US08383062B2
A diagnostic device is provided that includes a plurality of retainment regions interconnected through at least one fluid processing passageway or separated by at least one barrier. A fluid flow modulator can be provided in the fluid processing passageway if a fluid processing passageway is provided. The barrier and/or fluid flow modulator can comprise a polysaccharide, a derivative of a polysaccharide, or a combination thereof. For example, the barrier can comprise a chitosan material.
US08383058B2
Disclosed is a method for testing a modified specimen such as a dried blood spot, plasma or serum specimen, for an analyte of interest, such as cholesterol. In accordance with the disclosed subject matter, the level of the analyte of interest in the medium from which the modified specimen was obtained (e.g., from a patient's blood) is determined based on the level of an analyte in a solution formed from the modified specimen and on the level of at least one normalizing analyte. The analyte and normalizing analyte each may be an ion, compound, biochemical entity, or property of the specimen. Also disclosed are a fluid collector and a fluid collection device.
US08383056B2
A blood glucose test instrument kit having modular component parts capable of being assembled into a plurality of different handheld blood glucose test instruments is disclosed. The kit comprises the combination of an interconnection platform adapted to connect to a collection of interoperable modules. The collection of interoperable modules including: a plurality of different measurement engine modules, at least one user interface module, at least one power supply module. A handheld blood glucose test instrument is assembled by the interconnection to the interconnection platform of at least one measurement engine module, at least one user interface module, and at least one power supply module. The inter-module communication among the modules connected thereto to achieve enhanced glucose test instrument reliability by effecting at least one reliability protocol selected from a group of reliability protocols.
US08383052B2
Catalyst regenerators and methods for using same. The regenerator can include a regenerator housing containing a dense phase catalyst bed for receiving a catalyst to be regenerated. A heater can be disposed in the regenerator and can have a fuel nozzle configured to eject a mixture of fuel and an oxygen-lean gas for combustion to supplement the heat to satisfy the reactor heat demand when a light feedstock cracked that may not provide sufficient coke formation on the catalyst to fully satisfy the reactor heat demand.
US08383049B2
Multiple catalytic processing stations couple with a system which produces volatile gas streams from biomass decomposition at discrete increasing temperatures. These catalytic processing stations can be programmed to maximize conversion of biomass to useful renewable fuel components based on input feedstock and desired outputs.
US08383045B2
The present invention is directed to a measuring unit, for measuring characteristics of a sample liquid, comprising a support member, having at least one upper bearing arm, with an upper bearing unit, at least one lower bearing arm, with a lower bearing unit, and a base, for being attachable to a respective measuring system; a shaft, having shaft toes and being rotatably supported about a rotation axis, by said upper bearing unit, and said lower bearing unit, wherein said upper bearing unit, said lower bearing unit, and said shaft toes form toe bearings, respectively; an interface member, having a detecting element, and a drive element, said interface member, being fixed on said shaft, and being connected to a coupling shaft, with a probe connector section, for measuring characteristics of said sample liquid; wherein said interface member, and the coupling shaft, are coaxially aligned with said shaft.
US08383039B2
A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.
US08383022B2
Disclosed are a film-type light guide plate capable of readily securing mass-production and realizing low weight and slimness, a method for manufacturing the same and a backlight unit using the same. The method includes loading a base film on a movable first conveyor belt, coating a liquid ultraviolet curable resin on the first surface of the base film, rotating a surface-treated roll on the coated ultraviolet curable resin to form a prism pattern provided with a first protrusion pattern, and curing the prism pattern using an ultraviolet lamp.
US08383020B2
A dielectric fluid composition containing of 60% to 63% in weight of mono-unsaturated fatty acid, of 20% to 23% in weight of di-unsaturated fatty acid, of 5% to 7% in weight of tri-unsaturated fatty acid, and of 6% to 8% in weight of saturated fatty acid, such that the dielectric fluid is free of antioxidants and/or external additives and has the following properties: a dielectric strength of 40 kV to 70 kV at a separation of 2 mm, a dielectric constant of 2.5 to 3.1 at 25° C., and a dissipation factor of 0.05% to 0.15% at 25° C. The dielectric fluid composition can be obtained by a combination of 95.5% to 99.25% in weight of at least one high oleic vegetable oil, of 0.25% to 1.5% in weight of grape seed oil, of 0.25% to 1.5% in weight of sesame seed oil, and of 0.25% to 1.5% in weight of rice bran oil.
US08383015B2
Copper powder is provided, which, while having fine granularity and resistance to oxidation, does not lose either resistance to oxidation or balance in conductivity, and furthermore, copper powder for conductive paste in which variations in shape and granularity are small and having a low concentration in oxygen content. The copper powder for conductive paste contains 0.05 to 10 atomic % Bi inside each particle.
US08383011B2
A conductive ink having a glass frit, an organic medium a conductive species and one or more metallo-organic components which form metal oxides upon firing and reduce series resistance to a same or greater degree a ink that do not include metallo-organic components, is provided. Embodiments of conductive ink include metallo-organic components that include a bismuth metallo-organic component and glass frits comprising one or more of bismuth oxide, silica, boron oxide, tellurium dioxide, and combinations thereof. Embodiments of photovoltaic cells with an anti-reflection coating, gridlines formed from conductive ink incorporating one or more metallo-organic components, are also provided.
US08383010B2
An active element that is based on an electret emulsion and that comprises particles of pre-polarized electret material as emulsion in neutral liquid and both poles of the particles are colored with different colors. For producing a neutral carrier liquid for the active element liquid fluorine carbon is used. For producing electret material for the active element solid polymerised fluorine carbon or electret wax is used. The active element is used for producing visual matrix displays, indicators, surfaces and surface coatings that change color by the application of a control voltage.
US08382995B2
Methods are disclosed for manufacturing piezoelectric devices. In an exemplary method a base substrate is prepared that defines multiple device bases. Multiple cutting grooves are defined on a surface of the base substrate in a grid pattern to define therebetween the size of the devices. A frame substrate is also prepared from a piezoelectric material. The frame substrate defines multiple frames surrounding respective vibrating pieces and being alignable with respective bases in the base substrate. Also prepared is a lid substrate defining multiple lids being alignable with respective frames and bases. The three substrates are aligned and bonded together such that the frame substrate is between the lid and base substrates and the surface defining the cutting grooves faces outward. The base substrate is mounted on a dicing sheet such that cutting grooves face the dicing sheet. Cutting is performed, using a dicing blade, through the sandwich from the lid substrate to the cutting grooves.
US08382991B2
Discolored organic compounds (DOC) may be extracted from a medium using a sorbent composition derived by sulfidation of red mud, which contains hydrated ferric oxides derived from the Bayer processing of bauxitic ores. In some aspects, the sorbent composition is slurried with the medium. In other aspects, the sorbent composition is formed into pellets or the like, which are contacted with the medium. The red mud (along with adsorbed contaminants) is then separated from the water using any suitable technique, such as filtration, sedimentation, or centrifugation.
US08382985B1
An apparatus, system, and process for wastewater treatment. The apparatus can include a basin for receiving a liquid to be treated, the liquid having a direction of flow, and a plurality of pendant sheets for supporting the growth of microorganisms, disposed within the basin and in contact with the liquid, wherein the pendant sheets are oriented parallel to the direction of flow of the liquid.
US08382982B2
Apparatus to treat pollution in rivers, streams, lakes, bays, ports and all bodies of water, employing as methodology wetland plants or macrophytes growing atop a wire or rigid frame basket filled with polygons or other irregular shaped objects of various configurations. The root system of the macrophytes are merged with and grow down amid the substrate composed of small polygons, other irregular shaped hollow, plastic, ceramic objects or other materials. The substrate provides nutrients, oxygen and sanctuary to bacteria, thereby reducing and eliminating pollutants in all bodies of water.
US08382981B2
A module arrangement (5) according to an embodiment of the invention consists of a plurality of membrane modules (6) arranged in a two dimensional array (7) and extending between upper and lower block-type manifolds (8) and (9), respectively. The array of modules is further divided into sub-groups of modules (10) separated from each other by space (11) extending transversely across the membrane array (7). An integrated support frame (12) is positioned in the space (11) between the sub-groups (10) and is fixed to the upper and lower manifold blocks (8) and (9) to form an integrated support structure within the module array (7).
US08382980B2
Apparatus for water purification and used in drinking water supply systems and individual filters. The apparatus allows an increase in quality of the water purification by means of a helical arrangement of a granular filter and an increase of the number of passages in which the water is purified. A household filter comprises a housing with distribution grids at the water inlet and outlet, two and more helical partitions having the form of a flat band or rod twisted around the longitudinal axis and having three or more beam profiles, and, optionally, comprise one or more flat partitions dividing the water inlet and outlet.
US08382974B2
A sodium sensor to measure a concentration of sodium methylate in methanol. The sensor assembly includes a solid alkali ion conducting membrane, a reference electrode, and a measurement electrode. The solid alkali ion conducting membrane transports ions between two alkali-containing solutions, including an aqueous solution and a non-aqueous solution. The reference electrode is at least partially within an alkali halide solution of a known alkali concentration on a first side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode is on a second side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode exhibits a measurable electrical characteristic corresponding to a measured alkali concentration within the non-aqueous solution, to which the measurement electrode is exposed.
US08382965B2
Devices and methods for mounting and aligning transport rails to a processing chamber of a substrate processing system are described. An alignment feature is built-in to the transport rail and a corresponding alignment feature is added to the valves separating processing chambers. The alignment feature may be a pin-groove arrangement.
US08382951B2
A process for manufacturing fiberboard by preparing a fiber slurry mixture including containing cellulose fibers and water then atomizing a liquid bituminous material, such as asphalt. The liquid bituminous material is atomized by mixing it with a pressurized gas, such as compressed air, forming a mist comprising droplets of bituminous material having a diameter between 20 microns and 50 microns. A water spray solidifies the bituminous material droplets thereby forming bituminous particles which fall into the fiber slurry within the spray chamber. From there the slurry is sheared, dewatered, and dried, forming a finished fiberboard.
US08382946B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a paper surface sizing composition, a paper web coated on one or more sides or surfaces with a paper surface sizing composition, and a method for treating one or more sides of the paper web with a paper surface sizing composition to impart benefits relating to one or more of the following properties: (1) brightness; (2) opacity; (3) paper smoothness; (4) print quality; (5) optionally ink dry time (e.g., for ink jet printing where the sizing composition has option); and (6) optionally minimizing or eliminating edge welding (e.g., for paper webs used in, for example, form printing).
US08382945B2
Expandable microspheres formed by suspension polymerization using a shot growth method are provided. The microspheres are formed of a continuous, gas impermeable shell surrounding a blowing agent. The shell includes a first polymer layer formed from primary monomers and a second layer that includes a chemically reactive monomer or a high Tg monomer. To form the microspheres, the primary monomers are polymerized in a reaction vessel to an approximate 90% polymerization, at which time a secondary monomer that is either a monomer having a Tg of at least 85° C. or a chemically reactive monomer, is added to the reaction vessel to drive the polymerization reaction to completion. The outer layer thus contains either a larger amount of the high Tg monomer or a chemically reactive monomer that possesses the ability to covalently bond a cationic species. The microspheres may be used in papermaking processes to increase the paper bulk.
US08382944B2
A method for assisting in the removal of a pressure sensitive label from a slender glass vessel wherein said label is wrapped around the circumference of the vessel and extends along the length of the vessel includes positioning a planar cutting blade at two angles relative to the label, drawing the blade down along the length of the label, cutting the label into two opposite cut edges with one edge adhering to the vessel and the other cut edge being raised slightly away from the circumference of the vessel and forming a space between the two cut edges.
US08382934B2
A triaxial acceleration sensor which has a structure including a cover joined to a substrate including a mechanically operable functional unit to be sealed, is adapted in such a way that the joined state can be reliably obtained so as to not interfere with a displacement of the functional unit. A sealing frame is made of a heated polyimide on a periphery of an upper main surface of a substrate provided with a functional unit, and a sealing layer made of a polyimide is formed over an entire lower main surface of a cover. For integrating the substrate and the cover so as to seal the functional unit, the sealing frame and the sealing layer are joined to each other by heating and pressurizing the sealing frame and the sealing layer at a temperature that is about 50° C. to about 150° C. higher than a glass transition temperature of the polyimide while bringing the sealing frame and the sealing layer into contact with each other. In this case, a recess is formed in the vicinity of a portion of the sealing layer to be brought into contact with the sealing frame so that a bump, generated from the sealing layer which is deformed in the joining step, is prevented from protruding toward the functional unit.
US08382928B2
A method for manufacturing a pants-type diaper of the present invention includes: a step of carrying a diaper body in a longitudinal direction X; a first folding step of folding a side panel 3 along a first line L1 extending in the longitudinal direction; a first attachment step of attaching first end portions 31 of a pair of side panels 3 to end portions 20a (21a), opposing each other in a girth direction Y, of the front portion 20 or the back portion 21; a second folding step of folding the diaper body 2 along a second line L2 extending along the girth direction Y so that the front portion 20 and the back portion 21 lie on each other; and a second attachment step of attaching second end portions 32 of the pair of side panels 3 to end portions, opposing each other in the girth direction Y, of the back portion 21 or the front portion 20, to which the side panel 3 has not been attached in the first attachment step.
US08382922B2
A group of tertiary amine azides are useful as hypergolic fuels for hypergolic bipropellant mixtures. The fuels provide higher density impulses than monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) but are less toxic and have lower vapor pressures that MMH. In addition, the fuels have shorter ignition delay times than dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ) and other potential reduced toxicity replacements for MMH.
US08382911B2
A method for a stage device of an electron beam exposure system which conducts a cleaning operation and an electron beam (EB) exposure operation is disclosed. The method includes the steps of moving a movable stage within a predetermined range and regulating pressure of gas supplied to an air bearing; and setting a floating height of the movable stage in the cleaning operation lower than that in the EB exposure operation and setting the pressure in a differential pumping portion in the cleaning operation equal to that in the EB exposure operation, or setting the floating height of the movable stage in the cleaning operation equal to that in the EB exposure operation and setting the pressure in the differential pumping portion in the cleaning operation higher than that in the EB exposure operation.
US08382907B2
A grinding machine cleaning system and method provides a range of human safe products that can easily be introduced into the grinding chamber and cycled through the equipment. Some of the products include corn cobs, walnut shells, pecan shells, nuts, rice, dried corn kernels, corn meal, barley, wheat, bulgur, and other grain, fiber, legume, nut, bark, and shell products in varying shapes and sizes. Organic products have largely been considered ideal. However, inorganic materials also may be used with equal effect.
US08382891B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of coating dispersions for use in the paper industry by co-grinding natural calcium carbonate (GCC) and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), characterized in that powdery GCC is co-ground with a slurry containing from 5 to 70% by weight of PCC to obtain a particle size distribution of the calcium carbonate with at least 90% by weight of smaller than 5 μm, at least 70% by weight of smaller than 2 μm, and at least 20% by weight of smaller than 1 μm, with a weight average particle size within a range of from 0.7 to 3 μm.
US08382875B2
An air cleaner arrangement or assembly is provided. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge. The air cleaner assembly also includes an arrangement for positioning the filter cartridge into a preferred, sealing, orientation and for securing the filter cartridge in that location. Preferred serviceable filter cartridges are provided, as well as methods of assembly and use.
US08382866B2
The invention relates to a reaction apparatus that efficiently heats a reaction portion, and a fuel cell system and an electronic device that include such a reaction apparatus. A reaction apparatus (1) includes a reformer (4) in which formed are a reforming reaction chamber (31) and a reformer combustion chamber (30) that generates heat to be supplied to the reforming reaction chamber (31), which (30, 31) are adjacent to each other with a partition interposed therebetween; a CO remover (5) in which formed are a removing reaction chamber (35) where a chemical reaction is performed at a temperature lower than that in the reforming reaction chamber (31) and a remover combustion chamber (34) that generates heat to be supplied to the removing reaction chamber (35), which (34, 35) are adjacent to each other with a partition interposed therebetween; and a connecting portion (6) that connects the reformer (4) and the remover (5). At least one of the reformer (4) and the CO remover (5) is configured by combining ceramic parts (11, 12) and metal components (15, 16), and the ceramic parts (11, 12) and the metal components (15, 16) are connected with second members (18, 20) interposed therebetween.
US08382864B2
The present invention provides a hydrogen-generating apparatus in which the reduction in reforming efficiency associated with an increase in switching frequency to the regeneration reaction can be suppressed, and generation of hydrogen by reforming can stably be performed. In the reforming reaction, a cathode offgas discharged from a hydrogen-separation-membrane fuel cell 30 having a hydrogen-permeating film is supplied to PSR reformers 10 and 20, in which the reforming reaction and the regeneration reaction are performed alternately.
US08382861B2
The invention relates to a composite gel polymer Li-ion battery and its producing method. The Li-ion battery cell includes a three-layer composite layer of positive electrode current collector, positive electrode active material and gel polymer electrolyte obtained by a two-layer one-step coating process; a two-layer composite layer of negative electrode current collector and negative electrode active material obtained by a single-layer coating process or a negative electrode two-layer composite layer coated with a little polyurethane adhesive(s) on the surface. The gel polymer Li-ion battery cell is obtained by laminating the resultant two composite layers. The gel polymer Li-ion battery cell has a small thickness and a compact structure, and is laminated closely and easy for preparation and industrial automatic production. The Li battery prepared by the method has a uniform structure, a low internal resistance, a high uniformity, a good unity, and a high safety.
US08382860B2
A process for producing a lithium secondary battery employs a charging method where a positive electrode upon charging has a maximum achieved potential of 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) or lower. The process includes charging the lithium secondary battery to reach at least a region with relatively flat fluctuation of potential appearing in a positive electrode potential region exceeding 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) and 4.8V (vs. Li/Li+) or lower. The lithium secondary battery includes an active material having a solid solution of a lithium transition metal composite oxide having an α-NaFeO2 type crystal structure. The composition ratio of Li, Co, Ni, and Mn contained in the solid solution satisfies Li1+1/3xCo1−x−yNiy/2Mn2x/3+y/2(x+y≦1, 0≦y and 1−x−y=z).
US08382858B2
Textured heterogeneous surfaces and related articles as can be used in conjunction with methods for selective sensing and/or separation. When used for selective particle separation such a system can comprise a heterogeneous surface comprising a surface member and a plurality of components extending therefrom, such components spaced about and having a surface density, with heterogeneity comprising different interactions of the surface member and of the extended components with a particle exposed thereto. Various surface heterogeneities and different interactions can be utilized. However, in certain embodiments, competing electrostatic interactions, or a combination of electrostatic and non-electrostatic interactions, with a particle can be utilized. Such a system can utilize a surface member having a charge difference with respect to the components extending therefrom.
US08382856B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe hair dye, which requires a short hair dyeing time, has good hair dyeing property and color tone, and also has an effect of preventing photofading. The present invention provides a hair dye, which comprises a combination of (a) a first agent containing a substance reacting with iron to develop color and an ultraviolet absorbent having a 2-hydroxybenzophenone skeleton, and (b) a second agent containing iron salt.
US08382855B2
A composition and method oxidative colours hair based on at least one oxidative dye precursor and comprises one or more surfactants and has a pH below or equal to 7.0 after mixing with a composition comprising at least one oxidizing agent wherein the composition is applied onto hair as foam from a non-aerosol foamer vessel.
US08382846B2
Systems and methods for providing deeper knee flexion capabilities, more physiologic load bearing and improved patellar tracking for knee prosthesis patients. Such systems and methods include (i) adding more articular surface to the antero-proximal posterior condyles of a femoral component, including methods to achieve that result, (ii) modifications to the internal geometry of the femoral component and the associated femoral bone cuts with methods of implantation, (iii) asymmetrical tibial components that have an unique articular surface that allows for deeper knee flexion than has previously been available, (iv) asymmetrical femoral condyles that result in more physiologic loading of the joint and improved patellar tracking and (v) modifying an articulation surface of the tibial component to include an articulation feature whereby the articulation pathway of the femoral component is directed or guided by articulation feature.
US08382843B2
An intervertebral implant (300) for insertion into an intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies or between two bone portions. The implant includes a spacer portion (310), a plate portion (330) operatively coupled to the spacer portion and one or more blades (350) for securing the implant to the adjacent vertebral bodies. The blades preferably include superior and inferior cylindrical pins (360) for engaging the adjacent vertebral bodies. The implant may be configured to be inserted via a direct lateral transposals approach. Alternatively, the implant may be configured for insertion via an anterior approach.
US08382829B1
Methods of repairing the mitral valve and reducing mitral regurgitation. One method includes securing a first tissue anchor to a position on a posterior portion of the annular tissue of the mitral valve and a second tissue anchor to a position on an anterior portion of the annular tissue of the mitral valve. At least one tensile member spans between the first and second tissue anchors and across the orifice of the mitral valve. When tension is applied to the at least one tensile member, the posterior portion of the annular tissue is pulled toward the anterior portion.
US08382823B2
A stent includes a magnesium layer, a ceramic layer formed over the magnesium layer, and a magnesium compound layer interposed between the magnesium layer and the ceramic layer. The initial corrosion of the stent can be delayed, and the stent has excellent biocompatibility and thus can reduce side effects during cell proliferation and differentiation.
US08382821B2
An expandable helical stent is provided, wherein the stent may be formed of an amorphous metal alloy or other non-amorphous metal with a securement. The stent is formed from flat or tubular metal in a helical coiled structure which has an undulating pattern. The main stent component may be formed of a single helically coiled component. Alternatively, a plurality of helically coiled ribbons may be used to form a stent heterogeneous in design, material, or other characteristic particular to that stent. The helical tubular structure may be secured with a securement, such as a weld, interlock or a polymer, to maintain the helical coils in a tubular configuration. The helical coils of the main stent component may be spaced apart or nestled to each other. The nestling of the undulation of adjacent helical coils contributes to maintaining the tubular shape of the helically coiled stent. In addition, the nestling of helical coils may prevent the polymer layer from sagging at any point between cycles of the helical coils.
US08382819B2
A radiopaque nitinol stent for implantation in a body lumen is disclosed. The stent is made from a superelastic alloy such as nickel-titanium or nitinol, and includes a ternary element including tungsten. The added tungsten in specified amounts improve the radiopacity of the nitinol stent comparable to that of a stainless steel stent of the same strut pattern coated with a thin layer of gold. Furthermore, the nitinol stent has improved radiopacity yet retains its superelastic and shape memory behavior and further maintains a thin strut/wall thickness for high flexibility.
US08382815B2
Implantable devices, such as stents, having a surface modified with TiNxCy are disclosed.
US08382797B2
A method for sealing a puncture through a vessel wall using a sealing device including an elongate tubular body, a balloon carried by the body, an outer tubular member carried over the elongate tubular body, and a sealant carried by the elongate tubular body adjacent the balloon. Retracting the outer tubular member exposes the sealant.
US08382796B2
A device for sealing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the heart is provided. The device includes a left atrial anchor adapted to be placed in a left atrium of the heart, a right atrial anchor adapted to be placed in a right atrium of the heart, and an elongate member adapted to extend through the passageway and connect the left and right atrial anchors. The right atrial anchor preferably includes a plurality of arms and a cover attached to the arms. The left atrial anchor preferably also includes a plurality of arms and preferably does not include a cover. Preferably, the elongate member has a first end fixedly connected to the left atrial anchor and a portion, proximal to the first end, passing through the right atrial anchor. Preferably, the elongate member is flexible.
US08382795B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for sealing a subcutaneous tissue puncture. The method and apparatus increases the reliability of device function by creating a multi-level anchor nest in a carrier tube of a tissue puncture closure device. The multi-level nest allows an insertion sheath or other deployment member to slide between the carrier tube and the anchor to rotate and deploy the anchor within an artery or other lumen.
US08382792B2
A bipolar forceps is provided and includes a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom which defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The housing including a drive assembly disposed therein and is operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft. The bipolar forceps includes an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and has a pair of first and second jaw members. The first and second jaw members are pivotable about a living hinge and are adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source. Each of the jaw members includes a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof. One or more of the jaw members is operatively connected to a distal end the actuation tube via a cam pin such that distal reciprocation of the actuation tube cams each of the jaw members towards one another about the respective living hinge to grasp tissue.
US08382789B2
A handle for surgical instruments that has a “wishbone” configuration. In one embodiment, the instrument is provided with a ratchet mechanism allows two operating handles to be locked in a predetermined position (for example, when the surgical instrument that is maneuvered is in use) or to move relative to each other when the ratchet is partially or fully released (for example, when the surgical instrument that is maneuvered is not in use). In another embodiment, the instrument is provided with a rotary gear mechanism.
US08382785B2
A cystotomy apparatus includes a sound from which an advancement device having a cutting tip creates a surgical pathway from the bladder through abdominal tissue to the external abdomen along a predetermined path. The cutting tip is captured and removed from the advancement device in a capture cup located in the predetermined path by an alignment structure. The cutting tip is removed from the advancement device while within the capture cup, to allow a dilator, cannula or catheter to be drawn through the surgical pathway into the bladder.
US08382775B1
Methods, instruments and systems are provided for separating opposite walls of the stomach by extragastric application of suction. Plication of the stomach can be performed between the separated walls after which the separate walls are brought back toward one another. In another aspect, methods, instruments, devices and systems are provided for reducing the effective volume of a stomach by performing one or more extragastric plications of the stomach.
US08382770B2
Method for implanting a percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy tube in a patient and access needle for use in the method. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of (a) providing an access needle wherein the distal end of the stylet extends distally for an appreciable distance beyond the distal end of the cannula; (b) inserting the stylet, but not the cannula, into the jejunum; (c) grabbing the stylet with an endoscopically-positioned snare; (d) anchoring the jejunum against the abdominal wall using the snared stylet; (e) loosening the snare slightly while advancing the cannula into the jejunum and into the loosened snare; (f) tightening the snare around the cannula; (g) removing the stylet from the cannula; (h) inserting a guide wire or suture through the cannula into the jejunum; and (i) proceeding in the conventional fashion to implant a PEJ tube into the patient using the guide wire or suture.
US08382766B2
The present application relates to a surgical connecting device for connecting a first and second cutting block which each serve to make an incision on a first and second anatomical structure, comprising: a first attaching section for attaching the surgical connecting device to the first cutting block by a mechanical connection; a second attaching section for attaching the surgical connecting device to the second cutting block by a releasable mechanical connection; and a spacing section which spaces the first attaching section away from the second attaching section.
US08382759B2
A tracking device for an intramedullary pin whose spatial position is determined and/or tracked in image-guided surgery, including a reference device at a proximal end of the intramedullary pin and a medical navigation system which locates the reference device and determines the orientation of the intramedullary pin from the proximal end. A deformation detection device detects deformations of the intramedullary pin and communicates the deformations to the navigation system. Also provided is a tracking method for determining or tracking the spatial position of an intramedullary pin in image-guided surgery, and to an intramedullary pin that includes a deformation detection device.
US08382727B1
A skin topical applicator apparatus includes an arm that has a first end and a second end. A cavity is positioned in the arm and is adjacent to the first end. A mount is attached to the arm and extends away from the first end of the arm. A roller is rotatably attached to the mount. A canister is removably mounted in the cavity and a nozzle is fluidly coupled to the canister and extends outwardly of the first end. The nozzle is directed toward the roller. The canister is filled with a fluid under pressure. The canister includes a valve that is actuated to release the fluid into the nozzle to coat the roller with the fluid.
US08382723B2
An access port for subcutaneous implantation is disclosed. Such an access port may comprise a body for capturing a septum for repeatedly inserting a needle therethrough into a cavity defined within the body. Further, the access port may include at least one feature structured and configured for identification of the access port subsequent to subcutaneous implantation. Methods of identifying a subcutaneously implanted access port are also disclosed. For example, a subcutaneously implanted access port may be provided and at least one feature of the subcutaneously implanted access port may be perceived. Further, the subcutaneously implanted access port may be identified in response to perceiving the at least one feature.
US08382717B2
A drug administration safety device having a label configured to be attached to a drug container such as a syringe or IV bag, an adhesive on the back face of the label, and a backing or substrate for holding the label and protecting the adhesive prior to the application of the label to the drug container. In one embodiment, the label includes a first drug name section in a first orientation, a second drug name section in a second orientation, a third drug name section in a third orientation, a drug concentration section, a variable information section, and a gradiation viewing section. The first orientation, second orientation, and third orientation are different from each other to enable a user to readily see the drug name regardless of the position and orientation of the drug container.
US08382706B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for catheter input management. Certain embodiments provide a user interface system facilitating catheter monitoring. The system includes a virtual catheter input module (CIM) corresponding to and representing a physical CIM that is adapted to be connected to at least one catheter. The system also includes a configuration module establishing a catheter configuration for the virtual CIM based on a plurality of configuration settings for a catheter channel. At least one catheter channel is assigned to a virtual input port on the virtual CIM. The configuration module applies the catheter configuration for at least one catheter channel when a catheter is connected to a physical input port on the physical CIM corresponding to the virtual input port on the virtual CIM.
US08382701B2
The present invention relates to a method for ensuring a constant target speed of a battery driven electrical motor, the battery driven electrical motor being adapted to move a piston rod in an injection device so as to inject a set dose of medicine from the injection device, the method comprising the steps of setting a first target speed to be reached by the motor, determining whether the first target speed can be reached, and, if the first target speed can be reached, maintaining the first target speed until a set dose of medicine has been injected from the injection device, or if the first target speed cannot been reached, setting a second target speed.
US08382700B2
A medical device comprising a pressure generating means adapted to deliver a liquid, a sensor adapted to measure a flow resistance, and an implantable member comprising an analyte responsive porous membrane which reversibly changes its porosity subject to changes in analyte concentration occurring in the solution surrounding the implantable member. The analyte may in particular be glucose. The medical device may also be used for drug administration.
US08382697B2
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for the formation of an arteriovenous fistula in the limb of the patient. Embodiments include an apparatus for the creation, modification and maintenance of a fistula, including the modification of an existing dialysis fistula; and a method of supplying oxygenated blood to the venous circulation of a patient. A kit of anastomotic implants is described which supports a broad base of patient anatomies and fistula locations. The devices, systems and methods can be used to treat patients with one or more numerous ailments including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, lung fibrosis and adult respiratory distress syndrome.
US08382694B2
An ankle-foot orthotic is provided that treats steppage gate by preventing foot drop during movement. The orthotic having an ankle brace linked to a user's shoe by an elastic strap. The elastic strap having sufficient elasticity to provide the appropriate amount of tensile force to the shoe to prevent foot drop, while having sufficient flexibility to allow the user to naturally flex their foot and ankle during movement. The elastic strap comprises hook fasteners attachable to and removable from the shoe, such that the orthotic can be easily put on or taken off by the user.
US08382691B2
An orthopedic cast cover anchor assembly having a cast anchoring member and a coupler member for coupling the cast anchoring member to form a coupled cast anchor assembly in a generally annular configuration. Also, an orthopedic cast cover kit with at least one cast anchoring member, at least one coupler member for coupling the cast anchoring member to form a coupled cast anchor assembly in a generally annular configuration, and at least one limb protective cover which may be releasably fastened to the fastening portion of the cast anchoring member.
