US08382110B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user's awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.
US08382106B2
A method and apparatus for separating at least two bridges, especially gripper bars, of a segmented transport system for printing materials, e.g. sheets of paper in a printing press, include a transport system having a segmented electric linear drive with first and second primary parts constructed as segmented long-stator. The drive has a plurality of secondary parts constructed as carriages. Each secondary part assigned to the first primary part and each secondary part assigned to the second primary part are coupled by a crossmember to form a movable bridge. Two bridges in the same segment are moved jointly. A first bridge, reaching into a further segment due to jointly controlled movement, is moved individually under closed-loop control and separated from a second bridge, for locating the two bridges in different segments during further movement. Electrical and mechanical collisions of the bridges or of the carriages can therefore be eliminated.
US08382103B2
A sheet medium processing device comprises a housing, a feeding mechanism (1) mounted on the housing, a stacking mechanism (2) and a switching mechanism (3). The stacking mechanism (2), which is located downstream of the feeding mechanism (1), comprises an upper channel (20), a lower channel (21) and a channel driving mechanism (22). The lower channel is fixedly connected with the housing, and the upper channel is hinged with the housing with one end thereof separatable from or contactable with the lower channel. The channel driving mechanism is used to drive the upper and lower channels to move synchronously to transport sheet mediums. The switching mechanism (3) comprises a first cam (30) and a cam driving mechanism (31), wherein the cam is joined with the upper channel to drive the upper channel to rotate. Different transporting directions are formed by adjusting the position relationship between the upper channel and the lower channel of the stacking mechanism using the switching mechanism and thus sheet mediums are transported to different destinations according to specific requirements.
US08382098B2
The present invention provides a recording medium turnover device and a recording medium processing apparatus using the same. The recording medium turnover device comprises: a passage assembly, configured to form a first passage (3), one end of which is connected with a recording medium inlet (1) and the other end of which is connected with a recording medium outlet (2); a turnover mechanism (4), which is located on one side of the passage assembly and comprises a first plate (41) being located below the outlet and extending away from the outlet and a second plate (42) swingably arranged between the outlet and the inlet and forming a recording medium containing space with the first plate; conveying rollers (411, 424), configured to convey the recording medium; and a guide plate (5), which is controlled to guide the recording medium to enter the first passage or the recording medium containing space of the turnover mechanism. According to the present invention, the first passage and the turnover mechanism can share one power device to convey the recording medium, without switching the position state and the rotating direction of a plurality of mechanisms as in the conventional art, so that the structure of the recording medium turnover device and the control method are simplified, thus the number of power devices is decreased and the cost of devices is reduced.
US08382092B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a dual hopper assembly for use in a credential processing device, a credential processing device that includes a dual hopper assembly, and methods of feeding substrates in a credential processing. One embodiment of the dual hopper assembly comprises an upper hopper configured to support one or more card substrates, a lower hopper configured to support one or more card substrates and an input feed roller. The input feed roller is positioned between the upper and lower hoppers and is movable between a first position, in which the input feed roller engages a bottom substrate supported in the upper hopper, and a second position, in which the input feed roller is displaced from the bottom substrate.
US08382091B2
A recording apparatus includes a recording section that performs recording on a recording medium, a housing that stores the recording section, a recording medium cassette that is detachably mounted on the housing and has a cassette body that holds the recording medium in the vertical position, and a holder that holds the recording medium that has been fed from the cassette body and has been recorded in the recording section on the outer surface of the cassette body in the vertical position.
US08382088B2
A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed for bringing a substrate from a carrier, by a substrate transfer portion inside a transfer chamber, into a processing module to perform a process therein. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate storing chamber coupled to an exterior of the transfer chamber via a transfer opening to be in communications with the transfer chamber; a first storing shelf in the substrate storing chamber to store substrates for a first storing purpose; a second storing shelf in the substrate storing chamber to store substrates for a second storing purpose different from the first storing purpose; and a shifting mechanism that shifts the first and the second storing shelves to position a substrate storing area of one of the first and the second storing shelves so that substrate transferring is enabled between the substrate storing area and the substrate transfer portion via the transfer opening.
US08382077B2
A gas spring assembly includes a first end member and a second end member. A flexible wall is secured between the first and second end members and at least partially defines a spring chamber therebetween. A fitting is supported on the first end member and is rotatable between a first position in which the fitting can be axially displaced and a second position in which the fitting is axially restrained. A method is also included.
US08382075B2
An air stripper in the form of an submerged gas evaporator or a submerged gas reactor that includes a vessel, a gas delivery tube partially disposed within the vessel to deliver a gas into the vessel and a contaminated liquid inlet that provides a contaminated liquid to the vessel at a rate sufficient to maintain a controlled constant level of process fluid within the vessel. A weir is disposed within the vessel adjacent the gas delivery tube to form a first fluid circulation path between a first weir end and a wall of the vessel and a second fluid circulation path between a second weir end and an upper end of the vessel. During operation, gas introduced through the tube mixes with the process fluid and the combined gas and fluid flow at a high rate with a high degree of turbulence along the first and second circulation paths defined around the weir, thereby promoting vigorous mixing and intimate contact between the gas and the process fluid. This turbulent flow develops a significant amount of interfacial surface area between the gas and the process fluid resulting in a reduction of the required residence time of the gas within the process fluid to achieve thermal equilibrium and/or to drive chemical reactions to completion, all of which leads to a more efficient and complete evaporation, chemical reaction, or combined evaporation and chemical reaction process.
US08382072B1
A fuel and air charge forming device, such as a carburetor, may include a main body, a fuel and air mixing passage in the body, a fluid passage communicating with the fuel and air mixing passage and a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve may include a coil and a valve body having a base fixed against movement and a valve head extending from the base. The valve head may be driven by the coil between a first position wherein the valve head at least partially obstructs the fluid passage and a second position wherein the valve head permits greater fluid flow in the fluid passage to control fluid flow through the fluid passage.
US08382069B2
A support jack with a vertically telescopically displaceable supporting element having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve is described. For the operator, it is sometimes hard to discern whether the support jacks find an adequate abutment on the ground. In an extreme case, the support jack sinks into the ground under the load of the vehicle. The vehicle is then no longer adequately supported and can tip over. For this reason, the object of the invention is to develop a support jack in such a way that secure standing is already discernible for the operator during extension of the supporting element. According to the invention, the object is achieved with a support jack in which a supporting load indicator with a pressure element is arranged on the supporting element, the pressure element triggering a signal when a predefinable supporting force is reached.
US08382056B2
A safety device, comprising: a mounting arrangement operable to receive and support a lower portion of a ladder; and a support assembly upon which the device may rest, the support assembly comprising a plurality of elongate support members, each of which has a pair of ground contacting locations on which the device may rest and is independently pivotable with respect to the mounting arrangement around a point located between the ground contacting locations.
US08382054B2
A holding device comprises a first accommodation portion, a second accommodation portion, an elastic portion, and an actuating portion. The elastic portion includes a first end contacting the first accommodation portion and a second end contacting the actuating portion. The first accommodation portion includes at least one aperture. The second accommodation portion includes at least one connecting part, which passes through the aperture and connects with the actuating portion. When the actuating portion is pressed toward the first accommodation portion, a space between the first accommodation portion and the second accommodation portion expands.
US08382049B2
A support device includes a support element, a plurality of legs rotatably connected to the support element which can be rotated to be changed from an unfolded state and a folded state, and a main body sleeves the support element. When the legs are rotated to be in the unfolded state, the legs cooperate with the support element to support an electronic device, and when the legs are rotated to be in the folded state, the main body sleeves on the support element receiving the legs.
US08382048B2
A surgical holding arm has a plurality of holding arm members which are coupled to one another and a tensioning device for tensioning the holding arm members against one another. The tensioning device is designed in such a manner that the holding arm can be brought from an operative position, in which the holding arm members are tensioned against one another so as to be immovable, into an adjusting position, in which the holding arm members can be moved relative to one another. The holding arm can be brought, in addition, into a cleaning position, in which adjacent holding arm members can be moved away from one another further than in the adjusting position.Furthermore, a surgical holding device is described.
US08382046B2
A riser lock unit is provided for quick and easy mounting onto an elevated sprinkler riser. The riser lock unit functions to retain or maintain the sprinkler riser in an elevated position, without normal spring-loaded retraction into an underlying sprinkler housing, to facilitate service and/or replacement of a sprinkler nozzle head mounted at the upper end of the riser. When desired, the riser lock unit is quickly and easily removed from the sprinkler riser.
US08382044B2
A high-lift system on the wing of an aircraft and a method for its operation are described. High-lift flaps (2) which are arranged on the wing (1) are extended from a retracted position in order to increase the lift, and a slot (3) through which flow passes from the lower face to the upper face of the wing (1) is opened (advanced slat/flap-gap control). According to the invention, the slot (3) through which flow passes is opened independently of the position of the high-lift flap (2). This makes it possible to selectively achieve a better maximum coefficient of lift (CL) or a better lift-to-drag ratio with less noise being produced.
US08382037B2
Composite sections for aircraft fuselages and methods and systems for manufacturing such sections are herein. A composite aircraft panel manufacturing assembly comprises a skin, a stiffener, a tubular bladder, and at least one ply of fabric. The stiffener comprises first and second flange portions bonded to the skin. The stiffener further comprises an interior surface, spaced apart from the skin, and extending between the first and second flange portions. The tubular bladder extends longitudinally between the interior surface of the stiffener and the skin. The at least one ply of fabric extends around the bladder and is bonded to the interior surface of the stiffener and an adjacent portion of the skin between the first and second flange portions.
US08382025B2
A method and a corresponding apparatus for connecting two material webs which are pulled off from an old and a new reel are specified, wherein each reel is driven and wherein the splicing takes place while both reels are in motion. One position of all units participating in the splicing operation is regulated as a function of a position of the new reel, by a position of an adhesive point which is applied to the new reel being detected for this purpose.
US08382023B2
Device and method for constant tension feeding, threads or yarns fed to textile or winding machine or metallic wire to similar machine, in discontinuously with phase sequences. The thread motion has at least first and second feeding or absorption states following each other in time. A controller, connected to a tension detector and thread accumulator, intervenes on the accumulator based upon tension value from the detector. A compensator, between the accumulator and tension detector, cooperates with thread to compensate variation of feeding or absorption state of the thread upon passage between each first and second feeding or absorption state. The controller intervenes to modify the accumulator's action on thread and maintain tension value detected by the detector at set value. Interaction between thread and compensator keeping constant tension value during the changing phase of the feeding state. The compensator freely moveable under action of thread relative to a resting position.
US08382009B2
A percussive sprinkler with adjustable discharge angle has a pedestal, adjusting ring, main body, percussion guide frame and sprinkler head driving rod. The percussive sprinkler is characterized by that, the height of the spacing for the driving rod retaining surface of the adjusting ring can be adjusted via an adjustor, such that the second end on the sprinkler head driving rod connected to the sprinkler head is abutted onto the driving rod retaining surface. When the main body of the percussive sprinkler is rotated, the sprinkler head driving rod will shift vertically along the circumferential path on the driving rod retaining surface, so the sprinkler head is driven to swing vertically with change of the discharge angle. In such a case, spray with different sprinkling distance can be generated by the sprinkler head, thus making up the shortcomings for more uniform sprinkling coverage with higher flexibility and applicability.
US08382000B2
A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. Such a magnetic emulator may comprise non-magnetostrictive material such that the magnetic emulator may be fabricated in a wide variety of fabrication processes. Additionally, magnets may be added to amplify the signal of a magnetic emulator. In doing so, a magnetic emulator may provide a large amount of signal while consuming a reduced amount of electrical energy when compared to a magnetic emulator that does not include the presence of one or more magnets.
US08381998B1
Method for manufacturing a long-range RFID metallic product and structure thereof are provided so that UHF RFID skills can be smoothly applied on the various metallic products without interference. Electromagnetic waves radiated from a transmitter can be received by a metallic first antenna. With the resonance and induction generated by the resonance chamber located in the metallic first antenna and a second antenna of the electronic tag module patch, the signal generated can be transmitted to the RFID chip to achieve long-range reading and transmitting effects. Due to the breaking cutlines of the first rigid clip located on the second antenna of the electronic tag module patch, the second antenna of the electronic tag module patch is damaged when removing the electronic tag module patch from the metallic first antenna by tearing along the breaking cutlines of the first rigid clip, thereby preventing the RFID from being duplicated.
US08381997B2
A radio frequency IC device that prevents variations in the value of capacitive coupling between a radio frequency IC element and a radiation electrode and has good signal transmission efficiency includes a radio frequency IC element including input/output electrodes and, a first base including intermediate electrodes that are capacitively coupled to the input/output electrodes and have capacitance values C1a and C1b, respectively, and a second base including radiation electrodes and that are capacitively coupled to the intermediate electrodes and have capacitance values C2a and C2b, respectively. A capacitance C1 obtained by combining C1a and C1b is smaller than a capacitance C2 obtained by combining C2a and C2b.
US08381983B2
Reliability of a decoded result on a barcode is improved without increasing a processing load and a processing time. While a medium transfer mechanism transfers a recording medium, an image capture section captures an image of a surface of the recording medium, and the image data captured is saved in an image memory. Next, a scanning line setup section sets a plurality of scanning lines for image data of a barcode, and meanwhile a decoding section decodes the barcode by making use of image data corresponding to the scanning lines. Subsequently, a judgment section calculates reading reliability according to the image data corresponding to the scanning lines, and makes a judgment on a scanning line having a highest reliability among the reading reliability values. Then, a decoded result for the scanning line corresponding to the judgment result is defined as decoded information for the barcode.
US08381973B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach that leverages public key infrastructure (PKI) digital signature and barcode technology in providing a passport that can be validated for authenticity and data integrity when in printed form. In one embodiment, there is a barcoding tool that includes a data retrieving component configured to retrieve a set of identity data; a data concatenating component configured to concatenate the set of identity data into a single data string; a digital signature generating component configured to generate a digital signature from the data string using a private key of an issuing authority; and a barcode generating component configured to generate a barcode symbol from the data string and a barcode symbol from the digital signature. In another embodiment, there is a barcode reading tool that includes reading the identity data and digital signature barcode symbols using a barcode reader; displaying the identity data and digital signature on a display device; verifying the digital signature; and displaying verification results on a display device.
US08381959B1
A stapler extension mechanism is disclosed that is attached to the operating handle of a squeeze handle stapler that permits the stapler to be operated against a ceiling without the operator having to climb onto a ladder, against a floor without the operator having to bend over, or into a wall. The stapler extension mechanism has a head that is fastened to the operating handle of the squeeze handle stapler and an adjustable elongated handle is attached to the head. The operator positions the stapler using the elongated handle, and then applies a pushing force via the elongated handle to depress the squeeze handle and operate the stapler.
US08381950B2
A piston and piston rod for a rodless dispenser for extrudable material are configured such that compressive force exerted on the piston from a push chain causes a reactive torque to be created that locks the links of the chain together. The push rod is located away from the piston's geometric center.
US08381940B2
A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish adapted to receive a closure, a lower portion including a base, and a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion. The upper portion, the lower portion, and the sidewall define an interior volume for storing liquid contents. The plastic container further comprises a pressure panel located on the container and moveable between an initial position and an activated position. The pressure panel is located in the initial position prior to filling the container, and is moved to the activated position after filling and sealing the container. Moving the pressure panel from the initial position to the activated position reduces the internal volume of the container and creates a positive pressure inside the container. The positive pressure reinforces the sidewall. A method of processing a container is also disclosed.
US08381935B1
Cup lid with integrated container(s) that couples with the top of a cup. The cup and cup lid form at least two containment volumes, Embodiments enable easy containment, inclusion of fresh food, transportation and access of solid or liquid in the container and cup without disengagement of the cup lid from the cup. Contents of the lid container may be accessed, partially consumed, replaced in the container and resealed at any time as desired by the user. Additionally, an independent drop-in container within the lid cavity may be resealed and removed from the lid cavity and taken to other locations such as home, work, or car. Simplifies eating and drinking from one unified container and cup in a theater or stadium having seats for example that provide one cup-holder per seat. Provides one free hand to hold a child's hand for safety while in stadiums and amusement parks.
US08381923B2
A knuckle for a railway coupler system is made without internal voids or cores. Instead, external pockets are formed on the front face and tail portion surface to reduce weight. The knuckle is formed by investment casting, which permits a pulling face to be provided without a draft angle or parting line typical of a cast part. As a result of these innovations, the knuckle according to the invention has an improved fatigue life.
US08381920B2
A simple collapse structure of tool hanger board is provided, especially for reducing package volume of the hanger with a tool inserted therein. The hanger board has a hanger board body that functions to hang a tool for exhibition. The hanger board body has a lower portion that forms an insertion slot for receiving insertion and positioning of a tool therein. With a retention plate projecting from the body for securely looping and fixing the tool, secure insertion of the tool can be realized. An upper portion of the body that is located above a central positioning bar is made as a pivotally connected foldable upper board section. The upper board section is folded downward to overlap a rear surface of the board body so as to reduce the overall length of the hanger and thus effectively reduce the package volume, facilitate handling and lower costs of packaging and shipping.
US08381918B2
A card-shuffling device reads a suit and value of individual cards that are moved through a card shuffler. Reading of the cards is effected after the cards have been received into a card holding area and before the cards have been delivered into a card collection area from which cards are removed from the card-shuffling device for use. The read suit and rank are then sent to a processor, wherein the processor identifies whether any playing card is a playing card that should be rejected from the card shuffler and the card shuffler then rejecting that playing card from the playing card shuffler.
US08381911B2
Disclosed is a storage device for medicaments, comprising a rectangular bottom part with 7 compartments (1) that are separated by partitions (2) and each have an independent pivotable lid (3) such that each compartment (1) can be individually accessed. Seven compartments (1) have a same-sized rectangular horizontal section within the bottom part (4) of the weekly dispenser, while at least one longitudinal side (4.2) of the bottom part (4), more specifically the access side, has a convex wall (4.3), and the top edge (2.3) of all partitions (2) has a uniform curvature having a radius R in the longitudinal direction thereof. The 7 dimensionally stable and elastic lids (3) have an adapted curvature R′ that matches said uniform curvature of the top edge (2.3) of the partitions (2). The closing parts (6) start detaching from one another when pressure is applied to the central or rear region of an arched elastic lid (3).
US08381908B2
A composite package having a folded paperboard card and two plastic components shaped to interfit with one another when the package is closed. The plastic components define a space for containing one or more articles. The folded paperboard card may be a dual-panel card with two panels joined to one another along a fold line or other hinge. Each paperboard panel may define an opening to seat a plastic component. The paperboard is configured to bring the two plastic components into registration when the panels are folded together along the hinge. The plastic components may be configured to releasably interlock when the package is closed. One of the two plastic components may include a shoulder that is configured to be snap-fitted or otherwise frictionally into the other plastic component. The opening may include a seat shaped to closely receive and provide a stop for the shoulder.
US08381906B2
A bulk wire dampening apparatus has a rod, an optional bracket, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a sleeve and a damper where the sleeve slideably engages the rod.
US08381891B2
A friction clutch has a clutch housing including a friction plate, a clutch boss including a clutch plate, and a pressure plate causing the friction plate and the clutch plate to contact each other by moving in a predetermined direction. A clutch spring applies a biasing force in a direction of causing the pressure plate to press the friction and clutch plates into contact with each other. An annular retainer receives a reaction force to the biasing force of the clutch spring by supporting one end of the clutch spring opposite to the pressure plate. A circlip of a notched ring shape is fitted into an inner peripheral side of the clutch housing. The circlip locks the retainer to the clutch housing by abutting on an opposite side of the retainer. The retainer is configured to suppress radially inward deformation of the circlip when a vehicle engine is driven.
US08381890B2
A friction clutch having a wear adjuster that compensates for wear in the form of an incorrect spacing between the pressure plate and the pressing plate as a result of an abrasion of the clutch friction linings. The incorrect spacing between the disk spring and the pressing plate is compensated by a ramp device. The ramp device and the pressing plate are coupled to one another by a positive connection, which, in order to compensate for the incorrect spacing, is temporarily suspended only when the incorrect spacing has been detected by a position sensor.
US08381889B2
A dual clutch, which has a first friction clutch pulled by a first lever actuator and a second friction clutch pushed by a second lever actuator. The lever actuators each have a lever that is spring-loaded on one side and lever tips which are moved by a bearing block. The bearing block can be moved radially with along a profile of the lever to set a variable contact point of the lever between a rigid base plate and the lever to act on actuating bearings of the friction clutches. The bearing block is actuated by force application in one of the radial directions of motion by a drive controlled by a control unit in an automated manner. The drive of both lever actuators is formed by a pneumatic controller. In each drive a piston is movable in a housing and is connected to the bearing block by a piston rod.
US08381886B2
A release holding mechanism for a railcar hand brake includes a release shaft rotatably mounted in the housing. A quick release handle is rigidly secured to an external end of the release shaft for rotation therewith and manually rotatable into a release position to initiate the quick release of the railcar brake application. A release lever cooperates with a driving mechanism of the hand brake to effect quick release of the railcar brake application. A release ratchet wheel is mounted for rotation with the driving mechanism. A release pawl operably engages the release ratchet wheel when the driving mechanism rotated for releasing the brake application. A gravity weighted member is disposed on and rigidly secured to the release lever for maintaining the release pawl, due to gravity, in a disengaged position relative to the release ratchet wheel when the driving mechanism is manually operable for effecting the brake application.
US08381883B2
A wheelchair safety device comprises a brake lever, four link levers, an upper brake plate, a brake wheel, a lower brake plate, a parking wheel, and an angularly adjustable mounting plate. One end of the first, the second and the third link levers is respectively articulated at the brake lever, another end of the first and the second link levers are articulated with one end of the fourth link lever. Another end of the fourth link lever is articulated at the upper brake plate and another end of the third link lever is articulated at the lower brake plate. One end of the upper and the lower brake plates is respectively articulated at the angularly adjustable mounting plate, and another end thereof is mounted with the brake wheel and the parking wheel, respectively. The brake wheel and the parking wheel respectively act on the wheelchair.
US08381872B2
An acoustic composite comprises a flow resistive substrate having a solid acoustic barrier material bonded to at least a portion of a major surface of the flow resistive substrate; wherein the acoustic barrier material has a density greater than about 1 g/cm3 and the acoustic composite has a porosity between about 0.002% and about 50%.
US08381867B2
A transmission ratio variable mechanism includes an input member and an output member arranged to rotate around a first axis, an intermediate member arranged to connect the input member and the output member so as to be differentially rotatable, and a motor arranged to drive the intermediate member. The motor includes a cylindrical rotor arranged to rotate around the first axis. An inner periphery of the rotor is arranged to support the intermediate member and arranged to rotatably support the input member and the output member via bearings, respectively.
US08381855B2
In an all terrain vehicle, a radiator is disposed forward of a front panel in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The radiator is also disposed in a transverse center of the vehicle. A fan is configured to blow air from the front to an area behind the radiator. An engine unit is disposed rearward of the front panel. A cargo bed is disposed rearward of a seat. An exhaust device is disposed under the cargo bed. The exhaust device is disposed in the transverse center of the vehicle. A communication path is positioned in the transverse center of the vehicle. The communication path connects a space positioned behind the radiator and a space that the exhaust device is disposed. The communication path at least partially overlaps with the fan in a front view of the vehicle.
US08381844B2
Earth-boring drill bits include a bit body, an element having an attachment feature bonded to the bit body, and a shank assembly. Methods for assembling an earth-boring rotary drill bit include bonding a threaded element to the bit body of a drill bit and engaging the shank assembly to the threaded element. A nozzle assembly for an earth-boring rotary drill bit may include a cylindrical sleeve having a threaded surface and a threaded nozzle disposed at least partially in the cylindrical sleeve and engaged therewith. Methods of forming an earth-boring drill bit include providing a nozzle assembly including a tubular sleeve and nozzle at least partially within a nozzle port of a bit body.
US08381842B2
In various embodiments, a mining device can include a first housing portion and a second housing portion where relative movement between the first and second housing portions can extend and/or retract a cutting member with respect to the mining device. The mining device can further include a cable which can be mounted to the second housing portion where the cutting member is mounted to the cable and can be radially extended with respect to the first and second housing portions when the second housing portion is moved relative to the first housing portion along an axis. As the cutting member is extended, it can contact the sidewalls of a subterranean shaft to loosen material therefrom.
US08381840B2
A method of protecting a top drive drilling assembly includes incorporating a shock absorbing sub incorporated in the top drive drilling assembly. The shock absorbing sub comprises a first body and a second body capable of relative axial movement, with a shock absorbing medium disposed between the first body and the second body to absorb any reactive axial force exerted upon the top drive drilling assembly.
US08381831B2
A rotary impact tool includes a drive power source for producing rotational power, a drive shaft driven by the rotational power supplied from the drive power source, an output shaft operatively connected to the drive shaft for receiving the rotational power, an impact mechanism operatively couplable with the drive shaft. The rotary impact tool further includes a changeover unit for changing over an impact mode in which the impact mechanism is operated and a drill driver mode in which the rotational power produced by the drive power source is transferred to the output shaft without operating the impact mechanism and a multi-stage speed reduction mechanism for transferring the rotational power produced by the drive power source to the output shaft through the drive shaft at variable speeds in at least three speed modes including a low speed mode, a middle speed mode and a high speed mode.
US08381830B2
A power tool having a housing, an electric motor disposed in the housing, and a spindle drivingly attached to the electric motor. The spindle includes a cavity adapted for receiving a bit therein and a window extending through the spindle in communication with the cavity. The power tool further has a retention device including a bit engaging member disposed within the housing and operable to extend through the window and retain a bit within the cavity. The power tool still further has an actuator operable by a user externally of the housing to disengage the bit engaging member from a bit received in the cavity and, finally, a mechanical interconnection system operably coupled between the actuator and the retention device to actuate the retention device in response to the actuator, wherein the mechanical interconnection is disposed within the housing.
US08381829B2
A battery device is constituted by connecting such cell assemblies in parallel as each includes: a first cell group having a plurality of cells connected in series; a housing container for housing the first cell group; current detector housed in the container for detecting a current to flow through the first cell group; a switching element connected with the first cell group for turning ON/OFF the current to flow through the first cell group; and a controller for controlling the ON/OFF of the switching element in response to the output signal of the current detector.
US08381822B2
A wellbore apparatus includes a connector sub assembly having a body, the body having a first end adapted to couple to a first perforating sub component and a second, axially opposed end adapted to couple to a second perforating sub component. The connector sub body defines a cavity proximate the second end of the connector sub body; and a flow path in fluid communication with the cavity and a location exterior to the wellbore apparatus. The apparatus includes a valve residing in the flow path and actuatable to block or allow fluid flow from the cavity, through the flow path, to the location exterior to the wellbore apparatus.
US08381820B2
An in-well ESP string that can be installed or retrieved with a wireline instead of a rig. The ESP is combined with a motor and a hydraulic valve to pump formation fluid from a well to the surface. A wet connector is used to facilitate electrical and hydraulic connections. The ESP system is disposed within a tubing string located within the casing of a well. The hydraulic valve controls the flow of formation fluid to the ESP, opening to allow formation fluid to flow to the ESP, and closing to shut off production. When the valve is closed, the ESP may be cleaned with brine introduced via a flow port in the valve. This cleaning operation allows the ESP string to be to retrieved in an environmentally friendly manner. In addition, the wireline installation and retrieval is significantly less costly and less complicated than currently possible with a rig.
US08381815B2
A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat is allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation. Fluids are produced from the formation through at least one production well that is located in at least two zones in the formation. The first zone has an initial permeability of at least 1 darcy. The second zone has an initial of at most 0.1 darcy. The two zones are separated by a substantially impermeable barrier.
US08381806B2
Systems for coupling ends of elongated heaters and methods of using such systems to treat a subsurface formation are described herein. A system may include two elongated heaters with an end portion of one heater abutted or near to an end portion of the other heater and a core coupling material. The core coupling material may extend between the two elongated heaters. The elongated heaters may include cores and at least one conductor substantially concentrically surrounds the cores. The cores may have a lower melting point than the conductors. At least one end portion of the conductor may have a beveled edge. The gap formed by the beveled edge may be filled with a coupling material for coupling the one or more conductors. One end portion of at least one core may have a recessed opening and the core coupling material may be partially inside the recessed opening.
US08381798B2
A micro fluid device includes a heating unit and a cooling unit, each with piping disposed within. The heating and cooling units are integrally coupled together, and fluid flows into the piping of respective units. A temperature control device includes a heat insulator which has a through hole equal in diameter to the piping disposed within the heating unit and cooling unit. The heat insulator is interposed between heating unit and the cooling unit. A positioning mechanism positions the heat insulator to bring the piping into communication with the through hole at the time of coupling the heating and cooling units.
US08381795B2
A casting apparatus is presented. The casting apparatus includes a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber includes a crucible and a sealed discharge outlet. The second chamber includes a casting mold for casting a plurality of filaments of a superalloy composition. The second chamber further includes a discharge inlet aligned with the sealed discharge outlet of the first chamber. The casting apparatus further includes a first port for applying a positive pressure to the first chamber and a second port for applying a vacuum to the second chamber. The sealed discharge outlet includes a hermetic seal comprising a material having a melting temperature equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the superalloy composition.
US08381793B2
The invention relates lift and tilt mechanisms for Venetian blinds typically, although not exclusively, comprising slats of very large dimensions, both relating to the width of the slats and to the longitudinal extension of the slats. Thus the venetian blind comprising these slats can be made to cover very large window openings or other parts of buildings and rooms. Both from a functional and from an aestethical point of view a precise and reliable raising and lowering of the slats of the Venetian blind as well as the tilting of the slats is very important. The present invention provides improved mechanisms for attaining these characteristics.
US08381791B2
A device for lifting the bottom side wall (7b) of the tire (7) in a tire removing machine comprises a frame (10), an arm (16) rotatably associated with the frame (10) at a first end of it (16a) to rotate between an angular rest position and an angular working position. A supporting element (18) is connected to a second end (16b) of the arm (16) to support a bottom side wall (7b) of a tire (7) when the arm (16) is in the working position. The device also comprises an arm (16) rotation stop member (20) operatively positioned between the arm (16) and the frame (10) and able to be activated to prevent the arm (16) from turning relative to the frame (10) at least at the angular working position.
