage cluster (e.g., the other secondary storage module may contain both the set of data and the other set of data), and writing the other set of data from the other secondary storage module to the secondary storage module.
US08370560B2
An information processing system is provided for symmetric live migration of virtual machines. The system includes a migration manager that generates a first least recently used map for a set of memory pages of a first virtual machine. The first least recently used map includes metadata including memory page physical address location information. A first, memory page of the first virtual machine and the metadata for the first memory page is sent from the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine while the first virtual machine is executing. A first memory page and meta data associated therewith of the second virtual machine is received from the second virtual machine. The memory pages of the first virtual machine are ordered from a first location of the first least recently used map to a last location of the first least recently used map based on how recently each of the memory pages of the first virtual machine has been used.
US08370559B2
Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems for executing a protected device model in a virtual machine are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes recognition logic, memory management logic, control logic, and execution logic. The recognition logic is to recognize an indication, during execution of first code on a virtual machine, that the first code is attempting to access a device. The memory management logic is to prevent the virtual machine from accessing a portion of memory during execution of the first code, and to allow the virtual machine to access the portion of memory in response to the indication. The control logic is to transfer control of the apparatus from the first code to second code stored in the portion of memory, without exiting the virtual machine. The execution logic is to execute the second code to model the device.
US08370558B2
We describe a system and method to merge and align data from distributed memory controllers. A memory system includes a command bus to transmit a predetermined memory access command, and a memory interface to manipulate data from at least two memory channels, each memory channel corresponding to a portion of a distributed memory, responsive to the predetermined memory access command. The memory interface includes a plurality of memory controllers coupled to the command bus, each memory controller being operable to control a corresponding memory channel responsive to the predetermined memory access command, and a push arbiter coupled to each memory controller. The push arbiter being is operable to merge and align data retrieved responsive to each split read align command.
US08370557B2
A memory is described which includes a main memory array made up of multiple single-ported memory banks connected by parallel read and write buses, and a sideband memory equivalent to a single dual-ported memory bank. Control logic and tags state facilitates a pattern of access to the main memory and the sideband memory such that the memory performs like a fully provisioned dual-ported memory capable of reading and writing any two arbitrary addresses on the same cycle.
US08370552B2
A scheduler provided according to an aspect of the present invention provides higher priority for data units in a low priority queue upon occurrence of a starvation condition, and to packets in a high priority queue otherwise. The scheduler permits retransmission of a data unit in the lower priority queue when in the starvation condition, but clears the starvation condition when the data unit is retransmitted a pre-specified number of times. As a result, the data units in the higher priority queue would continue to be processed, thereby avoiding a deadlock at least in certain situations.
US08370546B2
A dynamic A-MSDU enabling method is disclosed. The method enables the recipient of an aggregate MAC service data unit (A-MSDU) under a block ACK agreement to reject the A-MSDU. The method thus distinguishes between A-MSDU outside of the block ACK agreement, which is mandatory, from A-MSDU under the block ACK agreement, which is optional. The method thus complies with the IEEE 802.11n specification while enabling the recipient to intelligently allocate memory during block ACK operations.
US08370543B1
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a system for synchronizing independent time domain information. The synchronization of the device resource access information allows a memory access device to reliably access memory in a time domain independent of a device issuing requests. The system may synchronize device resource information for requests made by a processor to access (e.g., read/write) locations of a memory device. The present invention synchronizes the device access information without restricting pulse width of a read/write signal or requiring a high speed clock.
US08370535B2
A device comprising a router, a controller and an application processor, the controller configured to interoperate at any given time either with the controller or the application processor. When the device is coupled to a host device and the router is set for interoperating with the controller in which it routes host commands (SD commands) to the controller, the router receives a host command from the host device; and in response to the received host command and based on determining that it prompts interoperating with the application processor, to interoperate with the application processor in which it routes host commands (ASSD commands) to the application processor. The router continues to interoperate with the application processor until it receives an indication from the application processor to interoperate with the controller.
US08370530B2
In general, embodiments of the invention relates to a method for controlling network traffic in a chassis. The method includes assigning control of a network express manager located in the chassis to a control virtual machine selected from a number of virtual machines. The method further includes configuring the network express manager, by the control virtual machine, where the network express manager is configured to route network traffic in the chassis. The method further includes implementing a virtual network path using the network express manager, where the virtual network path includes a virtual wire between a first VNIC and a second VNIC, where the first VNIC is located in a first computer and the second VNIC is located in a second computer.
US08370528B2
A network content service apparatus includes a set of compute elements adapted to perform a set of network services; and a switching fabric coupling compute elements in said set of compute elements. The set of network services includes firewall protection, Network Address Translation, Internet Protocol forwarding, bandwidth management, Secure Sockets Layer operations, Web caching, Web switching, and virtual private networking. Code operable on the compute elements enables the network services, and the compute elements are provided on blades which further include at least one input/output port.
US08370526B2
In one embodiment of a header-compression method, a timestamp value is divided by a stride value using a plurality of binary-shift operations corresponding to a Taylor expansion series of the reciprocal stride value in a base of ½. When the division-logic circuitry of an arithmetic logic unit in the corresponding communication device is not designed to handle operands that can accommodate the length of the timestamp and/or stride values, the header-compression method can advantageously be used to improve the speed and efficiency of timestamp compression in communication devices.
US08370507B1
A system, device, and method for receiver access control in an interne television system uses a push mechanism to distribute access control information from a distribution device to an access device. The access device uses the access control information to make receiver access control decisions for a subsequently received request from a host to join a television channel multicast group.
US08370505B2
Techniques to ensure that user agent information is transported includes determining whether both a type field and a client platform information field are included in a first portion of a uniform resource locator field (URL) of a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request message received from a remote client process. The first portion is different from a domain portion of the URL. The type field holds data that indicates whether the remote client inserted the client information field into a URL of an original HTTP request message. If both the type field and the client platform information field are included, then it is determined, based on data in the type field, whether to include both the type field and the client platform information field in a first portion of a URL in a link in a HTTP response message. The HTTP response message is sent to the remote client process.
US08370499B2
A self-service terminal comprises: a plurality of session initiation devices, each associated with an initiation token, so that a customer can initiate a transaction using one of a plurality of different initiation tokens. The terminal further comprises a plurality of session suppliers, each session supplier being associated with one of the session initiation devices, and each session supplier being operable: (i) to receive from its associated session initiation device, information from an initiation token provided by a customer, and (ii) to create an electronic access token based on the received information. The terminal also comprises a session supplier aggregate operable to receive an electronic access token from one of the session suppliers for each session to be created; and a session component operable (i) to receive the electronic access token from the session supplier aggregate and (ii) to create a session based on the received electronic access token.
US08370490B2
A method for service creation and mapping between at least two support systems includes provisioning a service based on a service requirement and a plurality of available data centers, collecting a value of the service requirement and a cost associated with the service, matching resource types of the data centers to resource availability, determining at least one valid data center from the plurality of data centers, and selecting a valid data center with a minimum cost for service placement and provisioning.
US08370489B2
Example methods and apparatus to determine impressions using distributed demographic information are disclosed. A disclosed example method to monitor media exposure involves receiving, at a first internet domain, a first request from a client computer, the first request indicative of access to the media at the client computer. The example method also involves determining if the client computer is known. If the client computer is not known, a response is sent from the first internet domain to the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of access to the media at the client computer. If the client computer is known, an impression of the media is logged.
US08370487B2
A system and computer program product for monitoring and optimizing performance and availability of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service are provided by one or a plurality of DHCP servers in an Internet Protocol (IP) network comprising one or a plurality of IP subnetworks. The system implemented in hardware, comprises a computer infrastructure operable to define one or a plurality of groups of subnetworks, each group of subnetworks comprising one or a plurality of subnetworks. The computer infrastructure is further operable to retrieve information related to resources, in particular IP addresses, allocated within a DHCP server to each group of subnetworks. The computer infrastructure is further operable to transfer the information to a DHCP service monitoring system, the DHCP service monitoring system comprising means for retrieving the information from the one or a plurality of DHCP servers and means for aggregating the information for each group of subnetworks.
US08370485B2
Systems and methods are provided for isolating performance variation in website monitoring. A set of geographically diverse monitoring agents are identified and a subset of baseline agents is selected from these monitoring agents. The baseline agents are those agents that are geographically close to the target website or otherwise enjoy reliable communications with the target website and are therefore less affected by network latencies. The frequency at which a target website is monitored is weighted in favor of the baseline agents in order to get an accurate baseline metric for the target website while also obtaining information regarding global accessibility of the website from the geographically disperse monitoring agents. The variations in sample frequency can be optimized for each particular set of baseline agents. The set of baseline agents can be pre-assigned or dynamically identified based on an analysis of the performance variation from each of the monitoring agents.