US08382690B2
Disclosed herein is a growth plate stimulation-type portable growth promotion apparatus including two-phase ultrasonic vibration generators and Light Emitting Diode (LED) devices. The ring-shaped two-phase ultrasonic vibration generators have a center hole. Each of the LED devices is provided in the center hole of the each two-phase ultrasonic vibration generator. The two-phase ultrasonic vibration generators includes a ring-shaped vibration stator configured to have a center hole; a first electrode layer provided under the vibration stator; a second electrode layer provided under the first electrode layer; and a piezoelectric ceramic group layer configured to include a first piezoelectric ceramic group for generating an A phase and a second piezoelectric ceramic group for generating a B phase. Growth plates are stimulated using two-phase ultrasound projected from the two-phase ultrasonic vibration generators and light projected from the LED devices.
US08382689B2
A high intensity focused ultrasound transducer includes an ultrasonic emitter having a surface that emits ultrasonic energy along a beam path, at least one low attenuation polymeric ultrasonic lens acoustically coupled to the surface in the beam path of the ultrasonic energy, such that the lens can direct the ultrasonic energy in at least one direction, and at least one stress mitigation feature, such as a kerf, a heat sink, or an acoustic matching layer, to mitigate thermal expansion mismatch stresses within the transducer. For manufacturing simplicity, the first surface is typically either flat or monotonically curvilinear. The lens may take a variety of shapes, including Fresnel features, and may focus, collimate, or defocus the ultrasonic energy. Any orientation and positioning of the at least one ultrasonic lens relative to the first ultrasonic emitter is contemplated. Manufacture is further simplified by molding, casting, or thermoforming the lens.
US08382683B2
A moving coil tissue penetration device includes a magnetic source that produces a magnetic field in a magnetically active region. A cylindrical coil is secured to a translation substrate and disposed at least partially within the magnetically active region. A sharpened member is configured to penetrate tissue and mechanically coupled to the translation substrate.
US08382678B2
User interfaces for medical perfusion systems that provide oxygenation, filtering, and recirculation of blood in connection with various medical procedures are provided. In particular, methods of displaying and communicating a desired target flow rate and cardiac index during cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries are provided.
US08382672B2
Improved devices, systems, and methods treatment of patients can be used to help mitigate injury to the kidneys by applying cyclical mechanical pressure energy at low intensities. The energy often be selectively directed from non-invasive transducers disposed outside the patients. The energy will typically comprise low frequency ultrasound energy, shock wave energy, or the like, and may induce the generation and/or release of nitric oxide, thereby enhancing perfusion and ameliorating tissue damage. Superimposed micro and macro duty cycles may help avoid thermal and other injury to tissues of the patient during treatment. Bilateral treatments are facilitated by a support structure that orients at least one transducer toward each kidney.
US08382671B2
A handheld ultrasound probe includes force detection and feedback to permit control and/or characterization of applied forces. The probe may, for example, be operated to maintain a substantially constant applied force over a period of use independent of a user's hand position, or to measure applied forces that might contribute to deformation of an imaging subject.
US08382662B2
Visual-assisted guidance of an ultra-thin flexible endoscope to a predetermined region of interest within a lung during a bronchoscopy procedure. The region may be an opacity-identified by non-invasive imaging methods, such as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) or as a malignant lung mass that was diagnosed in a previous examination. An embedded position sensor on the flexible endoscope indicates the position of the distal tip of the probe in a Cartesian coordinate system during the procedure. A visual display is continually updated, showing the present position and orientation of the marker in a 3-D graphical airway model generated from image reconstruction. The visual display also includes windows depicting a virtual fly-through perspective and real-time video images acquired at the head of the endoscope, which can be stored as data, with an audio or textual account.
US08382661B2
When a suction button is pushed in a pushing operation direction, the suction button pushes down longer lever ends of inversion levers, shorter lever ends of the inversion levers are pushed up based on a seesaw operation and the principle of leverage, and a piston body coupled through a coupling body moves in a direction opposed to a pushing operation direction against an urging force of a spring in cooperation with this upward movement. As a result, a valve moving portion moves away from a valve receiving portion to open a suction duct valve portion and suction is carried out, but the piston body retires to an outer periphery side of a bent duct when the valve portion is opened, and hence a suction duct is widened, thereby facilitating suction of even, e.g., a fluid having high viscosity.
US08382658B2
A capsule endoscope system includes: a receiving device that receives in-vivo images captured by a capsule endoscope inserted into an organ of a subject; and an image display device that acquires ID information of one or more capsule endoscopes, acquires through the receiving device the in-vivo images captured by the capsule endoscopes identified by the ID information, and displays thereon the in-vivo images thus acquired. The image display device is connected via a communication network to a central server that uniformly manages information about the capsule endoscopes, notifies the central server the ID information of the one or more capsule endoscopes, acquires information about the one or more capsule endoscopes from the central server, and performs a warning process about the one or more capsule endoscopes according to the information thus acquired.
US08382655B2
A disposable penile erection device that has a positive locking mechanism on the superficial veins around the base of a human penile organ. The device is a tubular structure adapted to the penis to be secured in loop configuration about the base of the penis to provide two (2) adjustable and lockable radial constriction force about the base of the penis. Methods for using the device are also provided.
US08382635B2
An epicyclic reduction gear device includes a cylindrical housing (1), having an internal circumference equipped with at least a crown wheel (2), at least a first train-carrier (7) rotatable inside the housing (1) and supporting a first output shaft (13), at least a planetary first wheel set (3a, 3b, 3c), hinged on relative pins (6a, 6b, 6c) fixed at the first train-carrier (7) and provided with related toothed portions (9a, 9b, 9c) engaged with the crown wheel (2), and a solar gear wheel (4) which is integral with an input shaft (10) and which is engaging with the planetary wheels (3a, 3b, 3c). The reduction gear device (12) has at least a first idle gear wheel (5) which is pivoted on the first train-carrier (7) and which engages two wheels (3a, 3b) of the planetary wheels (3a, 3b, 3c) in order to allow force balancing.
US08382632B2
A differential case includes a first boss part into which a first drive shaft is inserted, and a second boss part into which a second drive shaft opposed to the first drive shaft is inserted. The differential case is composed of: a first case body extending from pinion-shaft assembling parts on which a pinion shaft is assembled, to a ring gear; a second case body having the first boss part; and a third case body having the third boss part. The first case body is integrally formed by forging. The second case body is integrally formed by forging. The third case body is integrally formed by forging. The first case body and the second case body are joined to each other by welding. The first case body and the third case body are joined to each other by welding.
US08382631B2
A drive system includes a pulley, an engine, a variator for varying a ratio of an output speed and an input speed, a gearset including a first and second components driveably connected to the engine and pulley, respectively, and a third component connected to the output, and a second gearset for increasing an input speed relative to an pulley speed.
US08382630B2
A fixed ratio traction drive is disclosed that uses multidiameter planet rollers. The high speed traction drive provides speed reduction from a high speed shaft. A planet carrier is used to rotationally mount the multidiameter rollers. A continuously variable transmission that uses planetary ball traction is also disclosed that provides infinitely variable speed ratios.
US08382625B2
A device (2) for a vehicle drivetrain (1) with a transmission unit (3) for changing various transmission ratios and with a hydraulic device (4). The device (2) can provide a drive torque in the area of the drive output (5) of the vehicle drivetrain (1) and in whose area a drive output torque of the vehicle drivetrain (1) can be at least partially supported. A reversing gear system (6) is connected, upstream of the transmission unit (3), for reversing the rotation direction and the hydraulic device (4) can be brought into active connection with the transmission unit (3) by way of the reversing gear system (6).
US08382620B2
A V-belt type continuously variable transmission includes a drive pulley assembly provided on a drive shaft, a driven pulley assembly provided on a driven shaft, a V-belt looped over both the pulley assemblies, and a transmission case assembly housing both the pulley assemblies and the V-belt. One end of the drive shaft in the shaft direction is coupled to an output side rotation member of a centrifugal clutch, and the other end of the drive shaft is rotatably supported on a boss portion formed in the transmission case assembly.
US08382606B2
Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), have a high moment of inertia about their center, to help prevent twisting and mis-hits, particularly when the ball striking device hits the ball at a somewhat off-center position. The ball striking head of the ball striking device may be structured and/or weighted (optionally with separately attachable weight elements) to have a moment of inertia about a center of the ball striking surface of at least 10,000 g/cm2, and in some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 11,000 g/cm2, or even at least 12,000 g/cm2. In some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 20,000 g/cm2, or even at least 25,000 g/cm2 or at least 28,000 g/cm2.
US08382605B2
A golf putter head is provided that includes a base element, the base element including a golf ball striking surface, at least one alignment rail, a lip, the lip extending the entire front width of the golf putter head and a top surface, the top surface located at the rear of the golf putter head, an upper plate the upper plate configured to be secured to the base element at the lip and the top surface, the upper plate includes at least one aperature and the upper plate completely covering the top surface. The upper plate further includes at least one indicator marking, the at least one indicator marking configured to align with the at least one alignment rail and the aperature is sized such that the at least one alignment rail may be viewed through the aperature. The mass of the putter head is distributed such that the mass of the upper plate is greater than the mass of the base element, thereby positioning the center of gravity of the putter head above a centerline of the golf ball striking surface and an equator of a golf ball when the golf ball is positioned proximate the golf ball striking surface of the golf putter head.
US08382600B2
A constant velocity joint for a drive system comprises: an outer joint member having a plurality of inwardly facing outer ball grooves, the outer ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern; an inner joint member disposed inside the outer joint member and having a plurality of outwardly facing inner ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern, each inner ball groove of the inner joint member being coupled with a corresponding outer ball groove of the outer joint member generally in crossed pair; and a cage having circumferentially displaced cage windows to accommodate a plurality of balls therein. The groove patterns of the ball grooves can be a combination of skewed grooves and non-linear grooves, a combination of non-linear grooves such as a curved groove or a compositely shaped groove, or a combination of linear grooves and non-linear grooves.
US08382595B2
A torque-limiting device assembly is provided that includes a bell having a top wall and a circumferential side wall defining a bell interior. A plurality of radially-arrayed engagement grooves are formed on an inner surface of the top wall. A clutch stub shaft having a stem and a plurality of engagement protrusions formed on a clutch flange is disposed within the bell interior. A resilient member is secured to the bell, and the resilient member biases the clutch stub shaft towards the top wall of the bell such that the engagement grooves frictionally engage the engagement protrusions to transfer torque from the stem to the bell when the stem is rotated. An input torque applied to the stem that is greater than a predetermined input torque causes the engagement protrusions to disengage from the engagement grooves such that the input torque is not transferred from the stem to the bell.
US08382580B2
A gaming machine includes a light emitting portion, a terminal controller, a light emission control unit, a power supply unit, an input device through which a predetermined input is externally input, and a light emission power control unit. The light emitting portion emits light. The terminal controller runs a game. The light emission control unit causes: with power supplied thereto, the light emitting portion to emit light; and controls the light emitting portion so that the light emitting portion emits light in a lighting mode associated with a game state. The power supply unit supplies power to the light emission control unit and the terminal controller, separately. The light emission power control unit controls, in response to the predetermined input, the power supply from the power supply unit to the light emission control unit in a resettable manner, while terminal controller is running the game.
US08382579B2
The present invention relates to a card stack reader, a card thereof, a card case, a method for manufacturing the card, a game machine using the same, and a computer-readable storage medium on which a game program is recorded. The card stack reader comprises an imaging unit which reads an image from a peripheral side portion of a stack of cards, each card having a read code along a peripheral side edge thereof, the read code identifying the card, and a code recognizing unit which recognizes the read code of each card from the image read by the imaging unit.
US08382578B2
An apparatus and method for a game including a plurality of paytables, wherein each of the paytables has an average expected payout. The gaming device initially employs a default paytable and enables a player to cause the gaming device to change the employed paytable. If the player chooses to cause the gaming device to change the employed paytable, the gaming device randomly selects another paytable from the plurality of paytables and determines a game outcome based on the randomly selected paytable. If the player does not choose to cause the gaming device to change the employed paytable, the gaming device determines a game outcome based on the default paytable. In one embodiment, when a player chooses to cause the gaming device to select another paytable, the player has a chance to obtain a paytable that includes higher or better awards.
US08382556B2
The portable belt grinder 201 comprises; a main body 202 with an electric motor 203 built therein; a drive pulley disposed in the lower portion of the main body 202 and rotationally drivable by the electric motor 203; an idle pulley disposed as the companion to the drive pulley; and, an endless abrasive belt 215 wound between the two pulleys. In the portable belt grinder 201, in the portion of the main body 202 that exists in the vicinity of the abrasive belt 215, there is formed a hole portion 202f which is used to visually confirm the side end edge of the abrasive belt 215 from above. Also, on the upper surface of the main body 202, there is mounted a transparent cover 222 which is used to cover the hole portion 202f.
US08382546B2
Disclosed is a flying toy capable of moving by flapping of wings. The flying toy comprises a support structure; an actuation mechanism, for the wings, arranged on the support structure and comprising a crank drive rotated by a means providing the driving force; and two flexible wings arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane of symmetry of the toy and connected, at the wing bases, to the actuation mechanism, the aforementioned wing bases being mounted oscillating about axes arranged on both sides of the vertical plane of symmetry of the toy. A controller receives a control signal indicating a left turn, increases the tension on the right wing and reduces it on the left wing and, for a right turn, the opposite action is performed.
US08382539B2
An amphibious vehicle includes caissons, floats, and ramps stored on top of one another on a self-propelled rolling base, when the vehicle is in a folded configuration for driving over firm ground. The elements can be deployed transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rolling base when the vehicle, alone or with another vehicle of the same design, forms a pontoon or a ferry to breach a water-filled opening. The vehicle includes a deployment device to deploy the elements on one side before beginning to deploy the elements on the other side of the rolling base. The elements are deployed in at least three different configurations. The elements on each side, include respectively, from the inside outwards, in the deployed configuration, a caisson, a float, and a ramp which are hinged together in a Z-configuration.
US08382536B2
In an apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor mounted on a boat and having a torque converter equipped with a lockup clutch, it is configured to regulate a trim angle relative to the boat by trim-up operation and trim-down operation; calculate a speed ratio of the torque converter based on an input rotation speed and output rotation speed of the torque converter; and control operation of the trim angle regulator based on the calculated speed ratio. With this, it becomes possible to mitigate a deceleration feel to be generated after the acceleration is completed, and easily sets a trim angle of after the trim-up operation to an optimal value.
US08382531B2
Electrical connector assembly comprising a cover part and a contact assembly for providing a mechanical and electrical contact to an electrode, and connecting arrangements for connecting lead wire to the contact component. The contact component is made of an elongated flat-formed strip forming at least two contact points for the electrode and between the contact points forming a recess having walls enlarging when drawing away from the contact points. The contact points are arranged to press against the electrode for detachable fastening.
US08382523B1
A cable terminating and grounding apparatus and method comprises a backshell including a cable terminating and grounding adapter shield which comprises a cable receiving and positioning portion comprising a plurality of individual cable passages around the outer rim of the receiving and positioning portion and a gathering portion adjacent the receiving and positioning portion comprising a plurality of individual cable receiving slots around an outer periphery of the gathering portion, each slot having a side wall receiving a cable shield enclosing one or more wires comprising the cable. A gathering mechanism may engage each of the cable shields oppositely from the respective slot side wall and force the respective shield into engagement with the respective slot side wall. There may be a cable passage in a center portion of the receiving and positioning portion and the gathering portion. A locking portion of the adapter shield may engage a connector.
US08382509B2
An electrical connector system includes a first electrical connector having a mounting interface and a mating interface, wherein the mounting interface is configured to electrically connect to an electrical component, and the mating interface is configured to electrically connect to a complementary electrical connector along a forward insertion direction. The electrical connector system further includes a heat sink disposed forward of the first electrical connector, the heat sink defining an engagement surface configured to contact the complementary electrical connector when the first electrical connector is mated with the complementary electrical connector. The heat sink is movably supported in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the insertion direction so as to maintain the engagement surface in thermal contact with the complementary electrical connector.
US08382503B2
The present description relates to the field of microelectronic device retention mechanisms and, more particularly, to a quick release retention mechanism including a base plate, a load plate and a biasing mechanism adapted to apply a desired load and to allow rapid insertion and extraction of microelectronic devices from sockets.
US08382502B2
An illumination device includes a light tube holder including two connectors for receiving either a light-emitting diode (LED) tube or a fluorescent tube. The connector includes three conductive elastic pieces therein. One elastic piece is electrically connected to an LED tube drive circuit board and a fluorescent tube, and the other two elastic pieces are respectively electrically connected to the LED and fluorescent tube drive circuit boards. A normally closed switch is located in the one of the connectors. The switch has a first end connected between a power supply and a first end of a ballast, and a second end connected to a second end of the ballast. When the LED tube is mounted to the holder, the switch is closed, and when the fluorescent tube is mounted to the holder the switch is open.
US08382498B2
A card connector includes an insulative housing defining a card receiving space, a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing, an ejector received in the insulative housing and a metal shell covering the insulative housing. The ejector includes a movable slider, a spring, and a pin member, the slider defines a heart-shaped slot, and the pin member has a positioning end being rotatablely retained to the insulative housing and a free end being slidable along the heart-shaped slot to lock the slider. A latching piece is retained to the insulative housing and has a catching portion catching the pin member and an elastic portion connecting with the catching portion. When the pin member slides, the catching portion will bring the elastic portion to deflect and provide an outward or inward force to the pin member so as to control a movement trace of the pin member.
US08382486B2
An electrical connector and electronic device for connecting to a complementary electrical connector are provided. The electrical connector comprises a main body containing one or more electrically conducting mediums. The electrical connector also comprises an end piece rotatably connected to the main body at one end of the main body. The end piece has a connecting side for engaging the complementary electrical connector. The end piece is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The connecting side comprises one or more electrical contacts for engaging complementary electrical contacts on the complementary electrical connector. Each electrical contact of the electrical connector is electrically connected to one of the electrically conducting mediums of the main body. The connecting side also comprises a magnet disposed on the connecting side of the end piece for engaging a complementary magnet on the complementary electrical connector.
US08382483B2
There is provided a system which is able to realize study assistance or a desired appliance operation for a user, even in the absence of an answer input from the user.A service providing system includes an output section for presenting a question to a user, and further presenting sequentially a plurality of options as candidate answers to the question; a signal detection section for measuring an event-related potential of electroencephalograms of the user; and a determination section for determining whether the user has thought each option to be the correct answer or not, based on the event-related potential in a predetermined period after each option is presented, e.g., in a period from about 350 milliseconds to about 450 milliseconds.
US08382478B2
A method is disclosed for forming an accurate stone cast from an impression of a body region, used for the purpose of prosthetic fabrication, such as dental crowns and artificial eyes and hearing aids. The initial step with this unique method is to first acquire a suitable amount of dental stone catalyst. One type of a suitable stone catalyst is calcium sulfate dihydrate. The dental stone catalyst is engaged onto the internal surface of the impression. This catalyst, placed in the area between impression material and stone, will act to hasten the initial setting of wet, mixed dental stone that is in closest proximity to the impression. The result is a stratified set of the stone. Setting of the wet, mixed dental stone occurs first at the impression/stone interface. The mixed stone better resists distortion upon setting and the resultant set stone cast is more accurate.
US08382476B2
The invention relates to a dental composition comprising a hardenable powder to be used in a process for retraction of dental tissue. The invention also relates to a kit of parts comprising the dental composition comprising a hardenable powder, a hardening agent, optionally a handpiece of a powder jet device, optionally a powder jet device, and optionally retraction caps. In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for retracting dental tissue comprising the steps of applying a dental composition comprising a hardenable powder with a powder jet device into the sulcus between soft and hard dental tissue, applying a composition comprising a hardening agent either before or after the previous step, leaving the dental composition in the sulcus for a time sufficient to effect retraction of the soft dental tissue and removing the dental composition from the sulcus.
US08382466B2
A method and apparatus for patterning a substrate are provided. A template is formed by applying a precursor material to a patterned master substrate and curing or solidifying the precursor material. The template is detached from the master substrate using a carrier having a curved surface. The template is coated with a patterning material, and is then detached from the carrier and applied to the substrate to be patterned. The template is then dissolved without affecting the patterning material, and the patterning material may thereafter be finished to develop the pattern. In an alternate embodiment, the patterning material may be applied to the substrate and then imprinted using the template.
US08382463B2
The invention relates to a method for producing structured optical materials. It also relates to a device for producing structured optical materials, and to use of the method.In order to create a novel, continuous method for the production of structured optical materials, which is more economical than the known production method, it is proposed within the scope of the invention that optical material be applied to a carrier, a carrier or protective film be laminated onto the optical material, the resulting laminate be exposed to light and thereby structured, and subsequently a delamination of at least one of the films be performed.
US08382462B2
An oil supply groove in communication with a pump room is formed above a bearing of a housing, and an open air groove in communication with atmospheric air is formed at a position rotated around the bearing by 90° from the oil supply groove. In a shank of a rotor, a branch passage branching from an oil passage formed in its axial direction to the diametrical direction of the shank and an open air passage formed in the direction perpendicular to the branch passage are formed. The branch passage and the oil supply groove communicate with each other while the open air passage and the open air groove are arranged to also communicate with each other.
US08382459B2
The invention relates to a piston pump for conveying a fluid, in particular in a vehicle brake system. The piston pump has a cylinder and a piston movably disposed in the cylinder. A restoring element preloads the piston, and a drive unit for actuates the piston in the cylinder to pump the fluid into a pressure chamber formed in the cylinder. The piston is embodied by a first piston par and a second piston part. The first piston part is a cylindrical body, which can be moved by the drive unit. The second piston part form the piston base, in which four radial inlet openings and one axial connection opening for communication with the pressure chamber are disposed. A flange for the disposition of a seal is disposed on the outer circumference of the piston base element. The openings are simple to make in the face ends and circumferential regions of the second piston part.
US08382450B2
A centrifugal fan includes a housing including a base, a side wall portion having an air outlet defined therein, and a cover arranged above the side wall portion and having an air inlet defined therein. A circuit board is arranged on an upper surface of the base, and includes a circuit board protruding portion arranged to protrude radially outward of the housing. At least one of electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board is arranged radially outward from an inner circumferential surface of the side wall portion.
US08382449B2
A fluid machine with radial cylinders, includes cylinders being fixed with respect to a body wherein the cylinders are peripherally spaced in a rotation plane of a crank rotating with a driving shaft of the machine, elements distributing a fluid, a piston of each cylinder placed in contact with a surface of the crank by a sliding member, the piston of each cylinder being placed within a jacket of the cylinder with contact of a side surface of the piston in a guide and sealing area which is small with respect to the side surface of the piston, and for a guide function an annular edge is present and projecting from an inner surface of the jacket, and for a sealing function a sealing ring is present on the jacket and housed in an annular slot which is parallel and attached to the annular edge, and rings maintaining the contact between the pistons and the crank.
US08382445B2
An air logic controller for increasing the efficiency of an air operated double diaphragm pump. The air logic controller may increase the efficiency of the pump by controlling the supply of compressed fluid to the pump. In one embodiment, the air logic controller may control the supply of compressed fluid to the pump by replacing the continuous, large volume supply of compressed fluid supplied to conventional air operated pumps during a single pumping stroke with a varied supply of compressed fluid. The varied supply of compressed fluid may comprise a supply of compressed fluid that alternates between a large volume supply and a small volume supply of compressed fluid. The air logic controller may vary the supply of compressed fluid to the pump based at least partially on the position of a main air valve spool and the setting on an adjustable pneumatic time delay relay.
US08382443B2
Control device for an electric compressor and a start control method of an electric compressor that can smoothly and reliably start the electric compressor even at high temperature. Even in a high temperature state of a power transistor, a rotational speed or an acceleration rate of a motor according to the temperature is set to gradually start the electric compressor. After the commencement of the start, the temperature of the power transistor is repeatedly checked for every predetermined time to update the rotational speed or the acceleration rate of the motor, and the rotational speed or the acceleration rate of the motor is increased according to the temperature of the power transistor, thereby allowing quick start.
US08382441B2
A method of manufacturing a blade (20) for a turbomachine by superplastic forming and diffusion bonding a first layer (18), a second layer (16) and a membrane (2), the membrane (2) being disposed between the first and second layers (18, 16), the method comprising: applying a stop-off material in a first predetermined pattern between the first layer (18) and the membrane (2) so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the first layer and the membrane across said first predetermined pattern; and applying the stop-off material in a second predetermined pattern between the second layer (16) and the membrane (2) so as to prevent a diffusion bond from forming between the second layer and the membrane across said second predetermined pattern.
US08382436B2
In one embodiment, a turbine blade platform may be disposed between two turbine blades. The platform may include a first exterior side configured to interface with a first turbine blade. The platform also may include a second exterior side disposed generally opposite the first exterior side and configured to interface with a second turbine blade.
US08382435B2
Improvements in A wind generator, that may also be called and relates to, windmill, turbine or aero generator, on a vertical axis. The vertical axis gives the windmill the ability to be turned by air, or liquid if inverted, from any direction parallel to the earth's surface. Multiple blades rotate through a horizontal axis into the wind to lessen air resistance on one side while turning vertically on the other side to gain energy from the wind. The system is counter-weighted as needed, to reduce energy loss, by different methods including but not limited to gears, levers, pneumatics, cables, hydraulics or added counter-weight. The electrical generating machinery is below the blades or at the bottom of the vertical drive shaft.
US08382434B2
A counter-rotating fluid-propelling apparatus uses an oblong drive mechanism being oriented substantially orthogonal to the axes of rotation of a pair of counter-rotating impellers and which temporarily and simultaneously engages the edges of the impellers while they are in substantial contact. Each impellers can include a number of substantially rectangular planar panels, hingedly connected to one another along common edges to vertices. Each impeller has an axis of rotation that passes lengthwise through the middle of the impeller such that the axis is parallel to and equidistant from the panel edges. The impellers counter-rotate and remain in constant contact with respect to one another. During each revolution of the impellers, each of the panels of one impeller contacts its counterpart on the other impeller so that planar panels meet flat surface to flat surface and vertex to vertex. The impellers collapse so that constant contact is maintained. A paddled drive belt successively engages drive pins extending from the vertices and pushes them in order to drive the impellers.
US08382429B2
A turbine housing of an exhaust gas turbocharger includes an outer casing and a rotor casing which is arranged in the outer casing and includes a tubular neck for engagement in an exhaust pipe to conduct exhaust gas from the neck in a direction of an exhaust flange. The exhaust pipe is hereby coupled to the rotor casing for relative movement there between. A sealing ring is arranged between the neck and the exhaust pipe, wherein the neck has one end provided with at least one outwardly directed projection defined by an outer diameter which is greater than an inner diameter of the sealing ring. Fabrication of the turbine housing is realized by pushing the sealing ring over the neck, and inserting an expanding mandrel into the neck to widen the neck.
US08382420B2
A cart stop suitable for use with a lift platform is described. The cart stop has a closed position which allows a cart or other wheeled device to move over it. The cart stop also has an open position which prevents the cart or other wheeled device from rolling off of the lift platform.
US08382410B2
An anchor bolt assembly having a generally cylindrical grip end spaced from an actuating end. The grip end has two relatively movable mating portions each having at least one complementary ramp surface. The actuating end is used to move a movable mating portion relative to a fixed mating portion in a longitudinal direction. Actuation will cause the movable mating portion to slide relative to the static mating portion and apply radial pressure at the grip end of the anchor bolt assembly remote from the actuating end. The grip end has a roughened surface on the static mating portion while the movable mating portion is smooth. The anchor bolt assembly is particularly suitable for use in tapered holes formed in concrete.
US08382409B2
A direct tension indicating washer includes a first surface having a plurality bumps formed thereon; a second surface having a plurality of discrete indentations, each indentation formed opposite one of said protuberances; an indicating material positioned in at least one indentation, the indicating material including an indicating material having a first color and an indicating material having a second color; and a channel leading from the at least one indentation to an outer edge of said direct tension indicating washer.
US08382395B2
A paving system includes a machine having a plurality of ground-engaging elements and a frame. The machine may be a paving machine having a receiver configured to receive electronic data indicative of a non-uniformity in a substrate within a region to be paved with a mat of paving material. The paving system further includes an electronic control unit configured to control compactor interaction with the mat of material according to a mat smoothness criterion, including controlling compactor interaction with the mat of material in response to data, such as screed control data, indicative of the non-uniformity in the substrate.
US08382393B1
A temporary roadway with a static resistant synthetic inter-connectable structural mats which connect without tools or fasteners having a top layer, a middle layer and a bottom layer. The static resistant synthetic inter-connectable structural mats can have static charge conduction conduit through the mat and the mats can be made from 100 percent recycled rust proof, non-absorbing materials.
US08382392B2
A multi-purpose adjustable quick expandable installment which can be quickly and finely adjusted and ascend or descend freely, by a snap design which adjusts ascending or descending with a slope principle, based on a mechanical principle that a force is constant if acting on a same area and an opposite force compensates with the force. Through a structure which follows the law of action and reaction to compensate with a sliding force which occurs naturally, a stable movement without moving accidentally is formed.
US08382389B2
A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface and a pair of side surfaces, a tape that is a print medium housed in the housing, a tape exit that discharges, from the housing, the tape guided in the housing along a predetermined feed path, at least a part of the feed path extending parallel to the front surface, and a type indicator portion provided adjacent to the tape exit and in a specified area of the front surface on an upstream side of the tape exit in a feed direction of the tape, the type indicator portion indicating a type of the tape and including vertical information sections and an aperture formed in at least one of the vertical information sections, the vertical information sections being strip-shaped sections extending along a direction orthogonal to the feed direction.
US08382386B2
A photographic device includes an upper cover component, a lens module, a signal line set, a circuit board, and a lower cover. The upper cover component comprises an upper casing having a through hole and a transparent mask. The transparent mask is fastened under the through hole and exposed by it and does not protrude from an outer surface of the upper casing. The lens module has a photographic lens facing the mask. The signal line set has a fixing end fastened to one end of the upper casing. The circuit board is electrically connected to the lens module and the signal line set. The lower cover and the upper casing are joined and enclose the lens module and the circuit board. As the transparent mask does not protrude from the outer surface of the upper casing, cracks of the transparent mask caused by a foreign object can be prevented.
US08382385B2
A floating heat sink device is provided that attaches to a cage in a floating configuration that enables the heat sink device to move, or “float”, as the parallel optical communications device secured to the cage moves relative to the cage. Because the heat sink device floats with movement of the parallel optical communications device, at least one surface of the parallel optical communications device maintains continuous contact with at least one surface of the heat sink device at all times. Ensuring that these surfaces are maintained in continuous contact at all times ensures that heat produced by the parallel optical communications device will be transferred into and absorbed by the floating heat sink device.
US08382375B2
A vibration dampening system for a motor shaft in an electric submersible pump ESP uses axially extending arms in one or opposed directions from a fixed portion of a motor shaft bearing. The weights can have their location adjusted to tune the device to the natural frequencies of the rotating shaft and to add an ability to address vibration in more than one plane. Openings are provided in the support for the arms that hold the weight so that arm vibration can create turbulence and improve heat dissipation in the oil for improved bearing life. Bearing cost can be reduced using more economical materials without sacrificing bearing life.