US08381780B2
Disclosed are a lift assembly and methods that may be used to raise a component of a system, a component such as a collapsible bag to be used as a reactor for performing chemical or biological reactions, and/or to position the collapsible bag for use. Use of the lift assembly may allow for the automated assembly of the systems described herein. In some cases, trauma to the system components is minimized.
US08381774B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for loading a therapeutic substance or drug within a lumenal space of a hollow wire having a plurality of side openings along a length thereof that forms a hollow drug-eluting stent with a plurality of side drug delivery openings. Loading a drug within the lumenal space of the hollow stent includes a drug filling step, in which the drug is mixed with a solvent or dispersion medium. The lumenal space may be filled with the drug solution or suspension in a reverse fill process and/or a forward fill process. After the drug filling step, a solvent or dispersion medium extracting step is performed to extract the solvent or dispersion medium from within the lumenal space such that only the drug remains within the hollow stent. A stent cleaning step may be performed to an exterior surface of the hollow stent.
US08381771B2
The invention relates to a material feed receptacle for a thick matter pump comprising a receptacle lower part and a receptacle top that is detachably connected to the receptacle lower part, a two-part front wall, a rear wall, two two-part lateral walls, an upwardly pointing material feed opening delimited by a peripheral edge, and a pipe junction, which is situated inside the receptacle, can, on the entry side, swivel in an alternating manner in front of the delivery cylinder openings and which, on the output side, leads to a pressure pipe. The invention provides that the receptacle top has an upper lateral wall part and upper lateral wall parts, which have free ends and which extend away from the front wall part. The invention also provides that the peripheral edge has a first edge part, which forms an upper edge of the receptacle top, and ha a second edge part on the receptacle lower part, which is situated on the rear wall and is joined to the first edge part.
US08381767B2
An assembly for recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution includes a reservoir module including a mounted reservoir including an interior volume and a removable lid. The lid including a portion that extends into the interior volume and an access port disposed in the portion. A back edge of a bottom wall of the reservoir is disposed above a front edge of the bottom wall of the reservoir and a front portion of a side wall of the reservoir is disposed non-vertical and substantially normal to the bottom wall of the reservoir adjacent the front edge of the bottom wall.
US08381762B2
The invention relates to the metering of fluids at low flow rates. More particularly, the invention provides a flow regulator for flows as low as about ½ ml per hour, provided with locking means for any set value within its range. The flow regulator comprises: an inner non-revolving core element, an outer housing, having a hollow base section and being revolvably supported co-axially with the core element, first and second chambers disposed between the core element and the outer housing, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the first chamber and the inlet of the second chamber being connected by a flow restriction path, a diaphragm separating the two chambers and sealing an inlet to a discharge tube when pressure in the first chamber is higher than pressure in the second chamber, and a circular spring placed in the secondary chamber below the diaphragm and around the discharge tube. The major improvement being the addition of a graduated flow rate locking ring housing a disk-like body disposed between the outlet of the discharge tube and the base portion of the outer housing.
US08381760B2
A stepper-motor gas valve control is disclosed that includes a main diaphragm in a chamber that controllably displaces a valve relative to an opening in response to changes in pressure, to adjust fuel flow through the valve. A servo-regulator diaphragm is provided to regulate flow to the main diaphragm, to thereby control the rate of fuel flow. A stepper motor is configured to move in a stepwise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm, to control fluid flow to the main diaphragm. A controller mounted on the stepper-motor regulated gas valve control receives and converts an input control signal from a heating system to a reference value between 0 and 5 volts, and selects a corresponding motor step value. The control responsively moves the stepper-motor in a step wise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm and thereby regulates the rate of fuel flow through the valve.
US08381752B2
For reducing the restart pressure of streams selected from waxy crude oils, water-in-crude emulsions and dispersions of hydrocarbon hydrates, at least partially structured, a mechanic disturbance is applied, in flow-stop conditions, on the streams. The temperatures are lower than the WAT (Wax Appearance Temperature) for the waxy crude oils and water-in-crude emulsions. The temperatures are also lower than the forming temperatures of the hydrates and pressures higher than the forming pressure of the hydrates, for the dispersions of hydrocarbon hydrates.
US08381749B1
An adjustable hunting blind for providing convenient organized tool storage and an optimized shelter configuration for various situations commonly encountered by hunters includes a pole. An extension arm is coupled to and extendable from the pole. A spike is coupled to a bottom end of the pole so that the spike extends from a bottom end of the pole. The pole extends upwardly from a ground surface when the spike is inserted into the ground surface. A canvas coupled to the extension arm so that the canvas hangs from the extension arm. An expansion ring is coupled to the canvas proximate a top of the canvas for holding the canvas in an expanded position when the canvas hangs from said extension arm.
US08381745B2
A water-conducting domestic appliance including a line system, a detergent feed facility that supplies at least one detergent into the line system, wherein the detergent feed facility includes at least one reservoir configured to be filled with detergent, and a refill fitting having a connection to the at least one reservoir, the refill fitting being arranged on a door of the water-conducting domestic appliance.
US08381744B2
A water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, the water-conducting domestic appliance including a washing compartment for receiving items therein that are to be subjected to a handling process by the water-conducting domestic appliance; and a detergent dosing system, the detergent dosing system having a detergent dispenser with a receiving compartment, the receiving compartment for receiving at least one cartridge that is configured to hold at least one detergent. The detergent dosing system is formed from a plurality of housing walls and at least one portion of at least one housing wall of the detergent dosing system has thermal insulation.
US08381736B2
A method of preparing a rod for use in the preparation of a smoking article is described. The rod has a first end and a second end. The rod has located therein a solid support. The solid support extends in a linear fashion from the first end of said rod to the second end of said rod. At least a portion of said solid support is coated and/or impregnated with an additive. The rod is prepared using rod forming means, wherein said rod forming means comprises a channel ending in an open exit, wherein material may pass through at least part of the channel and leave via the open exit in the form of a rod.
US08381730B2
An inflatable balloon cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. These cuffs may include indicia that facilitate attachment of the cuff relative to the tube to reduce manufacturing variability for such characteristics as rotational and length alignment. Such indicia may include protrusions that are formed in the wall of the cuff collars or may include visual indicators, e.g., colorimetric or shape-wise indicators. Cuffs with improved attachment relative to the tube may have increased sealing performance.
US08381725B2
A breathing assistance device, capable of operating according to several respiratory modes forming a list of possible modes. The device is equipped with a mechanism for selecting a desired mode from a group of modes that can be selected. The device also includes a mechanism for realizing a configuration diagnostic of the device, a mechanism for associating with authorization level with each possible mode, according to the results of the diagnostic, with the lowest authorization level corresponding to unauthorized modes, a mechanism for authorizing only the selection of authorized modes, in such a way that selecting unauthorized modes is impossible.
US08381718B1
The invention in one embodiment includes an aiming device coupled to an actuator and an object. The system comprises a base attached to the actuator, and a frame rotatably affixed to the base and the object. The frame and object rotate together about a first axis in response to activation of the actuator, while the object discretely rotates relative to the frame about a second axis different than the first axis each time the frame rotates a predetermined angle relative to the base.
US08381711B2
A universal dust shroud is mountable to many high speed gas powered concrete cutting saws while remaining strong and stable. The dust shroud is adjustable to properly fit the saw and effectively collect dust and debris.
US08381703B2
A method for calibrating an accelerator pedal during a driving operation, in which the mechanical position of the accelerator pedal is converted by at least one potentiometer to an electrical signal value and read in by an electronic engine control unit. An idle limit for an idle position of the accelerator pedal and a full-load limit for a full-load position of the accelerator pedal are set as initial values. An idle signal value that is less than or equal to the idle limit is stored in a potentiometer-specific idle data memory for each potentiometer, a representative idle signal value is determined from the stored idle signal values, and this value is set as the determining idle position of the accelerator pedal specific to each potentiometer. A full-load signal value that is greater than or equal to the full-load limit is stored in a potentiometer-specific full-load data memory for each potentiometer, a representative full-load signal value is determined from the stored full-load signal values, and this value is set as the determining full-load position of the accelerator pedal specific to each potentiometer.
US08381701B2
A bio-diesel fuel engine system and bio-diesel fuel engine operating method capable of producing a biomass fuel from a liquid state biomass source material of a fat-containing vegetable or animal oil allowing fuel to be combusted in a conventional diesel engine while providing the benefits of low fuel consumption, stable engine operation, and extended engine service life, with compared to use a biomass fuel reformed by methyl-ester method.
US08381695B2
A workpiece has a tribologically useable surface formed as a sliding surface, lubricated by an intermediate material, for a counterpart movable relative to the workpiece in a direction of movement. The sliding surface is provided with a structure formed of a plurality of pockets. The pockets form a closed micropressure chamber delimited by the uninterrupted peripheral rim, respectively. The uninterrupted peripheral rim is a deburred structure edge. In a plan view, the pockets are elongate and have a longitudinal extension. The sliding surface has a functional roughness in the supporting areas between the pockets.
US08381691B2
An engine includes a first piston with surfaces that define a substantially cylindrical chamber inside the first piston and a passage into the substantially cylindrical chamber. One or more second pistons are arranged to reciprocate inside the substantially cylindrical chamber and to define, in cooperation with the substantially cylindrical chamber, a combustion chamber. A fuel injector extends at least partially through the passage in the first piston to inject fuel into the combustion chamber. The first piston is arranged to move in a reciprocating manner relative to the fuel injector.
US08381687B2
An automated cat litter box comprising self-scooping mechanisms on a scooping carriage assembly at one end of a litter pan. The scooping carriage contains therein a waste drawer having a removable tray covered in lining. The tray travels with the carriage to the opposing end of the litter so that a grate can flip backwards to shovel collected waste into the waste drawer.
US08381685B2
A pet fountain having a housing of snap together construction formed of a base and cover. The base includes a basin in which an integrally formed filter-holding divider is disposed that separates the basin into a return sump and pumping chamber. The cover includes a water holding bowl, an inlet and a drain overlying the return sump that encloses a pump that provides fluid to the bowl via inlet when attached to the base. The cover includes a downwardly extending tube that fluidly registers with a discharge of the pump when attached to the base. In a preferred embodiment, the cover has upper and lower bowls connected by a spillway that conveys overflow from the upper bowl to the lower bowl where it is return via drain to the return sump. The cover can be configured to mate with the housing to enclose the entire basin, pump, and filter.
US08381684B2
An animal feeding structure can include one or more openings to drain water that is sprayed into the feeding structure in order to clean it. By draining the incident water, the remaining dirt, food and other particles are drained and removed from the feeding structure, thereby cleaning the structure without direct handling. Also, because the water is drained, water bounce back onto the person cleaning the bowl can be greatly reduced. The feeding structure can include an opening covered by a raised cap whose clearance from the bottom of the bowl can be adjusted. The feeding bowl can also include lateral and/or longitudinal slits of various sizes and shapes. The size and shape of openings can be designed to prevent food from falling out while allowing water, food crumbs, dirt, and debris to drain out. The effective size of the openings can be adjusted.
US08381681B2
A receptacle for receiving cleaning concentrate, the receptacle comprising a concentrate discharge and a container having an opening, wherein a block-shaped cleaning agent is disposed on the opening in a replaceable manner, a liquid supply which is arranged for a washing out action, wherein liquid is sprayed through the opening onto the cleaning agent in order to wash out the cleaning agent and to form a cleaning concentrate, wherein a valve is provided in the concentrate discharge, which valve is controlled by a control device, wherein the control device is arranged to keep the valve closed during the washing out action, and wherein the device further comprises a signal supplier which is arranged to give a first warning signal after a predetermined phase of the washing out action.
US08381678B2
A wide area atmospheric pressure plasma jet apparatus including a transmission mechanism, a plasma housing and two plasma-generating devices is provided. The transmission mechanism includes a rotation output end that has a center axis. The plasma housing has an opening. The plasma housing further has a air-attracting hole near the rotation output end and extended from an outer wall of the plasma housing to the interior of the plasma housing, so that the heat of the plasma housing can be dissipated due to the generated gas circulation. The plasma-generating devices are disposed within the plasma housing and connected with the rotation output end. Each of the plasma-generating devices has a plasma nozzle located at the opening and tilts from the center axis. When the rotation output end drives the plasma-generating devices to rotate, two plasma beams are obliquely ejected from the plasma nozzle and the plasma processing area is increased.
US08381668B2
In a ship-body frictional resistance reducing device, an ejection chamber having an air ejection hole is fixed to a bottom of a ship body, and an air supply path for supplying air to the ejection chamber and a marine-biofouling preventing-fluid supply path for supplying a marine-biofouling preventing fluid to the ejection chamber are connected to the ejection chamber. An on-off valve is provided on each of the paths, by which either one of the paths can be connected in a selective manner, making it possible to prevent adhesion of marine species to the air ejection hole of the ship body while suppressing power consumption therefor.
US08381664B2
A table (2) of a type which can be moved between storage and in use positions and which is free standing in both positions. The table typically includes at least two legs (12) connected to support arms (16) which are moveable between the two positions and which, when in the in use position engage with a frame member (34) on the underside of a table top via engagers (26, 28) having teeth which secure the leg support arms to the frame member and provide support for the table top (6).
US08381663B2
A plate-like element for supporting or bearing an object, with a core of generally rectangular shape and composed of a foamed plastic. The core is covered at least on both surfaces by a plastic film of impact-resistant material. A connection of the plastic films, which cover the core on both surfaces, is formed in the region of a peripheral side edge of the core between a surface of the core and an adjoining, peripheral border of the core. A plate-like element which receives a corresponding load can be reliably produced by simple method steps.
US08381658B1
A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for the traction motors, an air system for providing an air mass to the fuel cell power module, and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell power module. When an amount of power is requested from the power module, a required current and a stoic set point for the power module are determined. From the required current, the stoic set point, and numerical factors characterizing the power module, an air mass flow set point is determined for producing the requested amount of power. A compressor set point including speed and torque set points of a compressor motor are determined for the air system to produce the air mass flow corresponding to the requested amount of power.
US08381656B1
To hinder activation caused by unplanned stimuli, a munition may include first and second discrete, separable parts. The first and second parts may include interlocking components to prevent relative axial translation of the first and second parts. The first and second parts may be torsionally biased in opposite directions. A binder with a low melting temperature may fix the first and second parts together to prevent the torsional bias from rotating the first and second parts in the opposite directions. When the binder melts, the torsional bias may cause the first part to rotate with respect to the second part. Relative rotation of the first and second parts may allow relative axial translation of the first and second parts.
US08381653B2
One aspect of the invention concerns a method of charging an upwardly oriented hole with a pumpable material, typically a pumpable explosive material such as an ANE. In the method of the invention a laterally expandable retainer is provided. This is of smaller length than the hole and has an inlet at a lower end thereof and an outlet at an upper end thereof. In an unexpanded state the retainer has a smaller lateral dimension than the hole. The retainer is inserted upwardly into the hole in an unexpanded state, whereafter material with which the hole is to be charged is pumped upwardly into the retainer through the inlet such that the retainer fills up and expands laterally into engagement with a wall of the hole. Excess pumped material is allowed to upwardly out of the retainer into the hole through the outlet. After the retainer has been filled with material and the hole above the retainer has been at least partially filled with any excess material, the pumping operation is stopped and the inlet is closed. The material is then retained in the hole by engagement of the filled and expanded retainer with the wall of the hole. Another aspect of the invention concerns the apparatus used in the method.
US08381640B1
A pan for making spaetzle that has a shape, a rim, a depth, a collection of holes, a thickness and two handles that allows one to make spaetzle in a manner that is safer and easier than with currently known devices. The shape is a shallow circular shape with an overall curvature of a slice of a sphere. The rim has an open diameter of at least twenty centimeters and no more than twenty eight centimeters. The depth of the pan is from two to eight centimeters. A plurality of holes is located within a central pan portion that has a diameter of no more than 15.3 centimeters, the holes having a diameter of between six and thirteen millimeters. The thickness of the central pan region is not more than three millimeters and handles affixed to the rim each extend outward to a distance less than about five centimeters.
US08381637B2
A lid for a household electric cooking appliance, the lid having: a lower face; an upper face; a flue extending between the upper face and the lower face for evacuating cooking fumes and having an entry and an exit; a seal carried by the lower face and surrounding the entry of the flue, the seal having a periphery; and a removable filtration subassembly extending across the flue, wherein the filtration subassembly is mounted in an opening of the lower face outside the periphery of the seal. A household electric appliance composed of: the lid described above, and a tank having an upper edge, wherein the seal of the lid is provided to cooperate with the upper edge of the tank.
US08381632B1
The disclosure provides a shock absorbing layer comprised of one or more shock absorbing cells, where a shock absorbing cell is comprised of a cell interior volume containing a plurality of hydrogel particles and a free volume, and where the cell interior volume is surrounded by a containing layer. The containing layer has a permeability such that the hydrogel particles when swollen remain at least partially within the cell interior volume when subjected to a design shock pressure wave, allowing for force relaxation through hydrogel compression response. Additionally, the permeability allows for the flow of exuded free water, further dissipating wave energy. In an embodiment, a plurality of shock absorbing cells is combined with a penetration resistant material to mitigate the transmitted shock wave generated by an elastic precursor wave in the penetration resistant material.
US08381627B2
A method of severing tubular members using an expandable linear explosive shape charge positioner. The method involves placing a plurality of arc-shaped charge chambers along the same plane and adjacent to the interior walls of a tube. Simultaneous detonation of the charge chambers severs the tube along a common plane. The positioner is placed within a tubular member and includes a remotely extendible framework with linear explosive shape charges enclosed therein. When in the collapsed position, the apparatus passes through constrictions within the tubular members. When extended, the framework is positioned transversely to the axis of the tubular member with the shape charges positioned adjacent the interior walls thereof. Shape charge chambers with angled ends are presented to provide overlap when the device is fully extended to better ensure complete separation of the tubular member at the discontinuities of the shape charges about the plane of severance.
US08381625B2
A circular saw blade includes a substantially planar main body having an essentially circular periphery in which are formed a plurality of annularly spaced tip support portions, and a plurality of cutting tips affixed by brazing to the tip support portions of the main body. Each cutting tip has a mounting base formed with at least two locking surfaces along which the brazing affixes the mounting base to a respective tip support portion. The locking surfaces are configured and located in relation to one another and to the main body for counteracting forces which act against the cutting tip in differing directions in the plane of the main body during rotational cutting operation of the blade.
US08381624B2
A tensioning mechanism for a band saw includes a tension spring assembly coupled with a sliding tension bracket which is adjustably coupled with an upper arm of the band saw. The sliding tension bracket engages an upper band wheel which couples with a band saw blade. A cam assembly is coupled with the tension spring assembly, the cam assembly imparts a rotational force which is translated into a linear tensioning force by the tension spring assembly upon the band saw blade. A cover assembly is selectively engaged with the cam assembly through use of a biasing assembly. The cover assembly includes an index indicator for identifying an index position and includes a handle which enables a user to selectively engage and rotate the cover assembly. The rotation of the handle in turn rotates the cam assembly applying the rotational force which is translated into the tensioning force.
US08381621B2
A hand tool alternately-magnetizing structure includes a body, at least one magnetic component, and an adjustment ring. The body defines a central axis and a handle portion; in which defines at least one recess dented along a radical direction thereof. The magnetic component is received in the recess of the handle portion, and includes a resilient member and a magnetic member. The adjustment ring is sleeved onto the handle portion and capable of angular displacement, and defines at least one switchable portion dented at an interior wall face thereof for corresponding to the recess of the handle portion. The switchable portion describes an adjacent section and an outlaying section, wherein a wall thickness defined at the adjacent section is greater than that defined at the outlaying section. The effective magnetic field is adjusted by selectively aligning the adjacent section and the outlaying section with the recess of the handle portion.
US08381619B2
A fastening device used to fasten two locknuts to an object simultaneously includes a pedestal defining a first sliding groove, a pair of fixing blocks, a pair of rotating elements, a pair of first gear wheels and a second gear wheel. The fixing blocks are received and fixed in the first sliding groove. Each of the fixing blocks defines a through hole. Each of the rotating elements includes an operating portion and a shaft portion received in the through hole. Each of the pair of gear wheels includes a gear body attached to corresponding one of the shaft portions respectively and a sleeve protruding from the gear body and snugly receiving one of the locknuts. The second gear wheel is attached to the pedestal and engaging the pair of first gear wheels to achieve synchronous movements of the pair of first gear wheels.
US08381615B2
A shaft, such as a camshaft for use in the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in which the shaft includes a basic shaft body, a plurality of functional bodies, such as cams, mounted in axially spaced positions on the basic shaft body, and at least one balancing element mounted on the basic shaft body, in which the at least one balancing element is produced separately from the basic shaft body and from the functional bodies, and the functional bodies and the at least one balancing element are subsequently mounted on said basic shaft body, for example, by axial press fitting.
US08381605B2
A disc device has a sliding member 16 that operates in response to a rotational force of the first partially toothless gear 13 to disconnect a power transmission system from a disc conveying roller, and a protruding portion 16a disposed on this sliding member 16 is brought into contact with a rising portion 17b of a rotary lever 17 at an initial position of the sliding member before the sliding member starts operating, so as to restrict a rotation of the rotary lever 17 in such a way that a pin 17a does not come into contact with a wall surface of a cam groove 13d.
US08381600B2
A measuring system comprising a measuring transducer generating primary signals influenced by at least one measured variable characterizing the flowing medium; an evaluating circuit processing primary signals delivered by the measuring transducer to measured values. The measuring transducer includes: at least one measuring tube for conveying medium to be measured; an exciter mechanism acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate; and a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations of the measuring tube. The sensor arrangement including first, second and third oscillation sensors spaced from each other for generating first, second, and third primary signals of the measuring transducer, respectively, representing vibrations of the measuring tube. Based on said primary signals the evaluating circuit generates a measured value of mass flow representing a mass flow rate of medium flowing through the measuring transducer.
US08381589B2
The present invention proposes a single-axis-control-input gyroscope system having imperfection compensation, which comprises a gyroscope and a state observer. The gyroscope includes a mechanical structure, and the dynamic behavior of the mechanical structure is described with a plurality of system parameters and a plurality of dynamic equations. The system parameters include a mass of the gyroscope, two main-axis spring constants, a cross-axis spring constant, two main-axis damping coefficients, a cross-axis damping coefficient and an angular velocity. The mechanical imperfections cause the system parameters to deviate from the designed values and become unknown values. The gyroscope receives a single-axis control signal and outputs a plurality of gyroscopic system dynamics. The single-axis control signal includes at least two frequency signals. The state observer is coupled to the gyroscope to receive the gyroscopic system dynamics as the inputs thereof to feed back compensations to the state observer. Thereby is estimated an angular velocity.
US08381586B2
A metering apparatus for measuring the flow of water or other fluid through a conduit. The meter comprises a measuring chamber, in which is disposed a nutating ball and disc. A unitary biaxial member, comprising a drive shaft and a spindle having a longitudinal axis offset from that of the drive shaft, couples the ball and disc to a rotating magnet. The unitary biaxial member both controls the offset of the ball and disc from horizontal, such that it nutates in response to water flow through the meter, and translates this nutation to rotation of the magnet, allowing for measurement of water volume flowing through the measuring chamber.
US08381578B2
Apparatus and methods are described for subsea pipeline servicing, including line-pack testing, physical integrity testing, recovery of damaged sections of pipelines, and product removal from subsea structures. In one embodiment of the invention, a subsea pipeline service skid is provided including at least one sample collection bladder affixed to the skid and in fluid communication with a skid mounted pump dimensioned to pull a sample from the subsea pipeline. In another embodiment, a product removal bladder is provided for removal of the hydrocarbons from a subsea structure.
US08381576B2
A gas sensor is provided for use in a hazardous explosive atmosphere present continuously or for a long time. The gas sensor is not provided with a pressure-proof housing and is provided with at least one catalytic or semiconductor measuring element (3) in a hollow body (6) defining the measuring element (3) against the environment. The hollow body has breathing openings (4) and wherein the ratio of the area of the breathing openings to the total area of the hollow body equals, furthermore, at most 0.8 or the hollow body is porous with a porous hollow body material having a pore size according to ISO 4003 equal to at most 2 mm.
US08381570B2
A method for adjusting an acceleration sensor which includes a substrate and a seismic mass, the acceleration sensor having first and further first electrodes attached to the substrate on a first side, counter-electrodes of the seismic mass being situated between the first and further first electrodes, the acceleration sensor having further second electrodes on a second side and further fourth electrodes on a fourth side opposite the second side, an essentially equal first excitation voltage being applied to the first and further first electrodes in a first step for exciting a first deflection of the seismic mass along a first direction, the first deflection being compensated in a second step by applying a first compensation voltage to the further second and further fourth electrodes.
US08381569B2
A method for determining the amount of laundry in a laundry treating appliance comprises a drum defining a treating chamber for receiving the laundry and a motor for rotating the drum that may be operated to simulate a spring to oscillate the drum relative to a predetermined rotational position. The angular decay of the drum relative to the predetermined position may be determined and used to determine the amount of laundry.
US08381566B2
Attachments for power assisted lifting devices capable of rigidly positioning an object in three-dimensional space, for example pneumatically assisted manually operated mechanical arm manipulators, wherein the attachment is capable of securing an object for remote positioning thereof. More particularly, an end effector for a pneumatic manipulator that is capable of both passively following the motion of a secured object and actively adjusting the position of the secured object in an arcuate direction relative to the attachment of the end effector to the manipulator. The end effector is able to rotate the object about an axis passing through the end effector that also moves arcuately with the end effector. The end effector is particularly useful in the bending of metallic sheets or plates using a conventional sheet metal brake, as the end effector is capable of both positioning heavy sheets in the brake and following the movement of the sheet as it is being bent. The end effector may be used in conjunction with the manipulator to remove the sheet from the brake, flip the sheet using the rotation feature, then re-position the sheet within the brake for making successive bends on the same sheet without necessitating release by the end effector.
US08381565B2
A hand and mechanically activated rivet setting device uniquely and integrally designed to set multiple different types of rivets comprising tubular, semi-tubular and solid rivets made entirely or in part from aluminum, brass, steel and stainless steel having multiple different kinds of heads comprising truss, dome and flat rivet heads; in a work product consisting of pieces and components to be riveted together. The device has the means to set rivets from different positional locations within the device and provides the device operator the ability to completely control the rivet setting process, assuring precision rivet setting without damaging the pieces or components being riveted.
US08381552B2
A laundry system comprises a first laundry appliance, a second laundry appliance, and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module can have a housing with a width less than the width of each of the first and second laundry appliances. The vertical laundry module can have a drawer that slidably opens from a face of the housing and a backsplash extending above an upper surface of the housing. The backsplash can further have a functional element that can be a storage compartment, a light, a control panel, or a power outlet.
US08381548B2
A method of manufacturing a photonic band gap fiber base material includes: a forming step of continuously forming a columnar core glass body 10 and a clad glass body 20 which coats the core glass body to obtain an intermediate base material 110; a hole making step of making holes 30 in the clad glass body 20; an insertion step of inserting in the holes 30 a plurality of bilayer glass rods 40 in which an outer layer 42 which has the same refractive index as the clad glass body coats high refractive index portions 41 having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the clad glass body 20; and a heating step of heating the intermediate base material 110 and integrating the intermediate base material 110 and the bilayer glass rods 40.
US08381545B2
A triangular star shaped diamond adapted to display a hearts and arrows pattern when exposed to light comparable to the hearts and arrows pattern in a round diamond, comprising: six main crown facets, twelve crown half facets, a table facet, six main pavilion facets and an even number of main girdle facets separating the crown facets from the pavilion facets with each main crown facet having a symmetrical main crown facet in an opposing relationship and at least one edge in parallel alignment with an edge of the opposing main crown facet.
US08381537B2
The present invention provides a brine composition for a frozen food which does not raise the freezing temperature even if the ethanol concentration is low, and is therefore able to suppress tissue breakdown caused by the growth of water ice crystals in the tissues (cells) of foods, and a method for producing a frozen food. The brine composition for a frozen food contains 30 to 70% by weight of ethyl alcohol, 0.5 to 10.0% by weight of erythritol, and water. It is preferable that the concentration of the ethyl alcohol is 35 to 60% by weight, the concentration of the erythritol is 0.8 to 5.0% by weight, and the rest is water.
US08381535B2
A control module for a refrigerator/freezer wherein the control module drives a rotatable ice ejector for removing ice bodies from a mold of an automatic ice maker in the freezer section of the refrigerator/freezer. The control module has a motor which drives a cam gear which drives the ice ejector. The cam gear comprises a circular gear with a first face and a second face. Once or more cam projections on at least one of the first and second faces are positioned to selectively interact with one or more switches fixedly supported within the control module housing to activate at least one feature of the control module or automatic ice maker rotation of the cam gear.
US08381534B2
An ice distribution system and method according to which ice-filled bags are distributed within a unit such as, for example, an ice merchandiser.
US08381528B2
The present invention provides a regenerative superheater system for an ejector ramjet engine. The invention includes a superheater in thermal communication with the combustion chamber of the ramjet engine. The superheater transfers thermal energy from combustion chamber to an ejectant which is then redirected upstream to the ramjet ejector. In one embodiment of the invention the temperature of the ejectant is modulated by a variable geometry cooler that controls the amount of thermal energy removed from the superheater system by ambient air. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the temperature of the ejectant is modulated by a variable geometry superheater that controls the amount of thermal energy added to the superheater system through combustion gas.
US08381527B2
The present specification generally relates to improvements to combustors such as burners and engines. In one aspect, the specification presents an acoustically enhanced ejector system which can be used as part of an intake system for a combustor. In another aspect, the specification teaches the use of a combustor combustion chamber as an oscillator to magnify a harmonic frequency of a pulsating frequency of the combustor. In still other aspects, the specification presents a combustion chamber having an inlet with a plurality of tangentially spaced apertures, and an in-line intake system connected to the apertures.
US08381523B2
Two Geothermal energy harnessing devices, steam producing System, electricity production Method and heat energy Method are invented for mining renewable geothermal heat energy within a non-polluting, re-circulating, closed cycle intended for electricity generating applications or for other direct or indirect heat uses. The devices, the “Geothermal Energy Collector” and the “Geothermal Energy Exchanger” can work with a Depressurized Mixing Container and a Pressurized Storage Container the entirety of which comprises “THE GEOTHERMAL FLUID HEATING OR STEAM PRODUCTION SYSTEM. The system serves other equipment, such as a phase separator, steam turbine, generator and condenser, which working together with the system comprises either “THE GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION METHOD” or “THE GEOTHERMAL HEAT ENERGY METHOD”. The GEC or GEE can work alone or within a system to add heat to any fluid and to use the heated fluid to supplement any appropriate technology, to produce electricity or for other direct or indirect uses.