US08370483B2
A system for analyzing a packet-based network includes a wireless network analysis processing device that is configured to receive correlated packet records representative of the order in which corresponding packets are transmitted in a wireless network. The correlated packet records include media access control (MAC) layer data and network layer data for each corresponding packet. The MAC layer data and network layer data are processed to generate network topology data representative of the network topology, generate packet flow data representative of the flow of packets between devices at the MAC layer and across the network at the network layer, and measurement data relating to the packet flow data.
US08370479B2
A method to dynamically group devices based on device information, which is associated with a system for monitoring the device information that communicates information between a device and an enterprise. Information is collected from a device information source to obtain an actual status of a device. The actual status of the device is compared to a stored status of the device. The stored status is stored on a server of the enterprise. The enterprise determines if the actual status has been changed from the stored status. When a change is detected, the method performs at least one of the acts of automatically disassociating the device from a group that reflects the stored status and automatically associating the device with a new group to reflect the actual status.
US08370468B2
The present invention relates to providing a secure computing environment in a remote server management controller. The exemplary embodiment includes a hierarchy of register security levels restricting register access by communications interfaces shared by the remote server management controller and a managed server associated therewith. Failsafe protection is provided to override register security under certain conditions.
US08370466B2
An operator guidance system is provided for an administrator managing a computer network such as a distributed computer system. Fault events reported by a fault management system in the network are enhanced to include topology information about other nodes (such as neighbor nodes, path nodes and/or service nodes) that may have been responsible for the fault. The enhanced events are correlated with configuration commands used in the past to correct faults. A set of guidance rules are developed based on the actions that were taken by the operator in handling previous faults of a similar nature. The guidance rules can be displayed to the administrator to facilitate network fault resolution. Using a set of predefined policies, some of the corrective actions can be performed automatically.
US08370461B2
A method for managing a mobile broadband device includes receiving, by the Web interface module via the Web protocol stack module, a management command that is sent by a user on a Web management page of a host device, where the Web management page is provided by the Web interface module; sending, by the Web interface module via the Web protocol stack module, the management command to the Web service implementing module; and receiving, by the Web service implementing module, the management command, and invoking an application programming interface that corresponds to the management command to execute the management command.
US08370454B2
There are introduced ways for retrieving or depositing a replica of an electronic document in a computer network. After having selected at least one replica number, a given function is applied. The function requires as input the replica number and a document identifier. The function returns as a result at least one entity identifier, each entity identifier representing an entity in the network that might provide the replica. In a next step, a document related request is addressed to at least one of the identified entities.
US08370453B1
A multi-homed web server is disclosed including a plurality of virtual hosts operable in a web server. The multi-web server is configured to serve animations to clients over the web. The multi-web server may determine whether the specified time to send a subsequent graphic in a series of graphics has passed, and if the specified time has passed, then send a next graphic the next appropriate time. The web server software may be compiled as part of the native web server code.
US08370442B2
A method and system for identifying changes to a data set, such as data within a mailbox, and performing actions based on the identified changes is discussed. In some examples, the system receives an indication of a change to a mailbox, creates a change journal entry for the change, and identifies data to be copied via the change journal entry. In some examples, the system leverages the change journal to associate messages with changes to a mailbox.
US08370440B2
Technologies for conversations between various parties, the conversations including context information that can be persisted to maintain the conversation when the parties or the communications media they communicate over operate intermittently. In such a conversation, any party can embed its view of the context into a message and any party can send the next message regardless of role and regardless of the underlying network, transport, or application message exchange pattern. Such technologies provide for durable services.
US08370439B2
Methods and systems are directed toward enabling a user of a target device, such as a mobile device, to register for automatic initiation of a messaging service on the target device. A target device user interface, such as a login user interface, provides a selectable activation element for the user to indicate that future messaging sessions with the target device should be established automatically. An activation indicator and target identifier are associated with a user identifier and stored in a messaging system data store. When the user ceases use of a messaging session on another device, such as a general purpose computing device, the messaging system uses the user identifier and target identifier to automatically establish a corresponding messaging session on the target device. The user of the target device may then hold a messaging session with an existing third party device or with a different third party device.
US08370438B2
The present invention enables restriction of content of information in a message, which has been prepared by a user and is provided in an information service system for the viewing by a group of users, in accordance with a use purpose. The message information is prepared by selecting and combining words from a word group prepared in advance. The information for viewing is prepared by a game device.
US08370435B1
A method of sending alerts from servers to client devices is provided. The alert can be generated with a server application and may include customer information. The alert may then be sent to a message router. The message router retrieves a station ID of the client device based on the customer information. A communication type of the client device can be determined based on the station ID and one or more of a plurality of protocol gateways can be selected based on the communication type. The alert can be forwarded to the selected one or more of the plurality of protocol gateways where is may be formatted for the selected client device. The formatted alert may then be forwarded via the network to the selected client device.
US08370429B2
Transferring instant messaging sessions includes receiving a selection, from a user within a user interface, of at least one instant messaging session from among multiple instant messaging sessions to transfer from a first instant messaging controller on a first device to at least a second instant messaging controller on a second device, where the user is signed on concurrently to the first instant messaging controller on the first device and the second instant messaging controller on the second device. At least a portion of the selected instant messaging session is transferred from the first instant messaging controller on the first device to the second instant messaging controller on the second device and the transferred portion of the instant messaging session is made perceivable on the second instant messaging controller on the second device.
US08370426B2
A method is provided of providing a content-on-demand service to a user terminal in a system comprising a plurality of content-on-demand servers and a packet-switched network. The method comprises the steps of: a first of the content-on-demand servers seeking to reserve packet-switched network resources to enable service delivery to the user terminal, said first server sending a message that resource reservation was insufficient, a further of the content-on-demand servers seeking to reserve packet-switched network resources to enable service provision to the user terminal, said further server sending a message that resource reservation is sufficient, and said further server providing the content to the user terminal via the packet-switched network.
US08370421B2
Method for coordinating a plurality of sensors, wherein a plurality of networked computers control the sensors for the purpose of executing one or more services requested through the network. In order to coordinate with one another, the computers exchange information over the network in a manner such that each networked computer knows the characteristics of and the services executed by the other computers. Subsequently, the computers providing the same service execute the same configuration algorithm that defines the tasks to be carried out by each computer as a function of the characteristics of the computers providing said same service. Thus, the computers get to the same conclusions as to the tasks to be carried out, and control the sensors based on the tasks defined by the configuration algorithm.
US08370418B2
A relay apparatus for transferring message data received from a client to one of a plurality of servers includes a status management data storage, a transfer rule handling section, and an acknowledgment transmitting section. The status management data storage holds data of an acknowledgment necessity table. The acknowledgment necessity table includes first identification information of a first apparatus to which the relay apparatus acknowledges when the relay apparatus has received first transfer rule notification data from the first apparatus. The transfer rule handling section determines whether the acknowledgment necessity table includes the first identification information identical to second identification information of a second apparatus upon receiving second transfer rule notification data from the second apparatus. The acknowledgment transmitting section transmits acknowledgment data to the second apparatus when the acknowledgment necessity table includes the first identification information identical to the second identification information.
US08370417B2
A method for subscriber registration and affiliation in a peer to peer wide area network is provided. The peer to peer wide area network includes at least one Subscriber and a plurality of Peers. The method includes: communicating a registration and affiliation message including a Subscriber Registration Affiliation Index from a Subscriber to a Peer of the plurality of Peers; routing a registration and affiliation update message including a Peer Registration Affiliation Index equal to the received Subscriber Registration Affiliation Index from the Peer to other Peers of the plurality of Peers; comparing the received Peer Registration Affiliation Index with one or more other received Peer Registration Affiliation Indexes by each of the plurality of Peers; and selecting by each of the plurality of Peers a Peer Registration Affiliation for the Subscriber corresponding to a highest value Peer Registration Affiliation Index.
US08370415B2
A method and apparatus for overflow detection and clamping with parallel operand processing for fixed-point multipliers is disclosed. The invention predicts when a multiplication of a number of operands will exceed a pre-determined number of bits based upon the fixed-point format of the operands. The prediction is performed in parallel with the multiplication of the operands. The multiplication need not be completed in full, but only to the extent to determine whether overflow exists. If an overflow detection occurs, clamping is instituted. The parallel operation of the overflow detection and the multiplication provides a faster clamping circuit than would otherwise be available from a serial multiplication followed by a clamping analysis.