US08382373B1
The invention provides a wear protector device, system and method. The device including a first protective layer configured to cover a wear-point of a utility bag, and a reinforcement covering connected over a portion of the first layer. The reinforcement covering including a flat portion and a raised portion.
US08382358B2
A backlight module and a display device using the same are provided. The display device further includes a first panel and a second panel disposed on opposite sides of the backlight module. The backlight module has a light module and a back plate with a through hole formed on it. The light module includes a flexible circuit board having a first strip and a second strip. A plurality of first light sources and second light sources are respectively disposed on the first strip and the second strip. The flexible circuit board passes through the through hole, and the first strip and the second strip are on two opposite sides of the back plate. The first strip and the first light sources are distributed along a side of the first panel while a portion of the second strip is bent to extend along a side of the second strip.
US08382357B2
A light-transmissive substrate includes an arrangement of penetrations extending from one surface of the substrate toward another surface of the substrate. The penetrations are configured to attenuate or inhibit transmission of light through the substrate from one side of the arrangement of penetrations to the other side of the arrangement of penetrations.
US08382349B2
A signaling assembly for use on an overland vehicle is shown and described, and which includes an exterior mirror housing defining an internal cavity, and which is mounted on a side of the overland vehicle; a semitransparent mirror having forward and rearward facing surfaces, and which is mounted on the mirror housing; a focusing optic mounted in the exterior mirror housing and juxtaposed relative to the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror; and an emitter of visible light mounted in the internal cavity of the exterior mirror housing and juxtaposed relative to the focusing optic, and which further, when energized, emits visible light which passes through the semitransparent mirror, and which can be seen at an angle which is about 60 degrees relative to the side of the overland vehicle.
US08382342B2
Disclosed herein is a tunnel light fixture that comprises an improved hinge-coupling mechanism to couple a body and a cover of the light fixture, and has an efficient packing structure capable of increasing the shielding efficiency between a lamp and a ballast to provide improved endurance and safety, and the tunnel light fixture comprises the body and the cover, and the body comprises a hinge-receiving part integral to the body and including a pair of shaft-receiving guides having a shaft groove, and a strut between the pair of shaft-receiving guides, and the cover comprises a hinge-inserting part integral to the cover corresponding to the hinge-receiving part and including a rotational bar having a strut recess formed at an intermediate portion of the rotational bar and a shaft extending from both sides of the rotational bar.
US08382337B2
A lighting device, a light spreading plate for the lighting device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The lighting device comprises a light source plate and the light spreading plate. The light source plate comprises a plurality of light sources. The light spreading plate comprises a light travelling layer formed with a plurality of light spreading units. Each of the light spreading units is formed with a main body being defined with a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral. The main body has a thickness being tapered towards the peripheral. The main body comprises a top surface having a cone-shaped recess and a bottom surface having a bowl-shaped recess. The cone-shaped recess and the bowl-shaped recess of each of the spreading units are opposite to each other, and one of the cone-shaped recess and bowl-shaped recess is fitted for one of the light sources.
US08382335B2
A light emitting diode module is produced using at least one LED and at least two selectable components that form a light mixing chamber. First and second selectable components have first and second types of wavelength converting materials with different wavelength converting characteristics. The first and second wavelength converting characteristics alter the spectral power distribution of the light produced by the LED to produce light with a color point that is a predetermined tolerance from a predetermined color point. Moreover, a set of LED modules may be produced such that each LED module has the same color point within a predetermined tolerance. The LED module may be produced by pre-measuring the wavelength converting characteristics of the different components selecting components with wavelength converting characteristics that convert the spectral power distribution of the LED to a color point that is a predetermined tolerance from a predetermined color point.
US08382329B2
A lamp device having first and second ends comprising a glass lens positioned on the first end of the lamp and a socket positioned on the second end of the lamp. The lamp is configured with a parabolic reflecting surface lining the interior side walls of a top portion of the lamp and an array of LEDs or other light emitting device positioned within that the top portion of the lamp. The array of LEDs or other light emitting device are operatively connected to the socket in order to receive power. The lamp may also be configured to facilitate movement of the glass lens closer to and further away from the array of LEDs or other light emitting device in order to shorten or lengthen the focal point of the light beam created by the array of LEDs or other light emitting device. Alternatively, the lamp may be configured to facilitate movement of the array of LEDs or other light emitting device closer to and further away from the glass lens in order to shorten or lengthen the focal point of the light beam created by the array of LEDs or other light emitting device.
US08382318B2
There is provided a lighting device comprising one or more groups of solid state light emitters and one or more groups hof lumiphors, which emits mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates within a region defined by (0.32, 0.40), (0.36, 0.38), (0.41, 0.455), and (0.36, 0.48). Also, such lighting devices which emit light having x, y color coordinates within other specified regions. Also, such lighting devices with respective groups which emit light within two specified regions, and which mix to produce light within such regions. Also, methods of lighting light from such emitters and/or lumiphors.
US08382314B2
An LED lamp includes an extrusion which is an elongate extrusion housing. It has an outside lens and a circuit board of elongated shape and mounted to an inside bottom portion of the elongate extrusion housing. A plurality of light emitting diodes can be mounted to the circuit board. A concave lens is mounted to an upper portion of the elongate extrusion housing. The outside lens covers the concave lens forming an outside air gap between the outside lens and the concave lens and a power wire connects to the circuit board. A base end cap receives a wire harness. The wire harness includes power, and the base end cap retains a base end of the outside lens and a base end of the extrusion. A top end cap retaining an end of the extrusion also retains an end of the outside lens.
US08382313B2
An electric torch (10) includes a main body (1), a head assembly (2), and a rear assembly (3) releasably engaged with a rear end of the main body. The rear assembly includes a rear cover (31) for enclosing an electrically conductive spring (315), an electrically conductive cathode plate (314), and a magnetic controlled member (313, 318) therein. The spring is electrically engaged between negative terminal (152) of the battery pack and the cathode plate. The magnetic controlled member is disposed between the cathode plate and rear end of the rear cover, and can divert electric current flows in the torch under an attractive force of a magnet. The main body and the rear cover are electrically conductive, and given an electrically nonconductive surface treatment except for certain areas (11-13, 3111-3112, 3121, 3121′, 3122) for electrically connection. The torch is waterproof and multifunctional.
US08382312B2
A light device is provided that includes a light source and electrical circuitry for supplying electrical power to the light source. The light device also includes a housing having first and second ends and a hollow interior defining a compartment for holding a power source. The housing comprises a woven fiber thermoset composite. The housing is made by applying woven fibers to a mandrel and impregnating the woven fibers with an epoxy and curing the epoxy impregnated woven fibers to form the thermoset composite housing. An electrical interconnect is provided within the housing having first and second resilient contacts for providing an electrical connection between the power source and the light source.
US08382309B1
The light pod system is an illumination assembly that is placed in a handbag or a purse and when touched illuminates the interior to aid an end user in seeing the contents contained within the purse or handbag. The light pod system consists of a sleek housing that is slim and of which includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, which all illuminate once the housing is touched by an end user. The housing also includes a timer that can adjust the duration of illumination. An optional remote control can turn on the system without the need to actually touch the housing.
US08382303B2
A keypad module includes a light source, a light guide plate and a keypad. The light guide plate includes a plurality of coarse surfaces. The keypad forms a plurality of ribs corresponding to the coarse surfaces. The light source is positioned in the light guide plate, the coarse surfaces and the ribs guiding light of the light source to uniform on the light guide plate.
US08382293B2
A light source module is disclosed. The light source module includes an emitter having a light emitting surface, a solid integrating optic aligned to accept light emitted from the emitter at an entrance face and deliver light to an exit face, and a lens aligned to receive light from the exit face. The lens has a substantially hemispherical portion having a radius of curvature and the exit face of the solid integrating optic has an exit face diagonal. The ratio of the radius of curvature to the exit face diagonal is greater than 0.7. The solid integrating optic and the lens each have an index of refraction, and the ratio of the lens index of refraction to the solid integrating optic index of refraction is greater than unity.
US08382289B2
A projector apparatus includes: a projection unit that projects an image onto a projection surface; a reflectance distribution detection unit that detects a reflectance distribution at the projection surface; a density distribution detection unit that detects a density distribution of a base pattern on the projection surface; a smoothing unit that smooths the reflectance distribution and the density distribution; an input unit that inputs image data; a correction unit that corrects the input image data based upon the smoothed reflectance distribution and the smoothed density distribution; and a control circuit that controls the projection unit so as to project the image based upon the correction image data.
US08382280B2
A variable focus optical apparatus including a rigid, curved, transparent optical component; two transparent, distensible membranes attached to a periphery of the rigid optical component to define two cavities, a first cavity between the rigid optical component and a first membrane and a second cavity between the first membrane and a second membrane; and a variable amount of fluid filling each of the cavities, and a reservoir containing additional fluid and in fluid communication with the cavity, wherein the reservoir is configured to provide injection of fluid into the cavity or withdrawal of fluid out of the cavity in response to a force or an impulse.
US08382265B2
A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.
US08382262B2
An inkjet printer comprises an inkjet printhead and an ink reservoir contained in a pressurizable chamber, with an ink conduit interconnecting the ink reservoir and the printhead. An air compressor is in fluid communication with the chamber and a valve is positioned between the air compressor and the chamber. A first air conduit interconnects an outlet of the air compressor and the valve, while a second air conduit interconnects an inlet of the air compressor and the valve. The valve is switchable between a first configuration in which the valve interconnects the outlet and the chamber via the first air conduit, and a second configuration in which the valve interconnects the inlet and the chamber via the second air conduit.
US08382260B2
A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid container having an information storage portion configured to store information and a supply port for supplying liquid in the liquid container to the outside and a movable member having the liquid container attached thereon. After the connection between the supply port and the apparatus is severed while the movable member moves from a first position to a second position, information is written in the information storage portion. The second position is set such that the time required for the movable member to move from the first position to the second position is longer than or equal to the time required for the information communication.
US08382259B2
A liquid jet is modulated using a drop formation device to selectively cause portions of the liquid jet to break off into drop pairs and third drops traveling along a path. The third drop is larger than the drops of the drop pair. A charging device and the drop formation device are synchronized to produce a first charge to mass ratio on a first drop of the drop pair, produce a second charge to mass ratio on a second drop of the drop pair, and produce a third charge to mass ratio on the third drop. A deflection device causes the first drop having the first charge to mass ratio to travel along a first path, the second drop having the second charge to mass ratio to travel along a second path, and the third drop having a third charge to mass ratio to travel along a third path.
US08382251B2
A nozzle arrangement for a printhead is provided which has a chamber defined on a substrate configured to hold fluid, an ejection port defined in the chamber, and an actuator for moving the ejection port relative to the substrate to eject the held fluid therethrough.
US08382248B2
A liquid discharge head is arranged in a manner that in the cross-section of a discharge port perpendicular to a liquid discharge direction, the discharge port includes at least one projection that is convex inside the discharge port; a first area, for holding a liquid surface connecting a pillar-shaped liquid that is elongated outside the discharge port; and second areas where a fluid resistance is lower than that in the first area so as to pull the liquid in the discharge port in a direction opposite to the liquid discharge direction. The first area is formed in the direction in which the projection is convex, and the second areas are formed on both sides of the projection.
US08382247B2
A liquid ejecting head includes a plurality of head bodies each having a nozzle plate, a flow channel forming substrate having a plurality of pressure generating chambers that communicate with the plurality of nozzles and a manifold that communicates with the plurality of pressure generating chambers, and pressure generating, and a fixation plate having an exposure aperture formed so that the plurality of nozzles are exposed therethrough and on which the plurality of head bodies are fixedly positioned, wherein the edges of the exposure aperture formed on the fixation plate are located in a region opposite the manifold, and a depression is formed on a side of the fixation plate facing the nozzle plate by depressing the edges of the exposure aperture in the region opposite the manifold.
US08382246B2
A printhead having at least first and second rows of print nozzle cells. Each each nozzle cell has an ink chamber, control circuitry and drive circuitry. Each nozzle cell in the first row has a corresponding nozzle cell in the second row. The drive circuitry of each nozzle cell of the first row is arranged adjacent the drive circuitry of the corresponding nozzle cell in the second row and distant the control circuitry of the corresponding nozzle cell in the first row.
US08382233B2
A head cleaning device includes an electrode disposed in a position confronting to a bottom of a head in a cleaning position, the head including nozzles for discharging a water-soluble ink, the electrode being set in a covered state to provide a surface covered with an electrolyte which, when electrolyzed, dissolves the water-soluble ink. A liquid supplying unit supplies the electrolyte to the electrode so that the electrode is set in the covered state. A voltage supplying unit supplies a voltage between the head and the electrode to electrolyze the electrolyte on the surface of the electrode in the covered state.
US08382232B2
A method is provided of operating a printer which has a printhead having ejection nozzles configured to print an array of rows and columns of dots and control means. The method includes monitoring for incorrectly printed columns with the control means, and increasing the duration of a signal delivered with the control means to correctly operating nozzles neighbouring incorrectly operating nozzles associated with the incorrectly printed columns.
US08382230B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a printing device which forms an image on a recording medium using ink containing at least pigment, a water-soluble organic solvent, resin particles and water; and a fixing device which makes contact with a surface of the recording medium on which the image is formed and applies heat and pressure to fix the image, wherein a minimum filming temperature) (MFT0) of an aqueous dispersion of the resin particles is 60° C. or above, and higher than a minimum filming temperature (MFT25) of a dispersion of the resin particles in a mixed liquid combining a water-soluble organic solvent at 25 weight % with respect to the resin particles, and water; and wherein the image forming apparatus further includes a controller which controls temperature of the recording medium in such a manner that, when the temperature of the recording medium in the fixing device is represented by T, the minimum filming temperature (MFT25) of mixed liquid dispersion of the resin particles satisfies MFT25≦T≦MFT25+50 (° C.), and a coating layer is formed on the recording medium, then the temperature of the recording medium is adjusted to or below a temperature at which a coating layer is not broken down.
US08382225B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a pressure generating chamber which communicates with a nozzle opening for discharging a liquid and a pressure generating unit which generates a pressure variation within the pressure generating chamber; and a driving unit that supplies the pressure generating unit with a driving signal having an inflation element in which the pressure generating chamber is inflated, a contraction element in which the pressure generating chamber is contracted to discharge a liquid from the nozzle opening, and a re-inflation element in which the pressure generating chamber is inflated during the contraction element, wherein the re-inflation element is initiated in a state that two different phases of vibration of the meniscus within the nozzle opening are not opposite to each other.
US08382222B2
A functional liquid tank is adapted to receive functional liquid from a functional liquid supply source and to supply the functional liquid to an inkjet functional liquid droplet discharge head. The functional liquid tank includes a tank body, a liquid column pipe, upper and lower limit liquid level detection units, a float member, and a float-regulating member. The float member is accommodated within the tank body with a small gap formed between the float member and an inside wall of the tank body. The float-regulating member is configured and arranged to regulate a descending end position of the float member when the float member descends as a liquid level within the tank body descends.
US08382220B2
A decorative panel and a refrigerator having the same are presented. Inner gorgeous decorative patterns are seen according to an opening and closing operation of a refrigerator door usually serving as a mirror, providing the user a continuous aesthetic sense with which the user is not bored compared with decorative patterns which are always exposed. In addition, a mirror face is formed on a front plate and a decorative plate to continuously reflect the decorative patterns to thereby provide a three-dimensional aesthetic sense with the planar decorative patterns. Also, because recesses or protrusions are formed on the decorative plate to obtain a decorative effect, the usage amount of high-priced components such as jewels can be reduced to lower a fabrication cost of a product.
US08382211B2
An ornamental wheel insert utilizing a snap-fit attachment to a wheel. In a first embodiment, fingers carrying bosses are attached to an insert body, wherein when the insert body is seated the bosses snappingly engage a boss abutment of the wheel. In a second embodiment, a snap ring snappingly engages the insert body from the inside of the wheel to thereby securely seat the insert body at the wheel.
US08382208B2
The inventive handle for a brush, in particular for a toothbrush or a domestic brush, has an integral handle body with a hollow space which is surrounded by a wall. Recesses which are offset in relation to one another and open into the hollow space are formed in the wall. The handle is produced from a plastic in an injection-molding process using an injection-molding die which has finger elements, with sections of these finger elements touching in a sealing manner when the injection-molding die is in the closed state and, as a result, these finger elements forming the recesses and the hollow space in the hardened handle.
US08382205B2
Disclosed is an adjustment device for a motor vehicle seat having an adjusting element adjustably disposed in its longitudinal direction and in the area of one end, connectable in an articulated manner to a vehicle seat structure, and a drive unit driving the adjusting element. In order to provide an adjustment device of the initially named type, that can be disposed at a vehicle seat component in a simple and reliable manner, it is provided that the drive unit comprises means for the articulated, particularly pivotal, connection to a vehicle seat component, particularly a side member of a seat base frame.
US08382204B2
A four way lumbar support for an automobile seat includes a wire array, a fixed frame, and a basculating arm. When in its extended position, the basculating arm exerts pressure on the wire array thus providing lumbar support to the seat occupant at that point. A system of cables and sliding connections allows the basculating arm to slide along the fixed frame so that the lumbar support may be provided at different heights within the seat.
US08382202B2
A child safety seat can be formed in a single body, and comprises a seating portion having an upper surface and opposite bottom surface, and two armrests projecting upward at left and right sides of the seating portion, the upper surface having left and right front corners provided with lobe portions, and the bottom surface having recessed portions respectively corresponding to the locations of the lobe portions. Each of the recessed portions has a shape that can fit with the shape of each of the lobe portions. When two instances of the seats are stacked on each other, the lobe portions of the lower seat are respectively fitted at least partially into the recessed portions of the upper seat, and the tapered inner surfaces of the armrests on the lower seat are in contact with the tapered outer surfaces of the armrests of the upper seat.
US08382196B2
Deformation of an instrument panel reinforcement is effectively suppressed even if there is a large difference between impact loads that are inputted to a driver seat side and a passenger seat side of the instrument panel reinforcement. At the passenger seat side of the instrument panel reinforcement, a passenger seat side brace member is provided that joins a cowl inner panel with a small diameter portion of the instrument panel reinforcement in a vehicle front-rear direction. The passenger seat side brace member is structured by a front side bracket and a rear side bracket being detachably joined by a bolt. Therefore, the rear side bracket is detached when an offset impact occurs at the driver seat side, a large load is inputted to a large diameter portion of the instrument panel reinforcement and the small diameter portion is pulled to the vehicle rearward side.
US08382192B2
A reversibly deployable spoiler for a vehicle comprises a body and an active material in operative communication with the body. The active material, such as shape memory material, is operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The active material can change its shape, dimensions and/or stiffness producing a change in at least one feature of the active spoiler airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and/or stiffness to control vehicle airflow and downforce to better suit changes in driving conditions such as speed, while reducing maintenance and the level of failure modes. An activation device, controller and sensors may be employed to further control the change in at least one feature of the active spoiler airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and/or stiffness. A method for controlling vehicle airflow selectively introduces an activation signal to initiate a change of at least one feature of the device that can be reversed upon discontinuation of the activation signal.
US08382186B2
A vehicle floor tray is thermoformed from a polymer sheet of substantially uniform thickness. The tray has a central panel and at least first and second upstanding side panels joined to the central panel by curved transitions. Within a reservoir disposed in the central panel are plural, hollow treads/baffles. The treads/baffles have a width, in any horizontal direction, which is more than twice the substantially uniform thickness of the tray as thermoformed. The treads/baffles impede lateral motion, due to changes in vehicle speed or direction, of liquid collected in the reservoir.
US08382185B2
A tilt-down vehicle seat including: a base member on a vehicle floor; a seatback connected to the base member via a reclining mechanism; a seat cushion that moves downward as the seatback is tilted downward; a front link pivotally fitted at a lower portion to the base member and at an upper portion to a front portion of the seat cushion; a guide mechanism that slidably supports a rear portion of the seat cushion and guides the rear portion in such a manner that the rear portion slides relative to the base member in the fore-and-aft and up-and-down directions; a seatback-connected member that moves in accordance with a movement of the seatback; and an interlocking link pivotally connected at a front portion to the front link and at a rear portion to the seatback-connected member, which causes the seat cushion to move in accordance with the movement of the seatback.
US08382184B2
A sound absorption sheet is constructed by both films which are made of a fire-retardant polyethylene resin and layered with each other. The film has a flat film portion and a large number of air bubble portions. The flat film portion is adhered at its rear face to the flat film from the side of the front face. A large number of air bubble portions are dispersed in a staggered arrangement with each other along the planar direction of the film and raised and formed cylindrically along the thickness direction of the flat film portion in a direction separating from the film.
US08382183B2
A console apparatus for use in a vehicle that secures additional optional accessories that function to provide storage space for personal items, food and liquids, and/or and armrest, the apparatus including one or more accessory modules and a spine member for receiving, securing and reducing the jostling or shifting of one or more accessory modules by a person or the motions of a moving vehicle.
US08382182B2
A storage compartment for a motor vehicle includes a wall defining a storage space and an access opening to the storage space. A lid element has a free end unsecured to the wall and a hinged end hinged to the wall. The wall has a support area forming a protrusion and which at least partially encloses the access opening such that the free end of the lid element is disposable on the support area in a covering position to form a joint section with the support area to cover the access opening. A cover has an overlap part for covering the joint section in order to prevent penetration of objects into the joint section.
US08382178B2
A robotic finger is provided that includes a base joint connected to a base member. By way of the base joint, a main finger member is connected to the base member for pivoting movements of the main finger member in two planes. The base joint has two driven main bevel gears opposite one another, and two likewise opposing intermediate bevel gears disposed between the main bevel gears. The main bevel gears are mounted rotatably at the base member and can be driven independently of one another through electric motors and an intermediate toothed belt. The two intermediate bevel gears are each rotatably mounted at support members connected to the main finger member. To protect the base joint, a curved cover bracket is provided.
US08382174B2
A suction gripper includes a cup member, a suction port, and a valve. The cup member has inner and outer surfaces defining an opening such that the inner surface defines an inner cavity. The suction port provides suction. The valve in is fluid communication with the suction port and the inner cavity of the cup member to modify the suction therebetween. The valve is operatively coupled to the cup member and is adapted to passively actuate in response to an applied force to the cup member.
US08382172B2
A decomposable collector and container for the manual collection and containment of small amounts of material without direct manual contact. The collector and container may decompose upon exposure to light, heat, ozone, or other environmental factor. The collector and container, comprises a first film formed into an elongated bag-like structure having an open end, a closed end, and closed side edges, the bag being sized to comfortably receive a user's hand, the closed end being gusseted to form a “W”-shape in cross section; the gussets in the closed end forming two interior pockets for receipt of the user's fingers and thumb, respectively, and an intermediate exterior pocket therebetween for receipt of the material being collected and for engagement thereof by and between the fingers and thumb, the collector and container when turned inside-out to remove it from the user's hand comprising a container for the collected material; wherein the first film comprises linear low density polyethylene, not more than about 25% aggregate, and a degradation additive.
US08382171B2
A self-adjusting striker assembly, for use with a box having a lid, a box body and a latch, includes a striker bar mounted to the lid which is operative to move linearly relative to the latch in the event of misalignment between the lid and box body.
US08382161B2
A blade guard for a runner blade of an ice skate. The blade guard includes a channel extending a distance between first and second ends. The channel has an open top and a bottom surface and first and second opposing side surfaces extending from the bottom surface to the open top. The blade guard also includes at least one recess disposed below the channel and extending a distance transverse to the distance of the channel. The at least one recess includes first and second countersink portions at opposite ends of the distance and a center portion. A first shoulder is defined between the first countersink portion and the center portion and a second shoulder is defined between the second countersink portion and the center portion.
US08382160B2
A belt latch including a connection plate, for connecting it to a buckle, and a latch main body rigidly connected thereto. The latch main body may have a cut-open hollow cylindrical portion housing a bending and clamping element arranged to rotate in relation thereto from a deflecting position to a clamping position if the force in an associated belt exceeds a defined force. A lid may be arranged to cover the cut-open hollow cylindrical portion.
US08382147B2
A hitch device for a trailer mount. The hitch device includes a mounting portion for being received within a receiver portion attached to a vehicle. The hitch device includes a tongue portion secured to the mounting portion. The tongue portion includes an upper face, a lower face and a through-hole for receiving a lower portion of a hitch ball. At least one of the upper and lower faces includes a pair of raised rails.
US08382132B2
A modular running board adaptable for use with various types of vehicles having different wheel bases. In a first embodiment, the running board includes a first long board and a second long board connectable to a pick-up truck having crew cab or quad cab with four full doors. In another embodiment, the first long board is connected to a short board, and both the long board and short board are connected to a pick-up truck having an extended cab, with two full doors and two half-doors. In either of the first two embodiments, a coupling piece is used for connecting the first long board to the second long board, or the first long board to the short board. In yet another embodiment, only the first long board is connected to a vehicle, such as a pickup truck having a regular cab with two full doors only.
US08382128B2
An axle arrangement includes an axle member and an axle member bracket arranged on the axle member. A wheel suspension having a wheel carrier bracket is constructed in the form of a fork-shaped metal sheet and swingably supported on the axle member bracket for wheel alignment, with a wheel carrier being arranged on the wheel carrier bracket.
US08382121B2
The present invention provides a cartridge type double seal having a size small enough to be mounted on the outer surface of an apparatus without using a space in a stuffing box and without requiring any special design and modification. In a seal device (1), a seal case (44) is fixed and installed by the set screw (18), screwed in radially inside from the far end of the mounting groove (15) of the seal cover (10) through the screw groove (17), at the innermost end of the seal cover (10). The thickness of thickness direction can be reduced because the seal case (44) is not axially supported and fixed.
US08382104B2
An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing a jam and correcting misalignment of a sheet due to a buckling of the sheet certainly. A skew correction unit conveys a sheet while contacting one of side edges of the sheet with a reference member that is arranged in parallel to a conveyance direction in order to correct a skew of the sheet conveyed along a conveyance path. A misalignment correction unit moves the sheet that the skew has been corrected in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. A sheet position detection unit detects a position of the other of the side edges of the sheet that the skew has been corrected. A moving amount determination unit determines a moving amount by which the misalignment correction unit moves the sheet in the width direction.
US08382095B2
A sheet feeding unit has a main body, a sheet stack portion attached to the main body to accommodate a stack of sheets, a sheet feeding device disposed substantially above the sheet stack portion to feed the sheet onward, which is movable between a sheet feeding position at which the sheet feeding device contacts the sheet and feeds the sheet onward and a separating position at which the sheet feeding device separates from the sheet and does not feed the sheet onward, a separation unit to separate the sheets, a restriction member disposed between the sheet feeding device and the separation unit and is switchable between a sheet feeding state when the sheet feeding device is at the sheet feeding position and a sheet restriction state when the sheet feeding device is at the separation position, and a cover openably closable relative to the main body and constituted as an independent member.
US08382087B2
Workpiece rests are disclosed for holding workpieces in machining systems which machine the workpieces using a cutting beam, e.g., a laser beam. A workpiece rest includes a frame, a plurality of rest elements that are arranged adjacent to one another in the frame so as to support the workpiece, and a supporting element attached to at least one of the rest elements.
US08382086B2
A platform and system for mounting a tool or appliance to a workstation or for use on other surfaces. The platform is portable and includes a clamping bar and receiving pockets for receiving tables of an adjustable workstation and mounting pockets for accommodating placement of fastening hardware to secure the tool to the platform. The receiving pockets allow the tables to adjust and clamp upon the clamping bar. The mounting pockets allow the hardware to maintain independence from the workstation to which the platform is mounted.
US08382079B2
A vibration isolating device includes an insulator for isolating the transmission of an inputted vibration by an elastic deformation. A principal vibration input portion is provided in a central area of a concave curved wall portion formed in the insulator. A thin wall portion and a thick wall portion are formed by relatively varying a thickness of the insulator around the vibration input portion, wherein the concave curved wall portion of the insulator is formed in a substantially circular shape when viewed in a principal vibration inputted direction. The thick wall portion is formed substantially in the shape of a belt of a predetermined width and extends across the concave curved wall portion in the diametrical direction thereof while passing the vibration input portion. A rigid body covering portion for covering a surface of a metallic member of the vibration input portion is provided in the central area of the thick wall portion. A thickness of the rigid body covering portion is at least 1.7 mm.
US08382078B2
To provide a bump stopper (1) having constricted parts (2A, 2B) in the circumferential surface and exhibiting buffering action by deforming resiliently when an annular distal end portion (3) collides against a partner member (61) in a state that a bump stopper central axis (0) is inclined to a collision surface (62), without sliding on the collision surface (62), thereby generation of noise being suppressed, the distal end portion (3) has a outside diameter and an inside diameter which expand toward the end, a diameter d1 at a collision start point (4) at the most distal end of the inner diameter surface is set substantially equal to or larger than the outside diameter d2 of the constricted part (2A) located just above it, and the distal end portion (3) deforms to tilt further to the outer diameter side through action of moment at the time of collision.
US08382073B2
A disc-shaped filter unit including a filter main body having a water absorbability and a holder having a non water absorbability is disposed in a vertical orientation, with a part of a circumferential portion thereof immersed in water reserved in a water tank, and is rotated by a rotation drive mechanism in a circumferential direction. The filter unit has an absorptive region and a non-absorptive region arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, in accordance with rotation of the filter unit in the circumferential direction, a state where the absorptive region is immersed and the filter main body of the filter unit absorbs water through a water-conduction hole and a state where the non-absorptive region is immersed and water absorption of the filter main body is prevented by a watertight section having a non water absorbability are continuously alternated.
US08382070B1
A barrier is formed from a plurality of posts and a plurality of rails. Each post has an I-shaped cross section, with a pair of double-walled flanges separated by a single-walled web. Each rail is a channel-shaped member having an intermediate portion and opposed end portions. Each end portion has a rounded convex edge. The intermediate portion includes a flat section to which pickets or a fencing fabric may be attached. Each end portion also includes a flat section, which is recessed relative to the flat section of the intermediate portion. A rail is connected to a post by inserting the rail's end portion into the channel-shaped region of the post. The flat section of the rail's end portion engages the planar inner side of one of the post's flanges. Fasteners are inserted into aligned openings in the flange and the flat section to connect the rail to the post. When assembled, the post flanges and the flat section of the intermediate portion of the rail are coplanar.
US08382064B2
Provided are a solenoid valve which is configured such that the valve body is not deformed when a retainer is mounted and which can be easily assembled, and a method of manufacturing the solenoid valve. A solenoid valve is provided with a valve body inside which a spool is provided so as to move in an axial direction, a solenoid section which is mounted to one end of the valve body in the axial direction thereof, and a retainer which is mounted to the other end of the valve body in the axial direction thereof. The retainer is fixed by a staking section which is provided to an end of the valve body in the axial direction thereof and staked in the axial direction.