US08381520B2
A motor vehicle internal combustion engine EGR loop, in which: with the fresh air flow rate in the air inlet path (2) of the EGR valve (1) set at a maximum, the path (3) for the EGR gases in the valve is progressively opened, and before the EGR gas flow rate in the valve increases any further, the fresh air inlet path (2) is progressively closed in order to continue to cause the EGR gas flow rate to increase on an increasing monotonous curve.
US08381516B2
There is disclosed an actuator (5) having an actuator chamber (6) and actuator piston (9) therein defining an extend chamber (10) and a retract chamber (7) separated from the extend chamber by the actuator piston.A first fluid pump (A) is in fluid communication with the extend chamber and the retract chamber and is arranged to transfer therebetween volumes of fluid substantially equal in magnitude to changes in the volume of the retract chamber resulting from movement of the actuator piston within the actuator chamber. A second pump B connected to the extend chamber and to an accumulator (17) allows the differential volume between the extend and retract chambers to be displaced into the accumulator at a pressure. Stored accumulator fluid pressure enables pump B to be back-driven so that it behaves as a motor whenever the pressure in conduit 15 is less than in conduit 16. A pre-charge (20) unit pressurizes the system until full mass counterbalance of the suspended load is achieved. In this state little or no input power from the servo motor (via pumps A & B) will be needed and significant energy savings can be made.
US08381513B2
A compression-ignition internal combustion engine system having an exhaust passage and an exhaust gas treatment arrangement, wherein the exhaust gas treatment arrangement comprises a three-way catalytic converter.
US08381509B2
A method for starting up an aircraft turbine engine using an electric starter is provided. The aircraft turbine engine is provided with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit for lubricating the aircraft turbine engine, the aircraft turbine engine lubricating circuit is provided with a temperature-regulating section that is able to remove the heat generated by the aircraft turbine engine when the aircraft turbine engine is running, the electric starter is provided with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit for lubricating parts of the electric starter, and the lubricating circuit of the electric starter is provided with the temperature-regulating section that is able to remove the heat emitted by the electric starter when the lubricating circuit of the electric starter is operating.
US08381507B2
A gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a compressor for compressing a flow of air, a combustor for combusting the flow of air and a flow of fuel to create a flow of combustion gases, a turbine driven by the flow of combustion gases, a rotor driven by the turbine and driving the compressor, a rotor speed sensor, and a gas turbine shut down controller. The gas turbine shut down controller varies the flow of fuel to the combustor based upon a rotational speed of the rotor as determined by a dynamic target trajectory schedule.
US08381505B2
A two-layer cord having a number of wires in the outer layer, enclosing, but not completely, a cord core formed by a plurality of core wires, and in which the core wires are not preformed, while at least some of the outer wires are preformed.
US08381503B2
An improved crop pickup apparatus for a round baler in which the pickup apparatus substantially wider than the bale chamber inlet opening. The pickup apparatus includes a transversely aligned, overshot crop feed rotor positioned longitudinally between the forwardly disposed pickup tine reel and the rearwardly disposed floor roll. The feed rotor comprises a plurality of generally radially extending feed fingers that intermesh with a plurality of circumferential grooves on the floor roll and tines on the tine reel thereby enabling the spacing between the rotational axes of the floor roll, tine reel, and feed rotor to be reduced compared to a non-intermeshing arrangement. The intermeshed relationship also strips crop from the feed rotor without the use of a separate crop stripping device. The feed rotor further comprises a pair of tapered feed augers arranged on the feed rotor rotational axis positioned outboard of the inlet opening. The auger taper improves crop movement from the outboard portions of the pickup apparatus to the feed rotor feed fingers.
US08381492B2
A hygienic cover for a hair brush is an elastic plastic netting of lycra polyester stitched into a tunnel shape with open and closed ends. This cover is rolled on a hollow insert with two open ends. A hairbrush is inserted into and through the insert. The closed end of the cover hits the end of the brush and the cover is stretched over the brush and slides off the insert and compresses around the brush head. The cover is porous and the holes grow when stretched, allowing the brush bristles to pass through the cover. When allowed to slide off the insert and collapse around the brush, the cover closes tightly around the bristles to prevent debris from reaching the brush head. The cover protects the brush in use. After each use, the hygienic cover can be taken off and replaced by a new cover.
US08381488B2
Floorboards for making a floating floor have a core (30) which comprises at least two layers of material (L1, L2), which are arranged at different distances from the surface layer (31), and which differ in respect of material properties or material composition. Semi manufactures for making such floorboards are also disclosed.
US08381482B2
An anchor bolt locator is provided that is inexpensively manufactured on automatic die-press machines from sheet steel and a structural nut that does not require any welding, while also being easy to use and install with current, commonly-used building practices and anchor designs. The anchor bolt locator is made from a galvanized sheet metal chair and a structural nut attached to the chair by way of a friction fit.
US08381481B2
What is described is a linear connector for connecting two opposing ends of a hollow profile member for the purposes of forming a frame-like spacer for the production of insulating glass panes. The linear connector includes a top side, a bottom side and two side surfaces, connecting the top side and the bottom side of the linear connector. The linear connector is provided with a midsection in a middle area of the linear connector, with the midsection extending at least along an entire width of the top side or of the bottom side of the linear connector.
US08381480B2
An oil derrick comprising a derrick tower, where the derrick tower is asymmetrical about its z axis in both x and y directions. The dual offset derrick tower structure allows for a unique drill floor arrangement.
US08381479B1
A pre-fabrication of a modular reinforcement cage for high-rise concrete construction is provided. The primary vertical bars, often referred to as the longitudinal bars, are held in formation by a set of templates that are manufactured to the design of the construction. These templates ensure accurate placement of the vertical bars and provides great rigidity for the module when being placed in the field. The main vertical bars can have thread-like deformations along the length of the bar, and are locked in place by use of compatible hardware against the templates. Multiple modules can then be stacked and coupled by use of mechanical couplings as construction continues.
US08381472B1
A method and assembly for adjoining panels of building siding, that may include a first siding panel with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion, a second siding panel with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion, and an insert with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion that is adapted to be installed between the backing portions of the first and second siding panels to create a butt seam installation.
US08381462B1
A mechanism for adjusting the length of a support column which comprises an elongated pipe. A cap plate is affixed onto a top end of the elongated pipe. The cap plate has a plurality of mounting holes. A base assembly is removably retained to a bottom end of the elongated pipe, utilizing an expandable chuck sleeve, after a lower portion of the elongated pipe is cut away, thereby to properly size the length of the elongated pipe.
US08381451B1
A system for blocking an edge of a building roof structure, e.g., roof structures of cementitious material poured over a corrugated deck or roof structures of rigid insulative panels supported on a corrugated deck, comprises an elongate U-shaped base member for affixation to the deck along the roof edge, an elongate cover member of inverted U-shape for affixation over the base member, the base and cover members being made of galvanized steel or other suitable non-wood material and, as assembled together, forming an auxiliary perimeter structure on the roof structure for border containment of the roofing material.
US08381448B2
An adjustable door sweep with an upper frame, a lower carrier, and at least one brush is provided. The adjustable door sweep includes diagonally oriented slots in the walls of the upper frame and the lower carrier with attached rotatable rods to assist in vertical adjustment of the extensions, such as brushes. The method of using such an adjustable door sweep is also provided.
US08381440B1
A pot cover has a pair of cover elements that are interlockable to together form a pot cover body. The pot cover body is formed by a plurality of annular cover elements that are concentrically arranged on a horizontal plane to together provide a top surface, an opposed bottom surface, an inner perimeter edge, and an outer perimeter edge. A plurality of concentric spaces are formed between each of the plurality of annular cover elements, and a plurality of radially extending connector strips interconnect the plurality of annular cover elements to hold the annular cover elements in the horizontal plane. The connector strips may be cut between two of the annular cover elements to remove at least one of the annular cover elements.
US08381437B2
The invention is a device and method for providing irrigation water to a plant that promotes the growth of the roots of the plant deep into the soil. The invention includes a tube, connector, and soaker hose that is buried next to a plant. The invention connects to an existing irrigation drip line system that previously provided water to the plant. The invention also repels the roots of the plant away from the apparatus so that the roots are hindered from destroying the apparatus.
US08381435B2
An adjustable plant pot support for supporting a plant pot on an underlying surface. The support has a substantially rigid body having top and bottom surfaces and an outer perimeter surface. The top surface is adapted to support a portion of the plant pot and the bottom surface is adapted to be seated on the underlying surface. The body has male and female elements that are adapted to be interconnected with the corresponding male and female elements of an additional plant pot support. The supports are vertically stackable and have a retaining wall extending vertically from the top surface to provide a guide against which to place the bottom of the plant pot.
US08381434B2
There is provided a greenhouse windbreak mechanism which is less prone to collapse of cultivation greenhouses, even when the greenhouse windbreak mechanism is constructed along with the cultivation greenhouses such as plastic greenhouses with relatively-lower strength and is subjected to storm winds or strong monsoons. There are provided a windbreak fence which surrounds one or more cultivation greenhouses and is annularly placed to be erected with a larger height than that of the cultivation greenhouses, a ventilation portion which is formed, at an upper portion of the windbreak fence, to have a predetermined longitudinal width from the upper end of the windbreak fence and includes a plurality of through holes which are dispersedly placed; and a plurality of baffle plates which form a plurality of through holes in its entire surface or partially for passing strong winds therethrough when they are laterally placed above the cultivation greenhouses. The ventilation portion and the baffle plates alleviate strong winds intruding into the inside of the mechanism by getting around the upper end of the windbreak fence, when the strong winds impinge on the windbreak fence.
US08381432B2
A vegetation and support layer comprising a mixture of natural soil materials and wicks. The wicks are made of a water-conducting and air-conducting material in the form of an elongate intertwined structure such that the wicks distribute water and air within the vegetation and support layer. The wicks in the vegetation and support layer according to the invention are randomly mixed with the soil material, are arranged similar to a net, or are introduced from above. The wicks are arranged at a distance from a lower receptacle that is filled with water or from a groundwater conductor such that the wicks do not reach lower layers of water.
US08381431B2
The invented equipment attracts mosquitoes in long distance by carbon dioxide which is created by combustion of kerosene and in short distance by temperature of a landing wall which is warmed up by exhaust gas of the combustion, utilizes not only intake air flow and habit of the mosquitoes to bite but also gravitational force, then effectively and economically traps the mosquitoes which land on the mosquito landing wall.
US08381413B2
Exemplary embodiments of a drying apparatus, for drying flexible objects such as bags or gloves, comprise a first suspension couplable to an external support, and a second suspension magnetically couplable to the first suspension. An object is supported between the first and second suspensions through the magnetic coupling. In a first embodiment, the second suspension comprises a magnetic hub and one or more spreaders, which may be fixed, removable, or moveably attached to the magnetic hub, and which may be repositionable between open and closed positions. The spreaders may be flexible, articulated, rigid, repositionable, collapsible, extendable, jointed, forked, hinged, slideable, continuous, or merged, and further may have substantially puncture-resistant terminations. The first suspension also comprises a magnetic member and a suspending member, such as an open hook or a clamp suspending member, for supporting the apparatus with the secured object from or by many types of external supports.
US08381411B2
A tape measuring device with magnetic end hook is provided, the tape measuring device comprises: a housing; an extendable and retractable tape blade having opposing ends, one end of the tape blade is attached to and situated within said housing; an end hook having opposing front and rear portions, the second end of the tape blade is attached to the end hook, the rear portion of the end hook is generally perpendicular to the front portion of the end hook, the front portion of the end hook has a frontal surface and at least one cavity, and the cavity forms a protrusion on a rear surface of the front portion of the end hook, and the front portion of the end hook comprises at least two opposing side arms, the side arms are offset so that the side arms are generally parallel to the protrusion on the rear surface of the front portion of the end hook to thereby allow for accurate measurements; and at least one magnet glued within the cavity of the end hook.
US08381408B2
A method for determining a contour data set of a spectacle frame rim comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality (N) of three dimensional measured points along a contour of a spectacle frame rim; b) calculating a plurality of best torus that fits P points chosen among the N measured points and where P is equal or more than 4; c) selecting the (T) points among the N measured points that deviate from one of the best torus more than a threshold value; and d) forming the contour data set with (N-T) three dimensional measured points where the T selected points of step c) are excluded from the list of three dimensional measured points of step a).
US08381404B2
A method manufacturing of a fluid dynamic bearing includes: forming a substantially linear groove having a length corresponding to a circumferential direction width of the dynamic pressure groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of a shaft housing hole portion, along the circumferential direction of a surface orthogonal to a first processing direction along the central axis direction of a work, by a byte that performs a micro alternating drive in a second processing direction orthogonal to the first processing direction; and extending the dynamic pressure groove that extends in the first processing direction by continuously forming the substantially linear grooves in the first processing direction by displacing the relative positions of the work and the byte in the first processing direction.
US08381396B2
Ribbons containing e.g. inorganic NMOS devices are assembled in electrical contact with ribbons containing e.g. PMOS devices (preferably organic) to enable flexible electronic textile circuits, e.g. displays, to be inexpensive and practical for a wide for a variety of functions. The use of ribbons provides flexibility, reduces costs, and allows testing during assembly and different processes to be efficiently used for different components. This is apparently the first time that ribbons (especially inorganic-device-containing ribbons) have been interconnected to form a flexible CMOS electronic textile.
US08381393B2
Methods of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Embodiments of those methods include attaching a patch to an interposer, forming at least one interconnect structure above and on a top surface of the interposer; and attaching a flex connector to the at least one interconnect structure.
US08381386B2
A method of manufacturing a boundary acoustic wave device includes the steps of forming an electrode on a first medium layer, forming a second medium layer so as to cover the electrode on the first medium layer, and forming a sound absorbing layer on an external surface of the second medium layer. The sound absorbing layer has an acoustic velocity of transverse waves that is lower than an acoustic velocity of transverse waves of the second medium layer.
US08381383B2
Apparatus and method of placement of gravity installed anchors in offshore environments, for the mooring of structures thereto In the preferred embodiment, a gravity installed anchor has an outwardly extending load arm, which is preferably rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the anchor A load line is attached to the load arm, and a subsea connector is attached to the distal end of the load line The subsea connector is held in a staging device, which rests on the seabed and supports the subsea connector in a desired position to facilitate subsea connection thereto A deployment/recovery line is attached to the rearward end of the gravity installed anchor This gravity installed anchor and mooring assembly is lowered from the installation vessel on a lowering line, by a release hook on the end of the lowering line engaging the deployment/recovery line.
US08381375B2
A crosslapper receives a card web and folds it into a lap intended to be needle-punched or consolidated by other ways. The web includes zones which are more condensed, having a spectrum of orientation of fibers with a component parallel to the width of the web, alternating with less condensed zones having a longitudinal unidirectional spectrum of orientations. The zones which are less condensed are used to form the edge zones of the lap. The result is that the lap has different respective spectra of orientation which pre-compensate for the unwanted changes produced by the needle-punching or other consolidation which follows. A needle-punched lap is obtained having a uniform MD/CD ratio (relationship between longitudinal and respectively transverse tensile strengths) or having a sought profile of the MD/CD ratio across the width of the lap.
US08381368B2
A centering clip device can include a clip base having an opening for receiving a clip. The clip base can have a top surface that has a first bump, a second bump and a third bump all spaced away from each other. A clip can be included that has a substantially elongated body, a bottom flange formed on a bottom end of the clip, a top flange, an annular slot formed between the top flange and the bottom flange, and an umbrella structure. The top flange may also be formed as an umbrella structure having an inclined camming surface formed on its lower surface. The clip base can be configured to releasably engage the clip within the clip base. The camming surface can be biased against the first, second and third bumps to center the clip within the clip base, and permit connection between a first vehicle component, such as a roofliner, to a second vehicle component, such as a roof frame.
US08381353B2
A surface maintenance vehicle having a low profile recessed cavity in the side of the vehicle beneath the driver's seat which can be used for transporting items. The vehicle includes a vehicle shroud containing operational components of the vehicle, a driver's seat, and a seat shroud. A recessed cavity is formed in the side surface of the seat shroud and includes a vertically oriented anterior surface, a vertically oriented posterior surface opposing the anterior surface, a horizontally oriented bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is generally perpendicular to the anterior and posterior surfaces, and a vertically oriented inner surface, wherein the inner surface is generally perpendicular to the anterior surface, posterior surface and bottom surface. The recessed cavity is open on the side and the top and can be used for transporting items while not increasing the overall size or footprint of the surface maintenance machine.
US08381350B2
The object of the invention is a wiper blade (10) with a wiper strip (12), in the lateral longitudinal grooves (20) of which spring rails (24) are inserted as springy supporting elements. The ends of the spring rails (24) are connected with one another by a bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) in that side parts (36, 66, 80) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) are supported at the upper side of the spring rail (24) and engage recesses (28, 30) of the spring rails (24), whereas a middle part (34, 64, 78) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) bridges a back strip (22) of the wiper strip (12), which forms the upper boundary of the longitudinal grooves (20). It is proposed that the spring rails (24), at their front faces, have short slots (28), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the spring rails (24) and which are engaged by the I-shaped angle pieces (38, 56) of the bridge (52, 54). Lower legs (40, 58) of the angle pieces (38, 56) are directed towards the middle of the spring rails (24), gripping these from below.
US08381342B2
A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a basket rotatably supported within the tub, and a spray device mounted within the cabinet and positioned to introduce water into the basket. The spray device sprays an initial amount of water onto a wash load received in the basket. The rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load radially outwardly in the basket. The wash load within the basket is washed after the rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load.
US08381333B2
To accommodate safe, convenient, and effective sleeping arrangements perhaps with mothers and babies, the present invention entails a co-sleeping apparatus and methods having a simple support which may be affixed by friction in a bed and uses a cantilever design to support various forms of baby, pet, and doll baskets (or other sleeping receptacles of choice) at close proximity and convenient locations near a resting parent. This simple cantilever design may provide three important advantages: an immediate arms' reach access to an infant without ever having to leave a bed; interference free design perhaps with no floor supports or bulky stands; and an extremely simple method for single-handed mounting, adjusting, and dismounting of an infant, pet, and doll sleeping receptacle and the like. Embodiments may provide stowing the apparatus in a virtually disappearing condition and the apparatus may be easily disassembled or even folded linearly for convenient long term storage.
US08387157B2
The present invention relates to a recording and storage means in digital STB (Set Top Box) and PVR (Personal Video Recorder) and method thereof. The digital broadcast receiver for receiving real-time digital broadcast programs comprises: storage means for storing broadcast programs, being attachable and separable to and from a set by a user without taking the set apart; a coupling means for attachment and separation of the storage means to and from a main body of the broadcast receiver; and a connection means as a path for power supply of the storage means, and signal. The method for storing real-time digital broadcast programs comprises the steps of: extracting a broadcast program to be stored from a digital broadcast stream being received by a tuner; detecting whether a storage means is installed in a broadcast receiver; if the storage means is installed, storing the broadcast program in the storage means, if the storage means is not yet installed, storing the broadcast program in a temporary memory, and redetecting the installation of the storage means and if the installation of the storage means is confirmed, storing the broadcast program stored in the temporary memory in the storage means. The present invention allows users to record and store real-time data for an extended period of time, simply by changing the storage medium with a new one without interruption of the data being received.
US08387156B2
An equipment managing system includes an intermediating apparatus and an equipment managing apparatus. The intermediating apparatus is connected to a license management apparatus and a program management apparatus via a network. The equipment managing apparatus is connected to an electronic equipment via a network. The intermediating apparatus stores a program acquired from the program management apparatus and a license file acquired from the license management apparatus to an external storage medium. The equipment managing apparatus sends the program and the license file recorded in the external storage medium to the electronic equipment.
US08387149B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing license keys. A license key service module creates a license key service object of a license key service class. The license key service class extends a SMI-S CIM CIM_Service class. The license key service object comprises a plurality of management operations. A hosted license key service module creates a hosted license key service object of a hosted license key service class. A license key module creates a license key object of a license key class. The license key class extends a SMI-S CIM CIM_ManagedElement class. The license key object comprises a license key and employs the plurality of management operations. A management module manages the license key using the license key object, license key service object, and hosted license key service object.
US08387145B2
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a directly observable identifier of host network traffic in the Internet and a host's IP address can dynamically change. Analysis of traffic (e.g., network activity or application request) logs may be performed and a host tracking graph may be generated that shows hosts and their bindings to IP addresses over time. A host tracking graph may be used to determine host accountability. This can enable host-based blacklisting instead of the traditional IP address based blacklisting. Host tracking results can be leveraged for forensic analysis to understand an attacker's traces and identify malicious activities in a postmortem fashion. The host tracking information may be used to build a tracklist which can block future attacks.
US08387144B2
An improved network protocol for mitigating network amplification attacks is provided. The absolute network load that any transient distributed attack can cause is bounded based on a resource crediting scheme. The protocol accumulates “credit” upon reception and detection of candidate attack request packets, and draws against that credit when transmitting responsive packets. In some implementations, the time frame of such an attack is also bounded using time limits applied to a resource crediting scheme. Other resources may also be bounded by the resource crediting scheme, including without limitation CPU utilization, storage capacity, power, etc.
US08387141B1
System for protecting a mobile device against malware or harmful communications via calls and SMSs. A security module for a personal mobile device protects the device (and the user) against malicious communication, unauthorized access to resources and user private data, and against other security threats. The security module includes a combination of some or all of the following features: control of third-party applications, validation of the SMS sender's number, protection against fake contact name of the SMS sender, collection of data about fraudulent and spam SMS messages, robust sending of SOS SMSs and SOS e-mails with geographic coordinates of the mobile device, verification of validity of the base station, deletion of user data from a mobile device remotely, locking of a phone until the password is entered and filtering calls and SMS messages.
US08387135B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling access to a secure area. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of user credentials, generating a Boolean equation based upon the plurality of user credentials where the generated Boolean equation provides a predetermined response to each user credential of the plurality of credentials, saving the generated Boolean equation in a memory in place of the user credentials and recognizing a user credential of the plurality of user credentials by reference to the Boolean equation.
US08387130B2
Virtualizing a service is disclosed. A request to access a service from a first server is received from a client. A secret data associated with the first server is used to process the received request. The processed request is sent to a second server. The first and second servers are associated with a virtualization; and wherein the processed request can be used by the second server to authenticate the client.
US08387128B1
A system and method for a distributed multi-processing security gateway establishes a host side session, selects a proxy network address for a server, uses the proxy network address to establish a server side session, receives a data packet, assigns a central processing unit core from a plurality of central processing unit cores in a multi-core processor of the security gateway to process the data packet, processes the data packet according to security policies, and sends the processed data packet. The proxy network address is selected such that a same central processing unit core is assigned to process data packets from the server side session and the host side session. By assigning central processing unit cores in this manner, higher capable security gateways are provided.
US08387112B1
A method may include contacting, by a network device, another device to obtain at least one of a network address, authentication, or authorization, receiving, from the other device, software update information that identifies an up-to-date software that the network device should have installed and location information that identifies a location from which to retrieve the up-to-date software, comparing, by the network device, the software update information to software information that identifies software currently installed on the network device, retrieving, by the network device, the up-to-date software based on the software update information and the location information when the software update information and the software information do not match, and auto-installing, by the network device, the up-to-date software.
US08387103B2
A video server device provides digitization and networking functions to a CCTV camera. To make installation of a video server device easier, the video server device includes a network connector for carrying first data signals, second data signals, and direct current power, an interface circuit including transformers for splitting the data signals and the power signals and/or traces for carrying the direct current, a DC/DC converter for tapping the direct current power from the transformers and/or the traces of the network connector for generating a first voltage source, and an output power connector for providing the fourth voltage source to the CCTV camera.
US08387101B2
A method and apparatus for providing an interactive service and a method and apparatus for performing communication are provided. An Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) application may be directly executed in at least one broadcasting receiving apparatus by determining whether an application for providing the interactive service is independently executable using middleware installed in the broadcasting receiving apparatus and selectively requesting a set-top box to provide data needed for executing the application based on the determination result.
US08387097B2
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiving system of the digital broadcasting system includes a baseband processor, a table handler, a FLUTE handler, and a display module. The baseband processor receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. Herein, the mobile service data may configure an RS frame. And, the RS frame may include mobile service data, file data, and a table having at least one channel configuration information on the mobile service data and estimated download time for the file data described therein. The table handler parses the table from the RS frame, thereby extracting and outputting at least one channel configuration information on the mobile service data and estimated download time information of the file data. The FLUTE handler parses the file data from the RS frame and storing the parsed data. And, the display module receives the estimated download time for the file data parsed by the FLUTE handler from the table handler, thereby displaying the estimated download time on a portion of a display screen.
US08387096B2
A web-based subscription service PVR system. An Internet server maintains, for each subscriber, the subscriber's aggregated content including digital rights management (DRM) rules for each piece of content as defined by the content provider. Pointers to requested content are provided.
US08387093B2
A media recommendation system gathers negative user feedback associated with media content. Based on the gathered feedback, the media recommendation system extracts a list of recommended media content from program data describing available media content.
US08387089B1
Systems and methods for a video scan are provided. The scan may be dynamically interactive and a function of characteristics of the programs in the scan (e.g., commercial breaks or the end of a program approaching) The scan may simultaneously display multiple scan windows for a plurality of programs, for example in a scan wizard. The scan wizard allows the user to simultaneously view a scan window and an information panel, select criteria for the scan from a criteria panel, and control the scan using a scan control panel. The scan may allow the user to record a program displayed in the scan without interrupting the scan (e.g., by using an additional tuner). The scan may display, within the scan interface, trick-play functions for appropriate scanned programs (e.g., recorded, cached and on-demand programs). The user may select and perform trick-play functions for a scanned program without exiting the scan mode.
US08387074B2
An apparatus and method provides directory service to software applications throughout an enterprise. Directory entries are kept in a data store. A web server having one or more API's is coupled to the data store. The web server may have an API locator for selecting an appropriate API. An enterprise software application such as a purchasing or accounts payable transaction requests directory information by sending a query to an appropriate wrapper based on the programming language, protocol or format of the application. The wrapper sends the request to the appropriate API which then sends a request to the data store. A directory entry is received and returned to the enterprise.
US08387073B1
Method and system for transferring information from a host system is provided. The method includes sending a SCSI read command and a scatter/gather (“S/G”) list from an application executed by a processor for the host system to a iSCSI software layer executed by the processor for the host system; generating an iSCSI protocol data unit (“PDU”) header for a iSCSI PDU for the SCSI read command; sending the iSCSI PDU to a data mover layer executed by the processor for the host system; and sending the iSCSI PDU to an iSCSI offload module in a network adapter operationally coupled to the host system; wherein the iSCSI offload module appends a PDU header digest to the iSCSI PDU header; and transmits the PDU to a PDU destination.
US08387067B2
A message tracking and verifying system for verifying the correctness of messages being passed may comprise a tracking module for tracking a request message and a verifying module for verifying a response message. The tracking module may be configured to store a calculated source address and a calculated response address range. The verifying module may be configured to obtain an actual source address from the response message and an actual response address range for the response message. The correctness of the response message is determined based on the comparison of the calculated source address with the actual source address and the comparison of the calculated response address range with the actual response address range.
US08387066B1
In a storage area network, a task manager identifies a set of preconditions for execution of storage management tasks. The set of preconditions establish dependencies between tasks in the storage area network. Execution of the tasks is contingent upon satisfaction of the set of preconditions. In addition, the task manager generates a scheduling data structure based on the set of preconditions in order to schedule execution of the tasks. As a result, the task manager can utilize the scheduling data structure to optimize task execution in the storage area network (e.g., by applying a task optimization algorithm). Such optimization minimizes resource consumption (e.g., thread allocation, processor time commitment, etc.) in the storage area network during execution of the tasks.
US08387040B2
The dynamic creation of a client-side environment for problem analysis includes the delivery and installation of a cohesive file structure to a client-side machine, the cohesive file structure including a data structure containing data files and an analyzer tool.
US08387027B2
A method for compiling source code, involving: obtaining a statement of the source code comprising a method call, where the source code is composed in a statically-typed programming language; determining whether the method call is a dynamic method call; upon determining that the method call is a dynamic method call, compiling a dynamic method invocation without performing type checking on the method call; upon determining that the method call is not a dynamic method call: performing type checking on the method call, selecting a target method to invoke, and compiling a static method invocation to invoke the target method.
US08387022B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting a computer program from unauthorized analysis and modification. Obfuscation transformations can be applied to the computer program's local structure, control graph, and/or data structure to render the program more difficult to understand and/or modify. Tamper-resistance mechanisms can be incorporated into the computer program to detect attempts to tamper with the program's operation. Once an attempt to tamper with the computer program is detected, the computer program reports it to an external agent, ceases normal operation, and/or reverses any modifications made by the attempted tampering. The computer program can also be watermarked to facilitate identification of its owner. The obfuscation, tamper-resistance, and watermarking transformations can be applied to the computer program's source code, object code, or executable image.
US08387018B2
Disclosed is a novel computer implemented system, on demand service, computer program product and a method for fault-localization techniques that apply statistical analyses to execution data gathered from multiple tests. The present invention determines the fault-localization effectiveness of test suites generated according to several test-generation techniques based on combined concrete and symbolic (concolic) execution. These techniques are evaluated by applying the Ochiai fault-localization technique to generated test suites in order to localize 35 faults in four PHPWeb applications. The results show that the test-generation techniques under consideration produce test suites with similar high fault-localization effectiveness, when given a large time budget.
US08387013B2
A system resource manager of a site management server registers a server domain as a group of servers having a uniform physical wire connection. A software RM of the site management server and a software sub RM of a domain management server install, in cooperation with each other, a software used by a server that belongs to a registered server domain in a storage connected via a SAN, and causes the server to use installed software.
US08387012B2
In and for software projects, arrangements for permitting a user to understand how the spatial locality of a function call may have changed with respect to any changes in a function definition. This permits an analysis of different workflows which use the same function, wherein the definition of the function may have changed. To the extent that there might be corresponding changes in the workflows which use such a function, the user will readily develop an idea of why some workflows changed and some did not. The invention method and apparatus determine and display deltas (changes) between different versions of a file where the function call occurs.