US08370412B2
A method for generating random numbers mimics by software the principle of coin flipping by combining different sources of randomness. The random number to be generated is assembled bit by bit from the subsequent results of this “coin flipping simulation”. The method for generating a random number with nRND bits BRi, wherein 0≦i≦nRND−1, comprises the steps of • providing a random bit table BFT with mBFT addressable bits BTj, wherein 0≦j≦mBFT−1, said random bit table containing an equal number of “0” bits and “1” bits in a random distribution, and • for a bit BRi of said random number with 0≦i≦nRND−1, generating an address FA in the range between 0 and mBFT−1, selecting the bit BTFA having the address FA from said random bit table, and setting said bit BRi of said random number to equal said bit BTFA from said random bit table (BRi=BTFA).
US08370406B2
An image transmission apparatus is high in convenience, operability and reliability when newly registering a transmission destination to an address book. The apparatus obtains a list of destination names corresponding to recipients who have registered a recipient setting designating a transmission method; receives from a user a selection of whether to follow the recipient setting; receives from the user (a) if a selection to not follow the recipient setting has been received, a destination name and a transmission method to correspond thereto, and (b) if a selection to follow the recipient setting has been received, a selection of a destination name from the list; in the case of (a), registers the destination name and the transmission method in association as a candidate for the destination; and in the case of (b), registers the selected destination name with an indication that the recipient setting is to be followed, as a candidate.
US08370402B2
Various methods, devices and systems are described for providing dual representation of stored digital content are described where the dual representation includes logical block data and corresponding data objects. Data object property information is synchronized with the data objects.
US08370397B1
A data collection system is provided. The system comprises a plurality of data sources that produce data. At least some of the plurality of data sources produce data in different formats. The system also comprises a plurality of listeners stored in a computer readable storage medium that, when executed by a processor, receive the data from the plurality of data sources, identify the data, parse the data, convert the data into a generic format, and validate the converted data. The plurality of listeners are implemented using a script programming language. The system further comprises a loader stored in a computer readable storage medium that, when executed by a processor, loads the converted data into a database. The loader is implemented using an object oriented programming language.
US08370395B1
A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for facilitating interactions between software programs by providing a reliable data queuing service that enables the programs to store and retrieve elements of data queues. In some situations, the data queuing service is provided to users who purchase usage of the data queuing service for application programs executed by or otherwise affiliated with the users. In addition, accessibility of the data queuing service to remote executing programs may be enhanced via a defined API of the data queuing service, such as a Web services-based API. Availability of the data queuing service may also be enhanced in some situations by using multiple alternative distributed systems for a data queue such that each of the alternative systems stores a subset of the elements of the data queue.
US08370393B2
A method and apparatus for selecting database items from a database, where the database items are indexed by a list of item identifiers. The item identifiers may be in the form of text. An initial display is generated which includes one or more parts of the item identifiers. Selection of the one or more parts may be made and results in the generation of a display of a further one or more parts for selection. The further one or more parts may be selected in order to add to the selected one or more parts to build a larger part or whole of an item identifier. Selection from a large list of item identifiers may be carried out in a relatively short time period.
US08370392B1
A method for storing and transmitting data within a network is described. The method includes receiving raw data at a first processing device and determining a first priority ranking of the raw data. The first priority ranking includes one of a high priority and a low priority. The method also includes storing low priority raw data in a first memory device and transmitting high priority raw data to a second processing device.
US08370391B2
An API for functionally updates to data represented in trees, such as XML trees, is provided. Functional updates can be implemented using an update combinator to search for matching nodes and apply an indicated function to those matching nodes. This API can be used in non-functional languages, such as procedural languages or scripting languages. Updates are performed without side effects since a shallow clone is created for at least a portion of a tree. Nodes of the tree can be streamed into memory so that only a portion of a large tree is present in memory at any time. Artificial intelligence can be used by the API to optimize performance under the circumstances, such as optimizing based on node type that is to be updated.
US08370387B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that allow for indexing, processing, or both of information from physical media or electronic media, which may be received from a plurality of sources. In embodiments, a document file may be matched using pattern matching methods and may include comparisons with a comparison reference database to improve or accelerate the indexing process. In embodiments, information may be presented to a user as potential matches thereby improving manual indexing processes. In embodiments, one or more additional actions may occur as part of the processing, including without limitation, association additional data with a document file, making observations from the document file, notifying individuals, creating composite messages, and billing events. In an embodiment, data from a document file may be associated with a key word, key phrase, or word frequency value that enables adaptive learning so that unindexed data may be automatically indexed based on user interaction history.
US08370370B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for automating information sharing and propagation of control commands and events between software objects created in Web applications and 3D virtual world objects created in virtual world applications. A relationship is created to link a Web object with one or more virtual world objects, or to link a virtual world object with one or more Web objects. A Web application may retrieve the meta-data of one or more virtual world objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more virtual world objects to which a Web object within the Web application is linked. A virtual world system may retrieve the meta-data of one or more Web objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more Web objects to which a virtual world object within the virtual world system is linked.
US08370364B2
Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for establishing an applicable local time zone of a web browser in a computing environment are provided. In one such embodiment, a plurality of time zone offsets is queried over a predetermined period of time to obtain a listing of possible time zones. Ones of the listing of possible time zones matching a polled absolute coordinated universal time (UTC) offset are selected. A plurality of weights are assigned to the selected ones of the listing of possible time zones based on at least one of the matching polled absolute UTC offset, a matching daylight savings observance type, a matching Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) accept-language header and a human population size. The listing of possible time zones is sorted based on the plurality of assigned weights.
US08370352B2
A web-based system for visual construction of logical rules includes a server, a network, and client operatively connected to the server via the network. The server includes a database and a search engine. The client includes a web-based visual rule building application including selectable windows for displaying and visually editing terms, logical operators, logical rules for storage in the database. The logical rules are generated by visually selecting at least one of the terms and logical operators from the windows. The server may further include a search engine configured to perform at least one of a direct search or a contextual search for an entered query string in records stored in the database and the client may include a visual interface for displaying results of the searches. The search results generated by the search engine may be stored as terms in the database for subsequent rule generation.
US08370350B2
A computer implemented method, system and/or computer program product identify an appropriate resource for a user. A user profile is created for a user. A request, from the user, is received for a requested resource. Based on the user profile, a user-specific scope of the request, which defines a type of resource that is being requested by the user, is established. An identifier of an appropriate resource that meets the user-specific scope of the request is transmitted to the user.
US08370348B1
Methods and systems for providing magazine edition recommendations are provided. Categories associated with retrieved magazine edition articles are analyzed. A magazine edition profile is generated for each magazine edition based on the categories for each of the retrieved articles of the corresponding magazine edition. The categories of magazine edition profiles are compared to categories of a profile of a user, wherein the user profile is based on categories of articles viewed by the user. A magazine edition recommendation based on the comparing is provided for display to the user. The edition recommendation may be a link or section of shown in a view of magazine edition content on a mobile device of the user. A user may be provided a convenient way to subscribe to the recommended magazine edition. A personalized magazine edition recommendation of highest ranked articles may also be provided.
US08370340B1
A computer-implemented method and system of building a user reputation database for use in a user location data system. The method and system receive user location information containing personally identifiable data of a user and user position data. The user position data may or may not represent one or more actual geographic positions of the user. The user location information is temporarily stored and analyzed to provide a spam score associated with the user position data indicative of whether the user position data represents the actual geographic positions of the user. Data indicative of the spam score is also provided to user reputation database to store a user reputation score associated with the user.
US08370332B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for blending mobile search results. A method includes receiving a search query and multiple search results. The search results each satisfy the search query and have a respective search result quality score. The search results include generic and mobile search results. The generic and mobile search results each identify a generic and mobile resource, respectively. The search result quality scores include mobile and generic search result quality scores for the mobile and generic search results, respectively. The mobile search result quality scores and the generic search result quality scores were generated according to different scoring formulas. Based on one or more terms in the search query, the search query is classified as a mobile query. As a consequence, one or more search result quality scores are modified to improve the sorting of search results that include both mobile and generic search results.
US08370330B2
Systems and methods are provided for selecting contexts for new invitational content and invitational content for new contexts. In particular, a performance history of delivered invitational content in known contexts is combined with similarity measures for the delivered invitational content, with respect to a new invitational content, to generate a list of potential contexts for the new invitational content. Similarly, a performance history of in known contexts with delivered invitational content can combined with similarity measures for known contexts, with respect to a new context, to generate a list of potential content for the new context. Further, a combination of these methods can be used to pair new invitational content with new contexts.