US08382053B2
A beverage container holder adapted to hold a wide variety of containers including cups, bottles, mugs, and tumblers. The device preferably includes a base, an upright extending upward from the base, and a receiver near the top of the upright. The receiver includes a cup holder which is preferably made detachable so that it may be washed in a dishwasher. The cup holder and receiver include a cutout which is wide enough to accommodate the handle on a coffee cup.
US08382045B2
A method and apparatus for controlling the shape of a control surface. A structure is rotated about an axis. The structure is located between a flexible skin and a skin located substantially opposite of the flexible skin. An assembly is moved to change the shape of the control surface in response to a rotation of the structure. The assembly is movably connected to the structure and is configured to move such that the flexible skin forms a plurality of curvatures.
US08382041B1
A rakelet comprises a raked portion and a winglet portion that selectively integrate features of raked wingtips and winglets into a wingtip device that improves aircraft endurance and range over standard wings and over other wingtip devices such as raked wings, winglets, and the like. The features of the rakelet can be configured to improve and maximize the range and endurance for any particular aircraft.
US08382039B2
An anti-icing system for a nacelle of an aircraft engine. The nacelle has an inlet lip that defines a leading edge of the nacelle, and further has an annular-shaped cavity adjacent and delimited in part by an interior surface of the inlet lip. An anti-icing system is located within the cavity and includes a manifold with a cross-sectional shape that conforms to the interior surface of the inlet lip. A wall of the manifold faces the interior surface of the inlet lip, and air is conducted to the manifold to cause heating of the inlet lip via the manifold wall.
US08382036B2
Seating arrangements for passenger aircraft or other vehicles are detailed. Some arrangements position seats at offsets from a longitudinal axis of a vehicle cabin in either “V” shapes or herringbone patterns. Other arrangements include seats that are staggered within the cabin. Further arrangements include pairs of seat that are both parallel and offset from the longitudinal axis, but are placed so that feet of the port and starboard passengers point away from the fuselage. All embodiments contemplate providing seats that are convertible to beds, although this conversion is not required.
US08382034B2
A system box for accommodating aircraft systems, and for load transmission between an aircraft structure and a crew rest compartment. The system box comprises a first, a second and a third region, wherein the three regions differ from each other. The first region is adapted attachment of the system box to the primary structure of the aircraft, wherein the second region is adapted for mechanical contact with a crew rest compartment for the aircrew. The mechanical contact in turn is adapted for load transmission between the aircraft structure and the crew rest compartment. Necessary aircraft systems are accommodated in the third region of the system box.
US08382031B2
An engine unit for an aircraft including an engine, a device for hooking the engine, and a nacelle surrounding the engine and provided with fan cowls, the device for hooking including a rigid structure and a front aerodynamic structure whereon the fan cowls are articulated, the front aerodynamic structure including a cradle with a rear mechanism of hooking mounted on the rigid structure. The cradle also includes a front mechanism of hooking mounted on an air inlet of the nacelle.
US08382030B2
A VTOL aircraft powerplant choosing between a low-power, turbofan mode during cruise flight and a high-power, lift fan mode during vertical flight. Turbofan mode is a gas turbine engine's shaft power driving a remote front fan. Its fan flow goes to thrust for cruising flight. During VTOL, front fan output enters a boost compressor. It produces the compressed air for a combustion chamber which feeds a large lift-fan turbine. That is the implementation of lift-fan mode. The boost compressor has more stages than the front fan and is a big added load. The gas turbine engine is supercharged to turn that added load: Part of the boost compressor output is taken during VTOL. This is a new version of the supercharging. During cruise flight, a low pressure turbine stage is bypassed to match the lesser load. That completes the apparatus for a variable-cycle VTOL engine.
US08382029B2
Embodiments relate to a Wingless Hovering Micro Air Vehicle and its Power Source Unit. Embodiments can operate at reasonable power levels for hovering and withstanding expected wind gusts. Embodiments can have a diameter less than 15 cm. Embodiments can have one or more smooth (continuous curvature) surface and can be operated using electromagnetic and electrohydrodynamic principles. The wingless design of specific embodiments can allow operation with no rotating or moving components. Additional embodiments can allow active response to the surrounding flow conditions. The issue of low lift to drag ratio and degradation of airfoil efficiency due to the inability of laminar boundary layers attachment can also be significantly reduced, or eliminated. The electromagnetic force can be generated by applying a pulsed (alternating/rf) voltage between a set of grounded and powered electrodes separated by a polymer insulator, dielectric, or other material with insulating properties.
US08382022B2
A spinning reel for fishing includes: a reel body including a front portion; a handle provided in the reel body; a cap-shaped cover body including a surrounding wall mounted in the front portion of the reel body; a spool on which a fishing line is to be wound; a rotor including a fishing line guide part, the rotor being rotated by the rotational manipulation of the handle to wind the fishing line on the spool; a driving part passing through the cover body and transmitting the rotation of the handle to the rotor; a support part provided in the front portion of the reel body and supporting the driving part; and a magnetic seal device mounted in the cover body and including a magnet, a cylindrical magnetic body forming a magnetic circuit between the magnetic body and the magnet and magnetic fluid maintained between the magnet and the magnetic ring.
US08382020B2
A cutting device for a crosscut shredder is mounted in a housing, is driven by a motor through a transmission gear set and has two driving shafts, and two bracing leaves, multiple shredding blades and multiple partitions mounted on the driving shafts. The partitions are disposed between the shredding blades. The bracing leaves hold the driving shafts at middles of the driving shafts to structurally enhance the driving shafts so the driving shafts are not deformed easily. Therefore, the papers are shredded thoroughly, and the transmission gear set and the motor are able to operate appropriately and keep in good conditions. Moreover, the driving shafts have saved manufacturing costs and effective shredding capabilities.
US08382018B2
A food processor having a coupling point to attach a processing device to the food processor; a cover part; a detection device disposed at the coupling point, wherein the detection device detects the attached processing device or the cover part; wherein each of the processing device and the cover part has a respective actuating element to actuate the detection device; and wherein the detection device has at least a first actuating region and a second actuating region that is oriented differently from the first actuating region.
US08382017B2
Grinding system (1) comprising a grinding mill (2) and a reload cartridge (3) containing a material to be ground (37) and adapted to be removably mounted on the grinding mill. The cartridge has a closure member (33) which is opened by an opening member (18) of the grinding mill when the cartridge is coupled to the grinding mill.
US08382008B1
An optimized and miniaturized aerosol generator preferably includes a transducer plate, at least one transducer, a level float, a fluid container, at least one aerosol output member and an air input member. At least one transducer counterbore is formed in the transducer plate to retain the at least one transducer. The fluid container includes a float chamber and an aerosol chamber. The at least one aerosol output and the air input member are retained in a top of the aerosol chamber. A sealing gasket is preferably placed between a top of the transducer plate and a bottom of the fluid. The level float is contained in the float chamber. Air is pumped into the aerosol chamber through the air input member. A transducer driver powers the at least one transducer. The at least one transducer vibrates and produces an aerosol, which exits the at least one aerosol output member.
US08381996B1
A memory card supporting near field communication through single wire protocol includes a power management unit, an interface control unit, a data storage unit, a power protection unit and an intelligent unit. The power protection unit is interposed between the power management unit and a near field voltage source of the near field communication unit to prevent short-circuit induced by direct connection there between. Moreover, direct connection between the power management unit and the intelligent unit can also be prevented, which can protect against bursts of excessive voltages or currents that may damage the data in the intelligent unit. Additionally, the power protection unit can prevent power leakage from the power management unit and the near field voltage source, which solves the problem of improperly driving near field communication or insufficient power supply to the interface control unit or intelligent unit.
US08381994B2
A data storage device, a stacking method thereof, and a data storage device assembly are provided. The data storage device assembly includes a first data storage device and a second data storage device respectively having a body, a magnetic element, and a storage device. Each body has a first containing space and a second containing space. Each magnetic element is disposed in the corresponding first containing space. At least one of the magnetic elements of the first and the second data storage device is a magnet. Each storage device is disposed in the corresponding second containing space and includes an electrical connector terminal, a memory chip, and a memory controller with no crystal oscillator. The magnetic elements of the first and the second data storage device attract each other so that the body of the first data storage device is stacked on the body of the second data storage device.
US08381991B2
An RFID tag that is foldable about a generally transverse fold line. The line divides the tag into two regions. One region has an RFID integrated circuit and areas of electrically conductive material. The other region has conductive areas that provide an efficient RFID antenna. In a folded configuration the areas are operatively associated with the integrated circuit while in the open configuration the areas are not functionally associated with the integrated circuit. Accordingly in the open configuration the tag is disabled or its RFID performance substantially degraded. The tag can be reversibly altered between the open and folded configurations.
US08381984B2
A system having an image sensor array can be provided for use in locating and decoding a bar code symbol represented within a frame of image data. An image sensor array can be incorporated in a terminal having a hand held housing. A terminal can be operative to capture a frame and locate a feature of a document represented within the frame, the document of a type having a bar code symbol at a predetermined location. The system can determine a location of a bar code symbol representation within an image representation. For determining a location of the bar code symbol representation in an image representation, the system can be operative to utilize pre-stored information respecting the document and the determined location of the document feature representation, the pre-stored information indicating a location of the bar code symbol in a document of the document type subject to image capture.
US08381980B2
A device (110) for evaluating an electromagnetic field strength/field geometry of an electromagnetic gate apparatus (120) is provided, the device (110) comprising a measurement unit (112) adapted for receiving a measurement signal from the electromagnetic gate apparatus (120) and determining a value of the field strength of said measurement signal, a communication unit (114) adapted for receiving command data from the electromagnetic gate apparatus (120) and adapted for sending response datato the electromagnetic gate apparatus (120). Optionally, the device (110) comprises an evaluation unit (116,118) adapted for evaluating the electromagnetic field geometry of the electromagnetic gate apparatus (120) based on said values of the field strength received from the measurement unit (112).
US08381976B2
A system includes a time of flight (TOF) camera or similar device, a processor coupled to the TOF camera, and a sensor. The processor receives TOF data from the sensor. The TOF data is related to an object within range of the TOF device. The processor calculates dimensions of the object using the time of flight data.
US08381972B2
A method of customizing communications to a transaction account user is described. The method may include the steps of incorporating a customized image sent by the user on a transaction card that is provided to the user, and displaying the customized image on one or more account message seen by the user. Also, a method to customize messages about a transaction account to an account user is described. The method may include the steps of sending the account user a customized transaction card having a customized image received from a person opening the account, and incorporating the customized image on one or more messages about the account that are sent to the account user.
US08381971B2
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods are provided for providing a consumer with a rebate on purchases, which are made, for example, at a merchant. The rebate may be in a variety of forms. According to one aspect the rebate may be a reduction in the purchase price associated with a transaction. According to another aspect the rebate may be in the form of cash or an item having value being delivered to the consumer. The rebate may be provided at the Point of Sale. The rebate may be determined by a number of different criteria including purchase price, transaction frequency, predetermined time intervals, consumer loyalty, Point of Sale location, or any combination of these and other criteria.
US08381965B2
A method includes providing a substrate carrier including work piece holders, and placing a first plurality of work pieces into the work piece holders. A second plurality of work pieces is picked up and placed, with each of the second plurality of work pieces being placed on one of the first plurality of work pieces. Solder bumps between the first and the second plurality of work pieces are then reflowed to simultaneously bond the first and the second plurality of work pieces together.
US08381964B2
A Sn—Ag bonding and a method thereof are revealed. By means of a bonding layer formed by tin and silver between wafers, the stress released by diffusion and bonding between tin(Sn) and silver(Ag) is larger than the stress released by diffusion and bonding of conventional gold-silver bonding. Moreover, a Sn—Ag bonding method of the present invention forms Sn—Ag bonding at low temperature and releases more stress so as to reduce thermal stress generated during wafer bonding effectively. And after wafer bonding, the high temperature processes can be performed.
US08381963B2
A compression-bonding apparatus includes a support stage and a pressing tool. The pressing tool includes a pressing stage, an elastic member and a plurality of bonding heads. The elastic member is held by the pressing stage. The plurality of bonding heads includes an upper surface attached to the elastic member and a lower surface facing an upper surface of the support stage.
US08381962B2
A flexible unitary mask has a plurality of through holes. A substrate has a plurality of wettable pads in recessed regions defining volumes. The through holes are aligned with the wettable pads. Molten solder is directly injected through the through holes of the flexible unitary mask into the volumes with the wettable pads, such that the through holes and the volumes with the wettable pads are filled with solder. The solder is allowed to solidify, forming a plurality of solder structures adhered to the wettable pads. The flexible unitary mask is peeled from the substrate after the solder has solidified.
US08381961B2
A fastener system includes an open loop member and a receiving plate. The open loop member has first and second legs and a base. Each leg defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The receiving plate has a body including a pair of spaced apart channels. The body defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. Each channel is positioned to receive a portion of one of the first or second legs.
US08381953B2
A gun holster fastening system for supporting a handgun in a position proximate to the ribcage area of the wearer is provided. The gun holster fastening system including a holster case having a pistol receiving compartment, and a holster support band attached to the holster case. The holster support band is sized to extend around a wearer's ribcage. The system also includes holster support strut sized to span between the wearer's ribcage area and a wearer's trouser waistband area, such that the holster support strut has a proximate end adjacent to the holster case, a distal end, an internal face, and an external face. The holster support strut is configured to support the gun fastening system and prevent the holster case and holster support band from moving down a wearer's ribcage. The distal end has a plurality of belt cleats which extend from the external face of the holster support strut to define at least one belt channel.
US08381941B2
A package for containing a viscous substance in a transport configuration and for dispensing the viscous substance in a dispensing configuration is disclosed. The package includes first and second sheets disposed in opposing relation that are sealed together around a perimeter. The package has a compartment that defines a space for holding the viscous substance. The package further includes an integral tube having a first end in fluid communication with the compartment, and a second end that is closed in the transport configuration. The second end can be opened such that the viscous substance contained in the package can flow from the container, through the integral tube, and exit the package via the opening. The second end of the integral tube is positionable independent of the compartment for depositing the substance at multiple, spaced apart target locations without moving the compartment.
US08381937B2
The present invention concerns a double-walled tank container, whereby the inner container is stored at the bottom inside the outer enclosure by a spacer consisting of several spacer pieces. The spacer provided, which is preferably placed near a front saddle ring, imparts transportation and storage stresses between the inner tank and the outer enclosure and consequently between the inner container and the frame of the tank container. The spacer can be laid out in such a way that it absorbs shocks and/or defines a hollow space. This hollow space can serve as a thermal insulation or for the installation of temperature equalization devices, mediums or a leak detector fluid.
US08381934B2
The present invention provides a sealing plug for blind installation in a suitable hole (50) thereby to plug and seal the hole, which sealing plug comprises a sleeve (2), a nut stem (4) having a shoulder (8), and a head (6) at least part of which is radially enlarged with respect to the remainder of the stem; the nut stem being of a material which is harder than that of the sleeve; the nut stem being internally threaded; whereby, when the sealing plug is inserted in a suitable hole, with the sleeve entirely within the hole, and increasing force is applied to the stem with respect to the sleeve, axial compression is applied by the shoulder to the sleeve material abutting it, thereby causing the sleeve to deform and expand radially outwardly to engage with the wall (52) of the hole.
US08381929B2
A container for transporting and storing goods with a container base and at least two side walls that can be folded over one another, the two side walls are respectively pivotably supported through at least one hinge bolt in a hinge bolt receiver, wherein the hinge bolt receiver comprises an elongated recess extending perpendicular to the container base. The folded down side wall is movable from a lower end position, in which the folded down side wall contacts the container base, into an upper end position, which is displaced upward from the lower end position in a direction perpendicular to the container base. Hinge bolt is provided with a guided translatoric movement when the side wall is folded up from the lower end position, causing rotation of the hinge bolt in the hinge bolt receiver, so that the side wall moves upward in a direction perpendicular to the container base.
US08381928B2
A method of reducing fuel vapor permeation through a multi-layer tank includes providing a multi-layer overlay onto at least a portion of a structural layer of the multi-layer tank. The multi-layer overlay preferably comprises at least one structural layer composed of a polymeric material that is compatible with one or more of the polymeric structural layer(s) of the multi-layer tank. The multi-layer overlay further comprises at least one barrier layer composed of a vapor barrier material resistant to hydrocarbon permeation therethrough. The multi-layer overlay may be secured to the multi-layer tank by, for example, applying a suitable amount of heat and pressure thereto or by molding the multi-layer overlay to the tank body during a tank forming process.
US08381924B2
A closing arrangement includes a neck having an end closed by a wall and an associated cap. The end of the neck is provided with a weakening line that surrounds the neck. The cap is provided with an opening promoting device arranged for engaging with a further opening promoting device of the wall to separate at least a part of the wall of the neck along the weakening line.
US08381919B2
Provided is a mat device to be arranged in a basket of a dishwashing machine. The mat device includes a base structure including a rigid supporting structure and a flexible structure allowing the base structure to be at least partially conformed to a bottom of the basket. The base structure is at least partially covered by an elastic material, supports a flexible structure for receiving dishes or cutlery, or is at least partially covered by the elastic material and supports the flexible structure for receiving the dishes or cutlery.
US08381914B2
A method for separating and recovering silicon debris from sawing waste is characterized in that it includes the following steps: —treating the sawing waste so as to deoxidize the silicon debris in a manner that reduces their surface energy, —applying to the sawing waste thus treated a flotation method using a flotation liquid and a nonoxidizing flotation gas, and —recovering the silicon debris at the surface of the flotation liquid.
US08381905B1
A bit socket bracket assembly has a frame, multiple bit socket mounts and a burglarproof unit. The frame has a track. Each bit socket mount is detachably and slidably connected with the track and has a hollow positioning section. Each positioning section has a round cross section and can be inserted into a bit socket. The cross sections of the positioning sections are round, so the bit sockets can be rotated. Accordingly, a number or a sign on each bit socket can be rotated to face a user and this is greatly practical and convenient.
US08381904B1
A personal electronic device protective wallet covering. A main housing is dimensioned to fit securely and snugly around a personal electronic device. The main housing includes a window disposed on a front side of the housing allowing usable access to a front surface of a device disposed in the housing. A rear protective face at least partially covers a rear surface of the device disposed inside. A preferably externally accessible pocket is formed coextensively with the rear protective face, adapted to allow insertion and removal of cards or paper currency into and out of the pocket in the manner of a wallet. The window may be an absence of housing material, allowing direct user contact with the front of the device, or it may thin and transparent, allowing functional contact therethrough. The pocket may be formed between the housing and the device or between the housing and an additional layer.
US08381892B2
In a motorcycle, a cable linked with a clutch release lever is reduced in length and arranged without being bent so much. A release mechanism for a friction type clutch device is provided with a clutch release lever on a lateral surface of a crankcase that is linked with a cable connected to a clutch operational lever disposed on the left side of a steering handlebar that is turned to perform a clutch release operation. The clutch release lever includes an arm portion linked with the cable and a release rod turned together with the arm portion to press the push rod. The release rod is disposed on a left side portion of the crankcase and the arm portion is attached to project outwardly of the crankcase. The clutch release lever is turned clockwise as viewed from above a vehicle body to perform clutch release operation.
US08381885B2
A brake system and powered implement, such as a lawn mower, incorporating the same. In one aspect the invention is a system for stopping an electrically grounded rotating member of an engine powered by an ignition circuit, the system comprising: a conductive member operably coupled to the ignition circuit that renders the engine inoperative when electrically grounded, the conductive member mounted adjacent the rotating member; and the conductive member normally biased into a brake position in which the conductive member contacts the rotating member and is electrically grounded as a result of the contact with the rotating member.
US08381884B2
A bicycle braking system is basically provided with a bicycle braking device, a supplementary brake operating device and a brake maintaining arrangement. The bicycle braking device is movably between a non-brake applying position and a brake applying position for applying a braking force. The supplementary brake operating device is operatively coupled to operate the bicycle braking device. The supplementary brake operating device includes a rider operating arrangement that is operable by a rider between a non-braking position and at least one predetermined braking position. The brake maintaining arrangement is configured and arranged to hold the bicycle braking device in the brake applying position in response to movement of the rider operating arrangement to the predetermined braking position such that the braking force of the bicycle braking device is continually and consistently applied.
US08381882B1
An anti-lock braking system includes a sensor apparatus that includes a sensor body. In a first position, the sensor body is positioned such that a desired gap is maintained between the sensor body and a reference point located on a tone ring, which is rotatably coupled to a corresponding wheel hub. In the first position, a spring-loaded plunger holds the sensor body in place. When the sensor body is moved to a second position, a plunger pin is displaced within the plunger, putting tension on an internal spring. The tension in the spring returns the sensor body to the first position.
US08381880B2
A method of operating an elevator installation for transporting elevator users in a building area, including the steps of: detecting the position of elevator users in the building area, granting of an access authorization of the elevator users to building regions, triggering of a destination call by a detected elevator user, allocation of an elevator car serving the destination call or elevator call, boarding of an elevator car by at least one detected elevator user, if an elevator call was triggered triggering a car call by a detected elevator user, comparing whether the position of the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car corresponds with the position of the elevator user that has triggered the destination call, and determining whether the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car has an access authorization for a destination location corresponding with the destination call or elevator call.
US08381878B2
An assembly for capturing lubricating liquid from a fan drive gear system of a gas turbine engine includes a gutter and an auxiliary reservoir. The gutter is positioned radially outward from a centerline axis of the gear system for capturing lubricating liquid slung from the gear system. The auxiliary reservoir is fluidically connected to the gutter for receiving and storing the lubricating liquid from the gutter. A portion of the auxiliary reservoir and a portion of the gutter have a same radial distance from the centerline axis of the gear system.
US08381876B1
A tree climbing tree stand comprising, in combination a lower foot portion. The lower foot portion has a lower flexible tree strap coupled there to. There is also provided an upper portion. The upper portion has an upper flexible tree strap coupled there to.
US08381875B2
A lambdoidal ladder comprises front struts (100), back struts (200), treads (500), a folding device) 400, a connection device (600) and a platform (300). Wherein the platform (300) is connected to the front strut (100) and the back strut (200), and the structure between the front strut and the back strut is a rotatable connection; the platform (300) comprises a body (310) and a transverse rod (320) which goes through the front strut (100), an orientation slot (314) matching to the transverse rod (320) is set under the body (310); the folding device (400) fixed to the middle part of the front strut and the back strut is constructed a hinge with a H figuration; the tread (500) is fixed to the front and back struts by the connection device (600).
US08381873B2
A convertible ladder and scaffold assembly includes a plurality of uprights and a plurality of beams each extending from one of the uprights. A plurality of hinges each hingedly connect one of the uprights to one of the beams about a rotational axis (AR) to provide an assembly having ladder, scaffold, push-cart, and storage configurations. Each of the hinges defines catches and present a stop releasably engaging catches for preventing rotation about the rotational axis (AR). At least one lever bar releasably engages a plurality of the stops for simultaneously releasing a plurality of the stops from engaging catches. Each of the lever bars have a plurality of lever sections for providing leverage to disengage the stops from the catches. Each of the lever bars has a grip section interconnecting the lever sections for simultaneously releasing a plurality of the stops from engaging the catches.
US08381865B2
A gate-shaped muffler mount including front and rear leg portions and a muffler attaching portion is attached to a mounting bracket for supporting an engine with bolts so as to straddle a hydraulic pump. One of mounting holes has a diameter larger than the diameter of the bolt, and the muffler mount is therefore rotatable around the other bolt along the axial direction of a bellows. By this rotation, the bellows can be positionally adjusted in the axial direction relative to an engine exhaust pipe so that assembly errors can be absorbed.
US08381862B2
A pedal arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a pedal arm connected to the vehicle structure via a first pivotal joint connection and connected to a force transmitting element via a second pivotal joint connection. The pedal arrangement further includes a pyrotechnically driven release arrangement. The release arrangement is adapted to perform a release movement in order to release the second pivotal joint connection upon being driven in response to a corresponding activation signal. The release movement of the release arrangement is based on a translational movement essentially along the pedal arm.
US08381859B2
An inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) includes a lower frame incorporated with load sensor having an input portion 60 for receiving an external force and an upper frame (3) provided with a saddle 11 for supporting a load of a rider or a cargo and a grip handle (31) for enabling a user not riding the vehicle to support the vehicle (1), the upper frame being connected to the lower frame via the input portion of the load sensor. Therefore, in the vehicle including the lower frame supporting a propelling unit for the vehicle and the upper frame detachably attached to the lower frame, by using a single force sensor, not only the force acting on a load support portion of the upper frame can be detected in an accurate manner, but also the force acting on the load support portion when the user is transporting the vehicle can be detected.
US08381854B2
An all terrain vehicle contains a partition wall which partitions a passenger space and a hood which is arranged ahead of the partition wall. When viewed from the side of the vehicle, an air outlet of an exhaust passage is opened in an upper space located between the partition wall and the hood.
US08381853B2
An electric vehicle comprising a drive wheel which is driven by a traction electric motor, a brake command device, a brake releasing unit, a brake shaft, a friction plate, and a braking spring. The brake shaft is rotatable in a brake realizing direction which is one direction by an operation of the brake command device, and is rotatable in a brake releasing direction which is the other direction by driving of the brake releasing unit. The friction plate is operatively connected to the traction electric motor, and is frictionally braked when the brake shaft is rotated in the brake realizing direction. The braking spring applies an elastic force to the brake shaft in a direction to rotate the brake shaft in the brake realizing direction.
US08381852B2
An electrical system for a motor vehicle includes first and second battery sets. The first battery set generally supplies power to vehicle electrical loads while the second battery set is used to energize the engine starter system. The vehicle's engine driven alternator is connected to recharge the first battery set. Recharging of the second battery set is provided by a charger connected to draw power from the first set and to transfer the power to the second set.
US08381851B2
A method for operating a series hybrid vehicle is provided, in which an engine generates secondary power that is either stored or used as direct input energy by a secondary power source to provide motive power to the vehicle. Regenerative braking is used to convert kinetic energy of the vehicle into secondary energy, which is also stored. When the vehicle driver makes a power demand, the secondary power source is powered by secondary energy from an energy storage device, direct input energy generated by the engine, or both, depending on the amount of stored secondary energy in combination with vehicle speed. When in use, the power level at which the engine is operated is also determined on the basis of available stored energy and vehicle speed. At higher vehicle speeds, the amount of stored energy is allowed to be depleted in order to increase the available storage capacity for regenerative braking.
US08381848B2
Children's ride-on vehicles having window mechanisms, and window mechanisms for such vehicles. In some embodiments, the window mechanism is a manual window mechanism, and in some embodiments the window mechanism is a powered, or motorized, window mechanism. The window mechanism includes a window drive assembly that selectively drives movement of a window member relative to the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the window drive assembly is a powered window drive assembly that includes a window motor assembly and a window linkage to couple the output of the window motor assembly to the window member. In some embodiments, the window drive assembly is a manual window drive assembly. In some embodiments, the window member includes a receiving region coupled to the window linkage. In some embodiments, the window mechanism includes a window support assembly that maintains the window member in a predetermined orientation relative to the vehicle body.
US08381847B2
A unicycle having a lower part with a wheel, a drive and a fork, in the branched end of which the wheel is rotatably mounted. An upper part of the unicycle includes a seat and a support frame. The lower part and the upper part are connected by a rotational connection, enabling the rotational movement of the upper part of the unicycle relative to the lower part. The unicycle is therefore easier to steer and to balance.
US08381841B2
A cover tube concentric about a pressure tube at the opposite end.
US08381818B2
An apparatus for, and method of, lowering items from a drilling rig to a well located below it through the use of a landing string comprised of drill pipe having an enlarged diameter section with a shoulder, in combination with upper and lower holders having wedge members with shoulders that engage and support the drill pipe at the shoulder of the enlarged diameter section, the shoulder of the drill pipe and the shoulders of the wedge members being rotatable with respect to each other.
US08381814B2
To protect an underground aquifer from pollution due to the extraction of subsurface products from a recovery well or other subsurface mining operation, a plurality of barrier injection wells are formed around the recovery well/subsurface operation, each barrier injection well terminating in a groundwater layer to be protected. A polymer matrix material is then into the injection wells such that the material exiting each injection well expands and overlaps with material exiting from adjacent wells prior to solidification, thereby forming an isolation barrier within the groundwater layer. In the preferred embodiment, the polymer matrix material is a cellulose polymer hydrogel matrix material which is injected in gel form. Following recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous products from the recovery well(s), the injected polymer matrix material may be reheated and subsequently liquefied allowing full groundwater flow to occur.
US08381809B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a packer for use within a conduit, such as casing, having a non-extrusion ring. The non-extrusion ring is comprised of hard segments and an elastic matrix.
US08381803B2
A high-temperature and high-pressure corrosion-resistant process heat exchanger for a nuclear hydrogen production system decomposes sulfite (SO3) using heat from a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor to thereby produce sulfide (SO2) and oxygen (O2). The process heat exchanger comprises second and third system coolant channels, each of which is defined by a heat transmission fin, which is bent in a quadrilateral shape, and heat transmission plates, and has increased corrosion resistance thanks to ion-beam coating and ion-beam mixing using a material having high corrosion resistance. The third system coolant channel includes reaction catalysts for SO3 decomposition, and is made of a super alloy. Thus, a system differential pressure between the second and third system coolant channels can be greatly maintained at a high temperature of 900° C. or higher.
US08381802B2
This invention provides a heat transfer device which can improve its heat transfer performance in a heat exchanger with a flow rate of heat carrier fluid being set at a relatively low velocity, while restricting increase in pressure loss of the fluid flow. Plural longitudinal vortex generator winglets (10) are arranged in a spanwise direction on each side of the heat transfer object (T). The winglets on each side are oriented substantially in the same direction for deflecting the fluid to the same direction and conducting the fluid to an area behind the object. Each of the winglets has a configuration gradually decreasing in its height toward an upstream side of a flow of the fluid. Longitudinal vortices are produced behind the winglets by the fluid flowing rearward beyond the winglets.
US08381801B2
A heat dissipation device includes a first heat sink thermally contacting an electronic component, a second heat sink connecting to the first heat sink, and a heat pipe thermally connecting the first heat sink with the second heat sink. The first heat sink defines a receiving portion at a lateral side thereof. The heat pipe includes an evaporating section attached to the first heat sink, a condensing section attached to the second heat sink and a connecting section interconnecting the evaporating section with the condensing section. An engaging portion protrudes from a lateral side of the second heat sink and is firmly embedded in and lockable with the receiving portion of the first heat sink. The heat pipe extends through the engaging portion.
US08381796B2
A method of making a functionally graded metal matrix composite (MMC) sheet having a central layer of particulate matter, the particulate matter having a size of at least about 30 microns. The method includes providing a molten metal containing particulate matter to a pair of advancing casting surfaces. Solidifying the molten metal while advancing the molten metal between the advancing casting surfaces to form a first solid outer layer, a second solid outer layer, and a semi-solid central layer having a higher concentration of particulate matter than either of the outer layers. Solidifying the central layer to form a solid metal product including a central layer sandwiched between the outer layers and withdrawing the metal product from between the casting surfaces.