US08387003B2
Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and/or data structures to implement a “pluperfect” hash function. Generally, a pluperfect hash function is a hash function that maps distinct elements in a set S to distinct hash values H with no collisions (i.e., perfect hash function) and also includes an additional constraint that the hash function does not map other elements outside the set S into the set of distinct hash values H. In some example embodiments, pluperfect hash functions are used to implement a multi-way branch statement in a computer programming language. The implementation may include generating hash values for each of the case labels of the branch statement according to a pluperfect hash function.
US08386982B1
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for assigning pins in an electronic design. The method may include generating a pin list associated with the electronic design, the pin list having a one or more pins that are directly and indirectly connected with at least one of a master partition and a clone partition. The method may further include sorting one or more pins within the pin list based upon, at least in part, a number of local connections to generate a sorted pin list and selecting a first pin having a highest number of local connections of the sorted pin list as a reference pin. The method may also include selecting a partition of the reference pin, as a reference partition and identifying one or more alignment zones for every connected pair of pins in the sorted pin list. The method may further include transforming all alignment zones to the reference partition using a depth-first-search.
US08386978B1
In one embodiment of the invention, a physical layout wire-load algorithm is used to generate a wire-load model based on physical data including aspect ratio and wire definitions defined in a physical library. The physical layout estimator is utilized to dynamically produce the physical layout wire-load model and to calculate net length and delay for each optimization iteration.
US08386974B2
In a method for increasing coverage convergence during verification of a design for an integrated circuit, multiple simulation runs can be performed. Symbolic variables and symbolic expressions can be generated for the variables and the variable expressions in the hardware code of the design and a test bench. Exemplary hardware code can include the hardware description language (HDL) code and/or the hardware verification language (HVL) code. Symbolic properties, which are derived from propagating the symbolic variables and symbolic expressions through the design and the test bench during the multiple simulation runs, can be collected. Coverage information from the multiple simulation runs can be analyzed to identify coverage points to be targeted. At this point, for each identified coverage point, the constraints resulting from the collected symbolic properties can be solved to generate directed stimuli for the design. These directed stimuli can increase the coverage convergence.
US08386973B2
Disclosed is a behavioral synthesis apparatus for generating a test bench where the same test vector can be used in both the behavioral simulation and the RTL simulation. The apparatus includes input application/output signal observation timing signal generation means that generates an input application timing signal, an output observation timing signal, and logic circuits for the input application timing signal and the output observation timing signal; and test bench generation means that generates a test bench that observes the signals, applies inputs, and observes outputs.
US08386970B2
According an aspect of the invention, there is provided a design support system of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a first unit configured to determine a wiring path by calculating wiring resource consuming information for carrying out a connection through a multi-cut via in case that the connection is carried out through the multi-cut via in a wiring region having a plurality of layers; and a second unit configured to replacing a single-cut via into the multi-cut via.
US08386966B1
Some embodiments provide a system that monitors use of an application. During operation, the system uses the application to track a set of interactions between a set of users and the application without impacting the performance of the application. Next, the system stores the interactions as the interactions are detected by the application. Finally, for each user from the set of users, the system periodically processes a subset of the stored interactions associated with the user to obtain an activity history for the user, wherein the activity history is used to facilitate subsequent real-time use of the application by the user.
US08386963B2
A virtual inking device is created in response to a touch input device detecting a user's inking gesture. For example, when a user places one of their hands in a pen gesture (i.e. by connecting the index finger with the thumb while holding the other fingers near the palm), the user may perform inking operations. When the user changes the pen gesture to an erase gesture (i.e. making a fist) then the virtual pen may become a virtual eraser. Other inking gestures may also be utilized.
US08386959B2
Apparatus, methods and software for creating resolution-independent vector display of Internet (Web) content to allow Web pages to be scaled (zoomed) and panned for better viewing and/or to fit any resolution or screen size. According to one aspect, novel client-side processing of markup language-based Web content is provided that translates employs a rendering engine to interpret original page layout information into scalable page layout information. The scalable page layout information is then scaled and employed to enable the Web content to be rapidly rendered, zoomed, and panned. According to another aspect, display lists are generated to provide further enhancements in rendering speed. According to other aspects, bounding boxes are generated and scaled to lay out text and/or images on scaled Web content that is used to facilitate browsing of Web pages with zooming and panning.
US08386953B1
A method executed at a client computer accesses a data record having a fixed set of predefined fields and a set of custom fields. Each predefined field has a predefined field name and a field value, and each custom field has a user-specified field name and a field value. The method displays the data record in a graphical user interface, which includes data entry controls for user specification of a field name and a field value. The method receives input from a user that includes a user-specified field name in the data entry controls. When the user-specified field name matches a field name of a predefined field, the method stores a user-supplied value in that predefined field. When the user-specified field name does not match the field name of any predefined field, the method stores the user-specified field name and the user-supplied value in an allocated custom field.
US08386949B2
A mobile terminal and a method of providing a scheduler therein are provided. The mobile terminal comprises: a touch screen; a memory unit for storing a scheduler; and a controller for controlling to display, when displaying a screen of the scheduler on the touch screen, an indicator for changing a relative position thereof to a time axis and for representing a time range of any schedule item by the relative position thereof on the scheduler screen.
US08386946B2
A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.
US08386945B1
A system and method for managing production printing workflow is disclosed. The system includes workflow management software which manages and facilitates the procedural stages of the workflow including job origination, job preparation, job submission and job fulfillment. The workflow management software provides an integrated object oriented interface which visually reflects and interacts with the workflow. The software further provides functionality to create, manage and manipulate compound documents as ordered collections of documents.
US08386944B2
A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) and an electronic device using the method are provided. The method includes forming one or more groups of GUI items other than a GUI item selected by a user, moving the GUI items in the one or more groups, and enlarging and displaying the selected item on an area formed by movement of the GUI items. Therefore, it is possible to provide a GUI which enables easy manipulation and which is displayed with superior visual effect on a screen that is relatively small in size.
US08386931B2
A context-sensitive process guidance system provides process guidance based on context data from a system used in performing the process. The system may be a work item tracking system or similar project management tool. Process guidance may provide information to a user performing actions related to a process. Context data may be derived from various sources, including the state of an application at the time of the request for process guidance, the user making the request and the role assigned to that user in the process, or the data displayed for the user who made the request. The context-sensitive process guidance system may display context-sensitive process guidance content and provide links to related process guidance content based on the context data.
US08386928B1
A system and method are disclosed for automatically captioning an electronic demonstration using object properties captured from the operating system. In response to an action that is initiated by a demonstrator, the operating system is queried to obtain the property information for the target object to which the action is directed as well as the parent object of the target object. This property information is then used to generate explanatory captions that are displayed to a user or trainee during the playback of the electronic demonstration.
US08386921B2
A system and method for developing a website are provided. Under the present invention, content can be provided in a non-HTML format. In addition, a the web pages of a website developed can each include categories. Each category can be assigned to a particular group of creators, which will submit content therefor.
US08386920B2
A data visualization system provides data visualization objects to a live document author for incorporation into a live document. The system is responsive to selection of one or more objects by incorporating the object in a hypertext markup. Objects may include view objects, such as bar charts and dynamic tables, text objects, which permit an author to guide a reader through the live document, and interaction objects which permit a reader to interact with a live document. The system also permits views to be linked by an author and interaction sessions to be saved by a reader.
US08386913B2
The invention relates to a method for providing hypertext data through a hypertext server (43) on a portable data carrier (10) for a terminal (80) connected to the portable data carrier (10), and to an accordingly adapted portable data carrier (10). The hypertext server (43) receives (100) a hypertext query of the terminal (80) and thereupon provides (200) hypertext data relating to the hypertext query. The hypertext server (43) then sends (400) the provided hypertext data as a hypertext response to the terminal (80). The method is characterized in that upon the providing (200) of the hypertext data at least one hyperlink contained in the hypertext data is checked and the checked hyperlink is contained in the hypertext response.
US08386904B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for generating a single rate or multi-rate highly structured low density parity check, encoding a data stream with the generated LDPC matrix for transmission in a wireless communication system, and for efficient LDPC decoding at a receiver.
US08386902B1
A method and apparatus to select bits for puncturing forward error correcting code frames to synthesize higher code rates. For example, there is provided a method of puncturing a digital data stream that includes a first parity bit stream and a second parity bit stream to generate a punctured bit stream. In one example, the method includes operating a first counting loop to select a first number of punctured bits from the first parity bit stream, comparing the first number of punctured bits with a desired number of bits for the punctured bit stream, and if the first number of punctured bits is less than the desired number of bits, operating a second counting loop to select a second number of punctured bits from the second parity bit stream until the sum of the first number of punctured bits and the second number of punctured bits is equal to the desired number of bits for the punctured bit stream.
US08386896B2
Data to be more robustly transmitted within 8VSB broadcast DTV signals are turbo coded using parallel concatenated convolutional coding (PCCC) and incorporated within the segments of data fields, the bytes of which are convolutionally interleaved before trellis coding and 8VSB symbol mapping. Packing the PCCC into payload fields of MPEG-2-compatible null data packets and Reed-Solomon coding the packets to generate the segments of data fields, the bytes of which are convolutionally interleaved, conditions legacy DTV receivers to disregard PCCC components not useful to them. Transversal packing turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords into the payload fields of MPEG-2-compatible null data packets increases the capability of those turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords to overcome burst errors. Repeated transmissions of the transversally packed turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords in whole or in part allows them to overcome protracted deep fades encountered during mobile reception of 8VSB DTV signals.
US08386895B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to semiconductor memories and, more particularly, to multilevel non-volatile or volatile memories.
US08386888B2
An error correcting circuit includes a marker decoder for sampling 2-bit markers from a data string and, from sample values of the 2-bit markers, determine whether there is an occurrence of an error on the 2-bit markers, of an insertion error, or of a deletion error. The circuit also includes an error corrector for performing an error correction on the data string received from the marker decoder by using an error correcting code in the data string. When either one of the insertion error and the deletion error is determined to have occurred, the marker decoder can perform another error correction on the either one of the insertion error and the deletion error, and output the data string from which the 2-bit markers are removed.
US08386880B2
The invention relates to a decoding method for non-binary codes, in particular non-binary LDPC codes, amenable to representation by a bipartite graph representing N variables and M constraints. The invention also relate to a transmission method for transmitting non-binary codes, in particular non-binary LDPC codes, and to a reception to receive the same. The invention can be applied in particular to an IR-HARQ or a cooperative network using a non-binary code, in particular a non-binary LDPC code.
US08386877B2
Intended is to achieve, in a wide range of an SN ratio, throughput on the same order of that attained by a method based on puncturing and improve computational complexity of decoding processing at a high coding rate. In a communication system for transmitting an error correcting code for an error on a communication path from a transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter divides information bits of a code word to be transmitted into a plurality of blocks based on a request for retransmission of an error correcting code from the receiver, generates an error correcting code by compact-coding of one block among the plurality of blocks and transmits the generated error correcting code.
US08386874B2
Methods and apparatus utilize hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions and retransmissions that are usable on multiple carriers, i.e. joint HARQ processes. For example, a downlink (DL) shared channel transmission of a joint HARQ process is received on one of the carriers. A first part of an identity of the joint HARQ process is determined by using HARQ process identity data received on a shared control channel. A second part of the joint HARQ process identity is determined using additional information. The joint HARQ process identity is then determined by combining the first part and the second part. A WTRU is provided that is configured to receive the DL shared channel and to make the aforementioned determinations. A variety of other methods and apparatus configurations are disclosed for utilizing joint HARQ processes, in particular in the context of DC-HSDPA.
US08386869B1
A defect portion in a signal is processed by receiving an input signal. A location of a defect portion within the input signal and an amplitude of the defect portion is determined. An adjusted signal is generated by adjusting the amplitude of the defect portion using the determined location of the defect portion and the determined amplitude of the defect portion. Information associated with the adjusted signal is decoded.
US08386868B2
Methods, apparatus and computer readable medium for handling error correction in a memory are disclosed. In some embodiments, first data is written to the memory, and a value(s) of an operational parameter(s) that is a consequence of the writing of the first data is determined. Second data is read from the memory, and the value(s) of the operational parameter(s) may be used when correcting errors in the second data. In some embodiments, the first data is the same as the second data. The presently-disclosed teachings are applicable to any kind of memory including (i) non-volatile memories such as flash memory, magnetic memory and optical storage and (ii) volatile memory such as SRAM or DRAM.
US08386866B2
In an embodiment of the invention, variable test clock circuitry is provided within an integrated circuit desired to be tested. The variable test clock frequency implements a test clock control register that receives serial test data from a device tester and is configured to serially pass the received test data to scan test chains within the integrated circuit. The test clock control register stores test clock information. The test clock information is provided to a test clock generator where the test clock generator then produces test clock signals at a predetermined frequency. The test clock signal is then provided as a test clock frequency for the scan test chains within the integrated circuit. Methods are also disclosed for operating the variable test clock frequency.
US08386859B2
Mechanisms for controlling an operation of one or more cores on an integrated circuit chip are provided. The mechanisms retrieve, from an on-chip non-volatile memory of the integrated circuit chip, baseline chip characteristics data representing operational characteristics of the one or more cores prior to the integrated circuit chip being operational in the data processing system. Current operational characteristics data of the one or more cores are compared with the baseline chip characteristics data. Deviations of the current operational characteristics data from the baseline chip characteristics data are determined and used to determine modifications to an operation of the one or more cores. Control signals are sent to one or more on-chip management units based on the determined modifications to cause the operation of the one or more cores to be modified.
US08386852B2
A method of regression testing a software application in an execution environment is disclosed. The software application interacts with a data storage and is run a first time. While running the software application for the first time, interactions of the software application with the data storage are monitored. Also while running the software application for the first time, first output data written from the software application to the data storage are recorded, and input data received by the software application from the data storage are recorded. The software application is run a second time after the first time. While running the software application the second time, when the software application calls for data from the data storage, at least a portion of the recorded input data is provided to the software application, and, when the software application writes data to the data storage, second output data written by the software application are recorded. The second output data are compared with the first output data to evaluate whether the software application has passed the regression test.
US08386850B2
Backup set metadata is received, wherein the backup set metadata comprises information about backup data sets that are received by a backup storage system that stores the backup data sets. The manner in which the backup data sets flow through a processing flow path of the backup storage system is emulated. One or more processes that process the backup set metadata through an emulated processing flow path are executed, wherein the emulated processing flow path is indicative of the manner in which the backup data sets flow through the processing flow path of the backup storage system when the backup storage system stores the backup data sets. One or more timing statistics are calculated based on the flow of the backup set metadata through the emulated processing flow path.
US08386842B2
A computer system with a damaged BIOS data recovering function is disclosed. When BIOS data in the computer are damaged, the computer system may update and recover the BIOS of the storage unit of the computer system in a standby mode via an external electronic device (another computer or a USB flash disk). The computer system includes a storage unit, a data transferring interface, a power supply unit, and a control unit. The computer system is electrically connected with the external electronic device via the data transferring interface. The power supply unit provides standby power (in the standby mode) when the computer system is shut down. The control unit is electrically connected with the power supply unit and the data transferring interface, respectively. The control unit is actuated via the standby power, receives the external BIOS stored in the external electronic device.
US08386839B2
Availability of an information system including a storage apparatus and a computer is improved. First and second storage apparatuses execute remote copy of copying data written into a first primary volume from the computer to a second primary volume, at least one of the first and second storage apparatuses executes local copy of copying the data written into the first or second primary volume in a self-storage apparatus to the corresponding first or second secondary volume, and the computer switches the destination of a write request of the data from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus in case of a failure occurring in the first storage apparatus.
US08386837B2
A storage control device includes a first rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in one of a plurality of storages that fails by using information stored in the plurality of storages excluding said failed storage and storing rebuilt information in a spare storage replaced with the failed storage, a second rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in two of said plurality of storages that fail by using information stored in said plurality of storages excluding the two failed storages and storing rebuilt information in two spare storages replaced with the two failed storages, and a rebuilding control unit for controlling said first rebuilding unit and second rebuilding unit where one of said spare storages fails during rebuilding the data stored in said two failed storages to replace the failed spare storage with other spare storage whereby said second rebuilding unit continues rebuilding the data.
US08386831B2
A Downloadable Conditional Access System (DCAS) headend system and method for processing an error of Secure Micro (SM) Client Software are provided to prevent further transmission of SM Client Software where an error occurred, and to prevent unnecessary traffic due to repeat reinstallation of SM Client Software between an Authentication Proxy (AP) server and a terminal, by changing policy information regarding a transmission of SM Client Software associated with error information, when a number of terminals that transmit the error information exceeds a reference value as a result of analyzing result information regarding a reception and an installation of the SM Client Software received from a terminal corresponding to a DCAS headend system.
US08386829B2
A method is described for performing an automatic internal trimming operation that can compensate process variation and supply voltage variation in an integrated circuit. A reference signal is applied when the integrated circuit is in an automatic internal trimming mode, and integrated circuit timing is trimmed into a predetermined target range after applying predefined reference cycles.
US08386828B1
Circuits and methods are provided for estimating a latency through a FIFO buffer. A first detector detects first instances of a pattern in first data values serially written to a write port of the FIFO buffer. A second detector detects second instances of the pattern in second data values serially read from a read port of the FIFO buffer. The second data values are the first data values delayed by the latency through the FIFO buffer. A counter counts a count of active transitions of a sample clock signal. The counter starts on each detected first instance and stops on each detected second instances. The count provides an estimate of the latency of the FIFO buffer.
US08386827B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for event alignment control. For example, an event alignment control circuit is disclosed that includes a delay table, a flag write controller circuit, and a signal reconstruction circuit. The delay table includes at least a first register and a last register, and is operable to transfer data from the first register to the last register. The flag write controller circuit is operable to receive an indication of assertion of an event flag and to write information relevant to the event flag to the first register of the delay table. The signal reconstruction circuit is electrically coupled to the last register, and reconstructs the event flag based at least in part on the information relevant to the event flag obtained from the last register.
US08386805B2
A system and a method are provided for activating one or more security functions of a mobile electronic device. The system and method provide for the activation of one or more security functions when the mobile electronic device is stored in a mobile electronic device holder. Security functions include, for example, closing a data item currently being displayed on the mobile electronic device, erasing decrypted information stored on the mobile electronic device, locking the mobile electronic device, and performing a secure garbage collection operation.
US08386804B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated device which stores secret data and is capable of operating in a test mode in which a scan test with respect to an internal circuit is executed, the semiconductor integrated device comprises a mode signal receiving module configured to receive a scan mode signal designating the test mode, a mask module configured to mask the secret data when the mode signal receiving module receives the scan mode signal, and an error detection module configured to detect presence or absence of error in the secret data and to store detection result in a first flip-flop.
US08386799B2
Methods and apparatuses for providing DRM interoperability are provided. Proxy re-encryption technique using bilinear map is used, and the same content can be used in different devices. According to the method of providing DRM interoperability includes in proxy agent with respect to digital rights management (DRM) service providers and device which supports predetermined DRM, first DRM service provider, second DRM service provider, the proxy agent, and the device identify each other, and proxy re-encrypt an interoperable content (IC) and provide the IC to the device. The IC is second-level encrypted by using a key of the first DRM service provider, and the proxy re-encryption is performed by using a proxy key generated from proxy key information provided from the first DRM service provider and the second DRM service provider. Therefore, a problem in which interoperability cannot be guaranteed since a DRM technique depends on a service provider is resolved.
US08386796B2
An information processing apparatus includes a chip implemented therein to independently perform a predetermined process. The chip includes a storage unit that stores therein user signature information in which biometric information of a user and a user electronic signature key that is a key for generating an electronic signature of the user for information created by the user are associated with each other and an encryption key that is a key for encrypting information, an electronic signature adding unit that, if the biometric information is obtained from the user, searches the storage unit for the user signature information corresponding to the biometric information, and adds the electronic signature of the user to user created information with a user electronic signature key in the user signature information, and an encrypt processing unit that encrypts with the encryption key the user created information processed by the electronic signature adding unit.
US08386777B2
The invention relates to a method of controlling access to multicast IP flows. Following connection to a collection equipment by a user terminal, the method consists in: transmitting an access authorization request message from said collection equipment to an access control server; and, subsequently, upon successful verification of the user access right, transmitting an access authorization acceptance message comprising at least one multicast filter from the server to the collection equipment or, in the absence of a successful verification, transmitting an access refusal message from the server to the collection equipment in order to inhibit the connection of the user terminal. The invention is suitable for multicast broadcasting over an IP, Internet and/or corporate network.
US08386771B2
There is disclosed a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream for single viewing and to protect copyrights of the data stream. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for protecting streaming multimedia, entertainment and communications in an Internet-type transmission. There is further disclosed a streaming server component operably connected with a streaming server that interacts with a client system to affect the inventive process.
US08386768B2
High-performance data encryption/decryption server and method for transparently encrypting/decrypting data. System and method for encryption and/or decryption cryptographic services that have applicability small and large databases and especially to encryption and/or decryption of bulk data. Method for transparently applying a cryptographic operation to application-specific data. Encryption server for transparent encryption and decryption of application specific data. Method for transparently encrypting application specific data. Computer program stored on a computer readable media for modifying the operation of a computer process implementing a method for transparently encrypting application specific data. System and appliance for transparently encrypting application specific data. System for transparently applying a cryptographic operation to application-specific data.
US08386767B2
Methods, systems and communication nodes for bootstrapping key establishment to exchange encryption keys between a terminal-based client and an application server using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling are described.
US08386764B2
A BIOS architecture adapted in a computer system is provided. The BIOS architecture includes at least one BIOS, a programmable chip module, a baseboard management controller (BMC), a south bridge chip and a network interface controller (NIC). The NIC is connected to the south bridge chip and the BMC and is to receive a remote update data to determine the destination of the remote update data. When the destination of the remote update data is the south bridge chip, the south bridge chip updates the BIOS according to the remote update data. When the destination of the remote update data is the BMC, the NIC informs the BMC to receive the remote update data, such that the BMC controls the programmable chip module to update the BIOS according to the remote update data.
US08386760B2
An electronic apparatus and a booting method of the same are provided. The booting method of the electronic apparatus, including a non-volatile first storage unit storing a device initialization file and a device execution file, and a volatile second storage unit, includes: loading the device execution file from the first storage unit into the second storage unit at an initial booting; generating reference information about the loaded device execution file; maintaining power supplied to the second storage unit when the electronic apparatus is turned off; loading and executing the device initialization file from the first storage unit into the second storage unit at a rebooting; and executing the device execution file stored in the second storage unit with reference to the reference information.
US08386759B1
An integrated circuit (“IC”) including a configurable configuration controller and associated IC boot program product is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention provides an IC boot program product including IC boot code for configuring a configuration controller of an IC such that an updated programming file can be read out of the configuration memory prior to loading an initial default programming file from the configuration memory into configuration elements of the IC. Another embodiment of the present invention provides an IC boot program product including IC boot code for configuring a configuration controller of an IC in accordance with a particular configuration memory interface selected from a plurality of such interfaces. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for reading configuration memory device information in a first read mode and then reading a programming file from the configuration memory device in a second read mode. Another embodiment of the invention provides an IC including a configurable configuration controller adapted to be configured by IC boot code read from a configuration memory device.
US08386753B2
A mechanism is provided for thread completion arbitration. The mechanism comprises executing more than two threads of instructions simultaneously in the processor, selecting a first thread from a first subset of threads, in the more than two threads, for completion of execution within the processor, and selecting a second thread from a second subset of threads, in the more than two threads, for completion of execution within the processor. The mechanism further comprises completing execution of the first and second threads by committing results of the execution of the first and second threads to a storage device associated with the processor. At least one of the first subset of threads or the second subset of threads comprise two or more threads from the more than two threads. The first subset of threads and second subset of threads have different threads from one another.
US08386748B2
An address translation unit includes a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), a miss queue, and a control unit. The TLB may store a plurality of address translations. The miss queue may store received address translation requests that missed in the TLB. The miss queue includes a plurality of entries. At least some entries may each store a respective address translation request and a corresponding identifier. The corresponding identifier of a given entry identifies another entry in the miss queue that stores another respective address translation request having a process ordering constraint that is the same as a process ordering constraint of the respective address translation request in the given entry. Address translations having a same ordering constraint that are linked together via the identifier belong to the same virtual miss queue. The control unit may process the received address translation requests in an order dependent upon the identifier.
US08386747B2
Non-intrusive techniques have been developed to dynamically and selectively alter address translations performed by, or for, a processor. For example, in some embodiments, a memory management unit is configured to map from effective addresses in respective effective (or virtual) address spaces to physical addresses in the memory, wherein the mappings performed by the memory management unit are based on address translation entries of an address translation table. For a subset of less than all processes, entry selection logic selects from amongst plural alternative mappings coded in respective ones of the address translation entries. For at least some effective addresses mapped for a particular process of the subset, selection of a particular address translation entry is based on an externally sourced value. In some embodiments, only a subset of effective addresses mapped for the particular process are subject to dynamic runtime alteration of the address translation entry selection.
US08386743B2
Art is provided that is capable of easily performing update processing in a short time even when updating numerous data of a storage medium of a navigation device. A directory structure corresponding to a partition structure of a storage medium is created. Image files IF are generated for updated data content within partitions HDn (n=0, 1, 2, 4, 6). The generated image files IF of the partitions HDn are stored in directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn in the created directory structure. Data content of the image files IF read from the directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn is written to the partitions HDn of the storage medium.
US08386741B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to block layout and block allocation in a file system to support write transactions. Regions in a cluster file system are defined to support a block allocation, include both write affinity and wide striping region. An allocation map is maintained to define and support the block allocation regions. For each write transaction, a copy of data is written to both regions, and in the event there is a shortage of blocks in one of the regions, at least one block in the other region is dynamically converted to support the write transaction.
US08386734B2
A method and apparatus for constructing a memory-based database service platform, in which database can be on-loaded and off-loaded or unloaded as needed, and can reserve schedule and size of memory and other resources, including CPUs, network, backup, mirroring and recovery recourses. With the service platform, multiple different types of databases can be chosen by specifying data storage type and data operation interfaces, such as Relational Database (RDB), Biometric Database (BDB), Time Series Database (TDB), Data Driven Database (DDDB) and File-based Database (FDB) etc. Database types can be chosen either by user directly or by platform automatically or semi-automatically based on data types and data operation characteristics.
US08386730B2
It is an object to provide a data logger which solves a problem in which data required to analyze a cause of occurrence of abnormality cannot be acquired. Temporary memory 102 stores newer data among data sequentially outputted from measurer 101 wherein the number of the newer data corresponds to a specific number of times. Manager 103 repeatedly calculates an index value indicative of stability of the data outputted from measurer 101 based on the data stored in temporary memory 102 at least until the index value satisfies a predetermined stability condition. Further, if manager 103 accepts an abnormal value trigger, manager 103 sequentially stores the data outputted from measurer 101 in main memory 104. When the index value satisfying the stability condition is calculated by manager 103, manager 103 stops saving the data in main memory 104.
US08386729B2
A method, device, and computer program product for performing asynchronous remote copy verification is provided. An initial track-to-track comparison between a primary and a secondary volume pair is performed. Differences between primary and secondary volume tracks are recorded as noncompare tracks. A first predetermined time is waited for. A subsequent track-to-track comparison of the noncompare tracks is performed.
US08386724B2
Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
US08386718B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method and apparatus for managing memory in a mobile electronic device are provided. The method comprises: receiving a request to install an application; receiving at least one indication of data intended to be maintained in a shared cache; determining, based on the at least one indication, whether data corresponding to the intended data exists in the shared cache; upon a negative determination, writing the intended data to the shared cache; and repeating the receiving at least one indication, the determining and the writing for at least one additional application.
US08386715B2
A tile-map caching technique in which it is determined whether a tile object is stored in a first cache that is configured to store a plurality of tile objects associated with a map. It is also determined whether a resource locator associated with the tile object is stored in a second cache, if the tile object is not in the first cache. The tile object is retrieved based on the resource locator if the resource locator is stored in the second cache.
US08386711B2
The present invention provides a technique to efficiently rearrange data in actual regions.A management system acquires load lumped region variation information (access distribution variation amount) indicative of a variation in the position of a virtual region in a virtual volume in a storage subsystem which region corresponds to a hot spot. Then, based on the load lumped region variation information, the management system determines a load position unvaried hour(s) indicative of a hour(s) in which the position of the virtual region corresponding to the hot spot is almost or perfectly unvaried (the hour(s) in which the position of the hot spot is stable). The management system then displays the load position unvaried hour(s) on a display device (see FIG. 19).
US08386702B2
In one embodiment, a memory control system is provided with a memory controller having 1) a first interface to receive memory read/write requests; 2) a second interface to read/write data from a number of memory modules; 3) a memory cache containing spare memory locations; and 4) logic to, upon receipt of a memory read/write request, i) direct the read/write request to the memory cache when an address associated with the read/write request resides in the memory cache, and ii) direct the read/write request to the second interface when the address associated with the read/write request does not reside in the memory cache.
US08386687B2
A method and apparatus for data transfer includes receiving a first data packet across a first bi-directional bus and receiving a second data packet across a second bi-directional bus. Next, the first data packet is written to a first register operably coupled to the first bi-directional bus and the second bi-directional bus. The second data packet is written to a second register operably coupled to the first bi-directional bus and the second bi-directional bus. The second data packet is then transferred across the first bi-directional bus and the first data packet is transferred across the second bi-directional bus, thereby providing data transfer across a plurality of bi-directional buses and providing for data to be transferred across those buses to be stored at an intermediate register so that the data may be transferred in the next clock cycle, overcoming any latency requirements.
US08386680B2
An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo.
US08386679B2
A computer-implemented method may include determining that a slot coupled to a peripheral component interconnect host bridge is occupied by an input/output adapter. The computer-implemented method may include determining one or more characteristics of the input/output adapter and determining whether the input/output adapter is capable of using additional memory based on the one or more characteristics of the input/output adapter. The computer-implemented method may also include allocating the additional memory for the input/output adapter in response to determining that the input/output adapter is capable of using the additional memory.
US08386676B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for transferring data mask bits to a memory device. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes logic to issue a partial write command to a memory device. In addition, the integrated circuit may include logic to transfer a write frame to the volatile memory device over an N bit wide data bus, wherein the write frame includes one or more data mask bits to be transferred over the N bit wide data bus.
US08386673B2
A KVM switch connected between a plurality of consoles including a plurality of monitors, and a plurality of information processing apparatuses, comprises a setting portion that sets a part or all of the plurality of consoles to each information processing apparatus as one group, wherein the plurality of monitors included in the plurality of consoles which are set as one group by the setting portion display information from an information processing apparatus corresponding to the group.
