US08435265B2
A vertebra implant is provided that includes an elongate body with a first end configured to mate the first end to a first location on a vertebra, and a second end having at least one fastener configured to mate the second end to a second location on a vertebra. The elongate body also includes a deformable portion extending between the first and second ends that has an unexpanded configuration in which the deformable portion is configured to allow a tool to cut bone extending between the first and second ends when the first and second ends are mated to first and second locations on a vertebra, and an expanded configuration in which the deformable portion is deformed to increase a distance between the first and second ends such that a gap is created in the cut bone. The deformable portion is configured to maintain the first and second ends at a fixed distance apart when the deformable portion is in the expanded configuration. A vertebral implant is also provided that includes an elongate member configured to extend into a vertebra and form a hinge therein using a breakage point located along a length of the elongate member.
US08435260B2
A surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery, having a handle, a shaft and an actuating part, as well as a gastight cover surrounding the shaft, wherein the cover is provided with a coupler that has a feed-through opening with a lockable seal, through which feed-through opening, after the seal is unlocked, the shaft with the actuating part can reach.
US08435258B2
An ultrasonic clamp coagulator system that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The system includes a one-piece torque wrench that is provided with cantilever arms aligned in an annular fashion about the centerline of the torque wrench. The cantilever arms include teeth in an inward perpendicular fashion in relation to cantilever arms. The clamp coagulator includes an outer tube retainer that includes spline gears projecting in a perpendicular fashion along the outer circumference of retainer. Torque is transmitted through the cantilever arms to the spline gears for attaching a handpiece to the clamp coagulator.
US08435250B2
This disclosure relates to a micro manipulator having a simple structure and having high possibility of recording a biological signal of a neuron at a desired position by improving positioning resolution of an electrode disposed adjacent to a subject's brain neuron or an electrode holder attached with the electrode. The micro manipulator according to the disclosure includes: a motor which includes a shaft and a vibration portion; a mobile which is connected to the shaft so as to be movable along the shaft; and a frame which supports the motor, wherein an electrode is connected to the mobile in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the shaft, and wherein when the mobile moves linearly in accordance with a vibration of the shaft due to the vibration portion, the electrode moves linearly.
US08435246B2
A method for positioning a bone cutting guide on a tibia may involve coupling a cutting guide positioning apparatus with a tibia, adjusting the positioning apparatus in a varus/valgus orientation, adjusting the positioning apparatus in an anterior/posterior orientation, adjusting the positioning apparatus up or down to select a tibial bone resection level, and contacting a cutting guide with the tibia, using the adjusted positioning apparatus.
US08435244B2
An orthopedic tool for loosening the connection between orthopedic components. In one embodiment, the orthopedic tool includes a housing and a wedge. The housing has a head, an upper portion, a lower portion, and an opening between the upper and lower portions. The wedge is positioned at least partially between the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing and is actuatable to move toward the head of the housing. When at least a portion of the head of the housing is placed in mating engagement with the junction between two assembled orthopedic components, advancement of the wedge towards the head results in separation of the upper portion and lower portion of the housing. Thus, as the wedge is advanced toward the head, the upper and lower portions of the housing are separated, which results in corresponding separation of the assembled orthopedic components.
US08435242B2
The present invention relates to surgical instruments particularly suitable for preparing vertebral endplates during spinal inter-body surgical procedures. Methods of using such instruments are also disclosed.
US08435241B2
A keel punch impactor comprises a main body having an interior bore. A locking shaft is positioned in the interior bore of the main body, the locking shaft defining a shaft axis. An actuator is in contact with the locking shaft. The actuator is moveable between a first position and a second position. The position of the locking shaft is moved within the interior bore of the main body upon movement of the actuator. In particular, the locking shaft is moved such that the shaft axis is offset when the actuator is moved from the first position to the second position. When the shaft is moved, a head on the shaft is moved into or out of alignment with a boss extending from the main body of the keel punch impactor.