US08381786B2
A pneumatic tire has no spew or no spew trace on a sidewall surface of the pneumatic tire and reduces air resistance. The tire includes a plurality of dimple-like recesses and a plurality of linear valley portions. The dimple-like recesses are provides in a first region including a tire maximum width position of the sidewall surface of the tire. The linear valley portions which are formed by serration of the sidewall surface, extend linearly in one direction in the first region and provided around each of the recesses so as to enclose each of the recesses. When a size of an occupied area of each of the recesses on the sidewall surface is represented by an equivalent diameter of a circle, an interval distance between the linear valley portions is smaller than the equivalent diameter.
US08381778B2
Method for charging an aerosol container with fluid, comprising:—providing an aerosol container (1) having a reservoir (2) comprising a product, for example a foodproduct, and having product discharge means (1a);—gradually supplying fluid to the reservoir of the container (1) via the discharge means (1a) thereof; and—applying a mixing movement to the container (1), preferably during the supplying of the fluid, to mix the fluid and product at least partly with each other, wherein the mixing movement is such that at least a first virtual point (P1, P2) of a virtual center line (Z) of the container reservoir (2) follows an endless path around a respective virtual axis. Embodiments of the invention also provide a cleaning method and a dummy container.
US08381772B2
A low-pressure hose for connection to diving cylinders for underwater activities, comprising an inner tubular element, which is sheathed by an inner sheathing layer constituted by a polyester braid, the hose further comprising an outer sheathing layer constituted by nylon braiding.
US08381764B2
A check valve (1) includes a casing (2) having a valve seat (10) formed in a flow path and a valving element assembly (21) disposed in the casing. A top (23) of a valving element (22) is received in a large-diameter portion (38) of a through-hole (37) in a support member (35) of the valving element assembly. A narrow flow path portion (68) is formed between an arcuate portion (46) of an outer periphery (45) of the support member and a second enlarged-diameter portion (11) of the casing. The narrow flow path portion (a first portion of an intermediate flow path) is communicated with a back-pressure chamber (50) defined in the support member at the rear of the top of the valving element through a communicating passage (67) including a gap (66) between the outer periphery of the valving element and the inner periphery of the large-diameter portion and grooves (27) on the rear surface of the top of the valving element. A low static pressure of fluid flowing through the narrow flow path portion is introduced into the back-pressure chamber. Fluid passing through the narrow flow path portion enters a diffuser flow path portion (69) as a second portion of the intermediate flow path and recovers the static pressure while flowing therethrough. Next, the fluid flows downstream through a uniform flow path portion as a third portion of the intermediate flow path while maintaining the recovered static pressure.
US08381758B2
A safety relief fill valve adapted to being an interface for filling and relieving excess pressure from a closed fluid system. An insert shell retains a piston member for movement between fluid input and fluid holding configurations, the piston member being resiliently biased toward fluid holding configuration. When in fluid holding configuration, the piston member sealingly engages an inlet bore of the insert shell. When in fluid input configuration, the piston member allows fluid flow through the inlet bore. A housing receives the insert shell, thereby limiting relative axial movement and forming a cavity between a portion of the housing the insert shell. This cavity provides mechanical guidance and a flow channel for an overpressure relief system having fluid retaining and fluid relief configurations, the overpressure relief system being elastically biased toward fluid retaining configuration. The elastic bias is overcome responsive to excess pressure within the closed fluid system.
US08381746B2
The shopping cart washing machine includes a cart transporting means (200) which continuously transports a cart in a forward direction, a high pressure washing water spraying means (300) which washes the cart by spraying high pressure washing water to a surface of the cart, a handle washing means (400) which washes a handle (4) of the cart by brushing upper and lower surfaces of the handle (4) of the cart, a cart outside surface washing unit (500) which washes the outside surface of a container part (1) of the cart by brushing the sides of the container part (1), a cart inside space washing means (600) which is disposed inside the container part (1) and removes dirt from the container part (1) by vertical vibrations, a rinsing means (700) which removes dirt remaining on the surface of the washed cart by spraying high pressure washing water again, and a drying means (800) which removes water droplets remaining on the surface of the washed cart using hot air.
US08381734B2
A patient stabilizing strap includes a base strap, which is removably attachable to a planar surface. At least one receiving portion is secured to the planar surface by the base strap. At least one elongate stabilizing portion has longitudinally spaced first and second stabilizing portion ends separated by a stabilizing portion body. Each first stabilizing portion end is removably attachable to a receiving portion to secure the stabilizing portion to the planar surface. Each second stabilizing portion end is removably attachable to an other second stabilizing portion end to encircle at least a portion of a patient body in cooperation with the planar surface.
US08381726B2
Disclosed are a safety system and method of an underground mine. In one embodiment, a method of safety of a mine structure includes expediting an air extraction process from an emergency support system by including a RIC (rapid interventions company/crew)/UAC (universal air connection) fitting to a fill panel to fill a breathable air apparatus. The method may include ensuring that a prescribed pressure of the emergency support system maintains within a threshold range of the prescribed pressure by including a valve of the emergency support system to prevent leakage of breathable air from the emergency support system. The method may also include maintaining the prescribed pressure of the emergency support system such that a system pressure is compatible with a breathable air apparatus through a distribution structure that is rated for use with compressed air.
US08381723B2
It has been discovered that high amplitude, low frequency, broadband spectrum pressure oscillations of sufficient time duration can help stabilize lung volumes and improve gas exchange in a patient receiving ventilation assistance by helping to recruit and stabilize alveoli. A novel device is presented which can produce pressure oscillations having high amplitudes, a low broad-band frequency spectrum and long time duration. Additionally, the device can maintain a patient's mean airway pressure at one or more controlled levels. The device can control the oscillatory amplitude, frequency range and composition, time duration, and mean airway pressure levels by adjusting certain device parameters, such as the angle and depth of the device in a fluid. A device and mechanical system for remotely adjusting and measuring the angle of the device in a fluid are also disclosed. Furthermore, a device and system are disclosed that can deliver pressure oscillations having high amplitudes, a low broad-band frequency spectrum, long time duration, and multiple mean airway inspiratory and expiratory pressure levels. The device and system also provide means for controlling respiration timing in a patient, including: breaths per minute, inspiratory time, and the ratio of inspiratory to expiratory time.
US08381715B2
A radiant tube heater includes a housing and a burner tube extending outwardly therefrom for carrying products of combustion from the housing. When less heat is required, unless air from the blower is reduced, there is too much air for complete combustion of the fuel and excess air mixes with combustion gases causing cooling in the burner tube. This problem is solved by providing a short flame tube in the inlet end of the burner tube for receiving the flame. Excess air flow around the flame tube is heated. Thus, it is necessary to reduce only the supply of fuel to the burner.
US08381708B2
An engine ECU calculates a rotational variation based on a required rotation time when a complete misfire occurs in a cylinder, a required rotation time when complete combustion occurs in the cylinder, and a required rotation time during the current combustion stroke, and integrates the calculated rotational variation. If it is determined that the number of times the rotational variation has been integrated has reached a predetermined number, the engine ECU calculates an amount of learning value deviation from the integrated rotational variation. If the amount of learning value deviation is equal to or greater than a certain amount, the engine ECU corrects a learning value of a sub-feedback control with respect to the air-fuel ratio.
US08381706B2
A part of a ceiling wall (14) of a head cover (10) that opposes an intake collection chamber (51) is constituted by a concave ceiling wall (20) that defines a concave surface facing the intake collection chamber (51), and the concave ceiling wall (20) is formed with a recessed groove (21) that further recedes toward an inner side of the head cover.
US08381692B2
A heat engine employs an auxiliary cylinder to receiving exhaust gases from a main cylinder during its exhaust phase to extract mechanical energy from the heat in the exhaust gases. The auxiliary cylinder has an auxiliary piston that reciprocates with an asymmetric pattern in respect to the main crank a counter-rotating auxiliary cranks such that the downward stroke of the auxiliary piston and the upward stroke of the auxiliary piston correspond to crank angles above and below 180 degrees. In one favorable embodiment, fresh air can be drawn in and combined with the exhaust gases.
US08381688B1
An animal harness including first strap adapted to generally lie on a back area of an animal when the harness is disposed on the animal and second strap adapted to generally lie on an underside of the animal when the harness is disposed on the animal. Third strap is coupled to a first end of the first strap and a first end of the second strap, the third strap including a male clasp portion and a corresponding female clasp portion wherein the third strap is adapted to lie in front of a leg of the animal when the harness is disposed on the animal and the male and female clasp portions of the third strap are mated. Fourth strap is coupled to a second end of the first strap and a second end of the second strap, the fourth strap including a male clasp portion and a corresponding female clasp portion wherein the fourth strap is adapted to lie behind the leg of the animal when harness is disposed on the animal and the male and female clasp portions of the fourth strap are mated.
US08381683B2
Feed dispenser for feeding birds, comprising a dispenser tray (1) having a center section (2) which is raised relative to the bottom surface (3). The raised center section interacts with a downpipe (7) in such a way that a supplied volume of feed (8) is distributed over the bottom surface of the dispenser tray. The center section of the dispenser tray is joined to the bottom surface which blends into a rising outwardly directed side wall (4). The side wall ends in an outer edge. The dispenser tray comprises at least two steep wall sections in the side wall at different height levels relative to the bottom surface. The steep wall sections extend in a direction parallel to the outer edge. In the vertical direction, the side wall has a top (4c) and a bottom half (4d). The bottom half comprises at least two steep wall sections.
US08381669B2
The invention relates to a system for loading of hydrocarbons from a floating vessel, such as a FPSO or FSO vessel, to an export tanker, where the floating vessel is spread moored to a sea bottom, and where the export tanker during the loading phase is moored in such a way that the export vessel to a greater or less degree can weathervane dependent upon the prevailing weather, wave and/or wind conditions.According to invention the floating vessel at least at one end is provided with a rotatable deck which can be turned when the heading of the export tanker changes.
US08381657B1
An enhanced grenade exhibiting improved insensitive munitions (IM) characteristics while providing improved lethality or non-lethality as desired.
US08381650B2
A safety and arming unit for a fuse includes a firing chain having first and second firing devices defining an intermediate space therebetween and a barrier blocking the intermediate space in a safe position. The firing chain is brought into an armed position by a releasing movement vacating the intermediate space. First and second mutually independent securing devices lock the barrier in the safe position and execute an unlocking action based on two mutually independent physical arming parameters. A compact and very reliable safety and arming unit can be achieved in this way.
US08381635B2
A brewing device comprising a brewing system; a handle assembly coupled to the brewing system and containing a source of compressed fluid; and a valve system, coupled to the handle, to selectively place the source of compressed fluid in fluid communication with the brewing system.
US08381634B2
There is disclosed a field gun that may be converted between a firing condition and a travelling condition. In the firing condition, front legs and back legs rest on the ground and support the gun. In the travelling condition, the back legs are out of contact with the ground and the front legs are retracted towards the gun chassis. To facilitate conversion, a link joins a front leg to a back leg so that as the back leg is lifted off the ground, the front leg is retracted.
US08381617B2
A compressor starting torque converter method and apparatus for high power rotating equipment strings includes a compressor starting torque converter (CSTC) (16) and gearing to make the input and output speed conform to the speed and power requirements of the at least one compressor (4) at the end of the string. The string also includes a prime mover (10), either a motor or gas turbine with a starter motor. The CSTC is driven by a prime mover that has been geared down (via 18) to an appropriate speed for efficient power transfer, followed by a gear increasing unit (20) to allow the output of the CSTC to be increased to conform to the necessary requirements of a high speed compressor. The gearing can be two separate units with their own housings, or incorporated in a single housing with the CSTC. The CSTC may be a CSTC used in pressurized starts high compressor load strings for LNG refrigeration service.
US08381613B2
A self-adjusting parking brake actuator includes a brake lever that is movable between brake-released and brake-applied positions. In addition, the parking brake cable adjust system includes a self-adjustment assembly having a frame; a rack mounted for movement relative to the frame along a longitudinal direction of the rack in a tension direction and an opposite direction; a cable connector for operatively connecting the rack to a brake cable, a first resilient member biasing the rack relative to the frame along its longitudinal direction in the tensioning direction, a primary locking device configured to engage the rack and permit movement of the rack relative to the frame in the tensioning direction only; a secondary locking device moveable between (a) a locking to lock the primary locking device to prevent adjusting movement of the rack relative to the frame in the tensioning direction, and (b) a releasing position to permit the primary locking device to allow adjusting movement of the rack relative to the frame in the tensioning direction by the biasing of the resilient member; and a second resilient member biasing the secondary locking device to the locking position.
US08381610B2
An accelerator device for performing an acceleration operation includes a rotary body which rotates with rotation of a grip, a magnet which rotates with rotation of the rotary body, a rotation angle detector which detects a rotation angle of the magnet, an urging member which returns the grip to an original point position by urging the rotary body, and a separation member which separates the rotary body and the rotation angle detector, the rotation angle detector is fixed to the separation member and the rotary body is rotatably held thereby while the urging member urges the rotary body toward the separation member as well as in the rotation direction, so that positional variation of the rotation angle detector against the magnet can be prevented.
US08381607B2
A roller screw includes a long shaft, a screw nut sleeved onto the long shaft, and rollers, a turnaround member and a turnover member set in between the long shaft and the screw nut. The turnaround member enables the rollers to circulate. The turnover member defines a turnover passage extending over the peripheral surface of the long shaft and connected between two load paths in the long shaft and the screw nut to constitute a circulation path. The direction of arrangement of the rollers before entering the turnover passage is different from that after moving out of the turnover passage so that the amount ratio of the rollers that are arranged in two different directions is kept constant for industrial application.
US08381601B2
A transducer system includes a plurality of transducer elements formed on a flexible substrate with localized circuit elements and interconnects associated with each transducer element.
US08381598B2
Method of measuring the flow rate of a liquid flowing in a fluidic channel and implementation device
The present invention provides a method of measuring the flow rate of an electrically conductive liquid in laminar flow and to an implementation measurement device that are easy to implement, simple to produce and compact. For this purpose, the invention provides a device for measuring the flow rate, comprising: a channel (1); a pair of electrodes (2a-2b); and at least one device (3) for measuring the voltage (V) between the electrodes (2a-2b) of said pair, an electrical double layer forming at the interface of each electrode with the conducting liquid. The device comprises means (4, 5) designed so that, when the conducting liquid is flowing through the channel, the flow velocity fields in the diffuse layers facing each electrode are different and so that the convective/diffusive charge equilibria of the electrical double layer at the interface of each electrode are different.
US08381597B2
An apparatus and method for measuring fluid flow comprising an inferential flow meter having a housing defining a fluid flow path. A pulser is operative to produce an output signal indicative of flow rate through the meter. The apparatus further includes a controller in electronic communication with the pulser so as to receive the output signal. Based on the output signal, the controller is operative to determine fluid flow in a plurality of dynamic time sub-windows corresponding to respective periods of substantially consistent instantaneous flow.
US08381595B2
A pressure detecting device includes: a resonator whose oscillation frequency varies depending on a pressure; a first oscillation circuit that oscillates the resonator and outputs a signal of a frequency corresponding to the pressure; an AT-cut quartz crystal resonator; a second oscillation circuit that oscillates the AT-cut quartz crystal resonator and outputs a reference clock signal; a measuring unit that measures the reference clock signal by the use of a reciprocal counting method; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the resonator; and a storage unit that stores coefficients of a first approximating polynomial for calculating a first correction value used to compensate for a frequency-temperature characteristic of the measuring unit, wherein the frequency-temperature characteristic of the value measured by the measuring unit includes a frequency-temperature characteristic of the AT-cut quartz crystal resonator and a frequency-temperature characteristic of the resonator.
US08381594B2
An acoustic transducer has a first transducer which transmits an acoustic primary wave having two frequency components, and a second transducer which, in order to receive a reflected wave of an acoustic secondary wave generated with propagation of the acoustic primary wave, is disposed so that a region for receiving the reflected wave is superimposed on the first transducer as seen along the direction of transmission of the acoustic primary wave.
US08381593B2
With a certain pipeline, either underground or deposited on a sea/lake bottom, the formation of critical faults is determined and localized, which arise in the walls of the pipeline, or the growth of an already localized fault is monitored, through a method which detects, by acoustic sensors regularly distributed along the pipeline, the ultrasounds diffused along the walls of the pipeline itself upon the formation of a critical fault, or when a controlled fault increases, and processing, by a remote processor, the digital signals associated with the sound waves to identify the position or evaluate the development of a critical fault.
US08381585B2
A nautical instrument that can be repetitively mounted and removed from a surface within a ship without the use of tools or other instruments. The nautical instrument incorporates a mounting system that achieves slidable locking engagement of the nautical instrument to a bulkhead plate that is permanently secured to the surface of the ship. In another aspect, the invention is a nautical instrument that is extremely resilient to corrosion and harsh weather environments. In one embodiment, the invention is a nautical instrument comprising: a housing having a front face comprising an opening, the housing constructed of a material coated with zirconium; a transparent lens hermetically enclosing the opening of the housing; and a gauge mechanism for measuring a desired standard, the gauge mechanism positioned within the housing.
US08381582B2
The present application is directed to a method and apparatus for monitoring soil hydraulic properties, and for collecting soil pore-water samples, in relatively undisturbed soil conditions, by means of a vadose zone probe (10) adapted to be mounted on an inflatable sleeve (18) for installation in a borehole (14) formed in the vadose zone, said vadose zone probe comprises a fluid cell (15) having one or more conduits (13a, 13b, 13c) connected thereto for externally accessing its interior, and a porous medium (11) installed in, or formed on, one of its walls for allowing passage of liquid between the interior of said fluid cell and the borehole soil, wherein said vadose zone probe is made from an elongated body having a front (10f) and rear (10r) sides, and wherein said rear side is substantially flat and said front side is made from a deformable and permeable material, or having a curvature corresponding to the curvature of said borehole.
US08381580B2
A tire pressure monitoring device with an inclinable valve stem is disclosed. The tire pressure monitoring device includes: a main body having a channel, wherein the channel includes a socket segment near one end thereof; the valve stem being movably fixed to a wheel rim and having a domed end movably received in the socket segment wherein the domed end has a threaded hole axially passing therethrough; and a positioning bolt being positioned in the channel from an opposite end of the channel and coupled with the threaded hole, so that the domed end of the valve stem is movably positioned in the socket segment and when the domed end moves, an angle between the connected valve stem and the main body is changed, thereby allowing the main body to abut against the wheel rim.
US08381571B2
Method and apparatus for assessing the penetration of tooth cleaning elements in the gingival pocket
A method and apparatus for assessing the penetration of tooth cleaning elements into a simulated gingival pocket. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a tooth shaped member, wherein at least a portion of the tooth is transparent to light; a gum member positioned on a first side of the tooth shaped member; a simulated gingival pocket created between the gum member and the tooth shaped member; and an imaging device configured to obtain a plurality of images related to the gingival pocket, and bristle penetration into the gingival pocket.
US08381568B2
An electronic torque wrench calibration method includes providing test rod for simulating wrench body and support plate for simulating hand grip wherein on either side of the support plate there are provided at least two test points and an intermediate reference point; securing sensor to a stress gauge; placing two weights on the reference points and setting a count to one; recording torque as standard value; placing a weight on a respective one of the test points; recording torque as test value; comparing the test value with the standard value and obtaining an error; increasing bores of the adjustment holes if the error is greater than one prior to looping back to weight placing step; and ending the method by determining whether a predetermined count has been reached, and otherwise placing the weight on another respective one of the test points prior to looping back to test value recordation step.
US08381562B2
A metal forming apparatus characterized by rapid cooling includes a forming tool having a first portion defining a forming surface and a second portion defining a cavity for a working gas. A plurality of fins are in conductive heat transfer relationship with the forming tool. The metal forming apparatus enables a high thermal efficiency mode of operation when the effect of the fins is negated for use during metal forming operation, and a rapid cooling mode for use in preparing for tool maintenance. A corresponding method is also provided.
US08381546B2
The invention relates to a method of longitudinally deflecting conveyor rolls intended for bending glass panels. The method includes deflecting the conveyor rolls during a glass-panel bending process by turning link member on which the ends of the conveyor rolls are mounted with bearings. In order to turn the link members of each conveyor roll, at least one link member is subjected to a force sufficient for its turning by a position-identifying electric drive. At least the other link member is subjected to a force sufficient for its turning by a second electric drive, which is controlled on the basis of position data provided by the position-identifying electric drive. The present invention relates also to an assembly applying the method for bending glass panels.
US08381541B2
This invention relates to a cooling/heating air conditioning device for regulating temperature, which pumps an airflow exhausted from a space in an air conditioning object such as inside of a room or vehicle to the external through the external heat exchanger disposed at the external of the air conditioning object such as outside of the room or vehicle so as to equalize the temperature of the fluid flowing through the internal of the external heat exchanger by means of the temperature difference between the internal and external of the air conditioning object for achieving an energy saving effect.
US08381539B2
A method of controlling a cooling element in order to decrease the thermal load on animals includes the step: —to start the cooling element when the air temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold value and/or a parameter, dependent on the relative humidity of air, exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
US08381532B2
The present subject matter provides a system for modifying static pressure recoveries and emissions formation within a gas turbine. The system includes a bled diffuser positioned downstream from a compressor section of the gas turbine and a bleed duct extending from the bled diffuser. The bleed duct may be configured to direct bleed air from the pressurized airflow exiting the compressor section to a secondary combustion system located downstream from the main combustion system in a combustor. The bleed air flowing into the secondary combustion system may be mixed with fuel to form an air/fuel mixture.
US08381526B2
A combustor includes a first flow path and a second flow path. The first flow path places a diffuser in indirect fluid communication with a combustor cap assembly by way of an intervening lower combustor annular passageway. The second flow path places the diffuser in direct fluid communication with the combustor cap assembly.
US08381510B2
A method and systems for controlling a thrust output of a gas turbine engine are provided. The system includes a first sensor for measuring a first engine operating parameter, a second sensor for measuring a first engine condition parameter, and a processor programmed to determine an expected value of the first engine condition parameter and determine a first variance value using a difference between the expected value of the first engine condition parameter and the measured first engine condition parameter. The processor is further programmed to determine a trim value using the first variance value and a first engine operating parameter demand and to determine a modified operating parameter demand based on the nominal operating parameter demand and the determined trim value. The system also includes a controller coupled to the processor for controlling engine thrust based on the modified demand of the first engine operating parameter.
US08381508B2
Closed-cycle rocket engine assemblies including a combustor assembly, a combustor jacket, a turbine, a first pump and a mixing chamber are disclosed. The combustor jacket facilitates the transfer of heat from the combustor assembly into a fluid and the turbine is driven by a heated fluid from the combustor jacket. The mixing chamber may include a first inlet to receive a fluid from the turbine, a second inlet to receive a fluid from a first reactant reservoir, and an outlet to deliver a fluid to the first pump. Additionally, the first pump may be coupled to and powered by the turbine and the first pump may be configured to deliver at least a portion of the fluid from the mixing chamber into the combustion chamber of the combustor assembly. Related methods of operating such rocket engine assemblies are also disclosed.
US08381506B2
A method includes blending a first fuel with a second fuel in a ratio to produce a third mixed fuel. The first fuel has a first heating value, the second fuel has a second heating value, and the third mixed fuel has a third heating value. In addition, the first heating value is different than the second heating value. The method also includes feedforward controlling the third heating value of the third mixed fuel via prediction and correction of a fuel flow rate of the first and/or second fuels to adjust the ratio of the first and second fuels based at least in part on a comparison between a measurement and a target for the third heating value.
US08381500B2
An aquatic weed harvester includes an open frame and a tubular mesh harvesting material that is secured to the open frame via a series of hooks disposed about the harvesting frame. The frame can be secured to a bow of a floatable structure or vessel via a variety of configurations, such as a pair of mounting channels or a rotating frame assembly. The rotating frame assembly allows the user to rotate the harvester between an in use orientation and a stored orientation. When placed in a stored orientation, the harvester opening is rotated upwards aiding the user in sealing the harvesting bag. The vessel preferably is designed having a split bow, where the weed harvester is positioned between the two bow extensions.
US08381493B2
Affords a compound semiconductor substrate packaging method for preventing oxidation of the surface of compound semiconductor substrates. The compound semiconductor substrate packaging method provides: a first step of inserting a compound semiconductor substrate (10) into a gas-permeable, rigid container (20), placing the rigid container (20) into an inner-packing pouch (30) having an oxygen transmission rate of 1 to 100 ml·m−2·day−1·atm−1, and a moisture transmission rate of 1 to 15 g·m−2 ·day−1, replacing the air inside the inner-packing pouch (30) with an inert gas, and hermetically sealing the inner-packing pouch; and a second step of placing the sealed inner-packing pouch (30), and a deoxygenating/dehydrating agent (40) that at least either absorbs or adsorbs oxygen gas and moisture, into an outer-packing pouch (60) that has an oxygen transmission rate that is 5 ml·m−2·day−1·atm−1 or less and is lower than that of the inner-packing pouch (30), and a moisture transmission rate that is 3 g·m−2·day−1 or less and is lower than that of the inner-packing pouch (30), and hermetically sealing the outer-packing pouch (60).
US08381485B2
A composite floor panel includes a concrete floor deck having a side portion and an edge member secured to the side portion. The edge member is configured to be positioned in proximity to an adjacent edge member. The adjacent edge member is coupled to an adjacent concrete floor deck. The edge member is further configured to have a junction formed between the edge member and the adjacent edge member to define a channel. The edge member is further configured to have a binder material placed in the channel to form a joint between the concrete floor deck and the adjacent concrete floor deck.
US08381484B2
A building frame resistant to earthquakes, gale-force wind loads, fire, insects and rot includes a peripheral frame wall constructed of square or rectangular steel tubing. Side wall frame modules bolted together along adjacent edges, and end wall modules bolted together along adjacent edges and to the ends of the connected side wall modules form the peripheral frame wall. Diagonal bracing is built into selected side and end wall modules as required for the desired degree of wind resistance. Trusses made of various size tube such as 2×3 inch rectangular steel tubing for supporting a roof on the peripheral wall, are assembled and welded in a welding shop and the prefabricated trusses and wall modules are trucked to the building site. Multiple stones may be erected and fastened together, and the building frame is secured to a foundation or slab by attaching to anchor bolts or plates.
US08381478B2
Blocks for wall constructions described herein are in the form of casted one-piece concrete hollow bodies. The blocks include front and back walls which are generally parallel to a first axis and have top and bottom ends and two inner walls integral to both front and back walls therebetween that are generally parallel to a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis. One of the end side faces of the two inner walls includes male connector portions that are offset from a first distance from the front wall. The other end side face includes female connector portions that are registered along the first axis with the male connector portions and are offset from the first distance from the back wall. The male connector portion is for insertion in the female connector portion of another block when the other block is mounted thereon so as to yield a straight or a shifted retaining wall portion. The shifted retaining wall portion results from the first and second blocks having their front walls on a same side relative to the first axis and the straight retaining wall portion results from the first and second blocks having their front walls on opposite sides relative to the first axis. Further embodiments of the blocks include further female receiving portions allowing versatile positioning of the blocks.
US08381476B2
A panel with a working surface and four edges of which oppositely disposed pairs of edges have corresponding holding profiles so similar panels are connectable. Holding profiles of a first pair of edges are connectable by angular movement into interlocking relationship Holding profiles of a second pair of edges are hook elements, which are connectable to similar adjacent panels by joining movement provided a hook element is a separate vertical locking element projecting toward joining movement of the hook elements. During joining, the vertical locking element is movable out of the path of joining movement and when hooked, the hook elements are movable toward the joining movement by spring action. When dismantling, connected panels are unlockable from hooked and vertically locked condition by pivoting about an axis near the hooked edges and toward an unlocking position. The working surfaces, when unlocked, are less than 180° relative to each other.
US08381475B2
A fixing system (20) for securing cladding boards (28) to the framing (26) of a building in a partially overlapping relationship, each board (28) having front and rear faces with a recess (42) being provided in and along the rear face. The fixing system (20) comprises a plurality of fixing devices (30), supported by the framing (26), that are spaced apart relative to one another and arranged in rows, each row of fixing devices (30) being arranged to support a board or row of boards (28) and each fixing device (30) having an engagement portion (40) that is arranged to engage with a section of the recess (42) of a board (28) to, in co-operation with a number of other fixing devices (30) of that row also engaging with a section of the recess (42), support the board (28) in place on the framing (26). Also, the fixing system comprises a plurality of fixing components (44) that are arranged to extend through the front face of each board (28) within the overlapping region of adjacent boards and into the framing (26) to secure each board (28) to the framing (26) in co-operation with the fixing devices (30).
US08381469B2
The present invention provides a cold formed joist that can be used in a variety of construction applications. The present cold formed joist consists of three elements, each formed from sheet metal: an upper chord, an intermediate web, and a lower web. These three elements can be produced in different dimensions. The upper chord further consists of a downwardly facing receiving channel adapted to receive the upper edge of the intermediate web, and two upwardly facing channels. The lower chord consists of an upwardly facing receiving channel that is adapted to receive the lower edge of the intermediate web.
US08381465B2
A power generating system is integrated within an exterior shell or façade of a building structure. The energy generating devices (which can be photovoltaic), control units and associated power/signal wiring are incorporated and integrated within individual unitized curtain wall units making up the façade. Electrical power can be more advantageously generated from surface areas of building structures previously untapped for solar energy harvesting.
US08381457B2
A domed steel roof frame (12). The frame (12) has at least three corners and an outwardly convex shape with an uppermost apex (20). The frame (12) comprises at least three steel interior members (18), at least three interior cable retainers and at least three interior cables. The at least three steel interior members (18) each extend from one of each of the corners to the apex (20). The at least three interior cable retainers are each attached to, or form part of, and extending substantially along each of the respective interior members (18). The at least three interior cables are each inserted through each of the respective interior cable retainers. The frame (12) also comprises means to tension each of the interior cables relative to their respective interior cable retainers and means to maintain each of the interior cables tensioned relative to their respective interior cable retainers.
US08381456B2
A domed non-steel roof frame (12). The frame (12) has at least three corners and an outwardly convex shape with an uppermost apex (20). The frame (12) comprises at least three non-steel interior members (18), at least three interior cable retainers and at least three interior cables. The at least three non-steel interior members (18) each extend from one of each of the corners to the apex (20). The at least three interior cable retainers are each attached to, or form part of, and extending substantially along each of the respective interior members (18). The at least three interior cables are each inserted through each of the respective interior cable retainers. The frame (12) also comprises means to tension each of the interior cables relative to their respective interior cable retainers and means to maintain each of the interior cables tensioned relative to their respective interior cable retainers.
US08381446B2
A device for connecting a window pane to a motor vehicle window lifter, said device includes a follower having a basic follower body connected to guide and transport means of the window lifter and a coupling follower body which is to be connected to a pane socket connected to the window pane, a coupling portion of the pane socket being attached to a fastening means in a mounting direction for connecting the pane socket to the follower. The fastening means is pre-installed to the coupling follower body and by actuating the fastening means the coupling portion of the pane socket is braced to the coupling follower body.