US08370324B2
The objective of the present invention is to manage reference movies using an index file, without causing the user to be perplexed. the reference movies are generated because of, for instance, the upper limit of the file size. The index file manages sets of information regarding the files being managed. Examples of these sets of information are information for determining whether or not a file is presented to the user, information for determining whether or not a file is original, and information indicating whether or not nondestructive editing has been done. Based on such information, the erasure, displaying a list, and so on are carried out. Thus, it is possible to manage the reference movies using the index file, without causing the user to be perplexed.
US08370322B2
A method for identifying influential individuals in a customer arrivals list, including importing a customer arrivals list from a hospitality enterprise data source, wherein the arrivals list includes a plurality of entries, each entry corresponding to a customer and including at least a name of the customer, collecting profile information for the name in a designated entry in the arrivals list, from sources on the web, when the collecting profile information identifies one or more individuals who have the name in the designated entry: determining a level of certainty for at least one of the one or more identified individuals, that the identified individual be the same individual as the customer corresponding to the designated entry, based on data in the designated entry, determining a level of influence for the designated entry, based on the collected profile information; and assigning a hospitality venue selection influence metric (HVSIM) to the designated entry, based on the determining a level of certainty and on the determining a level of influence. A system is also described and claimed.
US08370321B2
Various system embodiments of the present invention are directed to an automated concierge system through which users of the automated concierge system can request and obtain many types of information and services. Unlike traditional search engines and electronic query-processing interfaces, the automated concierge systems provide much greater flexibility with respect to means of access, including types of electronic devices and communications media that can be used to access the concierge services, greater flexibility in the timing of responses to information and service requests, more efficient information and service provision, and access to a much broader range of information sources and service providers. The automated concierge systems that represent embodiments of the present invention provide state-associated searches, in contrast to the stateless searches generally provided by search engines and many electronic query-processing interfaces, and employ a generally asynchronous message-based interface, rather than the rigid request/response interfaces provided by traditional search engines and other electronic query-processing systems.
US08370318B2
Described herein are techniques for time limited lock ownership. In one embodiment, in response to receiving a request for a lock on a shared resource, the lock is granted and a lock lease period associated with the lock is established. Then, in response to determining that the lock lease period has expired, one or more lock lease expiration procedures are performed. In many cases, the time limited lock ownership may prevent system hanging, timely detect system deadlocks, and/or improve overall performance of the database.
US08370312B1
A computer-implemented method for using cloud-based storage to optimize data-storage operations may include: 1) receiving a request from a client device for instructions or directions for storing a data object, 2) accessing a data-placement policy that contains criteria for identifying storage systems suitable for storing the data object, 3) identifying, based at least in part on the data-placement policy, a plurality of storage systems for storing the data object, at least one of the storage systems including a third-party Internet-based storage system, and then 4) directing the client device to store the data object on the identified storage systems.
US08370302B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for block based storage subsystem to have backup ability to a file based storage service such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or cloud storage service. In one embodiment, a storage system is coupled via a network to a storage service which has one or more file servers. The storage system includes a volume-based snapshot control module configured to create a snapshot volume of data at a certain time, the snapshot volume being a block-based volume which is divided into a plurality of portions. A copy control module is configured to read each portion of the snapshot volume and send said each portion as file data to the storage service via the network, and to generate mapping information between an address of said each portion in the storage system and a file identifier of the file data of said each portion in the storage service.
US08370300B2
A contents management system comprises a plurality of subsystems which include: a storage subsystem to store a plurality of objects; a contents gateway server configured to create snapshots of the objects and store the snapshots in a first snapshot layer; a system management control unit configured to determine whether the number of snapshots in the first snapshot layer exceeds a corresponding limit for the first snapshot layer and, if yes, to migrate the snapshots from the first snapshot layer to a second snapshot layer provided by another subsystem of the contents management system, and delete the migrated snapshots from the first snapshot layer; and a contents management server configured to track location changes of the snapshots of the objects during migration of the snapshots and to re-index an index data of the snapshots of the objects based on the tracked location changes.
US08370299B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for print job handling using a portable document system residing on a portable memory device.
US08370292B2
A method for information service identification during service modeling of a service oriented architecture (SOA) architected computing system includes loading a business process defined by different business services in memory of a service modeling tool executing in a host computing platform. The method further includes identifying different information elements directed for access by the business services and determining a set of information transactions for the identified different information elements. The method yet further includes generalizing the set of information transactions into a candidate list of information services. The method even yet further includes selecting from amongst the candidate list a selection of information services for incorporation into the business process. Finally, the method includes refining the business services of the business process to invoke the selection of information services to access the identified different information elements.
US08370290B2
The present invention relates to a music selecting system and method, and more particularly, to a technology that suitably determines an emotional quotient of user by preferably using a heart rate and biorhythm of user, and automatically selecting music of specific genre according to the determined emotional quotient, a current time and an age.
US08370285B2
A method for analyzing an electrical power system using fuzzy logic includes: (a) acquiring data representing a signal of interest of the power system; (b) analyzing the signal using at least one fuzzy logic rule, wherein the fuzzy logic rules include: (1) phase level rules which are based on features extracted from a particular phase on the electric power system; (2) segment level rules which are evaluated using information from different phases; and (3) capture level rules which combine truth values obtained from one or more segments; and (c) based on the analysis, detecting and classifying at least one power system event within the power system.
US08370281B2
In various embodiments, a programmable apparatus for use in a computing environment is provided. The apparatus may include a business rules engine having at least one rule executable by a mainframe system and stored based on an extensible language; and, a business rules engine builder interface configured to access the business rules engine and which permits user selection from among different rules collections in the business rules engine. At least one of the rules in the business engine is associated with modifying an aspect of the business rules engine builder interface itself.
US08370280B1
A method can include the actions of: receiving a feature vector, the feature vector including one or more elements; identifying an element type for each of the one or more elements; selecting, from a set of predictive models, a subset of one or more predictive models based on the element types and one or more performance indicators associated with each predictive model in the set of predictive models; processing the feature vector using the subset of predictive models, each predictive model of the subset of predictive models generating an output based on the feature vector to provide a plurality of outputs; and generating a final output based on the plurality of outputs. Other embodiments may include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products for executing the method.
US08370274B2
Apparatuses and methods to perform pattern matching are presented. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a memory to store a first pattern table comprising information indicative of whether a byte of input data matches a pattern and whether to ignore other matches of the pattern occur in remaining bytes of the input data. The apparatus further comprises one-byte match logic coupled to the memory, to determine, based on the information in the first pattern table, a one-byte match event with respect to the input data. The apparatus further comprises a control unit to filter the other matches of the pattern based on the information of the first pattern table.
US08370272B2
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a business document message monitoring view, a customs arrangement, and/or a freight list business object.
US08370262B2
The system and method performing secure online-transactions based on challenge/response procedures executed by a terminal of at least one customer and by a terminal of a service provider, such as a bank, which terminals are connected to a network, preferably the Internet. The inventive method including: capturing biometric elements, such as audio and video samples or related biometric data, from the customer during an enrollment procedure and storing the biometric elements in a database, which is accessible by the service provider's terminal; executing synchronized challenge procedures for each transaction in order to produce identical challenges based on current transaction data; capturing biometric data from the customer's response to the challenge with the customer's terminal; delivering transaction data together with the biometric data of the customer's response to the service provider's terminal; retrieving and assembling biometric elements according to the challenge in order to assemble response in the service provider's terminal; and comparing the biometric data of customer's response with the data of the assembled response and performing the requested transaction in the event that the data of the responses match.
US08370254B1
A vehicle identification card is provided to an insured that includes proof of automotive insurance information and charge account information. The card may include an insurance policy covering the insured's vehicle, the VIN number of the vehicle, and other information about the vehicle such as the vehicle's make and model. The card may include account information that allows the card to be used like a credit card. The card may further include means for wirelessly updating information and providing a display to the user, which includes, but is not limited to, a housing, a memory module, a processor, one or more displays, and a power source.
US08370253B1
A computerized method for online brokering of multiple leasing products from multiple providers is provided. The method includes determining the creditworthiness of a Buyer, and determining whether or not to offer a lease, based on the specific criteria provided by multiple credit providers.