US08435237B2
An endoscopic electrosurgical instrument is presented for encapsulating and resecting biologic tissue, such as a polyp, from an anatomical structure, such as a lumen. The instrument includes an encapsulation assembly which includes a snare coupled to an electrically non-conductive, shrinkable pouch in a drawstring-like configuration. The encapsulation assembly may be folded within the elongated cylindrical housing of the endoscopic instrument, positioned within the patient at the surgical site, and deployed for use. Once positioned over the polyp, the snare is tightened around the peduncle thereof, and the pouch is activated, thereby shrinking and encapsulating the polyp. The polyp may then be resected using conventional or electrosurgical techniques. The disclosed instrument may include surgical tools and/or electrosurgical electrodes for performing surgical procedures. The disclosed system may reduce the occurrence of undesirable arcing and may aid retrieval of resected tissue.
US08435235B2
An apparatus for treating a hollow anatomical structure can include a light delivery device. The light delivery device comprises an optical fiber that is located in a lumen of a shaft suitable for insertion into the hollow anatomical structure and has a fiber tip located proximal of a distal end of the shaft during treatment of the hollow anatomical structure. The apparatus can further include a liquid source for providing a liquid flow over the optical fiber at a predetermined liquid flow rate.
US08435218B2
A catheter has a lumen for a thrombectomy device and at least two balloons of different compliancies. In one embodiment, the catheter is adapted to clear dialysis grafts. One balloon is adapted to expand a stenosis at a venous junction of a dialysis graft and another balloon is adapted to pull a stenosis at an arterial junction of a dialysis graft. A single catheter may be used to perform a dialysis thrombectomy procedure.
US08435210B2
Fluid control device (70) including a housing (31) with a syringe port (33) for receiving a syringe, a vial adapter port (36) with a vial adapter (86) for snap fit receiving a vial, and a drug administration port (34) for administering a liquid drug. The vial adapter is intended to be rotationally detached after a mixing procedure for discarding together with a spent vial. The fluid control device additionally includes a manually depressed actuator (74) for sealing pathways which may lead to leakage of liquid drug subsequent to vial adapter detachment, thereby facilitating their use for handling and administration of hazardous liquid drugs. The manually depressed actuator preferably precludes vial adapter detachment prior to actuation, thereby ensuring failsafe operation.
US08435208B2
A subcutaneous implantation instrument with a scissored dissecting tool assembly is provided. An incising shaft longitudinally defines a substantially non-circular bore continuously formed to communicatively receive an implantable object and further includes a beveled cutting blade formed on a distal end. A dissecting tool assembly is included. A longitudinally split needle tip forms a pair of blades with cutting edges progressively defined outwardly from the needle tip. A pair of handles are each distally attached to one of the blades and pivotably coupled and disposed for transverse operation, wherein the dissecting tool assembly is removably affixable to the distal end of the incising shaft. A delivery mechanism longitudinally defines a substantially non-circular bore continuously formed to deploy the implantable object into the incising shaft.
US08435206B2
Methods and apparatus for programming a medical infusion pump are disclosed. One method includes displaying a meter having two or more locations, each of the two or more locations representing a corresponding parameter value programmable into the medical infusion pump. The method further includes displaying an indicator having a selectable positional relationship to the meter, the selected position corresponding to a parameter value.
US08435199B2
A device for stabilizing a limb, typically when the limb is in a therapeutic boot. A wedge-shaped stabilization block includes an outwardly-extending tether. A fastener in the form of spaced fastener elements is located on the tether for securing the stabilization block in place.
US08435198B2
In a support shell assembly for supporting and splinting legs comprising a left and a right leg shell and a sole element that is fastened to the leg shells, wherein the leg shells and the sole element have fastening means for receiving a tensioning element, arranged within the support shell assembly (5) there is at least one layer of a 3D textile (1) comprising at least two layers of a textile material which are held at a defined and pressure-resilient distance from one another by flexible threads (FIG. 3).
US08435188B2
An eye opening detection system that includes an imaging mechanism that captures an image of the face of a detected subject, an edge extraction mechanism that extracts the edge of the image captured, and an upper and lower eyelid detection mechanism that detects the upper and lower eyelids of the detected subject according to the edge extracted, and that detects the eye opening of the detected subject with reference to a detected distance between the upper and lower eyelids. The upper and lower eyelid detection detects the upper eyelid and detects the lower eyelid with reference to the upper eyelid detected.