US08386670B2
A system controlling device having a tree structure includes a data controlling unit that functions as a root device. The data controlling unit is connected to a first image processing unit and a second image processing unit by separate high-speed serial buses. The first image processing unit performs image processing on image data scanned by a scanner, while the second image processing unit performs image processing on image data to be output to a printer. A storage unit is independently connected to the data controlling unit and stores therein image data processed by the first image processing unit and the second image processing unit.
US08386668B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving in a processor complex a first write request from a peripheral device, obtaining information of the processor complex responsive to the first write request, and transmitting a second write request from the processor complex to the peripheral device including the information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08386659B2
A configuration adaptation layer (CAL) for I/O devices such as I/O adapters is provided. This configuration adaptation layer (CAL) explicitly provides a mapping between adapter functions and adapter resources in a way such that it is senseable in-band by the computer system using the adapter, e.g., by a virtual machine monitor.
US08386658B2
A communication method of a host apparatus capable of connecting with a device by using a Wireless Universal Serial Bus (WUSB) includes operations of receiving a connection request signal from the device to be connected to the host apparatus, according to a determination of whether a request to perform an operation in the device occurs in the host apparatus, selectively responding to the connection request signal to connect the device thereto, and performing data communication with the device to perform the operation. According to the communication method, the host apparatus is connected to the device when the host apparatus uses the device, to improve effective and convenient use of the device.
US08386654B2
A system for transforming a single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) function to appear as a legacy function, and a corresponding method includes a switch platform coupled between a legacy host and a SR-IOV-enabled device. The switch platform includes a processor programmed to discern configuration cycles by type and to process the configuration cycles, and one or more local registers that store data related to the configuration cycles.
US08386643B2
A method of upgrading the software load of a device includes receiving a configuration file and checking if a device software load matches load information (EE) of the configuration file. If the device software load does not match the EE of the configuration file, a check is made to determine if the device software load matches new load information (NE) of the configuration file.
US08386641B2
A system and method for implementing functionality within a network on behalf of first and second devices communicating with each other through the network. A front-end device is provided within the network that communicates data traffic with the first device. A back-end device is also implemented within the network and communicates data traffic with the second device. A communication channel couples the front-end device and the back-end device. Data traffic may be encoded into a different type or protocol for transport through the communication channel by the front-end device and back-end device. The front-end device and back-end device exchange quality of service information and may alter characteristics of the data traffic through the communication channel according to the quality of service information.
US08386640B2
Different services are provided to different users or groups of users of an aggregate endpoint in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The different users or groups of users are differentiated based on service profiles designated by different PUIDs for the different users or groups of users of each of the users or groups of users. Different services for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users or groups of users of the aggregate endpoint are provided, depending upon the differentiation between the different users or groups of users.
US08386639B1
A system for optimized and distributed resource management, comprising a plurality of media servers, a statistics server, a historical statistics database, a forecasting engine, a scheduling engine, and an activity manager. The forecasting engine generates a forecast of estimated volume of imperative demand and determines a required volume of contingent demand to be handled based on managing a backlog of contingent demand. The scheduling engine generates a schedule that provides an adequate number of resources to handle the forecasted imperative demand and to handle the required volume of contingent demand over an aggregated time. The activity manager monitors statistical data, compares actual staffing and imperative demand to scheduled staffing and forecasted imperative demand, and determines activity switches needed to reallocate available resources, the activity switches only occurring switched after a configured minimum activity switching time.
US08386638B2
Computer program products, apparatus, and methods for processing digital messages to recipients at destination domains is provided. A plurality of profiles are established, each profile for handling digital to a specific domain or set of domains. A request to process a plurality of outbound digital messages is handled by, for each given digital message, processing the given digital message by (i) determining a destination domain for digital messages, (ii) reading a profile for the determined destination domain for the digital messages and (iii) based on at least one parameter set in the profile: (a) sending the given digital message to the determined destination domain in accordance with the profile when permitted by the at least one parameter set in the profile, or (b) not sending the digital message to the determined destination domain when required by the at least one parameter set in the profile.
US08386621B2
Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.
US08386605B2
Accessing a digital file from a database which includes the steps of determining a first set of data entry protocols for enabling a user to access i.e. preview at least one portion of the digital file, enabling a user to access the one or more portions by entering the first set of protocols, determining a second set of data entry protocols for enabling a user to access the entire digital file from the database, and enabling a user to access the entire digital file by entering the second set of data entry protocols in response to the user accessing the one portion or some threshold of a predetermined number of such portions.
US08386603B2
An information processing terminal device (1) is provided which is reliably connectable to a desired server on the Internet and includes: a cable interface (3) that requests connection to a predetermined server; a connection information obtainment unit (4) that obtains, from the server, connection information which includes an IP address and is necessary for the connection to the server; an obtained IP address obtainment unit (8) that obtains the IP address assigned to a communication interface (2) connected to a different network; an IP address scheme determination unit (7) that determines whether or not the obtained IP address and the IP address included in the connection information have the same address scheme; an IP address setting management unit (6) that determines a method of setting the IP address and the connection information for the cable interface (3) and the communication interface (2); and a connection information setting unit (5) that sets and releases the IP address and the connection information according to the method determined by the IP address setting management unit.
US08386597B2
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, information integration software can be used to gather and transform information from data processing system monitors and present the information in one or more custom screens or views which can enable operations personnel and management personnel to manage and operate a system with a minimum of human resources, fatigue and cost. In exemplary embodiments role-based screens can be specifically prepared for use by individuals performing such roles in an entity or organization. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention custom views can be prepared for production managers, financial managers, human resources managers, etc., using similar techniques.
US08386595B2
Methods and systems described herein can secure and deliver data over a network. A recipient computer requests a human-readable report from a transmitter computer that initiates a software application to generate a report using data from a backend database. In the application layer, the combination of the report and data is parsed and certain components are replaced to form multiple derived packets of the random strings, the replaced strings, and the combined unaltered string with random strings. The replacement is performed in a pre-determined order that can be a mathematical or logical function. The derived packets are encrypted at the application layer. Further, the receiving computer, in the application layer, decrypts the packets, then finds and replaces the random strings in the combined derived packet, thereby recreating the human-readable report.
US08386584B2
A multimedia processing control apparatus according to embodiments has a holding section which holds groups of information for management of a plurality of components generated in a first address space, and a plurality of groups of first address information, and also holds a plurality of groups of second address information in a second address space; a control section request issue section which converts, when a processing request is issued, each of the plurality of groups of second address information into the plurality of groups of first address information by referring to the holding section, and issues the processing request; a processing section request issue section which issues from the first address space the processing request; and a component processing section which controls the plurality of components on the basis of the plurality of groups of first address information the processing request.
US08386581B2
This invention relates to a communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus, the second apparatus comprising: a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium; communication means for communicating data with the first apparatus; edit means capable of editing the management information; and control means for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communication means on the basis of the management information edited by the edit means.
US08386577B2
Provided are a message brokering systems, computer program products and methods for communication in a publish/subscribe environment in which publisher application programs send messages to subscriber application programs via one or more message brokers, the method comprising the following steps: responsive to receipt of a published message at a message broker, referring to characteristics of the received message and subscriber-specified quality of service requirements to determine an appropriate quality or service for onward transmission of the message; selecting a communication protocol in accordance with the determined quality of service; and transmitting the message using the selected communication protocol. Information relating to the quality of service requirements of a first message broker's subscribers is passed to other brokers and subsequently used for selection of an appropriate communication protocol for transmitting messages between the brokers.
US08386576B2
A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat room system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending messages that originate from a user's current chat room as well as messages that originate from nearby chat rooms to the user. Both types of messages are displayed in a single context to the user.
US08386559B2
This invention relates to a method for exchanging requests between the computer application of a mobile terminal (A) and an instantaneous messaging server (1), wherein: the computer application sends requests (2) to server (1) relative to the detection of an event (3), requests (2) are sent according to a request frequency set to a first value, whereby: when requests (2) are sent, if the event (3) is not detected by server (1), said server controls the computer application so that the latter sends the requests (2) according to a request frequency set to a second value that is lower than the first value, as soon as server (1) detects the event (3), said server controls the computer application so that the latter sends the requests (2) according to a request frequency set to the first value.
US08386556B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for composing message processing pipelines. Embodiments utilize intra-pipeline communication links to physically and/or temporally decouple pipeline stages, configure branching message flows, and bridge protocols. The use of intra-pipeline communication links permits composition of a message processing pipeline without having to alter the pipeline components or application. Each communication link is itself an application with incoming and outgoing message processing pipelines that bridge messages across time and/or space and application logic for satisfying message processing requirements.
US08386550B1
A hybrid FIR filter includes a plurality of FIR filter units arranged as Direct Form FIR filters, connected together in an arrangement similar to a Transpose Form FIR filter. The hybrid filter arrangement may be used to configure a larger FIR filter in a programmable logic device having one or more specialized functional blocks, incorporating multipliers and adders, that are particularly well-suited for configuration as small Direct Form FIR filters.
US08386546B2
A Montgomery multiplication device calculates a Montgomery product of an operand X and an operand Y with respect to a modulus M and includes a plurality of processing elements. In a first clock cycle, two intermediate partial sums are created by obtaining an input of length w−1 from a preceding processing element as w−1 least significant bits. The most significant bit is configured as either zero or one. Then, two partial sums are calculated using a word of the operand Y, a word of the modulus M, a bit of the operand X, and the two intermediate partial sums. In a second clock cycle, a selection bit is obtained and one of the two partial sums is selected based on the value of the selection bit. Then, the selected partial sum is used for calculation of a word of the Montgomery product.
US08386528B2
A data processing system comprises an interface configured to communicate with a data source, a memory, and a reference data module. The data processing system comprises a processor which is configured to communicate with the memory, the interface, and the reference module. The processor is further configured to request a first list from the data source. The first list comprises a record. The record being modified based on a comparison of a data characteristic to a first reference data. The processor is further configured to receive the first list from the data source for a communication operation and to compare the data characteristic of the first list to a second reference data. The processor is further configured to generate a second list based on comparing the data characteristic of the first list to the second reference data.
US08386526B2
A coupled node tree has a root node and a node pair, the node pair being a branch node, which includes position information of a link target node pair, and a leaf node, which includes a search target index key, or a pair of branch nodes, or a pair of leaf nodes located in adjacent storage areas. The nodes of the coupled node tree are backed up in a depth precedence search sequence. The coupled node tree is restored by repeating the following process: reading out the nodes in the sequence they are backed up, storing in a stack the position information of the node to be restored, successively restoring child nodes as long as branch nodes are encountered, restoring a leaf node which is read out and then, tracing back up the stack, a decision being made as to which node is next to be restored.
US08386521B2
In one example, a system that is operable to back up and restore data may include a high efficiency storage application configured to back up a chunk of data of a client system to a content addressed storage system by generating a recipe that includes instructions for generating the chunk of data from a plurality of data pieces. The system may further include a backup server communicably connected to the high efficiency storage application and configured to, among other things, in response to receipt of a restore request, recover the chunk of data by retrieving the recipe and appended storage addresses in one index seek without separately looking up a storage address for any of the plurality of data pieces in an index.
US08386518B2
When a user records confidential data in a communicating object, the user inputs the confidential data which are encoded and transmitted, with a reference of the user, towards a server in order to record the encoded confidential data in association with the reference. When a user searches for a reference of another user of a communicating object in the communicating object, the user inputs a search datum which is encoded and transmitted to the server for comparing therein the encoded search datum transmitted to all of the encoded confidential data recorded in the server. The server transmits a reference associated with an encoded confidential datum corresponding to the encoded search data to the communicating object. In this way, the user of the communicating object is put into contact with the other user without knowing the data of the other user.
US08386516B2
A computer system and method is disclosed for mining current and archived address data in order to identify a preferred address for each service point in a territory. The data mining system may start in response to the presentation of a candidate address for matching. The set of mined data may be prioritized by clustering like characteristics, building similarity matrices, and by constructing dendrograms with nodes joined according to common characteristics. A computer system and method for maintaining a central database of preferred addresses is also disclosed. Selected address data gathered in a queue may be scored by characteristic, grouped by consignee location, and staged for processing. The scored queue of data may be prioritized by clustering like characteristics, building similarity matrices, and by constructing dendrograms.
US08386515B2
Methods and systems are provided, for persistent querying in a federated database system. A federated database system has a plurality of connectable database management system nodes, each database node having at least one database. Persistent querying includes: receiving a query at a first database node and propagating the query from the first database node to other database nodes in the federated database system. A responding database node satisfying the query: obtains a query results set; defines a topic identifier for the query; and publishes subsequent messages relating to the topic identifier when data updates are available. The first database node receives query results sets from one or more responding nodes and the first database node subscribes to topic identifiers for publications of subsequent messages from the responding database nodes. Subsequent messages are published relating to the query along the connection through which the query is returned.
US08386497B2
A system includes reception of a query filtered on an object of a hierarchical list of values and comprising a first filter value, generation of an SQL script based on the first filter value and at least one ancestor value of the first filter value in the hierarchical list of values, and retrieval of a data set associated with the query based on the SQL script.In some aspects, reception of the query includes reception of a command to refresh a document including the query and a prompt on a filter value, presentation of the prompt and the hierarchical list of values, and reception of the first filter value.
US08386492B2
An information processing system retains one or more files utilized by an external apparatus, each of which is made up of a plurality of chunks, in a manner that the chunks making up each of the files are distributed. The information processing system includes a plurality of chunk servers, each storing chunks, and one master server communicatively coupled thereto. The master server retains a file name of a file, chunk IDs indicating chunks making up the file, and chunk IDs indicating chunk servers storing the chunks. When a snapshot taking request for a file is received, the master server identifies chunks included in the file from the file name and the chunk IDs to instruct the chunk servers having these chunks to take a differential snapshot of each of the chunks with the use of a differential snapshot function included in a local file system of each of the chunk servers.
US08386487B1
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-method includes receiving a plurality of documents at a server and adding meta-data to each of the plurality of documents. The meta-data added to a particular document comprises at least one of task flow features of the particular document or data associated with an author of the particular document. The method also includes selecting a plurality of features for use in clustering the plurality of documents. The plurality of features includes a subset of the meta-data and a subset of content associated with one or more of the plurality of documents. The method also includes clustering the plurality of documents based on the plurality of features including identifying a topic associated with each cluster, and preparing a report based on the clusters and metric information associated with each cluster. The method also includes displaying the report to a user.
US08386479B2
Routing method for computing routes over uncertain geo-spatial data whereby only upon visiting the geographic entities it can be determined whether the needed service or product is actually provided and is adequate. When dealing with uncertain data, the returned route may need to go via several entities of the same type. Another routing method consists of finding an efficient and effective route from a starting point to an ending point going trough a predetermined number of objects, wherein each object represents a geographical entity of a unique type, and each object is selected from a distinct set of similar objects.
US08386471B2
In a method, system, and computer-readable medium having instructions for optimizing a query in a database system, a database statistic is generated for a number of related records for one or more entities for at least one tenant and a related record is a record with a relationship to a shared record in a database table for an entity from the one or more entities, a first cost is calculated for accessing the number of related records for at least one tenant, a second cost is calculated for accessing a number of related records accessible to a user, a comparison of the first cost to the second cost is performed to determine a data access path for retrieving accessible related records, and the data access path for retrieving accessible related records is determined based upon the comparison.
US08386468B2
One example method of spatial query processing using query window indexes includes receiving a spatial query on spatial data that has an associated spatial data index. The spatial query specifies a query window. A query window index structure is constructed that describes a geometry of the query window. The query window index structure is compared to the spatial data index and, when necessary, to the spatial data to determine a spatial relationship between the query window and the spatial data.
US08386466B2
Techniques for logging data pertaining to the operation of a data stream processing server. In one set of embodiments, logging configuration information can be received specifying a functional area of a data stream processing server to be logged. Based on the logging configuration information, logging can be dynamically enabled for objects associated with the functional area that are instantiated by the data stream processing server, and logging can be dynamically disabled for objects associated with the functional area that are discarded (or no longer used) by the data stream processing server. In another set of embodiments, a tool can be provided for visualizing the data logged by the data stream processing server.
US08386461B2
Methods and computing devices enable users to identify documents using a hash value mapped to a word mnemonic for easy recall and comparison. A hash algorithm may be applied a document to generate a distinguishing hash value. The hash value is mapped to a plurality of words to form the mnemonic. To obtain the words, the hash value may be mapped to word indices used to identify particular words in word lists. Word lists may include a list of nouns, a list of verbs, and a list of adverbs or adjectives, so that the resulting three word mnemonics are memorable. More word lists may be used to map hash values to four-, five- or more word mnemonics. The number-to-mnemonic mapping methods may be used to map large numbers, such as account numbers, telephone numbers, etc. into mnemonics which are easier for people to remember and compare.
US08386449B2
A method and service for establishing a web-based network that includes an enterprise locking service. The enterprise locking service is able to coordinate multiple, cooperating applications that need to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. These database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking of requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.
US08386447B2
Provided are techniques for selecting row identifiers from an initial index structure storing rows of randomized indexes. The row identifiers are randomized. Groups are formed with the randomized row identifiers so that each group has a predetermined number of row identifiers. At least one group is selected from the groups. Indexes are retrieved from the initial index structure that correspond to the row identifiers in the selected at least one group. The retrieved indexes are encoded by adding product information to form new identifiers.
US08386446B1
A method and apparatus for proxying search requests for a storage system and maintaining a central index for performing the search requests is described herein. An index manager on the storage system may initially produce the central index by examining each file in a file system and update the central index thereafter by examining only those files that have changed since the central index was initially produced or last updated. The index manager may receive a changed file list from a differencing layer configured for comparing snapshots of the file system at different time points to produce changed file lists. A search proxy module may receive search requests in a search protocol and proxy the search requests to a search engine by converting the search requests to another search protocol compatible with the search engine. The search engine may then use the central index for performing the search request.
US08386437B2
A system and method for document management are provided. The method relies on a logging system which automatically generates image logs for input documents for each job (print, copy, fax, scan, etc.) processed by the multifunction printing device(s) of an organization. The image logs are processed to identify keywords which are the basis of a search for similar documents among those which have been previously archived as well as documents in other accessible document repositories, including Web documents. The method identifies matching documents and optionally also revisions and related documents. A procedure is provided for ensuring that for each document processed by a multifunction device or other image output device of the organization, image data is archived (or identified as a public document without archiving). The method avoids duplication by using a digital matching document, where available, enabling the images of the image log for the input document to be discarded.
US08386435B2
A searchable archiving system. A searchable archiving system includes one or more compacted files of archive data loosely coupled to a search process. To create a compacted file, an archiving process tokenizes the archive data, optimizes the tokenized archive data, and extracts archive metadata from the tokenized data. The tokenized data may then be compressed in a variety of ways into compressed segments that may be individually accessed and decompressed by the search agents. Before compression, segment metadata is extracted from the segments. The compressed segments and segment metadata are then combined to create a compacted file. The search process accesses the compacted files by consulting locally stored archive metadata extracted from the files during the compaction process. The search process then invokes one or more search agents that actively search the compacted files. The search agents do so by using the segment metadata to identify segments to decompress and search.
US08386426B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products for editing and displaying cartographic data are described. Cartographic source data is retrieved from a first record set and displayed in a display device. Based on a selection by a user of a feature in the display device, source data corresponding to the selected feature is selected. Based on a modification of the selected feature by the user in the display device, cartographic edit data is created. The cartographic edit data is associated with the cartographic source data for the feature and the associated cartographic edit data is stored within a second record set that is editable by the user. An output record set is created for display on the display device, at least in part, from the associated cartographic edit data for the feature.
US08386411B2
A method and a device for distributing patterns to scanning engines for scanning packets in a packet stream are provided. The method includes providing a plurality of scanning engines and patterns, calculating a respective distance metric for every pair of patterns, and providing a plurality of distribution functions. Further, the method includes calculating a respective sum of the calculated distance metrics for distributing the patterns for each of the distribution functions, and utilizing the sums for selecting a distribution function of the D distribution functions for distributing the patterns to the M scanning engines. A device for implementing the method is also provided.
US08386399B2
Methods for selecting transportation parameters for transporting parts from at least one point of part supply to at least one point of part demand in a manufacturing facility include determining a physical relationship between the at least one point of part supply and the at least one point of part demand, selecting a transportation route type from a preselected group of transportation route types based at least in part on the physical relationship, selecting an automated guided carrier type from a preselected group of automated guided carrier types based at least in part on the transportation route type, determining a need for traffic control based at least in part on the transportation route type, and if it is determined traffic control is needed, selecting a traffic control type from a preselected group of traffic control types based at least in part on the transportation route type.
US08386394B1
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A computing device provides a user interface of a third-party application program. The user interface includes an interface element that causes purchase of a product. The computing device receives an indication that the user has selected the interface element. The computing device identifies a first identity certificate that is assigned to the third-party application program from among multiple identity certificates that are assigned to multiple respective third-party application programs. The computing device sends the first identity certificate to a server system so as to cause the server system to determine whether the first identity certificate matches a second identity certificate. The computing device receives an indication that the third-party application program is able to legitimately purchase the product. The computing device sends a request for purchasing the product.
US08386393B2
A computerized method of verifying the identity of an attendant operating a money transfer transaction device includes receiving at the money transfer transaction device a user identification and password from the attendant and receiving at the money transfer transaction device additional information from the attendant. The additional information relates to a security feature that limits access to the transaction device. The method also includes using the additional information, the user identification, and the password to evaluate whether to allow the attendant to operate the transaction device to process a transaction.
US08386392B2
A license handling information handling system receives an electronic message from a first computer system utilized by a first user. The first user's message requests a license to a licensed product that has previously been purchased by the organization. The license handling information handling system identifies a second user in the organization that currently has a license to the licensed product, and requests that the second user relinquish the license to the licensed product. The second user indicates that the second user's license will be relinquished for a temporary time period. The licensing handling information handling system sends an electronic message, including the temporary time period, to the first user. In response to the first user accepting the temporary time period, the second user's license to the licensed product is revoked, and the first user is granted a license to the licensed product.
US08386388B2
A system, apparatus, and method are provided for entitlement security and control. According to one embodiment, an entitlement request is matched against entitlement rules, the entitlement permission is granted if the entitlement request satisfies the entitlement rules, and an audit trail of entitlement events is generated.
US08386381B1
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an automated computer implemented method for detecting one or more data compromises comprises the steps of detecting an activity indicative of a data compromise based at least in part on a compromise detection report involving at least one of merchant compromise report, region compromise report and acquirer compromise report, wherein the compromise detection report is generated by an automated detection algorithm; classifying the activity based on a combination of risk level, size of data compromise and fraud severity; and identifying a specific mitigation response to the activity through an interface. Another embodiment of the present invention determines whether one or more accounts associated with the activity have been probed or tested by a fraudster to determine if the one or more accounts are valid.
US08386375B2
Systems, program product, and methods for securing or procuring destination currency funds for a traveler to be used for travel in a destination country commencing at a scheduled future travel date, are provided. A system can include a domestic financial institution server including foreign destination currency transaction account program product. The system provides for establishing an interest-bearing foreign destination currency transaction account having a user-selected maturity date coinciding with a preselected travel date, and near, but prior to the preselected travel date, providing to the traveler a travel debit card having access to the balance of foreign destination currency funds including both principal and accrued interest.
US08386362B2
A process for distributing information in an electronic market includes an insertion process to insert, in a file that resides in a storage medium, information representing an activity relating to a security interest stored in an order book that resides in main memory and is accessible by a matching process.
US08386351B2
To provide optimized real-time charging for simultaneous services there is provided a method and apparatus for executing a real-time charging session in a charging system being interfaced to at least one communication network. At start of a charging session or during re-authorization of reserved funds there is executed an optimized fund reservation for multi-service and/or multi-unit type services such that it is possible to optimize the fund resources considering various services and related service types in parallel. Fund reservation is executed for multi-service and/or multi-unit type services such that deviations between time of predicted fund depletion for the at least two services and/or for the at least two service types are minimized. Therefore, the signalling traffic to and from the charging system is reduced significantly.
US08386346B2
A method of evaluating underwriting activities of a company providing insurance coverage is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of storing data related to the underwriting activities for the company; receiving information from employees related to tasks associated with the underwriting activities; analyzing the information from the employees; and generating a report based upon the information from employees. A system for evaluating underwriting activities for a company is also disclosed. The system comprising a user computer storing a program containing questions related to tasks for underwriting activities; a server coupled to the user computer to receive information entered by a plurality of users related to tasks for underwriting activities; and a report generated by the server and providing analyzed information related to responses of the plurality of users.
US08386344B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for tax computation, management, and compliance reporting via a centralized transactional tax platform capable of incorporating transaction data and/or tax information from multiple locations and/or multiple business applications via a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a central server may be configured to execute an application to generate a user interface to enable configuration of tax compliance data via a network link, to receive transaction data from one or more client systems via the network, to calculate transaction taxes corresponding to the transaction data, and to store tax information, including outputs and computational logic generated by tax calculation engines executed by the server. In another embodiment, the tax calculations may be executed client-side, while administration of tax compliance data and reporting are facilitated by the central server.
US08386343B2
A system for managing electronic receipts is provided. According to one aspect, the system includes a portable device, a base device, a user device and an electronic receipts administration system. The electronic receipts administration system provides the base device with the appropriate data to allow the base device to generate, store and manage electronic receipts accordingly. A user uses the portable device to conduct a transaction with the base device. The base device uses a variety of information to generate an electronic receipt for the transaction. Such information includes, for example, information stored on the portable device, information stored locally on the base device and information stored on another device such as an electronic cash register. The electronic receipt is then stored on the portable device. The user device allows the user to subsequently retrieve the electronic receipt for management purposes.
US08386342B2
A method, system, and computer program product for performing inventory management. The method includes determining excess inventory for a plurality of site locations, determining inventory shortfalls for a plurality of site locations, and applying business logic to the excess inventory resulting in an inventory balancing plan. The inventory balancing plan includes optimal redistribution of excess inventory to site locations determined to be in need of the excess inventory. The method also includes generating and transmitting orders for the excess inventory in accordance with the inventory balancing plan prior to developing a supplier forecast.
US08386339B2
A content receiver receives ordering information from a content provider for orderable content or products. The content receiver also derives information specific to the content receiver and dynamically generates a matrix code including the ordering information and the specific information. The content receiver then transmits the matrix code to a display and when the displayed matrix code is detected and decoded by a reader, the reader initiates an order for the orderable content to be transmitted to the content receiver or products. In some implementations, the orderable content may be ordered from the content provider, which may then transmit the ordered content to the content receiver. However, in other implementations the orderable content may be ordered from a third party provider. As such, the third party provider may transmit the ordered content to the content provider, which may then transmit it to the content receiver.
US08386336B1
An online merchant can use a product review to customize a solicitation of a product suggestion. If a customer reviews a product unfavorably, the customer might be solicited to suggest alternate products to the reviewed product. If a customer reviews a product favorably, the customer might be solicited to suggest accessories or other products related to the reviewed product. The products suggested by the customer might then be utilized to recommend the suggested products to other customers. Information provided by a customer in a product review or other data might also be utilized to customize a product recommendation for the customer. If a customer reviews a product unfavorably, a recommendation might be provided to the customer for an alternate, or substitutable, product for the reviewed product. If a customer reviews a product favorably, a recommendation might be provided to the customer for related products or accessories to the reviewed product.
US08386332B2
Systems, methods, and devices for the automated, community-based exchange of procurement documents. In some embodiments, there may be different sets of rules for each of a number of different communities of trading partners. Each set of rules may be made up of rules data for direct peer-to-peer exchange and/or transformation of procurement documents in respective communities. By way of example, a host trading partner may select the rules for exchange of procurement documents for a community. Invited trading partners may register for the community, and rules for the community may then be distributed to the registered trading partners.
US08386331B2
Detailed information about a particular used motor vehicle is quickly provided to a potential buyer having a personal digital assistant equipped with a receiving means. To provide the information, it is first necessary to obtain standard information about used motor vehicle values in digital form from a provider of such information. It is then necessary to obtain specific information about an inventory of used motor vehicles from the owner or seller of the vehicles. The standard information and the specific information are then integrated on a server computer and transmitted to the potential buyer.
US08386330B1
A tool used for managing multiple auctions is presented. The tool includes instructions providing the capability of creating subgroups of auctions based on criteria used to sort data pertaining either to the subject matter of the auction or to its participants. Further, the tool manages within-group closing times by extending closing times of all auctions in the group. A comparison of a recent bid to extension criteria may extend the closing time of an auction by an extension period; if the number of times this auction is extended meets a trigger number, then all closing times of all auctions in the group are extended by a specified time related to the trigger number and the extension period.
US08386328B2
Disclosed is a sales system for lots of items that includes business rule definition logic. The sales system also includes offering creation logic that is operative to dynamically create different offerings for items in the lots. The offering creation logic optimizes return based on one or more of the business rules by using different offering parameter values for the different offerings.
US08386323B1
A facility for assessing availability of an item for purchase from a merchant using a model of the availability of the item is described. The facility receives asynchronous messages identifying changes in the merchant's inventory for the item that affects the availability of the item for purchase from the merchant. For each received asynchronous message, the facility updates the model to reflect the changes in the merchant's inventory identified in the message. The facility then evaluates the state of the model in order to assess availability of the item for purchase from the merchant.
US08386319B1
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for assessing student prospects. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to receiving transaction data from a transaction involving a consumer, comparing the transaction data to an education position rule, and determining an education position based at least partially on a comparison of the transaction data to an education position rule.
US08386313B2
A system evaluates and selects temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material. Video streams, physical locations, print advertisements, store shelves, images, commercials, etc. are analyzed to identify locations for introducing stimulus material, such as messages, brand images, products, media, marketing and/or other sales materials. The system analyzes neuro-response measurements from subjects exposed to stimulus material in different temporal and spatial locations. Examples of neuro-response measurements include Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding measurements. Neuro-response measurements are analyzed to select temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material.
US08386309B2
In an embodiment, a system for validating, redeeming, and financially settling paper coupons coded with a GS1 barcode and 8110 Application Identifier comprises a real time network through which a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicates directly to, or through a POS controller, with an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server. One or both of the POS terminal and POS controller are installed with a ICN POS data bridge which stores computer code. The ICN server is configured to run a real time application while in communication with the POS terminal, wherein the POS terminal transmits paper coupon data elements read from the GS1 barcode and other consumer transaction information including universal product codes purchased, and transaction details to the ICN server via the network.