US08370251B2
A fair exchange is disclosed to reduce potential inequities in an electronic trading environment. Market data is sent from a host system to client devices through one or more synchronized local communication servers such that the data can be displayed simultaneously or nearly simultaneously at each client device. Market data sent to client devices might include price information. Likewise, a host system may transaction data sent from client devices via the local communication servers. The ordering of transaction data is based, at least in part, on when the local communication servers received the transaction data from the client devices. Transaction data sent to a host system might include order information.
US08370247B2
Securities are traded at a primary site according to information received from market makers and traders. The information, including quotes and orders for one or more instruments, is received and stored at the primary site and used to create deals in the securities. The deals are also stored at the primary site. A secondary site stores replicas of the orders and deals, but not quote information. The deals stored at the secondary site may be used to update the orders stored at the secondary site.
US08370241B1
A computer-assisted method for evaluating a financial model. The method may include selecting a financial model describing a distribution of a first financial variable and representing the financial model in a probabilistic network. The model may also include deriving a refined financial model based on the probabilistic network and finding a value of a financial instrument based at least in part on the refined financial model. A property of the financial instrument may be described by the first financial variable. In various embodiments, the method may also include inferring a value of the first financial variable.
US08370233B2
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a cost model, a current account contract, and/or a collateral constellation business object.
US08370231B2
The present invention is a method for supporting an exchange transaction, in which users can complete exchange transactions between and/or among themselves.
US08370229B2
The present invention provides an improved billing and contract management method and a computerized enterprise resource management system for processing and management of rent-producing financial products, such as contracts and leases that are past the initial end term date, and that have not been renegotiated or extended, or, in other words, that have entered the “evergreen” period. Among other things, the method and computerized system of the present invention integrate processing of the “evergreen” contracts with a proprietary generalized ERP software product/solution such as Oracle™ E-Business suite's Lease Management system, and supplement the processing of regular contracts with the “evergreen” contract authoring and booking, processing, validation, billing, accounting, collections, modification and audit trailing of the changes made to the “evergreen” contract terms.
US08370226B1
A technique for performing a financial calculation is described. In this calculation technique, initial financial values are rounded based on a rounding criterion, and a total financial value is calculated by summing the rounded financial values. Based on the rounded financial values, associated rounding error values are computed. These rounding error values are then summed to determine a total error value. Moreover, the total error value is rounded based on the rounding criterion, and the resulting rounded total error value is used to correct a rounding error in the total financial value.
US08370217B1
Methods of the present inventions allow for determining preferred domain positioning on a registration website. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of receiving a bid from a registry seeking such preferred placement for a domain that may be administered by the registry, generating a quality score for the domain, and determining the preferred placement based upon the bid and the quality score.
US08370211B2
A method of conducting a telephone or internet based reverse auction for selling units where the reverse auction is transmitted to users on a medium, the method comprising the steps of providing a number of units for sale and storing a preliminary available quantity in an allocation database initially indicative of the number provided for sale, providing a telephone number or web site to which calls or orders from users can be placed to enter the reverse auction, recording the time at which one or more calls or orders were received on the telephone number or at the website in a record database, placing any callers into a queue and assigning them to a call operator or system in order to sell a unit, conducting a reverse auction in which a person or system reduces the indicated price of a unit over time and in which a producer or system reduces the preliminary available quantity, the reverse auction is concluded at the time of the preliminary available quantity is reduced to a pre-determined number, such as zero, with the price at the conclusion being stored in an auction database, wherein the preliminary available quantity is reduced based at least partly on one or more preliminary indicators associated with a call/user, such as the time of the acceptance of the call or order in the record versus the timing of the auction, which indicator(s) occur before a sale of a unit is completed/confirmed.
US08370209B2
A method for operating an aggregated web service to display location-based items and services and allow for their remote purchase and pick-up or delivery. Algorithms provided to vendors allow for automated pricing adjustments to encourage purchase in competitive geographical locations.
US08370205B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a system is provided for activating a plurality of cards. A first card number and a total number of cards can be provided to an activation system to process the activation of the plurality of cards.
US08370201B2
A computer readable medium is disclosed containing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method, the method including but not limited to receiving trick play command data at an end user device; receiving a advertising data at the end user device; correlating the advertising data with penetration data for an end user associated with the end user device; prioritizing the advertising data for the end user device based on the correlation; and presenting a portion of the advertising data in a picture in picture display window on the end user device based on the prioritizing of the advertising data during execution of the trick play command data. A system is disclosed that is useful in performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed that contains data used by the system and method.
US08370199B2
A data processing system employs a unique coded promotional vehicle to attract customers into retail establishments for the purchase of discounted goods. The promotional vehicle includes coupon styled graphics integrated with a code to allow data tracking by the store pursuant to purchases by that customer. The promotional vehicle is easier and less costly to distribute compared to the prior art, avoids cutting of coupons, and post purchase redemptions. The system further allows more targeted discounting at a lower cost, and substantially reducing fraud by eliminating post purchase coupon processing and redemption. Additionally, the system provides for selective deactivation of the code for each discount used by redemption of the vehicle without deactivating the code for the discounts not used so that the code may remain selectively active for future use.
US08370198B2
A method for registering a media for configurable advertising is described herein. Advertising policies from a publisher of the media may be received at a video advertising platform. A request from the publisher to register the media for advertising may be received at a video advertising platform. The request may have media metadata. A media manifest may be generated at the video advertising platform. The media manifest may be based on the media metadata and the advertising policies. The media manifest may be configured to be received by a media player. The media player may play the media with one or more advertisements as specified by the media manifest.
US08370184B2
A method for planning an assortment including a store comprises receiving a hierarchical list of articles including a plurality of nodes, and assigning a first node in the hierarchical list to the store to define a first group of articles that are assignable to the assortment. A system and program product for planning an assortment including a store are also provided.
US08370182B2
A system and method for automatically assessing the process quality capability of a shipping process is disclosed. The system monitors data on a database that is being constantly updated with information about shipment requests and shipment dates for various products. From that data, a statistical calculation is performed and the results are indicated on an Internet or intranet electronic page. The statistical calculation is designed to indicate the capabilities of the current process to deliver products to customers on time.
US08370180B2
A token process including storing transaction data for purchase of a product, generating a token for redemption of the product, providing access to the token over a communications network, and sending the token to a handheld device on receipt of a request for the token, the token being readable from the handheld device by a reading device at point of provision of the product. A handheld device including wireless communication means for receiving ticket data, the ticket data adapted to generate a visual display on said handheld device readable by a reading device to redeem a product corresponding to the ticket.
US08370179B2
A computer-implemented method for facilitating the management of a financial instrument includes determining an account balance for a financial account. The financial account includes an investment portfolio and a springing guarantee of an income base for a retirement income. The retirement income includes periodic monetary transfers to be commenced at a target retirement date. Each periodic monetary transfer has a respective value based on the income base. The springing guarantee of the income base may be activated on an activation date. The account balance is stored in memory of the data processing system. The stored account balance is periodically updated based at least in part on market performance of the investment portfolio. Using a computing system, the activation date is determined based at least in part on the target retirement date and the income base is determined. A respective value is outputted for each one of the periodic monetary transfers. The respective value of each one of the periodic monetary transfers is based on the value of the stored income base at a time proximate the one of the periodic monetary transfers.
US08370167B2
A system and method is provided for on-site site risk assessment and to encourage collaboration between professional disciplines related to land development and construction projects. A graphical risk analysis system is provided based on answers to interdisciplinary questions related to risks. Use of the system promotes a complete checklist of interdisciplinary and informational consultation which, when completed for a project, assesses the risk related to land development and allows for reduction in risk as the project progresses.
US08370158B2
An adaptive information presentation system. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a server apparatus with processor, network interface, and computer readable medium having at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one program being configured to receive a digital representation of speech input received from a user (such as at a location remote to the server), the speech input relating to an organization or entity which the user wishes to locate. Based at least in part on the digital representation, the program identifies a location associated with the organization or entity, and enables generation of a graphical or visual representation of the location in order to aid the user in finding the organization or entity.
US08370153B2
A speech analyzer includes a vocal tract and sound source separating unit which separates a vocal tract feature and a sound source feature from an input speech, based on a speech generation model, a fundamental frequency stability calculating unit which calculates a temporal stability of a fundamental frequency of the input speech in the sound source feature, from the separated sound source feature, a stable analyzed period extracting unit which extracts time information of a stable period, based on the temporal stability, and a vocal tract feature interpolation unit which interpolates a vocal tract feature which is not included in the stable period, using a vocal tract feature included in the extracted stable period.