US08381442B2
A hand pulling drive mechanism includes a hand drive device and a shaft connected with the hand drive device. The mechanism further includes a gear pair, a rotation propelling device connected with the shaft, and an eccentric pulling device including a shaft pin placed on the shaft and a torsion jacket pivotally connected to the shaft and rotated relative to the shaft pin. The gear pair includes a drive gear sleeved on the shaft for switching, and a follower gear secured to a motor shaft. The rotation propelling device is connected with the drive gear. The torsion jacket and the drive gear pull the torsion jacket through eccentric rotation of the shaft pin when the shaft is rotated, so that the drive gear moves in an axial direction and the follower drive engages with and disengages from the drive gear.
US08381414B2
A method and apparatus for operating a dryer used to reduce the moisture content of sheet material. A drying chamber is provided and includes a plurality of drying sections and a single point exhaust system. A seal section located at the input end of the dryer includes an exhaust passage through which a gas sample is drawn by a sampling fan. Gases within the seal section are a combination of ambient air drawn through restricted passages at the entry to the seal section and exhaust gas that bleeds into the seal section from the drying chamber. A controller monitors the temperature of the sampled gases and ambient air and adjusts the rate of exhaust flow from the main exhaust system as a function of the temperature differential. A heating system is also provided for heating the seal exhaust gases above the pitch condensation temperature for the flow.
US08381409B2
A laser measurement system operates to measure portions of a vehicle, such as a vehicle frame. The measurements are used, for example, to determine if the portions of the vehicle are bent or damaged. The measurement system includes a laser scanner and at least one target assembly that can be connected to a point of the vehicle. The laser scanner emits a laser beam that is detected by the target. Time and laser position information detected by the target are used to determine the location of the target, as well as the location of the point of the vehicle. The location of the point is then compared to an original location of the point to determine if damage has occurred.
US08381402B2
A production robust autofrettage process for strengthening fuel injector nozzle tips includes applying a vacuum to the interior volume of the nozzle tip. Plugs are suctioned over each of the nozzle outlets. Nozzle outlets are blocked by pressing the plugs between the nozzle tip and a fixture component. The nozzle tip is then autofrettaged at least in part by pressurizing the interior volume with an autofrettage liquid. The plugs are then removed from the nozzle outlets leaving the nozzle tip strengthened with compressive residual stress, especially in the sac region of the interior volume of the nozzle tip.
US08381394B2
A circuit board has an embedded electronic component such as an integrated circuit chip with a wafer level chip size package. A via hole extends through the electronic component. Another via hole extends through the substrate or prepreg on which the electronic component is mounted inside the circuit board. Conductors in the via holes enable a terminal on the surface of the electronic component to be electrically connected to a wiring pattern or another electronic component on the opposite side of the substrate or prepreg. Routing the connection through the electronic component itself saves space and reduces the length of the connection.
US08381391B2
A method for providing a magnetic recording transducer is described. The method includes providing a pinned layer for a magnetic element. In one aspect, a portion of a tunneling barrier layer for the magnetic element is provided. The magnetic recording transducer annealed is after the portion of the tunneling barrier layer is provided. The annealing is at a temperature higher than room temperature. A remaining portion of the tunneling barrier layer is provided after the annealing. In another aspect, the magnetic transducer is transferred to a high vacuum annealing apparatus before annealing the magnetic transducer. In this aspect, the magnetic transducer may be annealed before any portion of the tunneling barrier is provided or after at least a portion of the tunneling barrier is provided. The annealing is performed in the high vacuum annealing apparatus. A free layer for the magnetic element is also provided.
US08381389B2
A method for assembling the rotor (R) connected with a shaft (4) and made by permanent magnets (2). The method includes providing an annular flange (9); forming a plurality of fixed linear guides on the annular flange (9); positioning another annular flange (90) on the guides; and locking the second flange (90) to the guides, so that the magnets (2) are clamped, inside the guides, by the first and the second flange (9, 90). The guides are formed by inserting a rod (13) through each of passing holes (91) in the first flange (9) and locking the rods (13) to the first flange (9); fitting, on the rods (13), a body (12) having a central portion with a passing hole (121) and side arms (122); fitting a spacer (11) on each rod (13); and fitting, on each rod, a body (12) having a passing hole (121) and two arms (122).
US08381381B2
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for producing fire rated doors having added strength, better finishing and low cost manufacturing flexibility. The fire rated doors are made from two panels “sandwiched” together. An optional interior layer (e.g., fire resistant material, lead sheeting, steel or Kevlar) can be added between the door panels for various purposes. Splines, stiles or sticks are inserted in longitudinal channels in the door panels to provide assistance in aligning the door panels and greater hardware holding strength. An intumescent banding material concealed by a banding material around the perimeter of the door seals the door within its frame during a fire. The door design and the automated manufacturing process provide greater design choice, reduced cost and faster fabrication.
US08381376B2
A method of manufacturing a fibrous structure is particularly, though not exclusively, applicable to the manufacture of friction products such as preform discs. The method comprises mounting a former on a shaft. First feeds of fibrous material are spaced along the shaft and applied to the former in a direction tangential to the shaft as the shaft is rotated. A second feed is also applied to the former in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The fibrous materials in the feeds overlie as the shaft rotates and the thickness of the material applied to the former increases to form the fibrous structure. Lengths of the first and/or second feeds are then inserted into the fibrous structure body in a radial direction with respect to the shaft as the shaft is rotated to interconnect the overlying layers and hold the structure together.
US08381367B2
A belt holder device is provided having a housing having a first fixing device, a plate having a second fixing device mounted on the housing for displacement in a displacement direction, wherein the belt holder device is held on an application via one fixing device and a belt is held on the other fixing device, a transmitter-sensor device arranged in the housing and by which the relative position of the plate to the housing is determinable, and a spring device via which the plate is supported on the housing and which provides a return force, wherein the spring device is formed by a flexural spring device, wherein the transmitter is integrated in the plate, wherein the transmitter is arranged in a recess of the plate, and wherein the transmitter in the recess is a magnet and is surrounded by a magnetically insulating enclosure.
US08381365B2
The buckle includes a first and a second clamp member positioned substantially parallel to one another. End members are provided at the opposite ends of the first clamp member. The buckle includes a set of pliable wall directly interconnecting one of the end members to the second clamp member. The pliable walls are subjected to a permanent plastic deformation when the second clamp member is moved closer to the first clamp member.
US08381347B2
The invention provides a wet vacuum attachment, connecting to a hose of a commercially available vacuum cleaner that separates a liquid from a suction airstream created by the vacuum, so that the liquid does not enter the vacuum cleaner intake hose. The attachment can be manufactured as a single-part, having a suction port where the vacuum hose is attached, a suction passage to communicate with a reservoir in a region of low velocity for the separation and storage of the collected liquid, an inlet nozzle to increase the airstream velocity and to engage the working surface. In an additional embodiment, a filter media is inserted into a filter housing located in the region of low velocity between the suction passage and the reservoir to further prevent liquid from entering the vacuum hose.
US08381338B1
A sheet metal working tool has a shaft with a first end and a second end, a striking tool attached to the first end of the shaft, and an opener attached to the second end of the shaft. The opener includes a flat plate with a first end and a second end and a C-shaped structure having a first-end and a second end, the first end of the flat plate and the first end of the C-shaped structure joined together with the second end of the plate spaced from the second end of the C-shaped structure.
US08381336B2
A load measuring unit detects the load of a bed section and generates a load signal. A body weight computing unit computes the body weight of a user positioned on the bed section on the basis of the load signal. A first determination unit determines whether the body weight is equal to or less than a prescribed threshold. A center-of-gravity position computing unit computes a center-of-gravity position of the user on the basis of the load signal. A second determination unit determines whether the center-of-gravity position is in a monitored area of the bed section. The state of the user is detected to away from the bed when the first determination unit has determined that the body weight is equal to or less than a prescribed threshold, and the second determination unit has determined that the center-of-gravity position is within the monitored area.
US08381334B2
A combination quilt and article retention means for transporting and storing loose items attached thereon, particularly suited for providing a baby blanket and retention device for baby toys and similar articles. The quilt comprises a plurality of square patches upon which are provided retention straps for securing baby articles thereto. A pocket is provided for larger items or for those items not suitable for strap retention. The quilt is collapsible into a folded state, wherein a transportable structure is provided that is of reduced surface area, while the retained articles are secured within the interior of the blanket. The size of the quilt is suited for fitment into a standard sized baby crib, while the straps and pouch provide a means to secure various items while traveling with a baby outside of the home.
US08381327B2
A shower curtain clip having a curved base member with a first open end, a second closed end opposite the first end, and a curved clamping rail connected to the second closed end of the curved base member. The clamping rail clamps a shower curtain between the clamping rail and the base member in a space created between the clamping rail and the base member at the first open end, causing the curtain to curve inward, eliminating the gap between the curtain and the wall and causing water that strikes the curtain to deflect downward.
US08381324B2
The invention relates to a vacuum sewage system, which includes a sanitary unit, such as a toilet unit, vacuum sewer piping (200) connected to the sanitary unit, a discharge valve between the sanitary unit and the vacuum sewer piping, and a vacuum generating device for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping. The system comprises an on-line separator device (1) in the vacuum sewer piping (200, 201) and a first pump means (2) and a second pump means (3) connected in parallel with the on-line separator device (1). The first pump means (2) is a vacuum pump for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping (200, 201) and for evacuating air from the sewage flow flowing into the on-line separator device (1) and the second pump means (3) is arranged for pumping mainly sewage from the sewage flow flowing into the on-line separator device (1).
US08381323B2
A sanitary washing apparatus having a bidet washing function for jetting water at private parts of a female user, the apparatus includes: a nozzle including a jetting port configured to jet water; a swirling chamber and a communication channel for jetting water as a hollow-conic-shape liquid film flow at the private parts of the female user from the jetting port; and a fluid squiring device for generating an intermittent granular flow of granular water balls so as to fill inside the liquid film before the liquid film flow impinges on the private parts.
US08381317B2
A visor assembly for use with a helmet having at least one face mask bar comprises a visor and a mounting bracket. The visor is configured to provide a shield associated with the face mask bar. The mounting bracket is configured to secure the visor to the face mask bar. The mounting bracket includes a clip and a thumbscrew removably connected to the clip. The clip defines a channel configured to receive the face mask bar. A threaded receptacle is positioned on the clip. The thumbscrew includes a threaded post connected to a thumbwheel. The threaded post is configured to threadedly engage the receptacle of the clip and releasably retain the thumbscrew on the clip. The threaded post of the thumbscrew is configured to extend through a hole of the visor and into the receptacle. When the thumbwheel is rotated, the thumbwheel clamps the visor between the thumbwheel and the mounting bracket.
US08387161B2
An elongate probe (50) for use in probe microscopy comprises a module (51) provided between a probe tip (53) and a driver (52). In use the driver (52) applies oscillations to the module (51) which are transmitted by the module to the tip (53). With the probe tip (53) positioned close to the surface of a sample, any phase variance in the oscillation of the tip with respect to the driving oscillation is representative of an interaction between the tip and the sample surface. The elongate arrangement of the probe (50) is particularly beneficial when used to probe samples which require a liquid environment.
US08387159B2
The present invention provides a fast-operating and stable scanning probe microscope configured to detect the interaction between a probe and a sample to avoid generation of a harmonic component. An oscillation circuit (31) generates an excitation phase signal indicative of the phase of an excitation signal. An excitation signal generation circuit (33) generates an excitation signal from the excitation phase signal. A complex signal generation circuit (35) generates a complex signal from a displacement signal. A vector calculation circuit (37) calculates the argument of the complex signal. A subtracting phase comparator (39) compares the argument with the phase of the excitation phase signal by subtraction. The amount of the interaction between a probe device and a sample is obtained using the subtracting phase comparator (39). The result of the comparison carried out by the subtracting phase comparator (39) may be output as a difference in phase between the displacement signal and the excitation signal. Moreover, a loop filter may be provided to form a phase locked loop, and a frequency signal may be provided which is indicative of a variation in the resonant frequency of the probe device.
US08387154B2
In accordance with the domain management for digital media, a device obtains multiple pieces of protected content from multiple content providers, where two or more of the content providers employ different digital rights management systems. The device also accesses a license server to obtain, for each piece of protected content, a content license that is bound to a domain. The content license permits the device to play back a piece of protected content.
US08387153B2
The present invention relates to a method, node and system for efficient handling of sharing a set of data and in particular where the data set is shared in a volatile manner. Each node with access to the data set sharing group controls the access of data set from the node and each node stores data set received from other nodes in the group in a volatile manner providing removal of data set received from a node that has left the sharing group.
US08387148B2
Secure rights protection for broadcast mobile content techniques are described in which broadcast content may be securely provided to a mobile device. In one or more embodiments, this is accomplished by requesting and issuing of a content license via a data network based upon a subscriber identity module (SIM) of a mobile device. The license may then be utilized by the mobile device to output content received via a broadcast network.
US08387146B2
A method for collecting and distributing data on computer viruses identified on a plurality of computers during virus scanning includes receiving virus scan results from the plurality of computers and collecting and storing the virus scan results in a database. The results include the type of virus identified. The method further includes aggregating at scheduled intervals the virus scan results over a specified time period at a publisher server to create a virus database and replicating the virus database to a subscriber server. A virus report is created from the virus database upon receiving a request from a user computer at the subscriber server and sent to the user computer.
US08387134B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main body, an authentication unit which performs an authentication process, upon power-on of the main body, if authentication information is registered in the main body, the authentication process including a process to authenticate a user based on authentication information input by the user and the authentication information registered in the main body, and a forced-registration unit which performs a forced-registration process to request the user to register new authentication information and inhibit the main body from operating until the new authentication information is registered, upon power-on of the main body.
US08387132B2
Modules and methods that provide virtual device communication via information packets addressed to the virtual devices. Virtual devices aggregate capabilities of target devices and represent the aggregate as an operational device to remote systems. Physical device elements and virtual devices contained within modules are able to communicate and cooperate over extended distances in a peer-to-peer fashion via a virtual bus tunnel offering addressing and data transport functionality. Such modules and methods can be combined with disk drives to form RAID-like storage structures.
US08387129B2
Disclosed is a method for verifying data packet integrity in a streaming-data channel. In the method, data packets are received from the streaming-data channel. Each data packet includes a data payload and a corresponding message integrity code. The received data packets are processed in a first processing mode, wherein the received data packets are forwarded to an application module before checking the integrity of the data packets using the respective message integrity codes. An integrity-check-failure measurement is generated for monitoring an integrity-check-failure rate in the first processing mode. If the integrity-check-failure measurement exceeds an integrity-check threshold, then the method transitions to a second processing mode. A received data packet is forwarded to the application module in the second processing mode only after passing the integrity check.
US08387125B2
Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include a method, device and/or system of performing an administrative operation on a user token. The method may include, for example, providing to an admin token user-identification data identifying the user token; receiving from the admin token an administrator code to enable performing the administrative operation; and providing the administrator code to the user token. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08387119B2
Systems and methods are provided for a secure application network according to one or more embodiments. In one embodiment, a system for a secure application network comprises a service provider server adapted to interact with an application development server and a client device over a network, wherein the service provider server is adapted to implement the secure application network system. The system also comprises one or more processors and one or more memories adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the secure application network system to: maintain a plurality of records associated with at least one application developer using the application development server; authenticate the at least one application developer based on the plurality of records; and enable the at least one authenticated application developer to create and/or deploy one or more applications operable on the client device to be downloaded by a user of the client device from the secure application network system.
US08387118B2
A server includes a limitation database, a monitor module, and a notification module. The limitations database is configured to store control limits for a user device. The monitor module is in communication with the limitations database. The monitor module is configured to monitor usage of the user device and to determine that one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded. The notification module is in communication with the monitor module. The notification module is configured to notify a master device that the one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded, to receive a request to disable the user device, and to disable the user device in response to the request.
US08387111B2
A method and apparatus for type independent permission based access control are provided. The method and apparatus utilize object inheritance to provide a mechanism by which a large group of permissions may be assigned to a codesource without having to explicitly assign each individual permission to the codesource. A base permission, or superclass permission, is defined along with inherited, or subclass, permissions that fall below the base permission in a hierarchy of permissions. Having defined the permissions in such a hierarchy, a developer may assign a base permission to an installed class and thereby assign all of the inherited permissions of the base permission to the installed class. In this way, security providers need not know all the permission types defined in an application. In addition, security providers can seamlessly integrate with many applications without changing their access control and policy store semantics. Moreover, application providers' security enforcement is no dependent on the security provider defined permissions. The method and apparatus do not require any changes to the Java security manager and do not require changes to application code.
US08387110B1
In some embodiments, communications in a private network are programmatically inspected to identify traffic associated with uncontrolled Web applications originating from outside of the private network. Unstructured data, including messages and application content, originating from such uncontrolled Web Applications may be disassembled, analyzed, and categorized into source specific application element types (AETs). A monitoring layer may be injected on a page associated with the uncontrolled Web Application to allow a user to switch between different modes. Activities associated with different modes may be handled differently utilizing AETs. Example modes may include personal, professional, etc. The monitoring layer provides an entity operating a private network with the ability to distinguish different types of user activities associated with accessing uncontrolled Web applications, allowing the entity to isolate those activities and contents that should be monitored and process them according to internal policies and/or business rules.
US08387104B2
A method and a device for transmitting a transport stream according to a digital television-transmission standard for stationary and/or mobile receivers with program and service data for a national and a regional broadcast determines the transmission capacity in the transport stream provided in each case for the national and the regional broadcast through a first multiplexer within a centrally positioned headend. The first multiplexer then fills the transport stream with program and service data for national broadcast within the transmission capacity of the transport stream provided for the broadcast and marks the transmission capacity provided within the transport stream for the regional broadcast. Second multiplexers provided in the regional headends and/or in the regional transmitters in each case fill the marked transmission capacity of the transport stream, transmitted in each case from the central headend to several regionally positioned headends and/or regionally positioned transmitters, with program and service data for regional broadcast.
US08387100B1
Provision of non video on demand applications and associated content through a video on demand (VoD) infrastructure is provided. An existing VoD application may be used to allow services other than traditional VoD services to be provided to a requesting networked device, such as a cable system set-top box. Applications may be provided by remote application servers acting as VoD servers. Remote content or applications may be requested by a client VoD application, wherein the requested content may be streamed to the requesting device, and a personalized client experience may be provided. The thin VoD client application may interact with the remote application as if the content were VoD content. Accordingly, normal VoD command functionality may be utilized to interact with the remote application.
US08387098B2
In video/audio information such as a movie in a mobile terminal connected to a terminal of a seat terminal for a mobile terminal, the video is converted into video data and transmitted to a seat terminal of a front seat via a transmission path. The video data are decoded by a video decoder of the seat terminal of the front seat and displayed on a video display section. Furthermore, audio is listened to by a user via a headphone of the user's own seat.
US08387094B1
Method and system to automatically select data network videos as television shows based on a persona
A system includes a television set for displaying a video for a viewer. The television set connects to a persona television system over a data network and sends a request for a television show for a persona to the persona television system. A “persona” includes a character representation of a person other than the viewer, an event, or a group. The persona television system selects a television show based on the persona. The persona television system sends to the television set a show description of the television show. The show description includes video source information about video source such that the television set can obtain television show from video source. In this manner, a data network video is automatically selected as a television show based on a persona and provided to the television set, increasing the ease with which the viewer can identify video choices of interest.
US08387087B2
A system and method for applying a database to video multimedia is disclosed. Certain embodiments provide media content owners the capability to exploit video processing capabilities using rich, interactive and compelling visual content on a network. Mechanisms of associating video with commerce offerings are provided. Video server and search server technologies are integrated with ad serving personalization agents to make the final presentations of content and advertising. Algorithms utilized by the system use a variety of techniques for making the final presentation decisions of which ads, with which content, are served to which user.
US08387086B2
Various embodiments related to delivery of advertising content for video on-demand are disclosed. One example embodiment comprises receiving a set of VOD metadata including a first configuration of ad avails to be included in a VOD content item. The first configuration specifies a first set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the first configuration. The method further includes comparing the VOD metadata to a set of one or more policy rules specifying a second configuration of ad avails to be included in the VOD content item, the second configuration of ad avails specifying a second set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the second configuration. The method further includes determining a number of advertisements to be included in the VOD content item based upon a result of the comparing and obtaining an ad decision.
US08387079B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main body, an optical disc drive provided in the main body, an acceleration sensor provided in the main body, and a drive management module provided in the main body. The optical disc drive is configured to output an eject signal to an outside in response to an operation of an eject button. The drive management module is configured to determine whether the main body is shaking or not by using the acceleration sensor when the eject signal is received from the optical disc drive which is in a power-off state, and to supply power to the optical disc drive and send to the optical disc drive a signal instructing opening of a tray of the optical disc drive, when the main body is not shaking.
US08387077B1
A computer-implemented method includes identifying one or more application program interfaces from a group of application program interfaces for passing information between a scheduler, which is in communication with a virtual machine executed on a device, and a service provider of the device. The method also includes using the identified one or more application program interfaces to asynchronously pass information between the scheduler and the service provider of the device.
US08387072B1
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for executing software applications with an actual environment. Handlers for a software application are registered. Each handler can be executed upon receiving an indication of a triggering event. A determination is made that a triggering event for the software application has occurred. In response to the triggering event: a handler environment for the triggering event is determined based on the actual environment, triggered handlers of the registered handlers are determined to be executed, at least a respective portion of the handler environment is made available to each triggered handler, executing the triggered handlers, where at least one triggered handler updates its respective portion of the handler environment during execution, determining an updated-handler environment based on the handler environment and the portions of the handler environments after execution of the triggered handlers, and updating the actual environment based on the updated-handler environment.
US08387068B2
A method and device for managing an object instance label relate to network management technologies, and can implement uniform configuration for instances under different customer premises equipments (CPEs). The method for associating an object instance label includes: receiving a message for associating an object instance label, where the message includes an object instance and a corresponding label; and associating the label with the object instance according to the message, where the label is used to identify the object instance. The present invention is applicable to batch configuration for instances under different CPEs.
US08387065B2
A method and a data processing system by which population count (popcount) operations are efficiently performed without incurring the latency and loss of critical processing cycles and bandwidth of real time processing. The method comprises: identifying data to be stored to memory for which a popcount may need to be determined; speculatively performing a popcount operation on the data as a background process of the processor while the data is being stored to memory; storing the data to a first memory location; and storing a value of the popcount generated by the popcount operation within a second memory location. The method further comprises: determining a size of data; determining a granular level at which the popcount operation on the data will be performed; and reserving a size of said second memory location that is sufficiently large to hold the value of the popcount.
US08387053B2
A method of performing operations in a computer system, computer system, and related method of compilation, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of performing includes providing compiled code having at least one thread, where each of the at least one thread includes a respective plurality of blocks and each respective block includes a respective pre-fetch component and a respective execute component. The method also includes performing a first pre-fetch component from a first block of a first thread of the at least one thread, performing a first additional component after the first pre-fetch component has been performed, and performing a first execute component from the first block of the first thread. The first execute component is performed after the first additional component has been performed, and the first additional component is from either a second thread or another block of the first thread that is not the first block.
US08387049B2
Processing within a computing environment that supports pageable guests is facilitated. Processing is facilitated in many ways, including, but not limited to, associating guest and host state information with guest blocks of storage; maintaining the state information in control blocks in host memory; enabling the changing of states; and using the state information in management decisions. In one particular example, the guest state includes an indication of usefulness and importance of memory contents to the guest, and the host state reflects the ease of access to memory contents. The host and guest state information is used in managing memory of the host and/or guests.
US08387047B1
A system and method for virtualizing file extensions. The system includes a system environment, one or more virtual environments, and a shell extension. The shell extension detects a request to perform an action on a file in the system environment. The file has an associated file extension. The system environment includes applications for opening files. In response to detecting the request, the shell extension determines that the action is to open the file in the system environment and the file extension is not associated with any of the applications in the system environment. The shell extension queries the virtual environments to find an association between the file extension and an application, identifies at least one of the virtual environments in which the extension is associated with an application, and opens the file in a selected virtual environment.
US08387045B2
Systems, methods, and computer programs for creating a cloning image using a pseudo environment in a virtual machine. The pseudo environment is configured based on an inventory of the assets of a reference machine. The cloning image can be deployed to one or more target machines.
US08387044B2
Identifiers of a plurality of physical HBAs disposed in a real host are grouped into a virtual HBA(s) for each work application executed in the real host. A storage device of a management server manages a virtual HBA ID which is an identifier of the virtual HBA and physical HBA IDs which are identifiers of the grouped physical HBAs, which are associated with each other. A display device of the management server displays information on a virtual host in which the virtual HBA is virtually disposed.
US08387041B2
A method, apparatus, and program product to allocate processor resources to a plurality of logical partitions in a computing device including a plurality of processors, each processor having at least one general purpose processing element and a plurality of synergistic processing elements. General purpose processing element resources and synergistic processing element resources are separately allocated to each logical partition. The synergistic processing element resources to each logical partition are allocated such that each synergistic processing element is assigned to a logical partition exclusively. At least one virtual processor is allocated for each logical partition. The at least one virtual processor may be allocated virtual general purpose processing element resources and virtual synergistic processing element resources that correspond to the general purpose processing element resources and synergistic processing element resources allocated to the logical partition.
US08387037B2
In general, the invention is directed to updating images running on computing nodes within a distributed computing system. For example, a distributed computing system comprises a plurality of application nodes, a software image repository and a control node interconnected via a network. The image repository stores a master software image and a plurality of software image instances generated from the master software image. The control node automatically updates each of the software image instances using an updated version of the master software image.
US08387034B2
A Veil program analyzes the source code and/or data of an existing sequential target program without user interaction and determines how best to distribute the target program and data among the processing elements of a multi-processing element computing system. The Veil program analyzes source code loops, data sizes and types to prepare a set of distribution attempts or strategies, whereby each strategy is run under a run-time evaluation system and evaluated to determine the optimal decomposition and distribution across the available processing elements.
US08387029B2
A method for parsing and executing a software program includes receiving a portion of a software program in an original linguistic form, wherein the portion of the software program includes a nonlinear program element having a body, and, while retaining the original linguistic form, directly executing the nonlinear program element by manipulating a parse state and an input stream of tokens representing the body of the nonlinear program element, wherein directly executing comprises executing tokens until the dynamic end of the nonlinear program element is reached. A system includes a tokenizer operable to tokenize the software program and a parser operable to directly execute a nonlinear program element in the software program by manipulating a parse state and an input stream of tokens representing the body of the nonlinear program element, while preserving the original linguistic form of the software program.
US08387010B2
An automatic software configuring system includes a database storage section for storing therein a plurality of soft components. In the event that soft components are extracted from the database storage section and are combined together to thereby generate a file, a comment indicative of a storage location in the database storage section for storing a respective soft component extracted from the database storage section is added to the respective soft component. The automatic software configuring system further includes a device for identifying the respective soft component combined into the file and a storage location of the respective soft component by reading the comment; a device for identifying a comparison-target soft component stored in the database storage section; a device for identifying a soft component having a different content; and a device for replacing specified soft component in the database storage section with the soft component combined into the file.
US08386995B2
Automated or autonomic techniques for managing deployment of one or more resources in a computing environment based on varying workload levels. The automated techniques may comprise predicting a future workload level based on data associated with the computing environment. Then, an estimation is performed to determine whether a current resource deployment is insufficient, sufficient, or overly sufficient to satisfy the future workload level. Then, one or more actions are caused to be taken when the current resource deployment is estimated to be insufficient or overly sufficient to satisfy the future workload level. Actions may comprise resource provisioning, resource tuning and/or admission control.
US08386993B2
A workflow system includes: a workflow storage that stores workflows built by connecting a plurality of tasks assigned to persons in charge, respectively; a task extracting unit that extracts at least one task from each of two or more of the workflows stored in the workflow storage; a site creation unit that creates a conference site of which an access authority is given to the persons in charge of the tasks extracted by the task extracting unit and in which electronic information is shared; and an access controller that controls access to the conference site created by the site creation unit in accordance with the authority.
US08386988B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first circuit part that is designed under a first corner condition with respect to a process variation, a second circuit part that is designed under a second corner condition narrower than the first condition, and a control part that changes an operating voltage supplied to the first circuit part and the second circuit part according to a delay amount of the first circuit part, and starts the second circuit part when a delay characteristic caused by a change in the operating voltage conforms to a delay characteristic under the second corner condition.
US08386985B2
A method, system, and computer program product for timing driven routing in a design of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A router application executing in a data processing system performs a pre-global routing optimization of the design. A plurality of wirelength target constraints are set on a plurality of subsets of a set of nets in the design. Global routing is performed on the design. The design is adjusted using wires placed in the design during the global routing. A priority is assigned to each net in the set of nets. Detailed routing is performed on the design.
US08386983B1
In one embodiment, a method for parallel routing of a circuit design is provided. Placement of a netlist of the circuit design is determined for a target device. A plurality of regions of the target device is defined. Each region of the plurality of regions is assigned to a respective set of processors, each set including at least one processor. Global routing of nets of the netlist on the target device is performed. The global routing of each net restricts the net to one or more possible routes through a corresponding subset of the plurality of regions. Local routing of the netlist is concurrently performed within the plurality of regions using the respective sets of processors. Within each region, the local routing of the netlist is performed exclusively by the respective set of one or more processors.
US08386980B2
This invention concerns an automated method of generating a design for an I/O fabric of a target integrated circuit having a core and pins. A process tool executes algorithms to generate a synthesizable representation of the I/O fabric ring in hardware description language. It imports integrated circuit design data, and from it captures I/O specification data for a circuit core, library of cells, pin, I/O control, BSR and I/O cell chaining, and die. The tool validates the specification data, and generates the I/O fabric design by configuring and inter-connecting a pin multiplexing and control matrix structures according to constraints for signal control, and timing. The structures includes on both the input and output paths of each pin a functional multiplexer matrix structure, a test multiplexer matrix structure, an override matrix structure, a multiplex select and control matrix structure, and an I/O Cell control logic. A required pin output circuit is configurable by modification of the I/O specification data, and/or, modification of a manner of wiring the algorithms, and/or by modification of the algorithms. The tool wires algorithms according to a wiring framework, and said wiring framework is modifiable.
US08386979B2
Methods and apparatuses to design an Integrated Circuit (IC) with a shielding of wires. In at least one embodiment, a shielding mesh of at least two reference voltages (e.g., power and ground) is used to reduce both the capacitive coupling and the inductive coupling in routed signal wires in IC chips. In some embodiments, a type of shielding mesh (e.g., a shielding mesh with a window surrounded by a power ring, or a window with a parser set of shielding wires) is selected to make more routing area available in locally congested areas. In other embodiments, the shielding mesh is used to create or add bypass capacitance. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08386977B2
A tool that allows three dimensional chip circuit designs to be checked subsequent to 3D design layer mirroring. The 3D chip design is converted to a corresponding 2D chip design by mirroring one or more design layers from the mirrored side of a 3D design and merging those design layers with unmirrored design layers from the unmirrored side of a 3D design. The converted circuit design can be processed by standard verification checks. The tool may also receive design layers corresponding to an integrated circuit that will pass through multiple semiconductor chips. Each design cell is examined to determine if it corresponds to a mirrored or unmirrored side of its respective semiconductor chip. If the respective design cell corresponds to the mirrored side, the design cell is mirrored. All mirrored cells are then merged with the unmirrored design cells in the correct order. The merged design is processed by standard verification checks. The tool also has the capability to create terminal metal abstracts for two adjoining chips. One of the abstracts is mirrored and then merged with the other for connectivity and alignment checking.