US08386308B2
An assignment system and method for generating content creation requests or “assignments” and targeting assignments to content contributors. The assignment system is part of a content distribution system that aggregates, manages, and distributes/syndicates multimedia content that is generated by content contributors. As part of the acquisition of content, the assignment system may compensate the content contributors for the content that they provide to the system. The assignment system generates assignments that are likely to result in content that will be of interest to content consumers. The assignment system targets the generated assignments to content contributors that are well-suited to generate content that will be successful among a target audience. The assignment system notifies those contributors of available assignments and allows contributors to claim assignments to fulfill. The assignment system also manages the flow of content submissions and verifies that submitted content meets the assignment's requirements.
US08386306B2
A computer-assisted method of establishing a brand presence in a facility. The method includes accessing, by facility personnel, a computer having a playlist that controls the playback of audio and video broadcasting within the facility and entering on the playlist, by facility personnel, identifiers of advertisements related to the facility.
US08386294B2
A system for determining a level of optimality for countries in which to perform a specified business function includes a data storage unit, a mapping engine and a mapping generator. The data storage stores a composite business environment index, a composite input resources index, and an innovation index. The mapping engine receives the specified business function and input factors related to the specified business function and selects at least two of the composite business environment index, the composite input resources index, and the innovation index based on the input factors. The matrix generator determines the level of optimality indicating a measure of success in achieving the specified business function for each of the countries based on scores in the at least two selected indices.
US08386293B2
A hardware platform (300) of choice can be configured and arranged to determine (101) a current need to respond to a previously unknown person with content and to then obtain (102) from that person only a modicum of personal information. The hardware platform can then use (103) that modicum of personal information to access a store of characterizing general information and thereby obtain a corresponding profile for this person. The hardware platform can then automatically and currently provide (104) initial content to this person, wherein the initial content is customized as a function, at least in part, of this profile information.
US08386280B2
The present invention is a tool including a spatial database and a data warehouse used to track portfolio sites that are affected by weather events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, hail, tornados, or manmade events. A spatial database provides rich spatial geometry features using earth longitude and latitude as a 2-D reference system in spatial system. A insurer portfolio site, which is defined by longitude and latitude data, includes portions that are represented as a point. A weather event is represented as polygon in the spatial database. Based on user configured threshold values, it may be determined when a point falls inside, or on a boundary, of a polygon to identify a site that is affected by that weather event and corresponding reports may be generated, including maps identifying the affected sites and total insured value calculations for the affected sites, in order to gauge risk.
US08386274B1
Systems and methods may be provided for a prescription safety network program. The systems and methods may include receiving an eligibility verification request for a prescribed drug or product, where the eligibility verification request may include a pharmacy identifier, a patient identifier, and physician identifier; determining, based upon the received pharmacy identifier, that a pharmacy associated with the pharmacy identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for filling the prescribed drug or product; determining, based upon the received patient identifier, that a patient associated with the patient identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for utilizing the prescribed drug or product; and determining, based upon the received physician identifier, that a physician associated with the physician identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for prescribing the prescribed drug or product; and generating an approval authorization by the validation engine in response to the eligibility verification request.
US08386266B2
A scalable audio codec for a processing device determines first and second bit allocations for each frame of input audio. First bits are allocated for a first frequency band, and second bits are allocated for a second frequency band. The allocations are made on a frame-by-frame basis based on the energy ratio between the two bands. For each frame, the codec transform codes both frequency bands into two sets of transform coefficients, which are then packetized based on the bit allocations. The packets are then transmitted with the processing device. Additionally, the frequency regions of the transform coefficients can be arranged in order of importance determined by power levels and perceptual modeling. Should bit stripping occur, the decoder at a receiving device can produce audio of suitable quality given that bits have been allocated between the bands and the regions of transform coefficients have been ordered by importance.
US08386265B2
A computer program product for communicating across channels with emotion preservation includes a computer usable storage medium having computer useable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code including: computer usable program code to receive a first language communication comprising text marked up with emotion metadata; computer usable program code to translate the emotion metadata into second language emotion metadata; computer usable program code to translate the text to second language text; computer usable program code to analyze the second language emotion metadata for second language emotion information; and computer usable program code to combine the second language emotion information in first language communication with the second language text.
US08386260B2
Embodiments of a system include a client device (102), a voice server (106), and an application server (104). The voice server is distinct from the application server. The client device renders (316) a visual display that includes at least one display element for which input data is receivable though a visual modality and a voice modality. The client device may receive speech through the voice modality and send (502) uplink audio data representing the speech to the voice server over an audio data path (124). The application server receives (514) a speech recognition result from the voice server over an application server/voice server control path (122). The application server sends (514), over an application server/client control path (120), a message to the client device that includes the speech recognition result. The client device updates (516) one or more of the display elements according to the speech recognition result.
US08386259B2
A method for combining speech recognition with near field communication (NFC) to enable a user to enter, store, and use web addresses on portable devices. A user of a portable device having a NFC reader, a voice input interface, a speech recognition system, and memory enables the NFC reader of the portable device to touch a NFC tag or reader found on an object. The object containing information of interest to a user of the portable device; wherein when the NFC reader and the NFC tag or reader touch, the portable device receives a URI and default keywords associated with the URI. The portable device stores the URI in a persistent storage of the portable device based on the default keywords, and date, time, and location of when and where the URI was obtained. The user of the portable device can then retrieve and use the URI at a later time using the voice input interface and the speech recognition system, wherein when the user speaks the default keywords into the voice input interface, the speech recognition system to retrieve the URI.
US08386258B2
A method for recognizing an audio sample locates an audio file that closely matches the audio sample from a database indexing a large set of original recordings. Each indexed audio file is represented in the database index by a set of landmark timepoints and associated fingerprints. Landmarks occur at reproducible locations within the file, while fingerprints represent features of the signal at or near the landmark timepoints. To perform recognition, landmarks and fingerprints are computed for the unknown sample and used to retrieve matching fingerprints from the database. For each file containing matching fingerprints, the landmarks are compared with landmarks of the sample at which the same fingerprints were computed. If a large number of corresponding landmarks are linearly related, i.e., if equivalent fingerprints of the sample and retrieved file have the same time evolution, then the file is identified with the sample.
US08386256B2
An apparatus for providing improved speech synthesis may include a processor and a memory storing executable instructions. In response to execution of the instructions by the processor, the apparatus may perform at least selecting a real glottal pulse from among one or more stored real glottal pulses based at least in part on a property associated with the real glottal pulse, utilizing the real glottal pulse selected as a basis for generation of an excitation signal, and modifying the excitation signal based on spectral parameters generated by a model to provide synthetic speech.
US08386255B2
Descriptions of visually presented material are provided to one or more conference participants that do not have video capabilities. This presented material could be any one or more of a document, PowerPoint® presentation, spreadsheet, Webex® presentation, whiteboard, chalkboard, interactive whiteboard, description of a flowchart, picture, or in general, any information visually presented at a conference. For this visually presented information, descriptions thereof are assembled and forwarded via one or more of a message, SMS message, whisper channel, text information, non-video channel, MSRP, or the like, to one or more conference participant endpoints. These descriptions of visually presented information, such as a document, spreadsheet, spreadsheet presentation, multi-media presentation, or the like, can be assembled in cooperation with one or more of OCR recognition and text-to-speech conversion, human input, or the like.
US08386250B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for disambiguating contact information. A method includes receiving an audio signal, generating an affinity score based on a frequency with which a user has previously communicated with a contact associated with an item of contact information, and further based on a recency of one or more past interactions between the user and the contact associated with the item of contact information, inferring a probability that the user intends to initiate a communication using the item of contact information based on the affinity score generated for the item of contact information, and generating a communication initiation grammar.
US08386249B2
Methods for compressing a transform associated with a feature space are presented. For example, a method for compressing a transform associated with a feature space includes obtaining the transform including a plurality of transform parameters, assigning each of a plurality of quantization levels for the plurality of transform parameters to one of a plurality of quantization values, and assigning each of the plurality of transform parameters to one of the plurality of quantization values to which one of the plurality of quantization levels is assigned. One or more of obtaining the transform, assigning of each of the plurality of quantization levels, and assigning of each of the transform parameters are implemented as instruction code executed on a processor device. Further, a Viterbi algorithm may be employed for use in non-uniform level/value assignments.
US08386248B2
A method of tuning reusable dialog components within a speech application can include detecting speech recognition events generated from a plurality of recognitions performed for a field of a reusable dialog component. The speech recognition events can be generated over a plurality of interactive voice response sessions. The method also can include automatically computing a suggested value for a tuning parameter corresponding to the field of the reusable dialog component according, at least in part, to the speech recognition events.
US08386247B2
An adaptive audio system can be implemented in a communication device. The adaptive audio system can enhance voice in an audio signal received by the communication device to increase intelligibility of the voice. The audio system can adapt the audio enhancement based at least in part on levels of environmental content, such as noise, that are received by the communication device. For higher levels of environmental content, for example, the audio system might apply the audio enhancement more aggressively. Additionally, the adaptive audio system can detect substantially periodic content in the environmental content. The adaptive audio system can further adapt the audio enhancement responsive to the environmental content.
US08386241B2
A system and method for automated dictionary population is provided to facilitate the entry of textual material in dictionaries for enhancing word prediction. The automated dictionary population system is useful in association with a mobile device including at least one dictionary which includes entries. The device receives a communication which is parsed and textual data extracted. The text is compared to the entries of the dictionaries to identify new words. Statistical information for the parsed words, including word usage frequency, recency, or likelihood of use, is generated. Profanities may be processed by identifying profanities, modifying the profanities, and asking the user to provide feedback. Phrases are identified by phrase markers. Lastly, the new words are stored in a supplementary word list as single words or by linking the words of the identified phrases to preserve any phrase relationships. Likewise, the statistical information may be stored.
US08386240B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, to identify topic words in a collection of documents that includes topic documents related to a topic are disclosed. A reference topic word divergence value based on a document collection and the topic document collection is determined. A candidate topic word divergence value for a candidate topic word is determined based on the document collection and the topic document collection. The candidate topic word is determined to be a topic word if the candidate topic word divergence value is greater than the reference topic word divergence value.
US08386236B2
A method for prompting by suggesting the stroke order of a Chinese character, an electronic device, and a computer program product are provided. The electronic device includes a database for storing codes of Chinese characters, and at least one stroke order of at least one handwriting of each of the Chinese characters. In the present method, when a character input through a phonetic transcription input method installed in the electronic device is identified, at least one Chinese character code corresponding to the input character is obtained from the database, and a stroke order of a handwriting of the input character from the database is shown according to the Chinese character code. Accordingly, a user is assisted to memorize the stroke orders of Chinese characters when the user inputs Chinese characters.
US08386234B2
By inputting words of source language as a keyword (31), a translation pairs are extracted (50) from a parallel corpus database including source language and target one. From the partially corresponding information on the translation sentence, a corresponding phrase group table formed by the corresponding phase of the target language corresponding to the source language phrase including a keyword phrase f the source language is stored (60). Text generator (70) assumes a relationship between the phrases of different language contained in the corresponding phrase group table and generates a text sentence candidate (32) of the target language.
US08386230B2
A method includes generating a first behavioral model of a circuit, the first behavioral model describing a physical circuit in a first configuration. The first configuration comprises a first logic structure configured to generate a first intermediate signal based on a received first plurality of inputs. The first configuration further comprises a logic cone configured to generate a scan output based on the first intermediate signal and a plurality of scan inputs. The first behavioral model is modified to generate a second behavioral model describing the physical circuit in a second configuration. The second configuration comprises an error circuit configured to receive the scan output and the first intermediate signal. A testability model is generated based on the second behavioral model, the testability model comprising a first structural representation of the first logic structure. In the event the first logic structure causes a coverage problem, the testability model is modified to include an inversion structure. The inversion structure is configured based on the first logic structure. The inversion structure is configured to generate an inversion structure output. The testability model is modified to couple the inversion structure output as an input to the error circuit.
US08386229B1
A simulation model is provided for flip-chip BGAs to help engineers determine the effects of IC package components. The simulation model includes a bump model, a package planes model, a package bypass capacitor model, a ball model and a PCB model. The simulation model in particular includes resistors, inductors, capacitors and transmission lines to simulate the electrical interaction between signal conductors, power/ground planes, vias and balls that exist in a flip-chip ball grid array (BGA) package. The simulation model helps engineers understand actual physical effects of flip-chip and IC package interactions, as well as the impact of the effects of power supply droop, ground bounce and crosstalk between adjacent signals, not only on the IC package level, but at the computer system level.
US08386217B2
Method for determination of a rigid value of an aerodynamic coefficient of an aircraft, in which measurements are made in a wind tunnel on a model of the said aircraft and, on the basis of these measurements, at least one value, known as flexible model value, of this aerodynamic coefficient is determined, characterized in that a rigid value of the aerodynamic coefficient is calculated on the basis of the said flexible model value(s) and a correction taking into account the flexibility of the model. A plurality of flexible model values is determined on the basis of measurements made by varying the parameter q/E and maintaining the angle of incidence at a constant value, and the correction consists in an extrapolation operation providing a value of the aerodynamic coefficient corresponding to q/E=0. As a variant, a single flexible model is determined and the correction consists in adjusting the said value with the aid of a correction factor.
US08386216B1
A method and system are provided for adaptively modeling and simulating high speed response of a transmission line. A simulation unit maintains a plurality of curve approximation options for modeling the transmission line. The suitability of a predefined primary one of the curve approximation options for modeling is determined based on frequency-domain modal scattering parameters obtained according to frequency-dependent data characterizing the transmission line. One of the options is selectively executed in response to the determination, in order to generate a macromodel of the transmission line. The primary option is executed upon determination of suitability, while a secondary one of the curve approximation options is alternatively executed upon determination of non-suitability. Transient simulation is then executed upon the resulting macromodel of the transmission line.
US08386204B2
A method is provided for the diagnosis of the EGR cooler efficiency in a Diesel engine that includes but is not limited to construction of a model for determining the temperature drop y=ΔT in the EGR cooler, the model having a parameter vector θ and an input vector x; performing a model calibration phase in order to estimate the bias h0 of the system; calculation of a set of primary residuals ε(θ0, x, ΔT), staffing from the model equation and using the results of the calibration phase; calculation of a set of improved residuals εN(θ0): ɛ N ( θ 0 ) = 1 N ∑ k = 1 N ( ɛ ( θ 0 , x k , y k ) - h 0 ) where N is the number of samples on which the diagnostic test is performed; calculation of a diagnostic index S: S=εTNR0−1εN and, use of the diagnostic index S in order to diagnose the efficiency of the EGR cooler.
US08386203B2
An evaluation method of a progressive-addition lens is provided. First, powers of the progressive-addition lens at a plurality of measurement points are measured to obtain an actually measured power distribution. Next, a comparison power distribution created based on the actually measured power distribution and a defective power distribution prepared in advance are compared with each other to perform similarity search between the both. Thereafter, whether or not the comparison power distribution and the defective power distribution are similar to each other is determined based on the result of the similarity search step, and if it is determined that the comparison power distribution and the defective power distribution are similar to each other, then the progressive-addition lens is evaluated as defective.
US08386190B2
A system and method for identifying high order associations between variables in complex systems that is particularly useful where there is no correlation or weak correlation between variables due to the influence of a third variable, a ternary relationship. The ternary relationship describes how the variation in the pattern of association between a pair of variables, including its sign and strength, is mediated by a third variable. In one embodiment applied to gene expression data, the activity of pairs of correlated genes due to the activity of one or more third genes is shown.
US08386185B2
A system may include utensil means for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion, a means for detecting a first portion size for the first portion with the utensil means, a means for detecting a second portion size for the second portion with the utensil means, and a means for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size.
US08386184B2
Systems and methods for calculating an initial amount of target nucleic acid N0 in a sample are provided. A plurality of fluorescent measurements is received. Each respective fluorescent measurement FSn is taken in a different cycle n in a PCR amplification experiment of the sample. Then, a model for the PCR amplification experiment is computed. For each respective fluorescent measurement, the model comprises a respective equation for Nn, where (i) Nn is the calculated amount of the target nucleic acid in cycle n of the corresponding PCR amplification experiment, and (ii) the equation for Nn is expressed in terms of K and N0, where K is the Michaelis-Menton constant. The model can be refined by adjusting K and N0 until differences between model values Nn and corresponding fluorescent measurements are minimized, thereby calculating the initial amount of a target nucleic acid N0 as the minimized value for N0 for the model.
US08386171B2
A method of matching a virtual map, the method including: receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) information; generating a basic map matching result using the GPS information; generating a virtual map matching location based on the basic map matching result; and displaying the virtual map matching location.
US08386170B2
A method is provided for presenting audio information related to scenic points of interest (POIs) to a user traveling along a predetermined route. The predetermined route is guided by a navigation device for providing audio navigation announcements that include turn-by-turn directions to the user. The predetermined route is defined between the starting location and a destination that includes scenic POIs. Audio navigation announcements are output to the user for selectively guiding the user along the predetermined route. An active region around each POI while traveling along the predetermined route is used to identify a current POI. Audio POI information is reproduced relating to the current POI while the user is within the active region of the current POI. Audio POI information reproduced to the user is selectively scheduled at a time not conflicting with the audio navigation announcements output to the user.
US08386168B2
A server device collects traveling speed data from a first mobile device when the first mobile device is located within an area of potential traffic congestion; and records or updates a congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected traveling speed data, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion. The server device receives, from a second mobile device, a request for traffic information, where the request includes information identifying a current geographic location of the second mobile device and a destination geographic location to which the second mobile device plans to travel; and provides information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the second mobile device to permit the second mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.
US08386167B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media described herein provide for the display of taxi route control point information in conjunction with an alphanumeric taxi route display in an aircraft. Taxi route data is received and compared with airport map information to determine any taxi route control points along the taxi route. Information associated with the taxi route control points is then collected and displayed on a display unit of the aircraft in conjunction with an alphanumeric display of the taxi route. The information associated with the taxi route control points may include ATC clearance information, runway and taxiway status information, runway orientation information, runway and taxiway traffic information, or taxi route information such as distance remaining to the taxi route control point.
US08386160B2
A body detection apparatus includes: movement direction calculation portion that calculates a movement direction of each of acquisition points by using signals that show the acquisition points and that are obtained through detection of a body present around the vehicle; and determination portion that pre-sets a frame commensurate with a shape of a body as a detection object, and for pre-setting for the frame a reference traveling direction as an assumed traveling direction of the body, and for determining, among the acquisition points, acquisition points present within the frame whose reference traveling direction is aligned with the movement direction as being acquisition points of a single body.
US08386150B2
An engine control system includes a fuel cutoff (FCO) module, a fuel control module, and a spark control module. The FCO module, when a FCO event is disabled, determines a feed-forward (FF) number of cylinders to offset a delay period associated with supplying fuel to the cylinders of an engine and selectively maintains a FCO torque request at a predetermined torque. The fuel control module commands fuel be supplied to the FF number of cylinders of the engine when the FCO event is disabled. The spark control module maintains a spark timing of the FF number of cylinders at a fully retarded spark timing based on the FCO torque request.
US08386143B2
A control device for controlling a front wheel drive force and a rear wheel drive force of a vehicle comprises a first controller for controlling a drive force of a main drive wheel and a drive force of an auxiliary drive wheel, the drive force of the main drive wheel being one of the front-wheel drive force and the rear-wheel drive force, and the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheel being another of the front-wheel drive force and the rear-wheel drive force; a second controller for sending to the first controller an auxiliary-drive-wheels-limiting drive force for limiting the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheels in a case that the vehicle is traveling in an unstable state; and a third controller for controlling a motor drive force, which is a source of the drive force of the main drive wheel and the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheel. The third controller reduces the motor drive force on the basis of the auxiliary-drive-wheel-limiting drive force.
US08386136B2
In the construction vehicle, a controller is configured to implement a pump displacement rapid change suppression control for controlling the displacement of a travel hydraulic pump so that travel circuit oil pressure reaches a maximum value equal to or less than a cutoff pressure value when the vehicle has stopped regardless of engine speed, and the displacement of the travel hydraulic pump gradually increases as the travel circuit oil pressure decreases from the maximum value.
US08386135B2
The invention relates to a drive system and to a method for monitoring a hydrostatic drive (1). The hydrostatic drive (1) has at least one hydrostatic piston engine (2) on which a control unit (6, 6′), which controls the hydrostatic piston engine (2, 2′), is arranged, wherein the control unit (6, 6′) is connected to a central control device (13), which controls the drive system (1), via a first interface (14). Control signals for controlling the drive system (1) can be transmitted using the first interface (14). The central control device (13) is additionally connected to the control unit (6) via a second interface (26, 26′), and a switch-off signal can be transmitted from the control unit (6, 6′) to the central control device (13) and/or from the central control device (13) to the control unit (6, 6′) using the second interface (26, 26′).
US08386134B2
A method for enhancing payload control is disclosed. The method includes removing material during a plurality of work cycles with at least one loading machine and associating the loading machine relative to at least one haulage machine. The method also includes determining the relative locations of the loading machine and the haulage machine and, during the plurality of work cycles, loading removed material into the haulage machine with the loading machine. The method also includes determining payload and payload distribution within the haulage machine at least before a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles and communicating to the loading machine, via a machine-to-machine communication system, the amount and position within the haulage machine of additional payload desired in at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles for desired payload and payload distribution.
US08386133B2
A first sensor detects a boom angle of a boom with respect to a support. An attachment is coupled to the boom. A second cylinder is associated with the attachment. A second sensor detects an attachment angle of the attachment with respect to the boom. An accelerometer detects an acceleration or deceleration of the boom. A switch accepts a command to enter a ready position state from another position state. A controller controls the first hydraulic cylinder to attain a boom angle within the target boom angular range and for controlling the second cylinder to attain an attachment angle within the target attachment angular range associated with the ready position state in response to the command in conformity with at least one of a desired boom motion curve and a desired attachment motion curve.
US08386132B2
A method and system for preventing vehicle movement during start-up arising from a false-neutral indication. Using signals from one or more wheel speed sensors of the vehicle, a vehicle processor determines if the vehicle is moving during start-up, and if so, outputs a termination signal to shut-down the vehicle before any additional movement occurs.
US08386128B2
A method for adapting steering characteristics of a motor vehicle with an electric power steering system, including determining of steering angle signals of a steering train utilizing at least one steering angle sensor in the steering train, determining measuring and control quantities of a dynamic drive system, and adapting the steering characteristics based on the steering angle signals and the measuring and control quantities.
US08386124B2
A device for stabilizing a vehicle after a collision, including a control device having a regulation algorithm, a sensor system for recording various quantities that describe the vehicle state, and an actuator for carrying out a stabilization intervention. The driving state of the vehicle is monitored for the occurrence of a collision, a setpoint value is calculated for a vehicle movement quantity, the setpoint value being at least partly independent of the steering instruction of the driver, and the vehicle movement quantity of the vehicle is regulated to this setpoint value in the case of a collision.
US08386123B2
A method for automatically determining a current offset value for the zero-point correction of a vehicle inclination sensor including the steps of while driving in a first driving direction, the current driving resistance is determined repeatedly, without regard to the sensor and stored temporarily, and a current raw signal value of the sensor is noted. Upon a change in the driving direction, the last-noted raw signal value is stored temporarily and while driving in the second driving direction. The current driving resistance is determined repeatedly, without regard to the sensor and stored temporarily. Then, if the difference between the two stored driving resistances agree with a tolerance threshold, the noted raw signal value is stored as the offset value for the zero-point correction of the inclination sensor.
US08386121B1
A methodology for minimizing the error in on-line Kalman filter-based aircraft engine performance estimation applications is presented. This technique specifically addresses the underdetermined estimation problem, where there are more unknown parameters than available sensor measurements. A systematic approach is applied to produce a model tuning parameter vector of appropriate dimension to enable estimation by a Kalman filter, while minimizing the estimation error in the parameters of interest. Tuning parameter selection is performed using a multi-variable iterative search routine which seeks to minimize the theoretical mean-squared estimation error. Theoretical Kalman filter estimation error bias and variance values are derived at steady-state operating conditions, and the tuner selection routine is applied to minimize these values. The new methodology yields an improvement in on-line engine performance estimation accuracy.
US08386104B2
A system and method is provided for determining a mode of operation of a hybrid vehicle, obtaining torque data and speed data based on the mode of operation, and displaying component icons as well as a graphical representation of power flows. The graphical representation of power flows is displayed between pairs of the component icons. The component icons represent components of the hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery, drive wheels, and an electric machine arrangement.
US08386101B2
A diagnostic system for a hybrid vehicle comprises a processor module and a motor control module. The processor module outputs a seed value. The motor control module controls torque output by an electric motor of the hybrid vehicle, receives the seed value, generates a final key value based on the seed value, and outputs the final key value to the processor module.
US08386082B2
A cell phone location-based system is described that determines the occupancy of a home and controls home energy consumption such that energy is saved when the home is unoccupied. Occupancy is determined according to cell phone locations, occupant behavior patterns, or burglar alarm status. When an occupant is determined to be returning to their unoccupied home, the heating or cooling apparatus is activated to return the temperature in the home to a comfortable level by the time the occupant arrives.
US08386081B2
An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.
US08386071B2
An automatic store and a method for storing plates of electronic circuits comprising a feed belt that feeds the plates of electronic circuits along a first plane (F); collection boxes positioned along at least one side of the feed belt and in which the plates of electronic circuits fed by the feed belt are grouped together according to quality classes; and one or more clearing stations disposed in cooperation with the feed belt in order to position the plates of electronic circuits in the respective collection boxes. The store comprises at least two rows of collection boxes disposed along at least one side of the feed belt, and a movement unit associated with the collection boxes to discharge the filled collection boxes and to position new collection boxes to be filled.
US08386068B2
The present invention is directed to a method of calibrating drill depth of an ophthalmic processing device. A number of drill cycles are selected for drilling an expected number of holes in a lens blank. The selected number of drill cycles is performed. The drill depth of each consecutive drill cycle varies incrementally. An actual number of locations the drill bit contacted the lens blank during the drill cycles is compared to the expected number of holes. The drill depth is adjusted depending on the compared values. A method of calibrating drill hole size is also disclosed.
US08386065B2
A method for manufacturing smart pressure suits, comprises steps of: measuring physical properties of lycra materials and select a lycra material suitable for making the smart pressure monitored suits; measuring body contour data of a patient and computing a pressure value applied to a disease's part of the patient; inputting the body contour data into a computer and creating a pattern of the smart pressure monitored suits by the body contour data and the pressure value processed by a drawing process module in the computer; plotting a blueprint of the smart pressure monitored suits with a plotter controlled by the computer; and sewing the smart pressure monitored suits according to the selected lycra material and the blueprint. Said method makes whole manufacturing process shorten and the manufactured smart pressure monitored suits has advantages of aesthetic, comfort, good air permeability, less deformation after it is wore in a period of time.
US08386063B2
A foreign matter detection unit detects an entry of an unexpected foreign matter that is other than the substrates by light transmitting optical sensors 7 having light projecting portions 7a and light receiving portions 7b at opening sections 3a, 3b formed in cover members 2 through which the substrates pass. By executing an emergency stop processing, when the entry of the foreign matter is detected at one of the opening sections, to stop the electronic component mounting apparatus that is adjacent to the opening section at which the entry of the foreign matter is detected, safety of the machine operators is properly ensured in check and confirmation works conducted at the time of machine troubles etc even in an electronic component assembling line in which the small-sized thin unit apparatuses are combined.
US08386061B2
Methods and systems for producing customized dental restoration and prosthesis, particularly denture prescriptions using a computer software program are provided. In this system, digital photographs of the patient to be fitted with the denture are taken, and the photographs are transferred to the software program. Based on these photographs, the program makes certain calculations. The program then prompts the dental professional to select the desired materials and structure for the denture. Based on this input, the program automatically produces a prescription for the denture. The digital prescription is sent to a dental laboratory for making the denture.
US08386059B2
A prog analysis and execution system and method. The system includes a computer control system, an interface engine in communication with the computer control system, the interface engine being configured to receive prog information, and an action item development engine in communication with the control system, the action item development engine being configured to analyze received prog information and to determine corresponding action items. The system further includes a sensor engine in communication with the computer control system, the sensor engine being configured to receive input from at least one sensor for use in controlling a well drilling operation, and an operational equipment engine in communication with the computer control system, the operational equipment engine being configured to receive input from the computer control system and to control the well drilling operation in accordance with the determined action items in the prog.
US08386056B2
Apparatus is provided that includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a vagus nerve of a subject, and a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the vagus nerve a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject. Also provided is a method comprising applying to a vagus nerve of a subject a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject.
US08386054B2
Disclosed is a modular system for providing electrical stimulation, in which a first modular electrode section has a contoured back end configured to engage a contoured front end of another electrode section or a tool that may be used to place the first modular electrode section in the patient's body. The contours of the modular electrode section allow the two components to engage with one another so as to prevent their separation in the horizontal plane, and a lead extending from the first modular electrode is configured to engage keels on the top surface of the second electrode portion or tool, with such keels providing a snap-type attachment between the lead and the second electrode portion or tool, such that the two components may be joined together but easily separated from one another through the intentional separation of the lead from the keels on the second electrode portion or tool.
US08386030B2
An iontophoresis device including an active electrode assembly or a counter electrode assembly with a polarizable electrode containing any one of a conductive material having a capacitance per unit weight of 1 F/g or greater, a conductive material having a specific surface area of 10 m2/g or greater, and activated carbon is disclosed. The generation of gas or ions due to an electrode reaction occurring in an electrode assembly may be reduced or prevented. In addition, the alteration of an active agent due to a chemical reaction upon energization may be reduced or prevented.
US08386028B2
A method of analyzing a composition of a human body having a plurality of body segments is disclosed. The method can include applying a current signal to a body. The method can further include simultaneously measuring a plurality of voltage signals from a plurality of measuring positions of the body during a predetermined period, and processing at least two of the plurality of voltage signals to determine a composition parameter of a body segment so as to assess or analyze composition of the body.