US08370147B2
A conversational, natural language voice user interface may provide an integrated voice navigation services environment. The voice user interface may enable a user to make natural language requests relating to various navigation services, and further, may interact with the user in a cooperative, conversational dialogue to resolve the requests. Through dynamic awareness of context, available sources of information, domain knowledge, user behavior and preferences, and external systems and devices, among other things, the voice user interface may provide an integrated environment in which the user can speak conversationally, using natural language, to issue queries, commands, or other requests relating to the navigation services provided in the environment.
US08370140B2
A multi-microphone hands-free device operating in noisy surroundings implements a method of de-noising a noisy sound signal. The noisy sound signal comprises a useful speech component coming from a directional speech source and an unwanted noise component, the noise component itself including a lateral noise component that is non-steady and directional. The method operates in the frequency domain and comprises combining signals into a noisy combined signal, estimating a pseudo-steady noise component, calculating a probability of transients being present in the noisy combined signal, estimating a main arrival direction of transients, calculating a probability of speech being present on the basis of a three-dimensional spatial criterion suitable for discriminating amongst the transients between useful speech and lateral noise, and selectively reducing noise by applying a variable gain specific to each frequency band and to each time frame.
US08370139B2
A noise-environment storing unit stores therein a compensation vector for compensating a feature vector of a speech. A feature-vector extracting unit extracts the feature vector of the speech in each of a plurality of frames. A noise-environment-series estimating unit estimates a noise-environment series based on a feature-vector series and a degree of similarity. A calculating unit obtains a compensation vector corresponding to each noise environment in estimated noise-environment series based on the compensation vector present in the noise-environment storing unit. A compensating unit compensates the extracted feature vector of the speech based on obtained compensation vector.
US08370137B2
A noise estimating apparatus estimates two types of noise spectra for removing a noise component using the two types of noise spectra. The noise estimating apparatus includes an A/D converter that converts an input speech signal to a digital signal, and a Fourier transformer that performs a discrete Fourier transform on the digital signal having a predetermined time length to obtain an input spectrum and a complex spectrum. The noise estimating apparatus also includes a noise spectrum storage device that stores the two types of noise spectra, including a mean noise spectrum and a compensation noise spectrum, and a noise estimator that estimates a new compensation noise spectrum and a new mean noise spectrum as new two types of noise spectra.
US08370135B2
An encoding method includes extracting background noise characteristic parameters within a hangover period, for a first superframe after the hangover period, performing background noise encoding based on the extracted background noise characteristic parameters, for superframes after the first superframe, performing background noise characteristic parameter extraction and DTX decision for each frame in the superframes after the first superframe, and for the superframes after the first superframe, performing background noise encoding based on extracted background noise characteristic parameters of the current superframe, background noise characteristic parameters of a plurality of superframes previous to the current superframe, and a final DTX decision. Also, a decoding method and apparatus and an encoding apparatus are disclosed. Bandwidth occupancy may be reduced substantially while the signal quality may be guaranteed.
US08370131B2
A method for providing a dictionary service to a terminal, includes: providing a dictionary service window in or near a web browser for displaying a webpage through a screen of the terminal if a certain item for executing dictionary services in the terminal is clicked; (b) receiving a query inputted in the provided dictionary service window wherein the query includes a query for requesting meaning, a query for requesting pronunciation, or both; and (c) searching and providing a translation data corresponding to the query for requesting meaning or a pronunciation data corresponding to the query for requesting pronunciation. The method provides a translation data and/or pronunciation data of a word or expression which the user wants to find out while web surfing through the dictionary service window.
US08370121B2
The invention is a method of modeling a hydrocarbon reservoir. A parameter value in a set of equations is adjusted so that the output of the equations accurately matches observed sediment erosion and deposition behavior for sediment sizes throughout a range of about 10 microns to about 10 centimeters. An initial condition of a sediment bed in the hydrocarbon reservoir is defined. The equations are applied to the initial condition, wherein outputs of the equations express how a fluid flow affects erosion and deposition of sediments at the initial condition. The initial condition is adjusted based on the equation outputs to create a subsequent sediment bed condition. The equations are re-applied to the subsequent sediment bed condition a pre-determined number of times. The subsequent sediment bed condition is re-adjusted after each re-application of the equations. The model of the hydrocarbon reservoir is created and outputted.
US08370120B2
A pattern is used to form a stent scaffold from a polymeric precursor tube having a particular outer diameter. A new pattern can be derived from a base pattern, wherein the new pattern can be used to form a stent scaffold from a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR smaller than that needed for the base pattern. The new pattern can be derived by determining the shape of a stent scaffold, having the base pattern, after having been radially compressed to ODPR. The radially compressed shape is used to design the new pattern, which is applied to a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR. The new pattern can have a plurality of W-shaped closed cells, each W-shape closed cell bounded by struts oriented in such a way to form interior angles from about 80 degrees to about 95 degrees between every two adjacent struts.
US08370116B2
A harness verification method includes placing a three-dimensional model in virtual space and displaying a model plane onto which an overhead view of the three-dimensional model is projected, setting reference planes in the virtual space and displaying on the display cross-section projection planes onto which cross sections defined by intersection of the three-dimensional model and the reference planes is projected; obtaining a pointing position operated by a pointing unit in the virtual space, designating the pointing position as an operation position, identifying the operation position as a pass point of a harness, generating curve segments each corresponding to section between two adjacent pass points, and storing in the storage unit definition information that defines a route of the harness on the basis of jointed curve segments; and displaying on the cross-section projection planes the route of the harness generated on the cross section on the basis of the definition information.
US08370106B2
A method, system, and article to support a motion based input system. Movement data is acquired from a motion sensor. An orientation detector detects orientation towards gravity from a rest position, and a motion detector detects motion, including movement and rest. In addition, an inference state machine in communication with the orientation and motion detectors maintains a sequence of the detected motion conditions, and produces a profile description for the sequence of the detected motion conditions. An output event corresponding to the profile description is generated based upon the profile.
US08370099B2
Method of calibrating an angular sensor includes a transducer for converting a real value of a physical quantity (φ), lying within an overall range of variations, into an electrical signal (VS1) according to a first predefined function f1(VS1=cos 2φ+OB1) having a factor (OB1) liable to drift according to an external condition, the method including a first step of measuring known values of the physical quantity within the overall range of variations and with at least two values of an external condition, a step of determining a set of correcting parameters, a second step of measuring a known additional value of the physical quantity chosen in a restricted range of variations, and a step of adjusting the set of correcting parameters from the second measurement step.
US08370095B2
The use time till a display unit including an hour meter (a time measuring device) is replaced can be continued even if the time measuring device fails, and false alteration after shipping can be prevented while infallibly resetting the hour meter to zero when the vehicle equipped with the hour meter is shipped from the factory. The cargo handling vehicle includes a first storage device for accumulatively storing the vehicle use time measured by a first time measuring device provided in a display unit of the vehicle and a second storage device for accumulatively storing the vehicle use time measured by a second time measuring device provided in a control device. The control device allows the first and second storage devices to communicate the accumulated use times stored therein when the electric power of the vehicle is turned on. The control device compares the accumulated use times and writes the longer accumulated use time in the storage device storing the shorter one.
US08370094B2
A detecting device for a fuel injector includes a sensor unit and an ECU. The sensor unit is provided with a fuel pressure detection circuit which outputs a pressure detection signal in response to a fuel pressure. The ECU computes the fuel pressure based on a voltage value of the pressure detection signal relative to a reference voltage. The ECU obtains a comparative voltage according to an applied-voltage to the fuel pressure detection circuit and computes a deviation between the comparative voltage and the reference voltage. The sensor unit adjusts the applied-voltage in such a manner as to decrease the deviation. Thus, the computation accuracy of the fuel pressure is improved.
US08370093B1
A method and system can provide building energy performance metrics that can help identify specific zones within a building which may have energy efficiency problems. The method and system can collect data from: indoor temperature sensors and humidity sensors present in each zone of a building; one or more temperature sensors and humidity sensors present outside of the building; one or more utility meters; and one or more HVAC devices. This data from the sensors can be aggregated and formed into a first profile. The energy efficiency calculation system can analyze the first profile to provide various energy performance metrics which can include, but are not limited to, energy efficiency ratios for air conditioners, the R-value or thermal resistance of the building, an amount of heat loss for the building, energy consumption by the building, current HVAC performance parameters, and utility usage comparisons.
US08370082B2
A method for predicting a physical property of a residue obtainable from a crude oil by a process of distillation, wherein the conditions during the process are represented by a processing parameter, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) using a spectroscopic technique to acquire a spectrum for the crude oil; and b) applying a predictive model based upon a correlation between the spectrum, the physical property and the processing parameter. The method may be used to predict the suitability of crude oil for bitumen production.