US08386976B2
A method for producing a layout of a device in an integrated circuit before actually fabricated is provided. The method includes inputting at least one fixed parameter for the device for fabrication. And then, a first part of a set of variable parameters of a layout of the device is input. The complete set of the variable parameters is generated. It is checked whether or not the layout with the parameters is satisfying a requirement, wherein an end step is reached if the layout is accepted by the requirement, and a new part of the set of variable parameters as the first part being looping in the foregoing steps if the layout is not accepted by the requirement.
US08386971B2
A method and apparatus for low delay recursive filter design. The method includes determining a predefined filter template with higher magnitude specification than a target filter design, determining at least one relaxation bound on the filter specification utilizing the predefined filter template, specifying at least one constraint for the target filter design utilizing the at least one relaxation bound, and determining a low delay recursive filter design for minimizing the average group delay of the filter utilizing the at least one constraint.
US08386961B2
The invention is directed to a widget of or in a graphical user interface for navigating amongst related objects. The widget is adapted for displaying first and second groups of objects within respective first and second visually linked display areas. The widget is further adapted, upon user selection of a relation between an object of the second group and a third group of objects, for displaying objects of the third group in the second display area and objects of the second group in the first display area. The invention also relates to a method for navigating amongst related objects, comprising a step of providing to a user a graphical user interface with such a widget. Lastly, the invention is directed to a computer program comprising code means for implementing the method and to a computer system comprising means for implementing the method.
US08386960B1
A software development environment may have a object interaction construction interface for defining sentences that include two or more sentence atoms in an ordered arrangement. The sentence atoms may be one of: a source object, an event, a target object, and an action. The object interaction construction interface may receive user input selecting the sentence atoms in a particular sequence. The object interaction construction interface may configure a menu list of available second sentence atoms according to the type of sentence atom selected as the first sentence atom. Throughout the sequence, the object interaction construction interface will self-configure the next menu list according to the type of atom selected in the previous selection. When the sentence is complete, the software development environment may generate program instructions and/or data structures to implement object interactions defined by the sentence, which may be used to build an application.
US08386958B1
A method for character input, involving activating a first rotating character ribbon on a display associated with a portable electronic device, wherein the rotating character ribbon includes a first plurality of characters for selection, selecting at least one character from the first rotating character ribbon, wherein the at least one character is selected using a positioning device on the portable electronic device, and storing the at least one selected character as part of a text sequence on the portable electronic device.
US08386957B2
In a method for dynamically scaling an original background layout having at least one element, an instruction to employ the original background layout in a new page that differs in at least one of size and aspect ratio from at least one of the size and aspect ratio of the original background layout is received. In addition, a type and a position of the at least one element is identified and one or more constraints are applied on at least one characteristic of the at least one element to modify the at least one characteristic of the at least one element for inclusion in the new page, in which the one or more constraints are based upon the type and position of the at least one element.
US08386947B2
An interface framework enables dynamic generation of a user interface for browsing online media content. The interface can be modified based on changing one or more configuration or data files rather than making changes to code. The files contain interface content, interface configuration parameters and content category information. The framework retrieves a collection of content corresponding to a category, configures the interface based on a set of parameters and the retrieved content, and provides the interface to a remote device. When the files used to generate the interface are modified, the interface provided by the framework thereafter is changed. As a result, the interface may be changed without modifying or adding any code or markup within the framework.
US08386935B2
Disclosed herein is an ability to create segments of content, such as video, audio, multimedia, image, animation, interactive, etc. content, to associate metadata to each segment created, and to generate a summary of content comprising one or more segments using the metadata associated with the content segments. One or more acticons represented as icons in a user interface displayable to a user can be used to indicate a starting and/or ending point for a content segment. An acticon can represent an occurrence in the content, or a reaction of a user experiencing the content, for example.
US08386934B2
In an information presenting apparatus, information associated with each of one or more motion images stored in a storage apparatus is displayed at a location corresponding to a file production time in the form of a calendar view. A plurality of frames of representative images are extracted from each motion image in accordance with a specified frame extraction method. Thumbnail images of the respective extracted representative images are produced, and each thumbnail image is related to a playback position in the motion image. The resultant thumbnail images are managed as a set of motion image thumbnail images in accordance with a production time of the motion image. Information associated with each motion image is displayed at a location corresponding to the production time of the motion image in the form of the calendar view. Thumbnail images associated with each motion image are displayed in an expanded form in the order of time.
US08386933B2
A digital content providing apparatus including an interactive content composer to compose continuous interactive contents by linking at least two content units depending on at least one pre-condition or post-condition selected determined on the basis of a user's request and a reproducer to seamlessly reproduce the composed interactive contents.
US08386932B2
A computer-implemented method for integrating help functions. A compound document is received. The compound document comprises a help module. The help module comprises a first collection of help information that applies specifically to the compound document. The compound document is associated with a processing application used to manipulate the compound document. The processing application comprises application help. The application help comprises a second collection of help information that applies to the processing application. The first collection of help information is distinct from the second collection of help information. The method also includes integrating the help module into the application help to form a modified help. The modified help comprises a combination of the first collection of help information and the second collection of help information. The modified help can be stored or displayed.
US08386929B2
An electronic personal assistant that uses task information to obtain task performance assistance and help content is provided. Tasks from an electronic tasks application may be utilized by the personal assistant application to search a variety of information sources for task performance functionality and help content related to the tasks. The personal assistant may provide functionality to help a user actually perform a given task. Alternatively, once help content is obtained, a new task may be generated or the related task may be modified to provide the help content or to provide a link to the help content. The personal assistant application may provide the help content in a separate user interface or cause an application from which the help content is obtained to be launched.
US08386927B1
A user interface of an electronic content rendering device implements gravity-based link assist to enhance user experience when browsing linked content. As a user moves a pointer along a trajectory across various links and objects, gravitational fields surrounding the links and objects provide a pulling effect that draws the pointer toward these fields. Responsive to pointer deceleration being detected when the pointer resides within a gravitational field, the link assist repositions the pointer to a center of the link or object relative to the trajectory of the pointer within the field.
US08386912B2
Hypermedia documents can be published using a computer system by recursively parsing a hypermedia document to identify at least one direct linked document and at least one nested linked document. The addresses for the hypermedia document, the direct linked document and the nested linked document are remapped and versions of the hypermedia document and the linked documents are stored in a directory at their remapped addresses. The directory then can be distributed to another location on a network. Alternatively, or in addition, the hypermedia document and a document linked to it can be processed (e.g., converted to standard formats) based on predefined criteria before versions of the documents are stored in the directory.
US08386910B2
Differencing and merging tree-structured documents, such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents, is disclosed. A differencing-and-merging system for tree-structured documents of one embodiment of the invention includes a difference processing unit and a merging processing unit. The differencing processing unit performs a difference operation on at least two tree-structured documents, in accordance with difference configuration information regarding the documents. The merging processing unit performs a merging operation on the tree-structured documents from correspondence information generated by the difference processing unit, based on the difference operation configuration information regarding the documents. The correspondence information indicates differences among nodes of the documents. The difference operation configuration information specifies one or more nodes among the documents that are to be considered equivalent when the difference operation is performed, and one or more nodes among the documents that are to be ignored when the difference operation is performed.
US08386898B2
A method and apparatus for increasing the data rate and providing antenna diversity using multiple transmit antennas is disclosed. A set of bits of a digital signal are used to generate a codeword. Codewords are provided according to a channel code. Delay elements may be provided in antenna output channels, or with suitable code construction delay may be omitted. n signals represent n symbols of a codeword are transmitted with n different transmit antennas. At the receiver MLSE or other decoding is used to decode the noisy received sequence. The parallel transmission and channel coding enables an increase the data rate over previous techniques, and recovery even under fading conditions. The channel coding may be concatenated with error correction codes under appropriate conditions.
US08386894B2
A system and method are provided for parallel processing data that is forward error correction (FEC) protected with multiple codewords. The method accepts an electrical waveform representing a digital wrapper frame of interleaved FEC codewords. Typically, the codeword encoding is solved using an algorithm such as linear block codes, cyclical block codes, Hamming, Reed-Solomon, or Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH). The method calculates a first set of syndromes for a first codeword. In parallel with the calculation of the first set of syndromes, a second set of syndromes is calculated for a second codeword with a data component shared with the first codeword. Using the first set of syndromes, an error magnitude and location (EML) of the first codeword is performed. Using the second set of syndromes, an EML of the second codeword is performed in parallel with the EML of the first codeword.
US08386885B1
A programmable processing device having a non-volatile memory that may comprise a first memory portion and a second memory portion, where the first section of the first memory portion is configured to store program instructions or data and the second memory portion of the memory word is configured to store either the configuration data or the error detection bits depending upon if an error detection scheme is implemented for the program instructions or data.
US08386884B2
A memory apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The memory apparatus includes a plurality of multi-level cells and a controller. The controller encodes input data according to a target encoding code to generate a plurality of encoded subsets, and stores the encoded subsets into the multi-level cells. Thereafter, the controller could read data from the multi-level cells, perform an error correction procedure on the read data to correct and recover the read data as recovered data, and decode the recovered data according to the target encoding code. Consequently, sensing windows between threshold voltage distributions of the multi-level cells are expanded.
US08386882B2
A signal is encoded by receiving input data. A first portion of the input data is encoded to obtain a first set of encoded data. At least some part of the input data is processed to determine which one of a plurality of subsets the input data corresponds to. In the event the input data corresponds to a first subset having a greater signal margin (SM) than a second subset, the first set of encoded data and a second portion of the input data are output. In the event the input data corresponds to the second subset, the second portion of the input data is encoded to obtain a second set of encoded data and the first set of encoded data and the second set of encoded data are output.
US08386879B2
A method of encoding for optical transmission of information includes encoding information with a generalized low-density parity-check (GLDPC) code for providing coding gains, and constructing the GLDPC code with a Reed-Muller RM code as a component code, the component code being decodable using a maximum posterior probability (MAP) decoding. In a preferred embodiment, the GLDPC code includes a codeword length of substantially 4096, an information word length of substantially 3201, a lower-bound on minimum distance of substantially greater than or equal to 16, a code rate of substantially 0.78 and the RM component code includes an order of substantially 4 and an r parameter of substantially 6.
US08386876B2
For downlink cooperative multi-point (CoMP) communication, each cooperating transmission point (e.g., base station) may send a retransmission packet with a different redundancy version to a user equipment (UE). Mechanisms may be provided to determine which transmission point should send packets with which redundancy version. For uplink CoMP, in order to reduce the backhaul overhead, each cooperating base station may share only a fraction of the retransmitted packet with the serving base station. Also, different retransmission packets with different redundancy versions can be transmitted to different cooperating base stations using spatial degrees of freedom.
US08386871B2
A retransmission control method involving a physical control channel transmitting step of transmitting, at a transmitting side apparatus, a new data indicator updated upon transmission of a new packet, and a retransmission sequence number indicating whether transmission is first transmission or retransmission, through a physical control channel associated with a physical data channel, and a transmission acknowledgement information transmitting step of transmitting, at a receiving side apparatus, transmission acknowledgment information on a packet received through the physical data channel, on the basis of the new data indicator and the retransmission sequence number received through the physical control channel.
US08386870B2
A mechanism is provided to allow an HARQ retransmission to more closely match the receiver's need for energy with the additional energy sent over the wireless link. In one aspect, the receiver sends the transmitter qualitative feedback which indicates to the transmitter an approximate amount of additional energy that the receiver needs to successfully decode the transmission.
US08386863B2
In a scanning-capable latch circuit, main latch circuits respectively corresponding to data inputs D1 to D4 are connected in series and, except the last-stage main latch circuit, the scanning output from each main latch circuit becomes the scanning input for the subsequent main latch circuit; while the scanning output from the last-stage main latch circuit becomes the scanning input for a slave latch circuit. Hence, in the scanning-capable latch circuit used in an information processing apparatus, the circuit area can be reduced and scanning can be performed with a small-scale circuit.
US08386860B2
Methods of calculating a compensation voltage and adjusting a threshold voltage, a memory apparatus, and a controller are provided. In the present invention, data is written into a rewritable non-volatility memory, and the data is then read from the rewritable non-volatility memory and compared with the previously written data to obtain error bit information. The compensation voltage of the threshold voltage is calculated according to the error bit information, and the threshold voltage is adjusted according to the compensation voltage.
US08386857B2
A test and measurement instrument includes a pattern detector for detecting a beginning sequence in a signal under test (SUT), and generates a synchronization signal. In response to the synchronization signal, a memory outputs a reference test pattern. A symbol comparator compares the reference test pattern with the SUT. The symbol comparator can produce a symbol error rate. One or more 8b to 10b converters receives the SUT from the input and the digitized data from the memory, and converts the data from an 8b coded format to a 10b coded format. A bit comparator compares the 10b coded reference test pattern with the 10b coded SUT in response to the symbol comparator. The bit comparator is coupled to a bit error counter, which produces a bit error rate independent of any disparity errors that may be present in the incoming digitized data received by the test and measurement instrument.
US08386848B2
Root cause analysis for complex event processing is described. In embodiments, root cause analysis at a complex event processor is automatically performed by selecting an output event from an operator and correlating the output event to an input event using event type and lifetime data for the input event and the output event stored in a data store. Embodiments describe how the lifetime data can comprise a start time and an end time for the event, and the correlation can be based on a comparison of the start and end times between the input and output events. Embodiments describe how the correlation algorithm used is selected in dependence on the event type. In embodiments, a complex event processing engine comprises a logging unit arranged to store in the data store an indicator of an event type and lifetime data for each output event from an operator.
US08386844B2
An array of logic devices capable of self-determining the program, inputs and outputs from configuration information provided by its nearest neighbors. The rules used by each device to self-determine its behavior are identical to those of every other device in the array. This facilitates the development of robust array configurations and robust behavior of the device as a whole. This system's logic devices utilize three shift-registers, two are programmed before operation, the third is programmed on-the-fly by the other two. This facilitates a fast response to changes in the performance of the array in the event of partial dynamic or static failures of the array. An iterative design algorithm for the array ensures optimum use of the resources of the array.
US08386836B2
Embodiments are described for managing memory faults. An example system can include a memory controller module to manage memory cells and report memory faults. An error buffer module can store memory fault information received from the memory controller. A notification module can be in communication with the error buffer module. The notification module may generate a notification of a memory fault in a memory access operation. A system software module can provide services and manage executing programs on a processor. In addition, the system software module can receive the notifications of the memory fault for the memory access operation. A notification handler may be activated by an interrupt when the notification of the memory fault in the memory access operation is received.
US08386834B1
A storage server receives a notification indicating a failure of a mass storage device in a storage array. The storage server determines whether a number of failures exceeds a fault tolerance level of the array and if the number of failures exceeds the fault tolerance level, recovers an address space corresponding to the failed storage device. When recovering the address space, the storage server replaces the failed storage device with a spare storage device having an identifiable pattern stored thereon and determines whether a file system on the storage system can automatically invalidate cached data blocks on the failed storage device.
US08386826B2
A method and system for managing power of a portable device is disclosed. The portable devices has a plurality device components that has controllable power settings. The device has a plurality of power profiles, each power profile referencing a list of the available device components that are configured for adequate power needs. Set of rules are then defined having a criterion for executing the plurality of power profiles, where the criterion is based on a device input. Once the rules and power profiles are created, the device inputs are monitored to determine if there is a match. If the criteria in the rules are matched, the corresponding power profile is executed to maximize battery life.
US08386825B2
A method for power management. The method includes gathering resource usage data for a first blade and a second blade on a blade chassis, migrating each virtual machine (VM) executing on the first blade to the second blade based on the resource usage data and a first migration policy, wherein the first migration policy defines when to condense the number of blades operating on the blade chassis, and powering down the first blade after each VM executing on the first blade is migrated from the first blade.
US08386823B2
A low cost, low power consumption scalable architecture is provided to allow a computer system to be managed remotely during all system power states. In a lowest power state, power is only applied to minimum logic necessary to examine a network packet. Power is applied for a short period of time to an execution subsystem and one of a plurality of cores selected to handle processing of received service requests. After processing the received service requests, the computer system returns to the lowest power state.
US08386819B2
A communication apparatus includes an automatic response unit configured to make a response to received data in a power saving state on behalf of one or more communication control programs, and a setting unit configured to collect automatic response information from the one or more communication control programs and to set the automatic response information in the automatic response unit, the automatic response information including conditions regarding received data to which the automatic response unit makes a response, and also including response data to be included in the response, wherein the automatic response unit sends the response data included in the automatic response information upon detecting that the conditions included in the automatic response information match data received in the power saving state, and causes the communication apparatus to exit the power saving state upon detecting that the conditions do not match said data received in the power saving state.
US08386818B2
Provided is a data storage device including a current detector. The data storage device includes a plurality of memory devices, a detector, and a power manager. The detector detects a current inputted from a power source. The power manager manages consumption power of the plurality of memory devices according to a result of the detection provided from the detector.
US08386815B2
A method of operating a storage system comprises detecting a cut in an external power supply, switching to a local power supply, preventing receipt of input/output commands, copying content of cache memory to a local storage device and marking the content of the cache memory that has been copied to the local storage device. When a resumption of the external power supply is detected, the method continues by charging the local power supply, copying the content of the local storage device to the cache memory, processing the content of the cache memory with respect to at least one storage volume and receiving input/output commands. When detecting a second cut in the external power supply, the system switches to the local power supply, prevents receipt of input/output commands, and copies to the local storage device only the content of the cache memory that is not marked as present.
US08386814B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for continuously detecting when a USB client device may be charged according to a BCS charging standard. Power is supplied from a USB host device to the USB client device with a first current limit. Next, the USB host device monitors data lines D+ and D− for a first part of a handshake. When the first part of the handshake is detected, a second part of the handshake is provided by the USB host device indicating that the USB client device may be changed according to the BCS charging standard. All current sources and all voltage sources that are coupled to the data lines D+ and D− are decoupled from data lines D+ and D− after the handshake is complete. After the data lines are decoupled, communication may begin between the USB host device and the USB client device.
US08386810B2
Techniques and technologies are disclosed herein for measuring and managing energy consumption of the individual hardware components and software modules of various systems and devices. Such techniques and technologies do not require the addition of hardware to the systems (or devices), the modification of software modules hosted by the systems, or other modifications to the systems. Moreover, some of the techniques and technologies measure the energy consumed by the individual software modules as a result of the hardware operations which they call.
US08386807B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for managing power of a processing unit are described herein. Some embodiments include determining a voltage variation of a subset of current components of a current consumed by a processing unit. Other embodiments include detecting architectural events on a processing core of the processing unit and instituting various actions to reduce an input rate of instructions to the core. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08386797B1
A data storage system providing transparent encryption. The data storage system has a hardware encryption/decryption engine and a register coupled to the hardware encryption/decryption engine. The register is for securely storing a key for encrypting and decrypting data. The key may not be read from outside the data storage system. More specifically, the key may not be read by the operating system. The user does not have access to the encryption key, but may have a password that is passed to a controller coupled to the encryption/decryption engine. The controller verifies the password and causes data received from main memory to be encrypted by the hardware encryption/decryption engine using the key. The controller also transfers the encrypted data to the data storage device.
US08386788B2
A method and apparatus is provided for securing a region in a memory of a computer. According to one embodiment, the method comprises halting of all but one of a plurality of processors in a computer. The halted processors entering into a special halted state. Content is loaded into the region only after the halting of all but the one of the plurality of processors and the region is protected from access by the halted processors. The method further comprises placing the non-halted processor into a known privileged state, and causing the halted processors to exit the halted state after the non-halted processor has been placed into the known privileged state.
US08386784B2
An apparatus and a method for securely submitting a request and an apparatus and a method for securely processing a request. The apparatus for securely submitting a request includes a request pre-submitting component and a request confirmation component. The request pre-submitting component sends a request with a unique identifier to a server and sends an alarm message containing the unique identifier and a request description to the request confirmation component. The request confirmation component contains a key inaccessible to other components in a client. It pops up a request confirmation window, on which the request description is displayed, in response to the alarm message and generates a request confirmation message associated with the request by using the key and the unique identifier.
US08386781B2
A chip mountable on a replaceable unit used in an image forming job is disclosed. The chip includes a central processing unit (CPU) to perform at least one of authentication and cryptographic data communication with a main body of the image forming apparatus using an operating system (OS) of the CPU which operates separately from an OS of the image forming apparatus. With the use of such a configuration, security for a unit in which the chip is mounted can thereby be reinforced.
US08386776B2
In a certificate generating/distributing system, an authentication apparatus includes token transmitting means transmitting, to a service mediating apparatus, a certificate generation request token, which is information corresponding to a first certificate valid in the service mediating apparatus, together with the first certificate. The service mediating apparatus includes mediating apparatus token forwarding means forwarding the certificate generation request token to a service providing apparatus. The service providing apparatus includes certificate requesting means transmitting the certificate generation request token to the authentication apparatus when requesting a second certificate valid in the service providing apparatus. The authentication apparatus includes certificate transmitting means transmitting, to the service providing apparatus, the second certificate generated based on the first certificate in response to the request of the second certificate by the certificate requesting means.
US08386773B2
A mobile communication device operates in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider (e.g. a wireless carrier for voice telephony, or data service provider for data synchronization). An application server receives, via the wireless network, a message from the mobile device. The message has a field for inclusion of a token having a digital signature corresponding to the service provider. The application server performs token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider. The application server then grants or denies access to an application service depending on the outcome of the token validation. In one embodiment, the application service is an e-commerce transaction service, wherein a proof-of-work (POW) test (e.g. a Captcha test) otherwise utilized for the service is bypassed or excluded.
US08386772B2
A method for generating a secure association key (SAK), a method for realizing medium access control security (MACsec) and a network device are provided. The method for generating an SAK includes the following steps. A sending key selection protocol (KSP) instance sends a key selection protocol data unit (KSPDU) to the other KSP instances in the same secure connectivity association (CA). The KSPDU includes a secure connectivity association key identifier (CKI) of the instance and information about a MACsec level that the sending KSP instance belongs to. If the receiving KSP instance and the sending KSP instance belong to the CA with the same MACsec level, an SAK is generated based on the KSPDU. The MACsec of multiple levels in a communication network and the secure MACsec network communication with multiple levels are realized, thus ensuring the confidentiality of the network communication.
US08386770B2
The present invention relates to a method for allowing a user to access the Internet. A user sends an Internet access request through a first Organization's gateway and supplies to the latter some credentials for his/her authentication with a second Organization. The credentials provided contain at least one piece of information about the second Organization. The first Organization contacts the second Organization for the purpose of authenticating the user and granting him/her access to the Internet. The second Organization then gives the user the authorization to access the Internet. According to the invention, upon the access request the gateway redirects the user to a web page of the second Organization, where the user supplies to the second Organization, through the web page, further authentication credentials required for his/her identification.
US08386757B1
A method and system of operating an actual or virtual desktop or server and managing such desktops and servers involves a cache appliance serving desktop, operating system, and application objects to a managed machine. The objects are composited together to present a normal file structure to the user, with all user configuration and data stored in the desktop object. Management requirements are minimized to maintain operating system and application objects, while users maintain distinct and customizable desktops.
US08386756B2
A new zSeries floating-point unit has a fused multiply-add dataflow capable of supporting two architectures and fused MULTIPLY and ADD and Multiply and SUBTRACT in both RRF and RXF formats for the fused functions. Both binary and hexadecimal floating-point instructions are supported for a total of 6 formats. The floating-point unit is capable of performing a multiply-add instruction for hexadecimal or binary every cycle with a latency of 5 cycles. This supports two architectures with two internal formats with their own biases. This has eliminated format conversion cycles and has optimized the width of the dataflow. The unit is optimized for both hexadecimal and binary floating-point architecture supporting a multiply-add/subtract per cycle.
US08386754B2
An out-of-order renaming processor is provided with a register file within which aliasing between registers of different sizes may occur. In this way a program instruction having a source register of a double precision size may alias with two single precision registers being used as destinations of one or more preceding program instructions. In order to track this data dependency the double precision register may be remapped into a micro-operation specifying two single precision registers as its source register. In this way, scheduling circuitry may use its existing hazard detection and management mechanisms to handle potential data hazards and dependencies. Not all program instructions having such data hazards between registers of different sizes are handled by this source register remapping. For these other program instructions a slower mechanism for dealing with the data dependency hazard is provided. This slower mechanism may, for example, be to drain all the preceding micro-operations from the execution pipelines before issuing the micro-operation having the data hazard.
US08386751B2
One embodiment of the present includes a heterogenous, high-performance, scalable processor having at least one W-type sub-processor capable of processing W bits in parallel, W being an integer value, at least one N-type sub-processor capable of processing N bits in parallel, N being an integer value smaller than W by a factor of two. The processor further includes a shared bus coupling the at least one W-type sub-processor and at least one N-type sub-processor and memory shared coupled to the at least one W-type sub-processor and the at least one N-type sub-processor, wherein the W-type sub-processor rearranges memory to accommodate execution of applications allowing for fast operations.
US08386750B2
A multiprocessor computer system has a plurality of first processors having a first addressable memory space, and a plurality of second processors having a second addressable memory space. The second addressable memory space is of a different size than the first addressable memory space, and the first addressable memory space and second addressable memory space comprise a part of the same common address space.
US08386745B2
An input/output memory management unit (IOMMU) configured to control requests by an I/O device to a system memory includes control logic that may perform a two-level guest translation to translate an address associated with an I/O device-generated request using translation data stored in the system memory. The translation data includes a device table having a number of entries. The control logic may select the device table entry for a given request by the using a device identifier that corresponds to the I/O device that generates the request. The translation data may also include a first set of I/O page tables including a set of guest page tables and a set of nested page tables. The selected device table entry for the given request may include a pointer to the set of guest translation tables, and a last guest translation table includes a pointer to the set of nested page tables.
US08386736B2
Efficient and convenient storage systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment a storage system includes a host for processing information, a memory controller and a memory. The memory controller controls communication of the information between the host and the memory, wherein the memory controller routes data rapidly to a buffer of the memory without buffering in the memory controller. The memory stores the information. The memory includes a buffer for temporarily storing the data while corresponding address information is determined.
US08386723B2
Systems and methods for reading data are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a data storage device includes a host interface that is adapted to couple the data storage device to a host. The host includes memory that is addressable by a host memory address space. The data storage device also includes a device address space that is independent from the host memory address space. The device address space includes a first address region and a second address region, where the second address region is distinct from the first address region. The data storage device also includes a non-volatile memory array and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory array and further coupled to a mapped device. The controller is adapted to, in response to a first request from the host for access to the first address region of the device address space, perform a memory access operation at the non-volatile memory array. The controller is also adapted to, in response to a second request from the host for access to the second address region of the device address space, map the second request to the mapped device.
US08386719B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for controlling a shared memory, and a method of accessing the shared memory. The apparatus includes a processing unit configured to process an application program, a user program unit configured to execute a program written by a user based on the application program of the processing unit, a shared memory unit connected to each of the processing unit and the user program unit through a system bus and configured to store data interchanged between the processing unit and the user program unit, and a control unit configured to relay a control signal indicating whether the system bus, by which the data is interchanged between the processing unit and the user program unit, is occupied, and control connection of each of the processing unit and the user program unit with the system bus in response to the control signal. In the apparatus, the processing unit and the user program unit can easily interchange a large amount of messages through the shared memory unit having an abundant memory space.
US08386714B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to reducing write amplification in a cache with flash memory used as a write cache. An embodiment of the invention includes partitioning at least one flash memory device in the cache into a plurality of logical partitions. Each of the plurality of logical partitions is a logical subdivision of one of the at least one flash memory device and comprises a plurality of memory pages. Data are buffered in a buffer. The data includes data to be cached, and data to be destaged from the cache to a storage subsystem. Data to be cached are written from the buffer to the at least one flash memory device. A processor coupled to the buffer is provided with access to the data written to the at least one flash memory device from the buffer, and a location of the data written to the at least one flash memory device within the plurality of logical partitions. The data written to the at least one flash memory device are destaged from the buffer to the storage subsystem.
US08386713B2
Disclosed herein is a memory apparatus comprising: a nonvolatile memory configured to allow data to be written thereto and read therefrom in units of a cluster and to permit data to be deleted therefrom in units of a block made up of a plurality of sectors; a control circuit configured to control access operations to said nonvolatile memory; a management area; a user data area; and a cache area; said management area includes a logical/physical table, and the addresses of physical blocks in said cache area.
US08386712B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design for a single unified level one instruction cache in which some lines may contain traces and other lines in the same congruence class may contain blocks of instructions consistent with conventional cache lines is provided. A mechanism is described for indexing into the cache, and selecting the desired line. Control is exercised over which lines are contained within the cache. Provision is made for selection between a trace line and a conventional line when both match during a tag compare step.
US08386708B2
A method for metadata management in a storage system configured for supporting sub-LUN tiering. The method may comprise providing a metadata queue of a specific size; determining whether the metadata for a particular sub-LUN is cached in the metadata queue; updating the metadata for the particular sub-LUN when the metadata for the particular sub-LUN is cached in the metadata queue; inserting the metadata for the particular sub-LUN to the metadata queue when the metadata queue is not full and the metadata is not cached; replacing an entry in the metadata queue with the metadata for the particular sub-LUN when the metadata queue is full and the metadata is not cached; and identifying at least one frequently accessed sub-LUN for moving to a higher performing tier in the storage system, the at least one frequently accessed sub-LUN being identified based on the metadata cached in the metadata queue.
US08386707B2
In a multinode storage system, a virtual disk associated with a storage device to be connected is created, and a slice of a connected storage device is allocated to one segment of the virtual disk. Next, one slice of data in the storage device to be connected is copied to the connected storage device. The rest of the data in the storage device to be connected is divided into slices, which are allocated to segments of the virtual disk. Then, metadata of the rest of the slices is written into a management information area in which copying of the data therefrom has been completed.
US08386706B2
A method and system for secure data storage and retrieval is provided. A sequence of data units is divided into multiple subsets of data units corresponding to multiple data channels. The multiple data channels are assigned to multiple data writers based on a key code. Then, each subset of data units is transferred to a writer via an assigned channel for writing to storage media. Thereafter, to securely retrieve the stored data, each subset of data units is read from the storage media using a data reader. The original sequence of data units can only be reassembled using the key code for properly reassembling the subsets of data units into their original sequence.
US08386703B2
Means which allows the storage and subsequent retrieval of data on a storage means such as, for example, a storage means in the form of, and known as, a hard disk drive. The storage of data is in the form of video, audio and/or auxiliary data transmitted from a remote location and received by receiver apparatus for the processing and subsequent generation of video, audio, and/or auxiliary data via a television screen connected to or including the receiver. In some instances the data is not decoded and displayed immediately, and the decoding and/or the display of the data, when it does occur may be obtained from the storage means. The control system of the storage means includes a First In First Out (FIFO) buffer which in conjunction with a Central Processing Unit (CPU) controls the generation of the control signals and the storage of the incoming data.