US08386024B2
A method for identifying and classifying various types of oversensing in implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), to assist a physician in choosing corrective action to reduce the likelihood of oversensing and inappropriate therapy delivery. Far-field electrogram (EGM) signals are analyzed to detect the occurrence of R-waves, and the result is compared to the number and pattern of R-waves sensed by the IMD and indicated on the marker channel. A marker channel with more sensed R-waves than indicated by analysis of the far-field EGM indicates the presence of oversensing, including double-counting of R-waves, T-wave oversensing, lead malfunction or failure, poor lead connections, noise associated with electromagnetic interference, non-cardiac myopotentials, etc. Identification of the type of oversensing may be determined by analysis of the number and pattern of marker channel sensed R-waves with respect to the timing of the R-waves detected from the far-field EGM.
US08386018B2
A medical device for determining the position of intracorporeal implants such as fixation systems, plates or the like, comprises at least one impedance-measuring device and an ultrasound device which are both connected to at least one intracorporeal probe, the impedance-measuring device being additionally equipped with at least one connector for connection to the implant. The device is suitable for determining the position of pedicle screws and the like in a spinal column fixation system with metal rods as stabilizers.
US08386016B2
In a method and device for determination of a position shift, first image data of a body region of a treatment-positioned patient that contain derivable temperature information are acquired. A focal area in the body region is determined, and the focus of a hyperthermia applicator can be aligned on the focal area. Second image data of the body region of the treatment-positioned patient that contain derivable temperature information are acquired, and a position shift of the focal area is determined by a comparison of the second image data with the first image data.
US08386015B2
Macroscopic imaging data, such as from a CT, MR, PET, or SPECT scanner, is obtained. Microscopic imaging data of at least a portion of the same tissue is obtained. To align the microscopic imaging data with the macroscopic imaging data, intermediate data is also obtained. For example, photographic data is acquired at an intermediary stage of a process of preparing tissue for microscopic scan. The macroscopic and microscopic data are registered to the intermediary photographic data. Once registered to the intermediary data, the spatial relationship between the macroscopic and microscopic data is known and may be used for imaging or quantification.
US08386014B2
In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides a method of identifying the source of arrhythmia, e.g. reentrant ventricular tachycardia, in a patient. In other embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides a method for treating or preventing reentrant ventricular tachycardia in a patient. In still other embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides systems for identifying the location of a candidate ablation site in a patient. In some embodiments, the patient has suffered from a myocardial infarction or has undergone structural remodeling of the heart caused by, e.g., cardiac fibrosis or the presence of dense trebeculation, resulting in nonviable areas with border zones (BZ).
US08386013B2
Methods, systems and computer program products of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using ultra short echo times and spiral sampling in k-space are disclosed. A long inversion radio frequency (RF) pulse that inverts magnetization of long T2 components are applied to a sample that exhibits long transverse relaxation time (T2) components and short T2 components to minimize signals corresponding to the long T2 components. In addition, half RF excitation pulses are applied to the sample to select one or more echo times. Data corresponding to the selected one or more echo times are acquired using a spiral trajectory, and a first echo image is obtained based on the acquired data.
US08386006B2
A medical microelectrode includes portions capable of movement relative to each other when implanted in or inserted into soft tissue, so as to increase or decrease their distance along the electrode. The electrode is at least partially embedded in a substantially rigid biocompatible matrix that is soluble or biodegradable a body fluid. Also disclosed are uses of the microelectrode; microelectrode bundles and arrays of microelectrode bundles and their uses; methods for inserting or implanting microelectrodes, microelectrode bundles and arrays of microelectrode bundles in soft tissue.
US08385994B2
There is provided a superconducting joint for electrically connecting a first multifilamentary superconducting wire including a plurality of first superconducting filaments embedded in a first stabilizer matrix and a second multifilamentary superconducting wire including a plurality of second superconducting filaments embedded in a second stabilizer matrix. The joint includes: a first bundle of bare superconducting filaments being formed by removing the first stabilizer matrix at an end joint portion of the first superconducting wire; a second bundle of bare superconducting filaments being formed by removing the second stabilizer matrix at an end joint portion of the second superconducting wire; and an intermediate superconductor interposed in contact relationships between the first and the second bundles, a critical current density of the intermediate superconductor under an operating condition of the superconducting joint being less than a critical current density of the bare superconducting filaments under the operating condition.
US08385991B2
A dual-axis hinge structure and electric device having the same are provided, and the dual-axis hinge structure includes a hinge base having a pushed portion, a first pivot portion having a first cam and a first shaft, a second pivot portion having a second cam and a second shaft, and a restoring member connected both the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion. The first shaft is pivoted on the hinge base, and the first cam is fixed on the first shaft, and the first cam is contacted with one lateral side of the pushed portion. The second shaft is parallel to the first shaft, and is pivoted on the hinge base, and the second cam is fixed on the second shaft, and the second cam is contacted with another lateral side of the pushed portion.
US08385974B1
A grip attachment for an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, which enables a user to grasp and control a camera of the mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment includes a main body and an enlarged grip extension attached to a first end of the main body. The enlarged grip extension is sized and shaped to enable a user's hand to hold the grip extension and attached mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment also includes a locking mechanism for attaching the attachment grip to a portion of a mobile phone protective case. A second end of the grip extension includes a connector for interfacing with a connector of the mobile phone. The grip extension includes an external control located on an outer surface of the grip attachment for activating a camera control of the mobile phone.
US08385973B1
A system for remote control of equipment such as office equipment is provided. The system involving a telephone interface and a control system. A method is provided for remote equipment control having steps of installing and configuring equipment. A method is provided controlling equipment remotely having steps relating to using elements of a control system.
US08385965B2
A method for generating a filtered signal quality value used in a power control system of a wireless communication apparatus. An estimated signal quality value of a received signal is generated. A filtered signal quality value is generated based on the estimated signal quality value. The filtered signal quality value is generated in dependence of at least one of registering a difference between a first and a second reference signal quality value, and a change in transmitted power of said received signal. A power control device comprising a signal quality estimator, a BLER estimator, a regulator, and an inner loop is configured to implement the method.
US08385957B2
A base station apparatus including a receiving unit to receive, from a terminal, quantized channel state information with respect to a radio channel from a plurality of transmission antennas of the base station apparatus to a plurality of receiving antennas of the terminal. A control unit to determine a control ratio of interference signal to noise with respect to the radio channel based on the channel state information. A precoding matrix computing unit to compute a precoding matrix based on the control ratio of interference signal to noise and a transmission unit to transmit data to one or more of the connected terminals using the precoding matrix.
US08385952B2
A mobile communications device user interface is described. In an implementation, a method is implemented by a mobile communications device that includes outputting a user interface having a portion that is configured to accept content. When an option is selected in relation to the portion to initiate a communication and the content includes one or more contacts, the communication is formed that includes the content and is automatically addressed to the one or more contacts.
US08385950B1
A computer-implemented method for automatically uploading media content from a mobile device to an online service provider can include receiving, in the mobile device, identifying information corresponding to a user account associated with at least one of a plurality of online service providers; capturing media content with a media input component included in the mobile device; and after the media content is captured, automatically uploading to the at least one online service provider the captured media content and the identifying information, without receiving user input contemporaneous with the automatic uploading that specifies that the captured media content is to be uploaded. The mobile device can further include a wireless communication component configured to wirelessly send data to and wirelessly receive data from the plurality of online service providers, which can be external to the mobile device.
US08385949B2
A method, call setup device (10) and computer program product for controlling telephone call setup for an associated user and having access to different communication networks are provided. The call setup device (10) comprising a data receiving unit (52) receiving a first data message (DM1) from the user comprising callee identifying information and user identifying information and a control unit (48) having access to call placing units (12, 14, 58), each connected to corresponding network (24,32) and providing telephone call set up via these networks, wherein the control unit analyses the callee and user identifying information, orders a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to a user terminal, orders a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a callee terminal and orders an interconnection of the first and the second call.
US08385944B1
A computer-implemented user alert method includes identifying a task for a user, associating a location with the task, monitoring a location of a mobile device associated with the user, and notifying the user about the task when the mobile device comes within a defined proximity of the associated location.
US08385938B2
The data transmission activity of established connections is monitored along with a measure of the load or drain on communication resources. When the load on communication resources increases or when it moves past a threshold, inactivity over an connection is not permitted or is permitted for a shorter time before releasing that user's connection. On the other hand, lower loads allow for a longer (or no) inactivity period before disconnecting the connection. Once inactivity on a connection exceeds the time determined based on load, that connection may be transferred to a lower capacity channel, e.g., a common channel. Alternatively, that inactive connection may be disconnected.
US08385936B2
A method of interference suppression in a wireless cellular network includes notifying a first base station that there is a second User Equipment (UE) that currently suffers downlink interferences from the first base station, when an second UE in an active state suffers the downlink interferences from the first base station; and reallocating, by the first base station, spectrum resources for a first UE communicating with the first base station. A first base station, a second UE and a second base station for implementing the above method of interference suppression are also provided. When the second UE in the active state suffers the downlink interferences from an adjacent first base station, the first base station can adjust the spectrum resources occupied by the first UE through resource scheduling, so as to reduce the downlink interferences on the second UE in the active state, thus to reduce the influence on the communication between the second UE and the second base station.
US08385935B2
A method for measuring a self-interference (SI) which occurs in a relay and controlling radio resources of a base station based on the measured SI, and a mobile telecommunication system using the same. The mobile telecommunication system includes a relay which calculates intensity of SI; and a base station which performs radio resource management based on the calculated SI intensity. The method for measuring SI includes calculating intensity of SI using a relay; and performing radio resource management at a base station based on the calculated SI intensity.
US08385930B2
It is described a method for distributing radio resources between a first radio link between a primary network element being assigned to a first hierarchic level of a network and a first secondary network element being assigned to a second hierarchic level and a second radio link between the primary network element and a second secondary network element being assigned to the second hierarchic level. The method includes (a) transmitting respectively a first resource allocation parameter from the first and the second secondary network element to a decision unit, the first resource allocation parameter being indicative for a minimum performance requirement, (b) transmitting respectively a second resource allocation parameter from the first and the second secondary network element to the decision unit, the second resource allocation parameter being indicative for a performance increase for the respective radio link following an allocation of additional radio resources, and (c) distributing the radio resources between the first and the second radio link based on the first and the second resource allocation parameter.
US08385907B2
A communication system switches a communication state from a first communication state where a wireless communication unit of a communication device performs data communication and voice communication with an external device and a phone device to a second communication state to perform the data communication between the phone device and the external device, in response to electric power supply to the wireless communication unit being interrupted. The first communication state is set with a communication-device network ID used for the communication device and a phone-device network ID used for the phone device. The second communication state is set with the phone-device network ID used for the communication device and the communication-device network ID used for the phone device.
US08385905B2
Cell information broadcast system and method for reduced local environments, inferior to a radio cell, and applied to a cell (9) of a mobile telephone system. The system comprises for said cell (9) a base station (1), a plurality of mobile terminals (2), and at least one local cell broadcast equipment LCBE (3), which transmits local cell broadcast messages (5) to the mobile terminals (2) located within its coverage area (4) using a physical channel of the cellular system. Each LCBE (3) comprises reception means to recognize the transport configuration of the cell broadcast messages (5′) in said cell (9), configuration and content means, to determine the format and content of the local cell broadcast messages (5), and transmission means to broadcast the local cell broadcast messages (5).
US08385899B2
The present invention provides a method for automated application-selective processing of data by a portable processor based terminal device and the portable processor based terminal device enabled to perform the aforementioned method. The data is receivable wirelessly from an external counterpart data provision entity. One or more content data is extracted from the wirelessly received data. Then it is checked whether an application, which is currently carried out on the portable processor based terminal device, is applicable or compatible with the one or more content data and in case a content data is applicable with the current running application, the content data is supplied to the application, which processed on the supplied content data accordingly.
US08385893B2
A particular method includes processing a call connection between a user equipment (UE) device and a first network. The UE device is coupled to or includes at least a first subscriber identity module (SIM) that is associated with the first network and a second SIM that is associated with a second network. The method includes sending a status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM. The status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.
US08385888B2
Mobile devices are authorized to access PBX-based voice services through presentation of audible tones on a voice channel, which are determined based on a code received over a separate data channel. The device can request a code over a data channel from a server in communication with the PBX. The server provides data representative of the code over the data channel to the device, and arranges for local storage of the code. The device makes a connection with the PBX over a separate voice channel. The mobile device presents the received code as a sequence of audio tones (e.g., DTMF tones). The audio tones are used to generate data that can be compared with stored codes by an authentication module. The authorization module can indicate to the PBX that the code is valid; services can be provided by the PBX in response. The valid codes can be maintained, such as by removing used codes from code storage.
US08385885B2
A method of unlocking a mobile electronic device and a mobile electronic device are disclosed. The mobile electronic device is operable in a locked state with the touch screen of the mobile electronic device being deactivated. In an embodiment, the mobile electronic device comprises a pressure sensor coupled to the touch-screen for detecting an application of pressure to the touch screen.
US08385884B1
A do not disturb (DND) mode for telephonic devices, in which the DND mode is automatically deactivated after a time increment has elapsed, the DND mode having been activated based on detecting, upon receiving a telephone call, a selection of the control.
US08385883B2
Methods, systems, devices and computer program products are provided for locating, tracking and/or recovering a wireless communication device that has been misplaced, lost or stolen. In addition, the aspects provide for tracking or surveillance of the location or user in instances in which the wireless device has been loaned or is being used for covert surveillance. The aspects include communicating a locating state code to the targeted device, which detects the code and executes one or more routines that are associated with the respective code. In this regard, the targeted device is capable of carrying out different routines or sequences of actions depending on the state of the device, such as a misplaced state, a lost state, a stolen state or the like, which is based on the respective code.
US08385878B2
Embodiments include methods of activity control in which a time of initiation of an active period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle is based on a value calculated with respect to a wireless signal received during an active period of a previous DRX cycle.
US08385877B2
Fully integrated compact cross-coupled low noise amplifier. A circuitry implementation that includes two pairs of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) (either N-type of P-type) operates as an LNA, which can be used within any of a wide variety of communication devices. A majority of the elements are integrated within the design and need not be implemented off-chip, and this can provide for a reduction in area required by the circuitry. A differential 100Ω input impedance is provided by this design. A higher than typical power supply voltage can be employed (if desired) to accommodate one possible implementation that includes two parallel implemented resistors to ground.
US08385873B2
An equivalent radio frequency (RF) notch filter, an RF chip, and a receiver are provided. The equivalent RF notch filter includes: a local oscillation (LO) circuit, configured to provide a LO frequency signal; configured to be connected in parallel with the main chain, and down-convert signals of the main chain; and a frequency selective circuit realized by impedance difference, configured to provide different impedances for down-converted signals with different frequencies from the mixing circuit, so as to absorb the signals that need to be suppressed.
US08385872B2
The present patent application comprises a linear transconductor having at least one input and at least one output, comprising a differential amplifier having a plurality of transistors and a plurality of inputs, wherein a difference of input signals is amplified, a cascode circuit having a plurality of transistors, wherein the transistors are operably connected to the differential amplifier, wherein reverse isolation between an input and an output of the linear transconductor is improved by decoupling the input and the output of the linear transconductor by mounting at least one transistor of the plurality of transistors of the cascode circuit as a common-gate stacked on the at least one transistor of the differential amplifier, an active load having a plurality of transistors operably connected between the cascode circuit and supply voltage, and an auxiliary device operably connected to the connection between the active load, the cascode device and ground.
US08385865B2
The wireless receiver of the present invention accommodates dual-carrier Evolved EDGE without significantly impacting existing receiver architectures. The inventive receiver comprises a shared local oscillator and two image-rejecting downconverters. The local oscillator generates a local oscillator frequency between two carrier frequencies of adjacent radio channels. The receiver receives a signal in each of the adjacent radio channels. In a dual-carrier mode, a first image-rejecting downconverter uses the local oscillator frequency to downconvert a first signal received in the first radio channel while rejecting a second signal received in the second radio channel. A second image-rejecting downconverter uses the local oscillator frequency to downconvert the second signal while rejecting the first signal. In a diversity mode, the first and second image-rejecting downconverters use the local oscillator frequency to downconvert the signal received in one of the radio channels while rejecting the signal received in the other radio channel.
US08385861B2
A disclosed radio communication apparatus transmits a radio signal to multiple users via multiple transmit antenna groups at appropriate transmit power levels, each of the transmit antenna groups including one or more transmit antennas, the transmit antenna groups having respective transmit power constraints. The apparatus includes a precoding unit configured to perform precoding on signals modulated for individual users and generate transmit weights, an optimum transmit power calculation unit configured to receive the transmit weights from the precoding unit and use components of the transmit weights and respective transmit power limit values for the transmit antenna groups to calculate an initial value for a transmit power optimization problem for calculation of the appropriate transmit power levels for the users, and a transmission unit configured to transmit radio signals at the calculated transmit power levels.
US08385855B2
The present disclosure relates to systems, devices and methods related to transmitters, and/or transceivers having a single, tunable oscillator in a dual conversion architecture. In various exemplary embodiments, this transmitter may include: a first mixer configured to receive a first oscillator signal from the single oscillator; a filter configured to band pass filter the converted signal and output a filtered signal; and a second mixer in communication with the filter, configured to receive the filtered signal. This dual conversion transmitter may be configured to receive a communication signal from an input to the transmitter and to output a converted signal based on the first oscillator signal and the communication signal. The second mixer may be configured to receive a scaled version of the first oscillator signal and to output a desired frequency output signal based on the scaled version of the first oscillator signal and the filtered signal.
US08385834B2
A control section 8 detects the symmetry of an input pulse-like noise waveform with respect to a reference value from its Fourier spectrum distribution, and restricts, in the case of a symmetric wave, the operation of a noise elimination circuit such as a noise killer circuit 7, which performs previous value hold or various interpolation processing.
US08385828B1
A method of data transfer using short range technology. An originating short range wireless technology enabled device wirelessly communicates a first portion of content to a destination short range wireless technology enabled device along with location information that enables retrieval of a remaining portion of the content from a back office location. The destination short range wireless technology enabled device processes the first portion of content. The remaining portion of the content may be retrieved for processing by the destination short range wireless technology enabled device before the completion of processing of the first portion of content.
US08385815B2
A service management platform for processing packet switched communications is provided. The service management platform has a component for handling voice calls. The component for handling voice calls comprises a first input/output for sending and receiving data packets associated with a first leg of a call, a second input/output for sending and receiving data packets associated with a second leg of the call, a monitoring component for monitoring copies of the data packets for commands contained within a payload of the data packets, and a relay component for directly relaying the data packets between the first input/output and the second input/output and for generating and forwarding copies of the data packets to the monitoring component.
US08385811B1
Systems and methods are provided for improved processing of forms using color. One aspect is a method for processing a plurality of test answer sheets in a standardized test system. In various embodiments, each of the plurality of completed test answer sheets is recorded. The completed test answer sheet is scanned, an identifier for the completed test answer sheet is determined, and three or more colors are electronically recorded to form a multicolor image on a computer readable medium. The multicolor image is representative of the scanned completed test answer sheet. The multicolor image is associated with the identifier in a database. Each of the plurality of completed test answer sheets is scored. Scoring the test answer sheets includes digitally modifying at least one color in the multicolor image at an image use point to assist with scoring the completed test answer sheets. Other aspects are provided herein.
US08385809B2
A sheet cutting device includes: an interposing section that interposes a sheet bundle in which a plurality of sheets are bundled; a cutting blade section having a cutting blade that cuts a sheet bundle interposed by the interposing section; a blade receiving member that receives a cutting edge of the cutting blade in the case of cutting; and a controller that controls a stop position of the cutting blade in the case of cutting. The controller controls the cutting blade section so that an amount of movement from a standby position of the cutting blade to the stop position becomes great when the number of times of cutting operations is increased.
US08385801B2
An image heating apparatus includes a magnetic flux generator for generating magnetic flux; and a rotatable belt including an electroconductive layer which generates heat by the magnetic flux generated by the generator and having flexibility and a cylindrical shape. The generator is outside the belt. The apparatus further includes a back-up member inside the belt member; a rotatable pressor for pressing the belt against the back-up member to form a nip, in which a recording material is nip-conveyed; and a regulator, provided in a sheet passing area of a passable recording material having a maximum size, for regulating movement of the recording material with respect to a longitudinal direction of the belt. The regulator regulates the shape of the belt so that the belt dimension member in a recording material conveying direction is longer than the belt dimension perpendicular to the recording material conveying direction.
US08385794B2
A belt device includes an endless belt bearing a toner image having a plurality of different colors superimposed one on another, a plurality of rollers on which the belt is mounted, a meandering correcting member correcting the meandering of the belt in a belt width direction, a sensor detecting the position of an end surface of the belt in a width direction of the belt, an adjusting mechanism adjusting the movement of the meandering correcting member, and a controller controlling the adjusting mechanism based on the position detection of the belt end surface by the sensor. The controller controls the adjusting mechanism so that the belt end surface approaches a specified target position and lies within a specified position range including the specified target position. The specified position range is set based on the magnitude of fluctuation of the position of the belt end surface.
US08385791B2
A developer regulating member regulates a thickness of a layer of a developer on a surface of a developer bearing body. The developer has a degree of circularity in a range from 0.94 to 0.97. The developer regulating member includes a resilient plate member composed of a metal material and having a bent portion. An outer surface of the bent portion contacts the surface of the developer bearing body so that a ridge line of the outer surface of the bent portion crosses a moving direction of the surface of the developer bearing body. A curvature radius R (μm) of the outer surface of the bent portion and a mean crystal grain diameter D (μm) of the metal material satisfy the relationship: 60×10−3×R−11≦D≦93.75×10−3×R−6.875.
US08385785B2
Development stations are provided. A development station has a housing having a recirculation path and an auger being rotatable to move the developer along part of the recirculation path. A first output is at a first end of the auger through which a first urging force urging the first end of the auger away from the second end can be applied and a second output at a second end of the auger through which a second urging force urging the second end away from the first end can be applied. At least one actuator generates an input force from which at least one of the first force and the second force can be provided; and a separator provides the first urging force and the second urging force to create a tension in the auger.
US08385777B2
A drive transmission mechanism including a drive shaft, a rotational driving member having at least two first protrusions and provided to the drive shaft, a driven member having at least two second protrusions and provided to a rotary shaft of a rotary member, deformable connecting parts provided to at least one of portions between the first protrusions and the rotational driving member and portions between the second protrusions and the driven member, and an elastic member covering the deformable connecting parts. The deformable connecting parts displace one of the first and second protrusions relative to one of the rotational driving member and the driven member in a direction tangential to a direction of rotation of the rotational driving member and the driven member upon contact of the first protrusions with the second protrusions.
US08385775B2
A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The process cartridge further includes a portion to be positioned, a displacing portion, and a portion to be urged. The portion to be positioned is positioned to a main assembly side positioning portion by the portion to be urged when the process cartridge is set in the main assembly.
US08385772B2
An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge that has an inner shutter and an outer shutter and is attached to and detached from a main body through a door disposed on a main body. The outer shutter moves to a position in which toner is allowed to be discharged through a toner outlet of the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is loaded into the main body, and the inner shutter moves to an open position in which the toner outlet is opened by being interlocked in a closing operation of the door after the toner cartridge is loaded into the main body.
US08385770B2
There is provided a developer recovery device including: a casing; a recovery member disposed along an edge portion of the aperture portion; a sealing member disposed along an edge portion at a conveyance direction upstream side of the aperture portion; a moving section that moves the recovery member and the sealing member between a position of being touched against the developer-bearing member and a position of being apart from the developer-bearing member; a suction section that sucks the developer separated from the developer-bearing member into the casing; and a filter that is long in the length direction of the aperture portion and that is disposed in the casing between the aperture portion and the suction section with an inclination such that a lower portion of the filter is further away from the aperture portion than an upper portion of the filter.
US08385765B2
An image forming apparatus capable of selectively discharging a sheet having an image formed with toner on one surface thereof and a sheet having images formed with toner on both surfaces thereof includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image on a sheet, a sheet stacking portion configured to stack sheets each having the toner image fixed thereon, and a control portion configured to control a maximum sheet stacking amount of sheets stacked in the sheet stacking portion. The control portion controls the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets, at least one of which has the toner images formed on both surfaces thereof, are stacked to be smaller than the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets each having the toner image formed on one surface thereof are stacked.
US08385763B2
A heating fixer, including a fixing member heating and melting a toner image; a pressure member contacting the fixing member upon application of pressure to form a nip; a variable device varying the pressure of the pressure member to the fixing member with rotation of a cam to vary a width of the nip into at least three steps; a drive motor driving the cam; and at least two position detectors detecting a rotational position of the cam, wherein each of the position detectors is formed of a fixed transmission sensor and a blocking filler coaxially rotating with the cam in a body, the blocking filler includes a blocking blade capable of blocking light received by the transmission sensor, the plural blocking fillers include blocking blades so as to have phases different from each other among the blocking fillers.
US08385762B2
A transfer roller lies opposite to a supporting roller across an image carrying belt and abuts against the outer surface of the image carrying belt to form a transfer nip. A driving force transmission unit transmits driving force from a driving source to a driving roller. A drive control unit performs drive control of the driving source. A feedforward control unit performs feedforward control on the driving source via the drive control unit. An entry detecting unit detects entry of a sheet in the transfer nip. The feedforward control unit considers an entry detection signal output by the entry sensor as a trigger for performing feedforward control after a predetermined time.
US08385758B2
An image forming device includes a first medium container for a first printing medium; a second medium container for a second printing medium; a medium feeder for feeding one of the first and second media from one of the first and second medium containers; a special process unit that performs a special process on the first printing medium fed by the medium feeder when image data, including instruction information instructing the special process, is received; a detector that detects a characteristic of the first printing medium; a special process capability determination unit for determining whether or not the special process can be performed based on the characteristic; and a control unit that ejects the printing medium and that causes the second medium to be fed from the second medium container when the special process capability determination unit determines that the special process cannot be performed.
US08385755B2
A fixing device and an image forming apparatus having the same, and a method of operating the fixing device, the fixing device being provided with a power interruption unit to prevent overheating of the fixing device by physically separating a fuse element from a power line and/or approximating a thermostat to a fixing member of the fixing device.
US08385750B2
An optical transceiver includes an optical transmitter. The optical transmitter varies the wavelength of its output beam in accordance with the setting of a digital to analog converter. Two split beams emerging respectively from beam splitters are introduced into a photodetector and a wavelength filter, respectively. A quotient is calculated by dividing the digital value output from an analog to digital converter (ADC) by the digital value output from another ADC. A memory address m is then determined based on this quotient without making any calculation for compensating for the imperfect characteristics of the wavelength filter. A wavelength notification value is then selected from a wavelength notification table based on the determined memory address m, and sent to the system host.
US08385746B2
An optical interface device determines whether frequency deviation of a clock signal corresponding to an optical signal from a client side is abnormal based on a stuff amount when subjecting a data signal corresponding to an optical signal input from the client side to a stuffing process, inserts an alarm indication signal (AIS) indicating that the frequency deviation is abnormal into a predetermined region of a data signal when the deviation is determined to be abnormal, and outputs an optical signal generated corresponding to the data signal to a WDM line side so as to transfer the AIS to another component disposed downstream therefrom, so that locating a site where an abnormal state occurs is made easier.
US08385744B2
A method for controlling delay in a Passive Optical Network (PON) is applicable when a Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) message is transmitted in a downlink direction. The method includes obtaining a buffer duration of the PTP message destined for an Optical Network Unit (ONU), storing the PTP message destined for the ONU, and sending the PTP message to the ONU when a duration for storing the PTP message reaches the buffer duration.
US08385742B2
Consistent with the present disclosure, clock-and-data recovery (CDR) circuitry and driver circuitry are provided on a chip that is separate from the driver circuitry, thereby reducing the amount of power consumed by the driver circuitry and simplifying system design. In one example, timing of the ERZ signals is controlled by a feedback loop that adjusts the phase of a data carrying signal relative to a clock signal, such that the phase has a desired value. Timing of the ERZ signals may thus be adjusted to minimize errors.
US08385739B2
An apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) configured to perform a path computation using a wavelength converter (WC) pool information based on a dynamic WC pool model, wherein the dynamic WC pool model comprises information regarding WC pool usage state represented using a WC pool usage state vector, and wherein the information regarding WC pool usage state is communicated to the PCE using a WC usage state Type-Length-Value (TLV) that indicates an available WC in a WC pool, a used WC in the WC pool, or both. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a WC usage state TLV comprising information regarding WC pool usage state, establishing a WC pool usage state vector using the information in the WC usage state TLV, and calculating a WC pool connectivity matrix based on the WC usage state vector.
US08385737B2
A stereopicture shooting bracket, includes: a bracket (10), a base (9) mounted on the base (10), a curved rail mounted on the base (9), a sliding block (2) moving along the curved rail (1), a camera (3) capable of continuous shooting mounted on a top of the sliding block (2), and a driving device for driving the sliding block (2). A circle the curved rail (1) locating locates on a horizontal plane. The stereopicture shooting bracket according to the present invention is capable of shooting pictures of a same object continuously from different angles, so as to overcome the drawback that the focus, metering, and angle of different cameras can not be consistent at the shooting moment.
US08385726B2
A playback apparatus includes an output unit configured to output main video data used as a main image, sub-video data used as a subsidiary image, cursor data to display a cursor, graphics data to display operation guidance, and sub-picture data to display subtitles, a first blend processing unit configured to superimpose the sub-video data, the sub-picture data, the cursor data and the graphics data, and a second blend processing unit configured to superimpose the superimposed data obtained by the first blend processing unit and the main video data.
US08385723B2
A video recording system that controls recording of television programming relating to sporting events to better match the intent of a user who specified programming for recording. The system merges data from an electronic program guide and sports data, such as from a news feed, to determine values of recording parameters, such as start and stop time and channel. User input may specify a player, team, league or other sports entity for which sporting events are to be recorded. The system may use the sports data to identify sporting events involving the specified sports entity and then access an electronic program guide to determine a channel on which to record the sporting events. When the user specifies a sporting event to record, sports data may be used to track progress of the event and dynamically adjust an ending time of the recording to ensure that the full event is recorded.
US08385718B1
A process for programming actions of resources in a network of domestic devices to enable a user to program an action to be performed by one of the devices from another device. The process includes sending a request for programming an action, the request including a set of parameters defining the action, a time indication, and a list of resources involved in the action. An actions manager verifies the availability of the resources at the time the action is to be carried out, and a message of acceptance or refusal of the programming action is sent out in response to the verification.