US08370073B2
BioMEMS/NEMS appliance biologically monitors an individual, using biosensors to detect cellular components. Data is simulated or analyzed using systems-biology software, which provides diagnostic or therapeutic guidance.
US08370066B2
Systems and techniques for providing travel information. An information terminal offers a user an opportunity to select to receive travel information. Upon such a selection by the user, selections and information are received from the user to indicate the user's needs. The selections and information may take the form of explicit selections and entries, or submission of an identifier associated with a use record indicating user needs. Information submitted by the user is examined and appropriate travel directions, local area information, and information relating to the destination or points along the route are furnished to the user. If desired, a user record may be updated with information related to the current transaction.
US08370063B2
A method of operation of a navigation system includes sampling a first location reading from a device; sampling a first time stamp associated with the first location reading; sampling a second location reading from the device; sampling a second time stamp associated with the second location reading; obtaining a velocity for the device between the first location reading and the second location reading; and validating the second location reading with the first location reading, the first time stamp, the second time stamp, and the velocity for displaying on the device.
US08370052B2
An onboard cooling system diagnostic strategy utilizes at least one temperature sensor fluidly positioned between an electronically controlled engine and a thermostat. The diagnostic algorithm operates by monitoring coolant temperature during engine startup. By comparing the actual coolant temperature during engine start-up to a predicted coolant temperature that should occur if no cooling system error is present, a cooling system fault condition may be identified. If a cooling system fault is detected, the diagnostic logic may activate the engine cooling fan or intrusively open an electrically controlled thermostat while monitoring the coolant temperature response to the intrusive action. If there is a substantial change in coolant temperature responsive to the intrusive action, this phenomenon can be utilized to correctly distinguish between a thermostat failure and a vehicle configuration error corresponding to an overcooled vehicle. The present disclosure also can utilize a similar strategy to diagnose problems associated with other vehicle fluid coolers that exchange heat with ambient air moved by a circulation fan.
US08370046B2
A system for monitoring a gas turbine includes a memory containing information from comparable gas turbines and an input device that generates a unit data signal and a risk signal. A processor in communication with the memory and the input device incorporates the unit data signal into the database, projects information for the gas turbine, and calculates a conditional risk that the gas turbine will reach a limit. An output signal includes repair or maintenance schedules. A method for monitoring a gas turbine includes receiving information from comparable gas turbines, adding information from the gas turbine to the information from comparable gas turbines, and projecting information for the gas turbine. The method further includes calculating a conditional risk that the gas turbine will reach a limit and generating an output signal containing repair or maintenance schedules.
US08370042B2
A vehicle speed control device calculates a desired axle torque for maintaining a speed of a vehicle to a set speed, and conducts cruise control. Specifically, the vehicle speed control device calculates a drive force including a feedforward component corresponding to the set speed and a travel resistance against the travel of the vehicle, and a feedback component corresponding to a deviation of the set speed from the actual speed of the vehicle as a desired axle torque. The vehicle speed control device interrupts the cruise control when a requested drive axle torque requested by an accelerator operation during the cruise control exceeds the desired axle torque, and restarts the cruise control when the requested drive axle torque becomes lower than the desired axle torque.
US08370040B2
A vehicle travel control device has a engine that controls an engine based on a driving target controlled variable; a brake that controls a brake device based on a braking target controlled variable; and a automatic travel control that calculates the driving target controlled variable and/or braking target controlled variable so that a vehicle speed of a vehicle becomes a target vehicle speed, and outputs the driving target controlled variable to the engine and the braking target controlled variable to the brake, the vehicle travel control device being configured such that, upon detection of an acceleration operation during the vehicle travel control, the automatic travel control calculates a target vehicle speed for vehicle travel control by the brake device, so that the target vehicle speed becomes higher than a current vehicle speed of the vehicle.
US08370039B2
During service and repair work on an electric parking brake (1) of a motor vehicle, there is the problem that, in order to switch into a service mode in which the parking brake (15) can be completely opened, in order for example to be able to exchange a brake cable, a special diagnosis unit must generally be used. A diagnosis unit of this type is however not always available in workshops. It is therefore proposed to carry out the switch into the service mode of the electric parking brake (1) with at least one control element (2,2a) of the motor vehicle. Here, it is provided that, for safety reasons and in order to avoid an undesired switch into the service mode, the actuation of the at least one control element (2, 2a) must take place according to a predefined input procedure.
US08370037B2
A method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload, comprising the steps of determining a driving situation of the vehicle, continuously determining the energy input in the clutch, and, preventing or reducing an overload state via targeted intervention in vehicle management as a function of the determined driving situation and the input energy.
US08370035B2
A gear control system includes a pulse modulating circuit, a motor, and a central processing unit operatively coupled to the pulse modulating circuit and configured to control rotation of the motor from an original gear position to a desired gear position via the pulse modulating circuit. A motor position detecting device is operatively coupled to the central processing unit and detects the motor rotation position and transmits the motor position information corresponding to the motor rotation position to the central processing unit. The central processing unit determines whether the motor has reached the desired gear position based on the motor position information, and actuates the pulse modulating circuit to transmit pulses to actuate the motor to reach the desired gear position when the motor has not reached the desired gear position.
US08370032B2
Systems and methods for shift control for vehicular transmission. A transmission may shift gears at designated transmission shift points. When the slope of the road grade encountered by a vehicle changes, the transmission shift points may be altered to provide better vehicle performance. According to one embodiment, road slope may be calculated based upon vehicle acceleration and acceleration caused by pedal depression. In such an embodiment, brake indication may be calculated from the same road slope calculation without the use of a brake signal switch. If brake application is indicated by the road slope calculation, transmission shifting may be adjusted to prevent poor vehicle performance.
US08370024B2
A method for detecting the direction of travel or for detecting a change in the direction of travel of a motor vehicle which has at least two wheel speed sensor arrangements which each comprise an encoder with an incremental scale and a plurality of scale graduations and a wheel speed sensor (SEa, SEb, SEc, SEd) and are connected to an electronic control unit, wherein, when a scale graduation is sensed the wheel speed sensors each transmit a speed signal to the electronic control unit, wherein the direction of travel or a change in the direction of travel is identified at least from the order in which the speed signals occur with respect to the individual wheel speed sensor arrangements. A computer program product for carrying out all the steps of the method is also disclosed.
US08370017B2
Various systems and methods are described for controlling operation of a motor vehicle based on a sensor. One example method comprises receiving sensed parameter data from the sensor, receiving calibration data from the sensor, and adjusting a vehicle operating parameter in response to the sensed parameter data and the calibration data.
US08370013B2
A system for producing an estimation of the overall speed of a vehicle relative to the ground is described which comprises the generation of a measurement of the instantaneous road grip coefficient (μr) of at least one wheel (1) of a vehicle with electric traction wherein a rotary electric machine (2) is coupled to said wheel to drive it individually in traction and in braking. This system comprises an indicator of the torque applied at each instant to that wheel based on the measurement of the current (Ic) in the electric machine, an indicator of the instantaneous dynamic load on said wheel and a stage for calculating the instantaneous road grip coefficient of said wheel (1) relative to the ground based on the torque indicator and the dynamic load indicator in order to determine the ratio of the tangential force applied to the ground by the wheel under the action of said torque to the normal force applied to the ground by the wheel under the action of the dynamic load. One or more tests of the value of the duly calculated road grip coefficient are used to validate the ability of a measurement of the corresponding circumferential wheel speed to supply an adequate approximation of the speed of advance of the vehicle in the position of that wheel.
US08370008B2
According to one embodiment, a train control system for a train is disclosed, the control system includes a speed detection unit configured to detect the train speed, a position detecting unit configured to detect position information of the train, a signal aspect speed receiver to receive signal aspect speed information from outside the train, an automatic train operation (ATO) unit that is configured to output a first throttle notch command to drive the train between stations and to stop the train at a target position, a specification notch pattern output unit configured to selectively output a second throttle notch control command. The signal aspect speed information includes a speed limit for a location. The first output throttle notch command is based, at least in part, on the signal aspect speed information.
US08370004B2
The control panel (1) comprises two chains (A, B) of signal acquisition, digitization and processing, which are redundant and which include means (7) for performing crosschecks.