US08386701B2
In some embodiments, a non-volatile cache memory may include a multi-level non-volatile cache memory configured to be located between a system memory and a mass storage device of an electronic system and a controller coupled to the multi-level non-volatile cache memory, wherein the controller is configured to control utilization of the multi-level non-volatile cache memory. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08386700B2
A flash memory controller connected to multiple flash memory groups performs independent garbage collection operations in each group. For each group, the controller independently determines the amount of free space and performs garbage collection operations if the amount falls below a threshold.
US08386695B2
Methods and apparatus for writing data to non-volatile memory include maintaining one or more lists of obsolete blocks of the non-volatile memory and limiting the lists to a predetermined value. If a write operation would result in a list exceeding its predetermined value, a block erase operation is performed on one of the obsolete blocks. Valid data contained in an obsolete block selected for erasure is relocated prior to erasure.
US08386692B2
According to an aspect of the embodiment, an input/output device transmits a message to a first node controller of a parent node which is set in advance via a cross bar. At this point, the cross bar generates information based on node information of the input/output device, and adds the generated information to the message. The first node controller transmits, via the cross bar, the message to a second node controller of a parent node corresponding to an input/output device that is to receive the message. The second node controller transmits, via the cross bar, the message to an input/output device that is to receive the message. At this point, the cross bar transmits the message restored by deleting the generated information from the message to the input/output device which is set as a destination.
US08386689B2
Interface adapter systems and methods are provided. An adapter means can be provided for coupling a first interface to a second interface, the second interface configured to accommodate the coupling of a peripheral device. A detector means can be provided for detecting the peripheral device. A means can be provided for communicating a first signal to a first bus when the peripheral device is not detected. A converting means can be provided to convert a first signal to a second signal having a protocol different than the first and a communications means for communicating the second signal to a second bus can be provided when the detecting means has detected the peripheral device.
US08386674B2
Methods and systems of controlling an electronic device's I/O terminals using pulse-width modulation
An electronic system includes a signal processor, a control signal generator, and an I/O interface. The signal processor has a first output signal and the first output signal is characterized by at least a first property and a second property. The control signal generator is configured to produce first and second control signals in accordance with the first and second properties of the first output signal, respectively. The I/O interface is configured to couple at least the first and second control signals to an output device. In some embodiments, the first output signal is a pulse width modulated signal having a software-specified pulse width and a software-specified repeat frequency. In some embodiments, the first property of the first output signal is the signal's duty cycle and the second property is the signal's frequency.
US08386671B2
A communication system includes a first communication device that transmits transmission data containing user data and control data, and a second communication device that receives the transmission data from the first communication device. The second communication device includes a temporary storing unit that temporarily stores therein the received transmission data, and a space-insufficient-information transmitting unit that transmits, when an amount of the transmission data stored in the temporary storing unit exceeds a first threshold, space insufficient information indicating that available storage space of the temporary storing unit is insufficient to the first communication device. The first communication device includes a transmission control unit that transmits, when receiving the space insufficient information from the second communication device, transmission data excluding the user data from the transmission data to the second communication device, and that resumes, when receiving space-insufficient dissolution information from the second communication device, transmission of the user data.
US08386667B2
This invention relates to techniques for managing the transmission and reception of data fragments that contains one or more data blocks using a single timer. One embodiment of the invention includes the following steps: processing the fragments sequentially, wherein each fragment has a processing index that corresponds to sequential processing of that fragment; processing each of the fragments until a termination upon meeting a first pre-defined condition; assigning a timer to an un-terminated fragment having a lowest processing index; starting said timer having a timeout value; and running said timer until the processing of said un-terminated fragment is terminated. This invention uses only one timer for each connection and therefore reduces memory and operational needs in the management of the data fragments that are being received or transmitted.
US08386666B2
A method for operating a host device includes comparing a predetermined response of a peripheral device to a response token received from the peripheral device. The predetermined response and the response token are generated based on a first command transmitted from the host device to the peripheral device. The method further includes controlling a transfer of first data from a first memory to a peripheral control module based on the comparison between the predetermined response and the response token without interrupting a host control module, and selectively passing interrupts to the host control module when the predetermined response does not match the response token.
US08386663B2
The present invention provides a high definition media interface (HDMI) controller having a modular design internal bus structure, and applications thereof. The controller includes a circuit interface, an address decoder coupled to the circuit interface, a plurality of sub-circuits, wherein each sub-circuit includes registers used to configure and control the sub-circuit, and a bus that couples the registers of each sub-circuit to the address decoder. After startup of the controller, the sub-circuits are configured by using the circuit interface, address decoder, and bus to write values to the registers of the sub-circuits. The sub-circuits of the controller include a video pixel sampler, an audio sampler, a frame composer, and a power controller. The video sampler can be configured to convert one of a plurality of RGB and YCbCr signals to a common format signal used by other sub-circuits of the controller.
US08386652B2
Techniques for predicting accessory behavior and techniques for responding based on the predicted behavior are provided. A mobile computing device (MCD) determines firmware being used by an accessory. Based on the determination, the MCD can predict a command most likely to be received next from the accessory. After the MCD determines the command most likely to be received next from the accessory, the MCD can retrieve the information to be sent in response to the command and/or initiate an operation to be performed in response to the command prior to actually receiving the command from the accessory.
US08386651B2
A computerized method provides for a computer to interact with peripheral devices where a complete set of control functions of the peripheral devices are operable on the computer. The method includes receiving by a computer from a receiver coupled to the computer an enumerator report having a peripheral device report and a device index included in a set of device indices. The peripheral device report is sent from a select peripheral device to the receiver. The method further includes determining by the computer the device index in the enumerator report. The method further includes routing by the computer the peripheral device report to a device driver associated with the device index. The device driver is configured to provide a complete set of operating function for a peripheral device associated with the device driver. The computer executes a command function from the peripheral device report issued by the select peripheral device.
US08386649B2
Embodiments discussed herein are directed to an apparatus and method for relaying user input commands by a receiver to other devices connected to or in communication with the receiver. In one embodiment, a receiver receives one or more commands from a user input device and determines if the command is intended for the receiver or for a device in communication with the receiver. Based on this determination, the receiver may either execute the command or relay the command to a device that is attached or otherwise in communication with the receiver.
US08386644B1
Large data segments are efficiently processed by setting up a plurality of Large Receive Segment Offload (LRO) queues within the computing system memory. The plurality of LRO queues are maintained concurrently so that a plurality of LRO contexts can be assembled simultaneously. A timer associated with each LRO queue prevents indefinite waiting for LRO segments to be completed.
US08386635B2
A communication system is disclosed, including: a network in which the transmission speeds of a upstream channel and a downstream channel for transmitting data can be changed independently; a data storage server connected to the network, the data storage server configured to store data uploaded thereto via the network; and a communication terminal connected to the network, the communication terminal configured to upload old data stored therein to the data storage server via the network thereby to move the old data to the data storage server, and download new data via the network thereby to store the new data therein. The communication terminal is further configured to request the network to change at least one of the transmission speeds of the upstream channel and the downstream channel based on remaining memory capacity thereof and the transmission speeds such that there remains memory capacity available for the new data.
US08386634B2
A communication system includes a communication device provided with an accessing system capable of accessing web pages. At least one operation member which is operable with being attached to the communication system is provided. The operation member has a data storage containing first access data which is used by the communication device to access a first predetermined web page. The system includes a transmitting system that transmits the first access data contained in the data storage to the accessing system when the at least one operation member is operated while it is attached to the communication device. In this configuration, the accessing system accesses the first predetermined web page based on the first access data transmitted from the data storage of the at least one operation member.
US08386633B2
A method and system is disclosed for processing information provided from various content providers in the form objects having states subject to periodic updates. Formatted information indicating a current state of the objects are delivered to subscribing clients in substantially real-time. An information manager module is configured to receiving raw data objects from the content providers, format the information, and broadcast current state information on various broadcast data stream. A client manager module supports multiple client communication sessions and connects to at least one broadcast data stream. Current state information received on a broadcast data stream is processed and transmitted to specific clients in accordance with processing rules specified in the client profiles.
US08386631B2
A data streaming system and method typically use a server arranged to stream one of a plurality of encoded data streams to a client. Each of the plurality of data streams may be an independent representation of a common data source encoded at a different resolution to the other of the plurality of data streams. The server can include a transmitter and a first buffer. The transmitter can be arranged to transmit data packets of the encoded data stream to the client via the first buffer. The transmitter can be arranged to monitor the content of the first buffer and switch to transmit another of the plurality of data streams in the event that predetermined criteria are detected from the first buffer.
US08386628B1
To accommodate different viewer capabilities, update commands may be maintained in an update queue at the server and distributed to viewers according to the viewers' abilities to receive them. As update commands arrive that supersede older update commands, the new update commands may cause the old update commands to be removed from the queue so that the older update commands may be pruned from the update queue. Where the pruned update messages have not yet been sent to the slower viewers, pruning the older update commands from the update queue enables information that will quickly be replaced via another update command to be selectively not transmitted to slower viewers. Panes may be used to keep track of which updates are required to be maintained in the queue and which may be pruned from the queue.
US08386613B2
The present invention relates to a pseudonode used for deployment on a peer to peer network which pseudonode comprises an IP address and client ID that is changeable upon the occurrence of a preselected event and includes a list containing at least one searchable data object. The pseudonode is programmed for monitoring the network to receive search requests therefrom and to compare each said received search with said list of data objects and to respond to such request. The invention also provides a method for monitoring search requests for selected objects by nodes on a peer to peer network. The method includes interposing the pseudonodes on the network in which it is configured to provide at least one IP address and optionally at least one client ID. The pseudonode has at least one stored object corresponding to a request object stored at said pseudonode; and monitors the network to detect requests matching at least one of the stored objects and acquires a unique ID generated by any network node requesting the object matching that stored object on the pseudonode and responding to substantially each node representing an acquired ID.
US08386609B2
The invention generally relates to electronic collaboration sessions and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing reconnection to and migration of electronic collaboration sessions. A method for managing a collaboration session includes providing a computer infrastructure structured and arranged to store data regarding a plurality of clients of a collaboration session, and monitor a connection of each of the plurality of clients to a host system. The computer infrastructure is further operable to (i) migrate the plurality of clients to a new host system after determining that a number of the plurality of clients experiencing connection problems with the first host system exceeds a threshold value and/or (ii) present customized summary data to at least one of the plurality of clients after the at least one of the plurality of clients reconnects to the collaboration session after having been disconnected from the collaboration session.
US08386607B2
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for optimizing resource management in a distributed computing environment through the use of a resource conductor. An application managed by an application manager requires resources managed by a resource manager. A resource conductor in communication with both the application manager and the resource manager receives from the application manager a processing specification for the application and workload associated with the application. The processing specification provides the resource conductor with information needed to determine the type and quantity of resources appropriate for processing the workload associated with the application. The resource conductor adjusts the quantity of resources allocated to the application by communicating with the resource manager.
US08386604B1
According to one general aspect, a method of assigning blame to web browser extensions and applications is described. The method gathers performance data about a web application, detects a problem with the web application based on the performance data, and displays, when the problem is detected, an indication of the problem adjacent an indicator representing the web application.
US08386601B1
A reporting system for providing reports on consumption rate changes for media content delivered over a network. A respective media consumption history is received for each of a plurality of entities at a storage. The histories are analyzed to identify selected media content for reporting based on changes in a consumption rate of the media content between at least two time intervals. A report including a reference to the selected media content is provided to a system. In an example, the system is a search engine indexing system and the invention enables the rapid indexing of new content and/or media content experiencing a surge in popularity. The consumption rate changes can be measured for monitored audiences comprising a subset of the audience. The monitored audience can be provided as a list of entities and/or selected based on the media consumption history and/or similarity to a known set of entities.
US08386599B2
This invention comprises a method and system for estimating unique visitors for Internet sites that is more accurate than the existing unique cookie/unique address counting methods. The invented method relies on the count of unique user identifiers (such as network addresses or preferably cookies)—I—that can be obtained from an existing cookie tracking/user access logging system. The number of unique visitors U is calculated substantially as a ratio of the count of unique cookies (or unique network addresses) to the number of visits N times the inflation factor X plus constant on that is approximately one (exactly one in the case of cookies). The number of visits is calculated by multiplying the sampling period t to the visitation frequency T1 minus one. The resulting estimate of the unique visitors is stable and does not diverge with sampling time unlike estimates directly obtained from the unique network address or unique cookie counts. The method is also applicable when there are multiple dominant visitation frequencies by accounting to the sum by all significant visitation frequencies. All key parameters of the method can be established before hand by mining a multitude of the site's historical visit logs and/or third party site access logs; the parameters can be corrected/calculated dynamically by mining the site's current access log (or current third party logs) while focusing on unambiguously identified visitors (such as return visitors identified by their login ID or unchanged cookie value).
US08386598B2
A computer method and a system for detecting the file type of an electronic file, the method including the steps of: (a) using a predetermined number of bytes at the beginning of the file to create a list of probable file types; (b) testing the file against a detection rule for each file type in the list until a match is found; if no match is found (c) testing the file against other known detection rules for file types to find a match.
US08386596B2
A system and method for management and processing of resource requests is provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a requested resource from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider associates the client computing device with a cluster of other client computing devices. Based on routing information for the cluster, the content delivery network service provider routes the DNS query. The process can further include monitoring performance data associated with the delivery of the requested resource and updating the routing information for the cluster based on the performance data for use in processing subsequent requests from client computing devices in the cluster.
US08386593B1
A computer aided network engineering (CANE) system provides an integrated network management platform that not only decodes a user's network but also provides an interactive environment, based on data-driven maps, to allow users to define and automate network tasks. Among other things, the CANE system allows users to drive automation via self-contained interactive model-driven maps (referred to as Q-maps). Some of the tasks that can be automated include, without limitation: a) network diagramming and documentation; b) performance troubleshooting; and c) design analysis.
US08386590B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Domain Name System (DNS) server having a controller to receive new provisioning information for updating a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN), and update the FQDN with the new provisioning information. The new provisioning information can include among other things a start time for rehoming one or more user endpoint devices (UEs) assigned to a current session border Controller (S/BC), a move-from record comprising a descriptor of at least the current S/BC, a move-to record comprising a descriptor of at least a new S/BC to which to rehome the one or more UEs, a transfer window representing a total time for the rehoming the one or more UEs to the new S/BC, and a pacing parameter for rehoming the one or more UEs to the new S/BC during the transfer window. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08386589B2
A system automates the provision of embedded software to an embedded system. The system may include a portable device having a portable device application that provides the embedded software to the embedded system, a communication link coupling the portable device to the embedded system, and an embedded software manager that accesses one or more embedded software components through the communication link.
US08386574B2
A classification apparatus, method, and computer program product for multi-modality classification are disclosed. For each of a plurality of modalities, the method includes extracting features from objects in a set of objects. The objects include electronic mail messages. A representation of each object for that modality is generated, based on its extracted features. At least one of the plurality of modalities is a social network modality in which social network features are extracted from a social network implicit in the set of electronic mail messages. A classifier system is trained based on class labels of a subset of the set of objects and on the representations generated for each of the modalities. With the trained classifier system, labels are predicted for unlabeled objects in the set of objects.
US08386568B2
Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business for improving communication, whereby message content is routed efficiently while allowing different recipients to receive different versions of the content. A portion of the electronic conversation in an instant messaging session (or of messages in other messaging systems) can be identified as being relevant to a third party (or parties), and information can be specified for routing the relevant information to that third party. A variety of delivery mechanisms may be used. Approval may be obtained prior to routing an annotated message. The recipients of annotated message may be human users and/or automated processes. The message author may also be a human or an automated process.
US08386567B2
Internet content is coordinated with audio communications, such that two or more parties can view the same media content on the Internet while simultaneously communicating over a traditional telephony network or via voice over network. A user computer displays shared content that corresponds to a second computer's display, such that both parties view the same content on their browsers. Either of the parties is allowed to update the visual content of their browsers. Updates in the visual content are transmitted to the other parties so that all parties view the same, shared content. The shared content can include web pages, forms, applications, images, conferences, and files among other information.
US08386565B2
An invention for communication integration between users of a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is a communication integration interface tool that provides communication integration between users within the virtual universe. In this embodiment, there is a response component for identifying an object of interest in the virtual universe, the object of interest comprising at least one of the following: a first user, or an asset associated with the first user that is within the virtual universe, and generating a response from the object of interest in the virtual universe. The communication integration interface tool further includes a communication link component for establishing a communication link between a second user and at least at least one of the following: the first user, a representative of the first user, or a third user in the virtual universe associated with the asset based on the generated response.
US08386563B2
A first client device performs a handoff operation to a second client device by transmitting application information, associated with a first application, to the second client device when the first client device is positioned within a predefined proximity of the second client device. The first application has a first client device user interface state when the handoff operation is performed. Further, the first client device, in response to receiving from another client device application information associated with a second application executed by the other first client device, executes a third application corresponding to the second application with an initial user interface state corresponding to a user interface state of the other client device.
US08386558B2
A technique and mechanism to effect cross-pollination synchronization of PIM (personal information manager) data to multiple sources. Additionally, a novel feature of the subject invention is the ability to effect cross-pollination synchronization with any number of devices and sources in a network. The invention provides for a user to employ a mobile device or set of devices as a central repository for PIM data (e.g., calendar, contacts and tasks) synchronized from multiple sources (e.g., multiple PC's (personal computers), an exchange server). The invention provides for synchronization of PIM data from multiple types of server sources to multiple devices regardless of the synchronization protocol versions and different schemas.
US08386557B2
The invention is a method for processing a packet in a wireless network. The method includes the acts of receiving a data packet having data therein, and associating the data with a software application. In addition, the method processes information in a wireless network by receiving a user input at a wireless client, converting information indicative of the user input into data transferable as at least one data packet, and transmitting the data packet via a wireless protocol. The method may also update a wireless client display by receiving a video packet via a wireless protocol, and changing at least one pixel to implement the display information received in the video packet.
US08386553B1
A plurality of specialized processing blocks in a programmable logic device, including multipliers and circuitry for adding results of those multipliers, can be configured as a larger multiplier by adding to the specialized processing blocks selectable circuitry for shifting multiplier results before adding. In one embodiment, this allows all but the final addition to take place in specialized processing blocks, with the final addition occurring in programmable logic. In another embodiment, additional compression and adding circuitry allows even the final addition to occur in the specialized processing blocks. Circuitry that controls when an input is signed or unsigned facilitates complex arithmetic.
US08386552B2
In a data processing system, having a twiddle factor unit, a method for performing a mixed-radix discrete Fourier transform (DFT) having a block size, N, and a maximum block size, Nmax, wherein the maximum block size includes a radix that is not a power of 2 is provided. The method includes receiving a delta value at an input of the twiddle factor unit, the delta value representing a ratio of a modified maximum bock size to the block size, wherein the modified maximum block size is a power of 2. The method further includes using the delta value to obtain a step size for generating indices of a look-up table stored within the twiddle factor unit, wherein the look-up table stores real and imaginary components of twiddle factors corresponding to a set of block sizes of the DFT.
US08386544B2
Systems and methods for managing floating point variables are described in the present disclosure. According to one example, an embodiment of a method includes analyzing a constraint on a floating point variable in a system that supports both floating point variables and integer variables. The constraint is designed to have the ability to numerically limit the domain of the floating point variable. The method also includes determining whether or not the floating point variable can be handled as an integer variable and converting the floating point variable to a pseudo integer variable when it is determined that the floating point variable can be handled as an integer variable. This conversion of the floating point variable to a pseudo integer variable allows the domain of the floating point variable to be processed as an integer domain.
US08386541B2
Systems and methods for dynamically creating Entity-Specific Views from one or more Data Warehouses are provided. The system may involve multiple data sets within a Data Warehouse and may provide a Target Result data set which excludes fields of information not relevant to the desired view. The system may involve the use of derived fields and logical decision structures for the assignment of overriding boundary date information.
US08386538B2
A mobile device includes a file information acquiring unit, a file information display unit that displays the file information acquired on a display unit, a file presence identifying unit that determines whether or not a file specified by file information designated by a user from among the file information displayed on the display unit is stored in a storage unit, a first file transmitting unit that transmits the stored file to another mobile device when the file presence identifying unit determines that the file is stored in the internal storage unit, a file acquiring unit that downloads the file specified by the designated file information from the server when the file presence identifying unit determines that the file is not stored in the internal storage unit, and a second file transmitting unit that transmits the file acquired by the file acquiring unit to the other mobile device.
US08386536B2
With a new function introduced neither to a file server nor to a client terminal, control of displaying only a file or a folder whose access right is held by a user is enabled by using existing file server and client terminal. A gateway server connected to a file server and a client terminal through a network, which has the function of filtering structure information of a folder and a file that the file server has based on access authorization of a user of the client terminal on the user basis and presenting the filtered structure information of the folder and the file to the client terminal of a user who has access authorization for the folder and the file.
US08386531B2
Methods and apparatus for constructing objects within a cache system thereby allowing the cache system to respond to requested objects that are not initially available within the cache system. One embodiment of the invention caches image files, where the images are divided into components and stored in a format that allows identification and access to the components. The cache system determines that an object, such as an image file, is missing from the cache memory, locates sufficient components from the cache memory and/or external storage, and constructs the object from the located components.
US08386527B2
A method and a system efficiently and effectively share array entries among multiple threads of execution in a multiprocessor computer system. The invention comprises a method and an apparatus for array creation, a method and an apparatus for array entry data retrieval, a method and an apparatus for array entry data release, a method and an apparatus for array entry data modification, a method and an apparatus for array entry data modification release, a method and an apparatus for multiple array entry atomic release-and-renew, a method and an apparatus for array destruction, a method and an apparatus for specification of array entry discard strategy, a method and an apparatus for specification of array entry modification update strategy, and finally a method and an apparatus for specification of user-provided array entry data construction method.
US08386523B2
Random access decoding start points (audio frame headers) for AMR-type files are found by sequential elimination of types of file points from consideration for a block of file points following a random access selected point. Chaining of file points according to frame header format interpretation gives paths of points through the block, and selection of maximal path(s) includes sums of weights of the points of a path. The next-to-initial points of such a maximal path provides a decoding start point.
US08386520B2
A database structure that may be used for semistructured databases assigns each node of a database to a collection. For each collection, create rights, retrieve rights, associate rights and dissassociate rights are provided to one or more users, the rights being assigned in common for all nodes of the collection. Users can only carry out the task if they have the appropriate rights. In this way, a flexible database security structure is provided that can deliver appropriate security for different elements of a semistructured database.
US08386514B2
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and programs for providing location-based information. A geographical location of a mobile computing device is received at a server system. A request for content is received at the server system and from the mobile computing device. A search area that corresponds to the geographical location is selected by the sever system. The search area is selected from among a collection of search areas that correspond to the geographical location. At least one of the search areas in the collection is geographically nested within at least one other of the search areas. A search result that is most-relevantly ranked for the selected search area is determined by the server system. Content that represents the determined search result is provided by the server system and for receipt by the mobile computing device.
US08386512B2
A system and process for managing data collection processes is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, a data collection system having a controller element that assigns to each of the processes a query interval according to a priority level of the data collection process for requesting use of processing resources, receiving one or more requests from the processes, once per respective query interval, for use of at least a portion of available processing resources, releases at least a portion of the available processing resources to a requesting one of the processes when the use of the available processing resources exceeds a utilization threshold. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08386511B2
A contextual similarity measurement system computes a similarity model for a reference document using a prediction by partial match method. The system further computes a similarity measure between a compared document and the reference document using the similarity for the reference document.
US08386510B2
A data feed engine allows a user to create a data feed without protocol and/or formatting knowledge for the data source. The data feed engine dynamically selects a connector for any one of a variety of different types of data sources. The date feed engine can then build a search command with search parameters and a data source identity based on the automatically selected data source connector. The data feed engine publishes a reference to the generated data feed definition in a catalog of data feeds. A framework that utilizes such functionality allows creation of a mashup to with a combination of data feeds from different types of data sources.
US08386506B2
A system and method for media enhanced messaging. A message from a message sender to be delivered to at least one message recipient is received over a network. The message comprises at least one delivery criteria and at least one content criteria. When it is determined, via the network that the delivery criteria of the message has been satisfied, a query is formulated based on the content criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the content criteria and to media files so as to identify at least one media file that is relevant to the content criteria. The media files are inserted into the message and the message is transmitted over the network to the recipient.
US08386504B1
A system and method determines the differences between versions of an object, such as a file. The object versions are compared using a differencing tool to identify the differences between the versions. A scoring algorithm may be selected for the object based on one or more attributes of the object. The scoring algorithm is used to compute a difference score for the object. The difference score may be a function of the differences between the object versions and the characteristics or qualities of those differences. The difference score provides an indication of the relative importance of the changes made to the object. The difference scores from multiple objects may be presented in an interactive report, and sorted to identify those objects that underwent the most significant or noteworthy changes.
US08386503B2
The present invention provides a way to efficiently validate and process requests, such as deletion requests, that affect items having associated objects in a content management system. When the request is received, a timestamp for the item is retrieved. A timestamp for any objects affected by the request are then retrieved and checked against the timestamp for the item. The request is then completed on the item and objects based on the respective timestamps for the item and the objects.
US08386498B2
Messages (e.g., log messages or any form of record oriented data) are analyzed for identifiable value patterns. When a pattern is located the value is replaced by a name or “token” for the pattern, resulting in a “message description” for the message. When analysis is finished and token/value replacements are complete the message description can be stored as a reference to the message.
US08386496B2
A system and method for effectively implementing a personal channel for interactive television comprises a personal channel manager that may include a configuration module, a search module, and a content packaging module. A system user may utilize the configuration module to perform a personal channel configuration procedure to specify personal channel configuration data for performing a content record search procedure. The search module may manage the content record search procedure according to one or more search parameters that may be defined during the personal channel configuration procedure. The search module finds content records from content databases during the foregoing content record search procedure. The content packaging module coordinates a content record sorting procedure according to user-specified sorting criteria.
US08386495B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for scoring resources. One method includes generating a resource graph, the graph including nodes representing resources, nodes representing queries, edges between nodes representing resources, and edges between nodes representing queries and nodes representing resources. The method further includes calculating a score for each of the resources, wherein the score for a particular resource is based on scores for resources represented by nodes with edges to the node representing particular resource in the graph and scores for queries represented by nodes that have an edge to the node representing particular resource in the graph, and ranking one or more of the resources in response to a first query received from a user based, at least in part, on the scores.
US08386476B2
A computer search system compares search results received for searches falling within a defined parameter envelope used for grouping search requests. The parameter envelope may be defined by various parameters, for example, time of search, origin or search request, language, or other non-keyword data associated with each search request, excluding keywords used to define the search. Each new search result (comprising a list of search hits) for incoming search requests is compared to stored search results for search requests within the same parameter envelope. Search results that are found to be similar based on a pre-defined similarity measure are provided as related search results responsive to the incoming search requests. A client-side pseudo-browsing application may control interactions with the search engine, collecting true browsing input from the client and providing pseudo-browsing information to the search engine or other information provider.
US08386475B2
An attribution analysis and correlation system can include a content manager and a semantic correlation module. The content manager can receive a list identifying at least one contributor to be evaluated. The content manager can also mine at least one community for content pertaining to the contributor(s). The semantic correlation module can generate correlation results by performing a semantic analysis and correlation on the persistent content and attributions corresponding to the contributor(s).
US08386472B2
Techniques for database rule ordering and processing are provided. Structured Query Language (SQL) statements are iterated to identify processing dependencies and a processing order is generated. The SQL statements are automatically modified to enforce the processing order and the modified SQL statements are executed against a database.
US08386463B2
A query facility for database queries dynamically determines whether selective portions of a database table are likely to benefit from separate query execution strategies, and constructs an appropriate separate execution strategies accordingly. Preferably, the database contains at least one relatively large table comprising multiple partitions, each sharing the definitional structure of the table and containing a different respective discrete subset of the table records. The query facility compares metadata for different partitions to determine whether sufficiently large differences exist among the partitions, and in appropriate cases selects one or more partitions for separate execution strategies. Preferably, partitions are ranked for separate evaluation using a weighting formula which takes into account: (a) the number of indexes for the partition, (b) recency of change activity, and (c) the size of the partition.
US08386459B1
A method for determining a recrawl schedule of items on an intranet using a search appliance includes estimating, using the search appliance installed on the intranet, a change period for items on the intranet using a history of crawl information for the items. The change period for an item may be a frequency of change in content of the item. The method includes calculating a crawl period for each of the items, where the crawl period for an item is set relative to the change period for the item. The method includes determining whether to adjust the calculated crawl period for each of the items using adjustment criteria, adjusting the calculated crawl period for selected items determined for adjustment using the adjustment criteria and creating a recrawl schedule of the items on the intranet using a recrawl time for each of the items.
US08386457B2
Using a dynamically-generated content-level newsworthiness rating to provide content recommendations
A method for providing content-level data artifact recommendations can begin with the creation of a semantic library from the textual content of data artifacts by a newsworthy content recommendation engine. A base newsworthiness rating can be calculated using global newsworthiness parameters and behavioral functions that model newsworthy influences for each relationship contained in the semantic library. A user-specific search network can be generated that represents user-entered criteria and/or user task-related criteria. Within the semantic library, potential newsworthy semantic networks can be identified. Newsworthy content from each identified potential newsworthy semantic network can be dynamically determined based upon the base newsworthiness rating and a predefined newsworthiness threshold. The newsworthy content from the identified potential newsworthy semantic network can be related to the user-specific search network at the common node, creating a newsworthy content recommendation graph. The newsworthy content recommendation graph can be presented within a user interface.
US08386455B2
The present invention provides a method and system for generating search results including receiving a search request including at least one search term and accessing a corpus of data to determine relevant content for inclusion in a search result set on the basis of the search request. The method and system includes determining a plurality of applications associated with the search request and generating a search result output display for the presentation of at least a portion of the search result set and at least a portion of the applications.
US08386453B2
A system identifies a document, performs a search to identify web documents relating to an attribute associated with the document, and provides information associated with the web documents and the document.
US08386452B2
A data join system of the present invention includes a table determination unit 11 selecting a record b as a join target if a value of a key item included in a record a acquired by a data write unit from a table A falls within a first predetermined range set based on a value of a key item included in the record b stored in a table B, a data join unit joining the selected record b with the record a to generate a record c, and a data write unit storing the record c into a table C. Thus, the success rate of data join can be improved while the accuracy of join of the record b and the record a to be joined is improved.
US08386438B2
A computer system and methods for restoring data from a copy of a database file. The method includes receiving a request to restore an item from the copy of the database file. The item includes a file and associated context information describing the file in a first intranet portal application environment. The method further includes retrieving a schema including the item from the copy of the database file and generating an item file comprising a copy of the file. The item file is independent of the context information. The method further includes generating a metadata file based on the context information, associating the metadata file with the item file, storing the item file and associated metadata file in a file system, and restoring the item to a second intranet portal application or to a third application via the file system.