US08385711B2
Splice holders for managing and storing splices between optical fibers in fiber optic hardware and equipment are disclosed herein. The splice holder include a base portion and an array of splice holding partitions extending from the base portion. In some embodiments the array of splice holding partitions define a plurality of rows for receiving a respective first splice component along a first direction and a plurality of columns intersecting the plurality of fiber rows for receiving a second splice component along a second direction. Similarly, in some embodiments, selected pairs of splice holding partitions define a column width and selected pairs of splice holding partitions define a row width. Additionally, in some embodiments, the column width is sufficiently greater than the row width to accommodate the second splice component oriented along one of the plurality of columns that could not otherwise be accommodated if oriented along one of the plurality of rows.
US08385689B2
A computer implemented method and system is provided for aligning multiple overlapping images in real time using translation invariant feature matching. A user captures overlapping images comprising a first image and a second image using one or more image capture devices. An image aligning application determines one or more local maxima pixel points and local minima pixel points in the first image and the second image based on predetermined statistical criteria. The image aligning application performs iterative intra image correlation in the first image for selecting a predetermined number of feature points. The image aligning application performs iterative inter image correlation for the selected feature points, for determining a predetermined number of best correlated feature point pairs, and selects a matching feature point pair from the best correlated feature point pairs. The image aligning application aligns the first image and the second image using the selected matching feature point pair.
US08385687B1
In accordance with one embodiment, a method of determining a transformation between a first image and a second image includes acts of, for at least one region in the first image, determining a corresponding region in the second image as a function of a transformation parameter and determining a similarity function as a function of the transformation parameter between the region in the first image and the corresponding region in the second image. In one embodiment, the method further includes acts of determining a similarity function between the first image and the second image using the similarity function for the at least one region, and determining a value of the transformation parameter, wherein the value substantially optimizes the similarity function between the first image and the second image.
US08385681B2
A method of removing blemishes from an image. The method receives a selection of an area of an image, divides the area into at least two interior sub-areas, and replaces the colors of each sub-area independently from each other sub-area.
US08385677B2
A method and an electronic device for reducing digital image noises are described. The method includes the steps of sequentially selecting a pixel from a digital image, and setting the pixel as a target pixel; defining a first area, and setting at least two of the rest pixels surrounding the target pixel in the first area as adjacent pixels; setting a first weighted area; setting a second weighted area corresponding to the first weighted area; computing a weight of the adjacent pixel located at a center position of the second weighted area by using a piecewise linear curve according to a similarity value of the first weighted area and the second weighted area; computing a weighted average of all the adjacent pixels and the target pixel, to determine a new value of the target pixel; and performing the above steps repeatedly, till all the pixels are processed.
US08385674B2
This invention makes it possible to obtain an enlarged image while suppressing noise and maintaining the sharpness of an original image only by setting a simple enlargement ratio without no special knowledge. Original image data (Ia) is enlarged in accordance with a set enlargement ratio (E) to generate an enlarged image (IA). The enlarged image (IA) is smoothed by using a smoothing filter with a size depending on the enlargement ratio (E) to generate smoothed image data (IB). Difference image data (IC) is generated by calculating the difference between the enlarged image data (IA) and the smoothed image data (IB). The generated difference image data is multiplied by an emphasis coefficient. The product is added to the enlarged image data, thereby obtaining image data (IS) that has undergone enlargement/unsharp masking.
US08385673B2
An image processing apparatus includes: ΔΣ modulation means for applying, when predetermined signal processing is applied to a modulated image obtained by applying ΔΣ modulation to an image in a signal processing unit, the ΔΣ modulation to the image, wherein a frequency characteristic of noise shaping by the ΔΣ modulation is a characteristic opposite to a frequency characteristic of the predetermined signal processing.
US08385664B2
A progressive JPEG image decoding method is provided. In the decoding method, a non-zero history table and a sign table of each variable length decoding (VLD) result are recorded and used as a reference for decoding the next scan layer. The decoded coefficients are no longer directly stored in a memory so as to save the memory space. Accordingly, an image can be decoded and displayed correctly even with limited memory space.
US08385662B1
Clustering algorithms such as k-means clustering algorithm are used in applications that process entities with spatial and/or temporal characteristics, for example, media objects representing audio, video, or graphical data. Feature vectors representing characteristics of the entities are partitioned using clustering methods that produce results sensitive to an initial set of cluster seeds. The set of initial cluster seeds is generated using principal component analysis of either the complete feature vector set or a subset thereof. The feature vector set is divided into a desired number of initial clusters and a seed determined from each initial cluster.
US08385656B2
An image processing apparatus reduces two input images to be compared by the predetermined number of times to generate two image groups, extracts a plurality of feature points and a local feature amount of each feature point from these image groups, and determines a combination of feature points in which local feature amounts are similar to each other, between the image groups. Then, the image processing apparatus determines a relation of a reasonable combination, assigns high weights to the reasonable combination, and calculates a similarity degree between the two input images.
US08385652B2
An image processing apparatus segments Western and hieroglyphic portions of textual lines. The apparatus includes an input component that receives an input image having at least one textual line. The apparatus also includes an inter-character break identifier component that identifies candidate inter-character breaks along a textual line and an inter-character break classifier component. The inter-character break classifier component classifies each of the candidate inter-character breaks as an actual break, a non-break or an indeterminate break based at least in part on the geometrical properties of each respective candidate inter-character break and the bounding boxes adjacent thereto. A character recognition component recognizes the candidate characters based at least in part on a feature set extracted from each respective candidate character that can be histogram features, Gabor features or any other feature set applicable to character recognition. A Western and hieroglyphic text classifier component finds and classifies textual line segments as Western text segments or hieroglyphic text segments and further passes the recognition results to an output component.
US08385647B2
A digital image includes a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. In a method of analyzing the image, some of the pixels are purposefully not processed. In particular, only those pixels in a particular subgroup are processed according to a Hough or similar transform. The number of pixels in the subgroup is less than the total number of pixels in the image (e.g., as little as about 5% of the total pixels), and each pixel in the subgroup is pseudo-randomly selected. The Hough transform is inherently configured to function within the context of noisy images, for identifying features of interest in the image, as simulated by the pseudo-random selection and processing of less than the total number of pixels in the image. This significantly reduces the processor resources required to analyze the image.
US08385641B2
A method and apparatus for eliminating chromatic aberration; in an embodiment, only the chrominance signal is filtered in the luminance/chrominance coordinates so as to eliminate the chromatic aberration so that the chromatic aberration can be eliminated regardless of a property of a lens. In addition, there are advantages in not only eliminating the chromatic aberration but also preventing resolution of the original image from being damaged.
US08385639B2
A compressive coding device converts three color components of pixel data from the RGB presentation to the YCbCr presentation according to a mapping rule. Converted pixel data are subsequently subjected to irreversible compressive coding, thus producing compressive coded data. Pixel data ascribed to transparency control are converted to a prescribed value out of a mapping range according to the mapping rule. Compressive coded data are supplied to a visual display control device, in which they are decoded and reproduced into original pixel data of the first color presentation. Compressive coded data corresponding to pixel data ascribed to transparency control are rendered with a prescribed color in the RGB presentation which is designated as transparency in advance or not rendered on screen. Thus, it is possible to precisely perform the transparency control without causing a reduction of the compression factor regardless of the irreversible compressive coding and decoding.
US08385635B2
An image processing apparatus includes a screen processing unit that performs, on a color component basis, screen processing for a color signal having basic color components and at least one spot color component. The screen processing unit performs FM screen processing for one of the basic color components of the color signal and performs AM screen processing for the color components, other than the one of the basic color components, of the color signal with four types of screen angles.
US08385629B2
The present invention provides a band-pass filter, being capable of fitting a frequency spectrum area having phase information in a frequency spectrum image, to obtain a spectrum information corresponding to the phase information during the process of obtaining the phase information from the frequency spectrum image with respect to an object's surface profile. In another embodiment, the present invention further provides a method to optimize the spectrum range of the band-pass filter so as to enhance measuring accuracy and efficiency while restoring the surface of the object. In addition, by employing the foregoing method, the present invention further provides a measurement system for measuring three-dimensional surface shapes in which a deformed fringe pattern with respect to the measured object's surface is acquired and the phase information is obtained from the fringe pattern according to the foregoing method so as to restore the surface profile of the measured object.
US08385625B2
A method for providing quantitative information regarding the extent of infection of host cells by an infectious agent. A microscope image of a specimen of a bodily fluid is analyzed using image processing techniques to quantify the percentage of the area of the specimen that is infected.
US08385619B2
Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image.
US08385616B2
A report-data collecting unit retrieves and collects a character string in accordance with the prescribed character-string retrieval condition and the character string of annotation data. An image data display unit displays the character string and a list showing a medical image referred to while the object is being photographed. When the user selects the character string by designating the medical image shown in the list, both the character string and the medical image are associated by an image-data acquisition/process unit and then pasted at a prescribed position in a medical-image reading report preparation screen. Further, the data representing the medical image thus pasted is archived in an image database.
US08385610B2
A method of tracking faces in an image stream with a digital image acquisition device includes receiving images from an image stream including faces, calculating corresponding integral images, and applying different subsets of face detection rectangles to the integral images to provide sets of candidate regions. The different subsets include candidate face regions of different sizes and/or locations within the images. The different candidate face regions from different images of the image stream are each tracked.
US08385608B2
A face data registration apparatus is an apparatus to register dictionary data for walker authentication by use of a face image. The face data registration apparatus causes a posture data collection unit to collect posture variation data from a plurality of face images obtained by photographing a face of a registrant whose posture (face direction) is changed, further causes a walking data collection unit to collect walking data from a face image obtained by photographing a face of the registrant who actually walks along a passage, causes a synthesizing unit to create dictionary data by synthesizing posture variation data and walking data and registers the created dictionary data as dictionary data used to authenticate a person who walks in the passage by face collation into a dictionary data unit.
US08385604B2
The invention is provides a method of logging rock core. A digital photograph of core from a borehole is taken and the image is first processed. This involves calibration and correction, or un-distortion, of the digital image. A reference frame is included in the photograph to facilitate processing. The two-dimensional image is then used as a virtual three-dimensional model of the core enabling length and angle measurements to be logged. These include linear rock interval measurements as well as angular measurements of geological structures. The method is implemented using a software program which enables suitable hardware. The software program will be provided on a suitable computer readable medium. Manually logged data of the same kind is imported for comparison to data logged using the software program. All of this data can be displayed on the image and incrementally on a Stereonet as it is logged. A permanent visual record and reliable means of rapidly assessing the accuracy and quality of the data is provided. The invention also provides for automation of a significant part of the image processing and logging. The reference frame is preferably provided by a rock core tray frame having suitable indicators with known dimensions. The frame is rectangular with orthogonal lines on an upper surface. The mid-points of these lines are marked and spaced apart brackets provide for elevated lines superimposed on the orthogonal lines.
US08385601B2
An in-vehicle white line recognition apparatus is disclosed. Form an image captured by a camera, the apparatus extracts multiple white line candidates including a first white line candidate and a second white line candidate. The apparatus calculates a certainty factor of each white line candidate, the certainty factor indicating a degree of certainty that the each white line candidate represents the white line. When the first and second white line candidates are within a predetermined range and when a ratio of contrast of the first white line candidate to that of the second white line candidate is less than a predetermined value, the apparatus decreases the certainty factor of the first white line candidate.
US08385596B2
A virtual skeleton includes a plurality of joints and provides a machine readable representation of a human target observed with a three-dimensional depth camera. A relative position of a hand joint of the virtual skeleton is translated as a gestured aiming vector control, and a virtual weapon is aimed in proportion to the gestured aiming vector control.
US08385591B1
In one aspect, a system and method is provided that matches images that are associated with street addresses with images that are associated with locations that are stored with respect to another reference system, such as latitude/longitude. If the images match, the street address is associated with the location. In a further aspect, text contained in the images is extracted and associated with the street address as well.
US08385577B2
A thin hearing tube is to be fastened in a hearing apparatus such that it can be easily exchanged again. To this end, the end of the sound tube is melted, so that its diameter is enlarged. The sound tube can then be drawn into the bore, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the enlarged outer diameter of the end of the sound tube, until the extended end of the sound tube rests closely against one side of the bore. By cutting the sound tube end or by cutting through the tube at another point, it can be removed from the bore without any problem, so that a new tube can be fastened there.
US08385574B2
A hearing system and/or earpiece assembly is comprising an assembly structure with at least three parts. The parts are removably connectable and at least one of the parts can be arranged in relation to another one in a different orientation. Alternatively or in addition, at least one part is made out of a flexible material.
US08385554B2
A method, system and computer program product for preventing execution of pirated software. A file is loaded on an end user's computer containing a binary image that is generated by removing one or more code bits from an executable code. A request is sent to a remote server to return a software key required for execution of the executable code from the binary image. The software key is downloaded to the end user's computer on which the binary image is loaded. One or more bits from the software key is inserted into the appropriate location of the binary image to regenerate the executable code. The executable code is enabled for execution on the end user's computer only following the embedding of the one or more bits.
US08385551B2
A system and method for managing trusted platform module (TPM) keys utilized in a cluster of computing nodes. A cluster-level management unit communicates with a local TPM agent in each node in the cluster. The cluster-level management unit has access to a database of protection groups, wherein each protection group comprises one active node which creates a TPM key and at least one standby node which stores a backup copy of the TPM key for the active node. The local TPM agent in the active node automatically initiates a migration process for automatically migrating the backup copy of the TPM key to the at least one standby node. The system maintains coherency of the TPM keys by also deleting the backup copy of the TPM key in the standby node when the key is deleted by the active node.
US08385549B2
A method for preparing for handover of an apparatus from a first wireless network to a second, different wireless network, a master session key (MSK) having been generated during establishment of a connectivity of the apparatus to the first wireless network includes detecting signals of the second wireless network. In response thereto, establishing a connectivity of the apparatus to the second wireless network, using a pairwise master key (PMK) derived from the MSK generated during establishment of the connectivity to the first wireless network, one or more encryption keys being derivable from the PMK to support secure communication over the second wireless network.
US08385538B2
A differential transformer-free hybrid circuit includes a first amplifier configured to receive a first signal from a transmitter and output the first signal to a telephone loop, and a second amplifier configured to receive a second signal from the telephone loop and output the second signal to a receiver. Further, the differential transformer-free hybrid circuit also includes at least one balanced network element and a transformer-less interface configured to couple the first amplifier and the second amplifier to the telephone loop, wherein the transformer-less interface includes at least one current blocking device.
US08385532B1
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for monitoring and reporting various metrics associated with objects of interest. The present invention is adapted to monitor objects of interest, such as contact center agents, to determine whether a triggering event has occurred and, if so, report metrics associated with the object of interest in a dynamic, customized, and real-time fashion.
US08385527B2
Information may be provided to a telephony customer from an overlay service by causing a second stream of audio information to be overlayed on a primary stream of audio information. The overlayed information may be whispered to the user by causing the overlayed information to be compressed into a limited frequency spectrum which is inserted into a manufactured gap in the primary audio stream. This allows the user to continue to hear the main audio stream while also hearing the overlayed information. The overlay service may provide administrative information, advertisements, music, and/or Internet search results via the overlayed audio. Users may issue commands to the overlay service, to have particular information transmitted via overlayed audio. Where the user is also associated with a telephony application running on a computer platform, the overlayed information may be incorporated onto the information being shown to the user on a computer display.
US08385526B2
A method of controlling conference calls includes initiating a conference call between multiple conferees using a conferencing controller, placing each of the multiple conferees in a listen only mode using the conferencing controller, receiving a signal at the conferencing controller from a plurality of the conferees requesting active participation in the conference call, displaying a list of the plurality of conferees requesting active participation in the conference call, receiving from a user a selection of one of the plurality of conferees who have requested active participation in the conference call, and placing the one of the plurality of conferees in a talk mode using the conferencing controller. The method may also include monitoring a connection between the conferencing controller and a controlling application and notifying an operator if the connection is disrupted.
US08385520B2
After the user purchased an information apparatus, even when he turns on a power source without setting a line and automatic line identification fails, a demonstration mode is not started, and when the information apparatus exists in a shop, the demonstration mode can be certainly started by the minimum number of steps. The information apparatus has: a communicating situation identifying unit for identifying a communicating situation of the information apparatus; a display unit for displaying the demonstration mode and an electronic key for promoting sales of the information apparatus; an operation unit for selecting the electronic key; and a control unit for identifying the communicating situation when the power source is turned on, starting a regular mode in which the information apparatus is normally used when the identification of the communicating situation succeeds, and displaying a demonstration mode selection display screen to select start-up of the demonstration mode when the identification of the communicating situation fails.
US08385519B2
The present invention relates to arrangements and methods for information relating to updates of a web page associated with a call dialog between the client that has a call set up with a further client via the telephony server, wherein the client comprises a telephony interface for managing at least one dialog and a browser for disclosing at least said web page. The method of the client comprises the steps of: receiving a first telephone signaling message, wherein the message comprises an address to said web page and a first identifier associated with the address of said web page, connecting to said web page, receiving a second telephone signaling message, wherein the message comprises executable code, a web page, or a link to a web page, and a first identifier associated with the address of the web page to be updated, mapping the executable code, a web page, or a link to the web page identified by the first identifier and updating said web page disclosed on the browser of the client by executing the executable code or showing the web page or following the link to the mapped web page.
US08385510B2
A FDR SELT measurement is made in a stop band of a DSL band plan, using a PSD allowed by the PSD mask. Further measurements may also be made in an adjacent pass band and further bands, and the results combined to create a wide-band measurement result. When transformed into the time domain (e.g. by inverse Fourier transform to produce the line impulse response) greater resolution in time (and hence greater spatial resolution) is achieved. In order to compensate for AGC calibration errors measurements using different AGC steps may be scaled to fit smoothly to each other. If measurements overlap, measurement results in the region of overlap may be combined in various ways to limit the influence of noise and to create a smooth transition from one measurement to the next.
US08385508B2
A scattered radiation collimator element is disclosed for producing a scattered radiation collimator for absorbing scattered radiation which is generated during an examination of an object by interaction of x-ray or gamma radiation used for this purpose. For the purposes of simplification and reducing costs during production, in at least one embodiment, the scattered radiation collimator element includes a plurality of absorber elements, designed in a strip-like or filament-like fashion and arranged adjacent to one another to form an absorber surface.
US08385504B2
A DC/AC power inverter control unit of a resonant-type power converter circuit (400), in particular a DC/DC converter, for supplying an output power for use in a high-voltage generator circuitry of an X-ray radiographic imaging system, a 3D rotational angiography device, or X-ray computed tomography device, comprises an interphase transformer (406) connected in series to at least one series resonant tank circuit (403a and 403a′ or 403b and 403b′) at the output of two DC/AC power inverter stages (402a+b) supplying a multi-primary winding high-voltage transformer (404). The interphase transformer (406) removes a difference (ΔI) in resonant output currents and (I1 and I2) of the DC/AC power inverter stages (402a+b). In addition, a control method is disclosed which assures that the interphase transformer (406) is not saturated. Furthermore, the control method ensures zero current operation and provides for minimized input power losses.
US08385489B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for wireless channel estimation using interpolation elimination in the Eigen domain. Channel components at known OFDM symbol locations are interpolated to other OFDM symbol locations. Methods and apparatus are provided for interpolating in the Eigen domain between reference signals (i.e., training signals) to estimate the equalizer coefficients with a reduced complexity. In particular, one aspect of the present invention performs the required interpolation before a required matrix inversion in the Eigen domain.
US08385473B2
A receiver supports a single carrier (SC) form of modulation and a multi-carrier form of modulation such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Upon receiving a signal, the receiver determines a maximum fluctuation range (MFR) as a function of at least a fourth-order cumulant of a received signal; and classifies a modulation type of the received signal as a function of the determined maximum fluctuation range. After determining the modulation type of the received signal, the receiver switches to that modulation mode to recover data from the received signal.
US08385454B2
Methods and systems for optimizing the utilities of receiver devices in a wireless communication network are disclosed. Precoder design formulations that maximize a minimum worst-case rate or a worst-case sum rate are described for both full base station cooperation and limited base station cooperation scenarios. In addition, optimal equalizers are also selected to optimize the worst-case sum rate.
US08385450B2
A trellis processing technique for estimating a transmitted signal from a received signal acquired through a channel achieves a reduced computational structure when implementing a DDFSE-like branch metrics calculation by pre-storing computed values, which can be re-used. The technique involves storing differences between a received symbol and different products, each of which is a product of a channel coefficient corresponding to a least time delay and a different possible transmitted symbol. A summation of products is calculated, each product being a product of a possible transmitted signal symbol and a channel coefficient other than the channel coefficient corresponding to the least time delay, the summation being specific to a branch-start state in a trellis. The summation is combined with different stored differences in a calculation of branch metrics leading to different branch-end states in the trellis.
US08385448B2
A transport stream (TS) generating apparatus, a transmitting apparatus, a receiving apparatus, a digital broadcast system having the above, and a method thereof are provided. The digital broadcast system includes a transport stream (TS) generating apparatus which generates a multi transport stream (TS) by multiplexing a normal stream and a turbo stream having a variable coding rate, a transmitting apparatus which re-constructs the multi TS by processing the turbo stream, and transmits the re-constructed multi TS, and a receiving apparatus which receives the re-constructed multi TS, and decodes the normal stream and the turbo stream respectively, to recover normal data and turbo data. Accordingly, a multi TS, which includes normal stream and a turbo stream of various coding rates, can be transmitted and received efficiently.
US08385446B2
A receiving apparatus and method of a Maximum Likelihood (ML) scheme in a Single-Carrier (SC) system are provided. The apparatus includes at least two antennas, at least two Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) demodulators, at least two subcarrier mappers, at least two OFDM modulators, and a detector. The antennas receive signals. The OFDM demodulators convert the signals into frequency domain signals. The subcarrier mappers confirm signals mapped to frequency domain subcarriers. The OFDM modulators convert the signals into time domain signals. The detector constructs at least one set for candidate transmission symbols and detects receive signals through ML detection using the set.
US08385442B2
A transmitter and the method therefor are provided. The transmitter is applied in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based or other multicarrier communication systems. The transmitter uses N sub-carriers. Among the N sub-carriers, L sub-carriers (or tones) are reserved for PAPR reduction. L is less than N. The method includes the following steps. Original frequency domain data symbols are generated and fed into the reserved-tone symbol generation unit. The reserved-tone symbols are generated by using pure frequency domain signal processing. Then the reserved-tone symbols are combined with original data symbols to generate combined PAPR reduction signal. The resultant PAPR reduction signal can be fed into reserved-tone symbol generation unit iteratively to obtain updated reserved-tone symbols. For proper iterations, the original data symbols combined with L frequency domain reserved-tone symbols will result in lower PAPR transmit signal.
US08385428B2
A system, a method and computer-readable media for encoding image data into a compressed bitstream. A mode selection component is configured to select a mode of operation for use in encoding image data. A spatial mode encoder is utilized when the mode selection component selects a spatial mode of operation. The spatial mode encoder is configured to encode the image data into packets by organizing the image data in accordance with a spatial partitioning. A frequency mode encoder is utilized when the mode selection component selects a frequency mode of operation. The frequency mode encoder is configured to encode the image data into packets by organizing the image data in accordance with a frequency ordering.
US08385422B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a resolution increasing module and a moving-image improving module. The resolution increasing module that performs, on receipt of a first video signal with first resolution, super resolution conversion on the first video signal to obtain a second video signal with second resolution that is higher than the first resolution by estimating an original pixel value from the first video signal and increasing the pixels. The moving-image improving module that increases the frame rate of the second video signal after the super resolution conversion.
US08385421B2
A method of selecting a motion vector for an image block of an image of an image sequence from a number of test vectors.
US08385406B2
An apparatus and a method of coding/decoding an image are provided. The apparatus includes: a low resolution image coding unit that codes a low resolution image corresponding to an input image using motion estimation and compensation; and a residual image coding unit that performs intra mode coding with respect to a residual image which indicates a difference between a reconstructed image of the coded low resolution image and the input image by considering temporal correlation between neighboring residual images.
US08385404B2
Disclosed herein is a method for digital video encoding prediction comprising creating a constructed reference frame using an encoder and compressing a series of source video frames using the constructed reference frame to obtain a bitstream including a compressed digital video signal for a subsequent decoding process. The constructed reference frame is omitted from the series of digital video frames during the subsequent viewing process.
US08385400B2
Methods for providing adaptive equalization in the presence of a burst error are provided. If an equalization algorithm has converged and burst errors are present during a symbol interval, the equalizer coefficients remain unchanged during the symbol interval. If the burst error is no longer present during the next symbol interval, the equalizer coefficients are updated based on the previously converged coefficients.
US08385384B1
Systems, apparatuses and methods for selecting an appropriate frequency hopping sequence in a system of communicating devices. A random seed value is generated at the host device at its point of deployment. A frequency hopping sequence is generated using the random seed value. Other embodiments involve verifying whether the randomly generated seed value is indeed random in the operational vicinity.
US08385381B2
In a VCSEL, a first multilayer film reflector, an active layer having a light emitting central region, a second multilayer film reflector, and a transverse mode adjustment layer are layered in this order. The first multilayer film reflector has a quadrangle current injection region with an intersection of diagonal lines corresponding to the light emitting central region. The second multilayer film reflector has a light emitting window provided in a region corresponding to one diagonal line of the current injection region and a pair of grooves provided with the light emitting window in between. The transverse mode adjustment layer is provided correspondingly to the light emitting window, and reflectance of a peripheral region thereof is lower than that of a central region thereof.
US08385377B2
A semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser element configured to emit a fundamental wave; a transducer configured to receive the fundamental wave incident thereon and convert a wavelength of the fundamental wave to emit wavelength converted light; a filter configured to selectively transmit wavelength range light having a desired wavelength range of the wavelength converted light; a sealing member including a light-transmitting member and configured to enclose the semiconductor laser element, the light-transmitting member being configured to receive the wavelength range light transmitted through the filter and incident on the light-transmitting member, specularly reflect part of the wavelength range light, and substantially transmit the remaining part of the wavelength range light; and a photoreceptor configured to receive the specularly reflected light from the light-transmitting member.
US08385376B2
The invention relates to a laser source with an external cavity generating a useful laser beam (Fu), that comprises at least one laser diode DL (10) mounted in an extended optical cavity (30, 82) defined between two reflecting surfaces (92, 48) forming an optical path for a laser beam Fd generated by the laser diode DL, a mode selection filter (44, 86) in the optical path of the cavity for selecting a resonance mode from a range of resonance modes of the laser beam in the cavity. The extended cavity (2) includes in the optical path thereof an optical device (94) including a polariser (100) that is 100% permissive to a rectilinear polarisation of the beam Fd generated by the laser diode, the reference polarisation angle θ0being of 0 degrees, a polarisation rotator (102) of the beam at the output of the polariser (Fc1) by a predetermined rotation angle θ−1, a polarisation separator (04) of the beam (Frt) at the output of the polarisation rotator, the polarisation separator being inclined in the cavity so that its transmission axis (tt′) is oriented at an angle (−θ−1) having an opposite sign to and the same value as the polarisation angle of the beam (Frt) at the output of the rotator (102), wherein the optical device prevents any feedback of a reflection beam (Fretum) of the useful beam (Fu) towards said laser diode DL. The invention can be used in a laser for cooling atoms, in interferometry experiments, inertial sensors and atomic clocks.
US08385374B1
A multilane communication device and methods for using the multilane communication device. In one embodiment, a physical coding sub-layer module comprising includes multiple data transfer lanes in a port of a multi-lane Ethernet switch for transferring blocks of data between devices in the port. The physical coding sub-layer module further includes a synchronization marker generator for generating synchronization markers to be periodically transmitted over the multiple data transfer lanes. The physical coding sub-layer module further includes a data marker module configured to generate at least two data marker blocks from a respective portion of a synchronization marker and a respective portion of a block of data, and to provide the at least two data marker blocks to respective first and second ones of the multiple of data transfer lanes.
US08385373B2
A method of determining a boundary of a subframe in a time division duplexing (TDD) system is provided. The method detects a power level of a signal on at least one radio frequency, the signal comprising at least one subframe. A time-domain correlation is done on the detected signal with a first reference signal, wherein the first reference signal represents at least one subframe. The location in time of a boundary of the at least one subframe of the detected signal is determined based on the correlation of the detected signal and the first reference signal.
US08385359B2
A connection setting apparatus includes: a device-registered section to register first and second device information specifying a first and a second information-communication device, respectively; a physical-connection-port-information-acquiring section to acquire a physical connection port information from a first information output port of the first information communication device; a logical-connection-port-information-acquiring-section to acquire a logical connection port information from the second information output port of the second information communication device; a connection-port-display section to display a mark representing the first physical connection port specified by the physical connection port information and a mark representing the second information communication device; a selection section to select the first physical connection port and the second information communication device to be communication parties in information communication by a selection operation to the marks; and a correspondence-registering section to register a logical correspondence between the logical connection port and the first physical connection port.
US08385358B2
A method for managing packets, including identifying a first packet source having a first weight and second packet source having a second weight, where the first weight exceeds the second weight; assembling a first regular subsequence of packets using a first packet from the second packet source and a first set of packets from the first packet source having a cardinality equal to a first weight ratio; assembling a first augmented subsequence of packets using a second packet from the second packet source and a second set of packets from the first packet source having a cardinality equal to the first weight ratio plus one; and forwarding a first sequence of packets including a first set of regular subsequences, which includes the first regular subsequence, and a first set of augmented subsequences, which includes the first augmented subsequence and has a cardinality based on the first augmented subsequence factor.
US08385357B2
A network device of is a network device that transfers frames by repeating, in a constant cycle, a reserved transfer interval and a free transfer interval. The network device includes a transmission port, a cycle timer, a mode switching control unit that monitors a transfer state of the transmission port and selects a store-and-forward system when the transmission port is in the transfer process and selects a cut-through system when the transmission port is not in the transfer process, and a transfer prohibition control unit that selects the cut-through system as a transfer system when a non-reserved frame is transmitted and switches a transfer method of the non-reserved frame to the store-and-forward system when a reserved transfer interval is established, with reference to the cycle timer.
US08385354B2
Methods and apparatus for minimizing resources for handling time-outs of read requests to a work queue in a work queue memory are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a work queue execution engine receives a first read request when the work queue is configured in a blocking mode and is empty. A time-out timer is started in response to receiving the first read request. The work queue execution engine receives a second read request while the first read request is still pending, and the work queue is still empty. When the time-out timer expires for the first read request, the work queue execution engine sends an error response for the first read request and restarts the time-out timer for the second read request taking into account an amount of time the second read request has already been pending.