US08369999B2
In a method for forecasting shadowing of a photovoltaic (PV) system due to cloud formation or movement, part of the firmament is imaged with fisheye optics onto the input optics of a digital camera. Pixel groups associated with luminous intensity ranges are formed. The spatial arrangement of the groups is analyzed to forecast shadowing of a photovoltaic system. A line extending from the PV system to the sun is formed and is continuously tracked. A reference line located inside a region around the line is formed. Passage of clouds across a reference line is analyzed. The result of the analysis is used to increase the electric power from the PV system to a minimum value through supply of additional backup energy or to reduce the electric power consumption by disconnecting users to ensure that key users do not experience a drop in supplied power below a minimum value.
US08369996B2
To allow for optimal uniform application of irrigation fluid in a field space outfitted with a center pivot irrigation machine having a main pipeline and an auxiliary or corner pipeline, the auxiliary pipeline is operable to both lead and lag the main pipeline as the main pipeline makes a progressive rotation in a single direction through the field space. In one embodiment a control system for the irrigation machine comprises a buried cable control system. In another embodiment a control system comprises a global positioning satellite control system. In a third embodiment a control system comprises at least two position sensing devices, a first device for sensing an angle of the main pipeline with respect to a center tower and a second device for sensing an angle between the main pipeline and the auxiliary pipeline, and a speed controlling device for controlling a speed of rotation of the main and auxiliary pipelines.
US08369995B2
A central air-conditioning system conditions a house having a plurality of rooms. When a person is not present in any of the rooms, each room is conditioned in energy-saving conditioning mode having a low load. On the other hand, when the person is detected in any of the rooms, a controller switches an operating mode for conditioning the room, in which the person is detected, from the energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning. Air-conditioner ducts respectively connected to the remaining rooms are closed. Therefore, cold air or warm air from an air-conditioning unit is supplied to the room in which the person is detected, while the cold air or warm air is not supplied to the rooms in which the person is not present. As a result, the room that has been switched from energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning is conditioned in a concentrated manner.
US08369991B2
A system and method is disclosed for controlling a robot having at least two legs, the robot falling down from an upright posture and the robot located near a plurality of surrounding objects. A plurality of predicted fall directions of the robot are determined, where each predicted fall direction is associated with a foot placement strategy, such as taking a step, for avoiding the surrounding objects. The degree to which each predicted fall direction avoids the surrounding objects is determined. A best strategy is selected from the various foot placement strategies based on the degree to which the associated fall direction avoids the surrounding objects. The robot is controlled to implement this best strategy.
US08369981B2
Systems and techniques for locating stored goods. A plurality of fixed contactless identification devices are deployed in an area. Each fixed device exhibits a fixed device identifier that can be read from a distance. Locations within the area are identified through mapping to combinations of fixed device identifiers detected at the location. In addition, a plurality of movable contactless identification devices are associated with goods to be stored and retrieved. Each movable device exhibits a movable device identifier, and movable contactless identification devices are located by identifying a combination of fixed device identifiers received when a movable device identifier is received. The location information may be used independently, or as a supplement to expected location information obtained through other means.
US08369979B2
A control device for a cooling track for cooling a rolling product accepts at least partially characteristic information for a starting enthalpy value. The control device (8) determines a refrigerant volume progression (K) such that a heat volume corresponding to the difference between the starting enthalpy value (EA) and a prespecified end enthalpy value (EE) is removed from a rolling product segment (12) of the rolling product (5) during the movement of said rolling product through the cooling track (1). The control device (8) determines the refrigerant volume progression (K) independently of whether a prespecified end temperature value (TE) assigned to the end enthalpy value (EE) is reached at the end of application of refrigerant (6) to the rolling product (5). The control device (8) applies refrigerant (6) to the rolling product segment (12) during its passage through the cooling track (1) according to the determined refrigerant volume progression (K).
US08369965B2
A medical system for electrical stimulation includes a first column of electrodes, a second column of electrodes, an expandable member disposed between first and second columns, and an expansion mechanism adapted to transmit an externally applied pressure to the expandable member. The pressure expands the expandable member in order to force the first column of electrodes apart from the second column of electrodes. The first and second columns, disposed side-by-side, may be inserted through a percutaneous needle and into a epidural space, alongside a spinal cord; after insertion, the first column may be forced apart from the second column by applying the pressure to the expandable member.
US08369964B2
A medical device lead includes a conductor and one or more band stop filters. The conductor extends through a lead body and includes a proximal end and a distal end. The one or more band stop filters each have a first end and a second end and include a conductive coil. At least one of the first end and second end of each band stop filter is coupled to the conductor. A length of each band stop filter is such that, at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) frequencies, the band stop filter phase shifts an MRI-induced signal on the conductor by 180° to attenuate the MRI-induced signal on the conductor.
US08369958B2
A prosthetic hearing implant capable of independently and concurrently processing multiple audio input signals such that each audio input signal is separately utilized to stimulate the basilar membrane of the implant recipient. A prosthetic hearing implant of the present invention simultaneously receives discrete audio signals from each of one or more audio sources, generates a separate set of one or more stimulations signals for each audio signal, and concurrently applies the stimulation signals to the cochlear. Different channels of stimulation may be allocated to each audio input signal. Alternatively, different modes of stimulation may be used for each input signal. Or, in yet another example, the audio input signals may be time-multiplexed such that the input signals are applied in alternating timeslots. Or, in yet other examples, the input signals may be applied using a combination of stimulation channels, modes of stimulation, and alternating time slots. The stimulation signals may be delivered to the same or different electrodes depending on the quantity and frequency component of the received audio input signals, the quantity of available stimulation channels, and other factors.
US08369957B2
A retinal prosthesis with an improved configuration by mounting necessary components within and surrounding the eye. The improved configuration better allows for the implantation of electronics within the delicate eye structure and further limits the necessary width of a thin film conductor passing through the sclera by use of a multiplexer external to the sclera and a demultiplexer internal to the sclera.
US08369956B2
Methods and devices for stimulating nerves are disclosed. In one embodiment adapted for stimulating excitable tissue, the invention includes drive circuitry, an acoustic transducer and a pair of electrodes.
US08369950B2
An apparatus and method for enabling an implanted fractal antenna for radio frequency communications between an implantable medical device and an external device. The fractal antenna may be disposed within or outside of a header assembly of the device housing. Various examples include a three dimensional patterned cylinder usable as a tissue anchor or stent. In another embodiment the antenna may be cast, molded, stamped, punched, milled, laser cut, etched or other methods to form a fractal pattern in conductive media. In another embodiment the antenna may be formed of a printed circuit board (PCB) either with or without an included ground reference plane. In another embodiment the antenna may be formed in a fractal pattern and then wrapped around a part of the implantable device.
US08369949B2
A system and method for recording sensing and pacing events in a cardiac rhythm management device. The method may be particularly useful in assessment of pacing parameters for ventricular resynchronization therapy.
US08369945B2
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has a programmable ICD energy level corresponding to the maximum defibrillation energy deliverable with each defibrillation shock pulse. The ICD energy level is programmable within the maximum energy capacity of the defibrillation capacitor(s) of the ICD. In various embodiments, after a user enters the ICD energy level, one or more corresponding ICD performance parameters are presented. Restrictions are applied to the energy level programming of the ICD to ensure the predictability of the one or more ICD performance parameters.
US08369936B2
A monitor device and associated methodology are disclosed which provide a self contained, relatively small and continuously wearable package for the monitoring of heart related parameters, including ECG. The detection of heart related parameters is predicated on the location of inequipotential signals located within regions of the human body conventionally defined as equivalent for the purpose of detection of heart related electrical activity, such as on single limbs. Amplification, filtering and processing methods and apparatus are described in conjunction with analytical tools for beat detection and display.
US08369935B2
A medical device comprises a cannula for insertion to a target location in a body and at least one resonator situated on a surface of the cannula. The resonator resonates in response to an ultrasonic frequency applied to the target location to indicate the location of the cannula in the body. The ultrasonic frequency is generated by a transducer located external to the body. The medical device also comprises a device converting resonated frequencies into an image.
US08369928B2
A data processing process and embodiment for optimizing the signal path for multi-modality imaging is described. The embodiment and process optimizes the signal to noise ratio in a positron emission tomography (PET) signal path utilizing scintillation crystals, avalanche photo diodes, and charge sensitive preamplifiers in a dual modality MRI/PET scanner. The dual use of both and analog pole zero circuit and a digital filter enables higher signal levels or a fixed ADC input range and thus a higher possible signal to noise ratio in the presence of significant pileup caused by high positron activity. The higher signal to noise ratio is needed in the PET signal architecture, because of the presence of non-modal time varying electromagnetic fields from the MR, which are a significant source of noise for the wideband PET signal modality.