US08435173B2
An endoscope is provided capable of performing excellent observation for a long time by preventing decrease in light amount and generation of image noise caused by heat generated by an LED illumination even in a case where a distal-end adapter configured of the LED illumination is arranged at the distal end portion of the insertion unit. One end portion of a heat-radiating member configured of a plurality of elongated wires is arranged in the vicinity of a light emitting device, on the other hand, the other end portion of the heat-radiating member is arranged at a predetermined position on a proximal end side of an insertion unit, and a binding member for binding the wires of the heat-radiating member is provided on a side in the vicinity of the light emitting device of the heat-radiating member.
US08435165B2
A dunnage conversion machine (10) and method for providing strips of dunnage that better fill a void in a container are characterized by means (24) for separately guiding at least two sheets of stock material (14 and 16) to respective laterally-disposed regions of an inlet (20) to a conversion assembly (40) such that one sheet does not wrap around another sheet, and means (12) for converting the sheets into strips of dunnage that can readily separate and follow separate paths.
US08435158B2
The present invention provides a PTO switch mode control device that is capable of performing appropriate idle shutdown when an engine is started, even in the case where an ignition switch is turned ON with a PTO switch ON when the engine is stopped. The PTO switch mode control device has: an ignition switch 3 that is turned ON or OFF to start and stop an engine 1; a PTO switch 4 that is turned ON or OFF to select switch a PTO mode that permits power takeoff, and an inactive mode that does not permit the power takeoff; and an ECU 2 that executes idle shutdown to stop the engine 1 when the engine 1 continuously idles for a predetermined time period, except for the PTO mode state. The ECU 2 functions to establish the inactive mode even when the PTO switch 4 is ON, when the ignition switch 3 is turned ON while the PTO switch 4 is ON, and subsequently establish the PTO mode when the PTO switch is switched from OFF to ON.
US08435157B2
A stroboscope device can rotate a light emitting part about at least two axes by a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a drive gear that rotates by a drive force transmitted from a drive source, a sun gear engaged with the drive gear, a planet gear engaged with the sun gear, a support member that rotatably supports the sun gear and the planet gear and is oscillatable around a rotation axis of the sun gear, at least two drive systems for rotating the light emitting part about at least two axes, and a positioner for restricting oscillation of the support member in a releasable manner in a state that the planet gear is engaged with one of transmission gears. The drive systems are disposed such that their transmission gears engage with the planet gear at positions different from one another with oscillation of the support member.
US08435156B2
In a series of planetary transmissions, the series including a least one size, each size including at least two variants, the planetary transmission including at least one planetary-transmission stage, which contains at least one planetary-gear carrier having a web face, and planets, a sun, and a ring gear, the planetary-gear carrier including bores of a first type and bores of a second type on its web face, the bores of the first type being arranged on a first circle having a first radius with respect to the imaginary axis of the planetary-gear carrier, and the bores of the second type being arranged on a second circle having a second radius with respect to the imaginary axis of the planetary-gear carrier.
US08435150B2
A gear stage (10), in particular of a vehicle seat (3), is embodied as a friction wheel gear stage. The gear stage includes a housing (5), a drive (12), an output (14) that is set off from the drive (12) by an excentricity (e) and at least one sphere (15) or another rolling body for the transmission of force between the drive (12) and the output (14). The position of the excentricity (e) relative to the housing (5) is arranged in a spatially fixed manner.
US08435149B2
A reduction gear device includes a first reduction mechanism and a second reduction mechanism. The second reduction mechanism includes a crankshaft, an external gear and an internal gear. One of the internal gear and the external gear is fixed to a base part side member of a robot arm of an industrial robot, and the other of the internal gear and the external gear is fixed to an anterior end side member of the robot arm of the industrial robot. An inner diameter D of the internal gear is 140 mm≦D≦200 mm, torque T transmitted to the anterior end side member is 650 Nm≦T≦1960 Nm, and the number of teeth N of the internal gear is less than 40 times the difference in the number of teeth between the internal gear and the external gear.
US08435148B2
A hydraulic control system for a transmission includes a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid that communicates with an electronic transmission range selection (ETRS) subsystem. The ETRS subsystem includes an ETRS valve, a park mechanism, first and second mode valve assemblies, a latch valve assembly, and a plurality of solenoids. The ETRS subsystem is configured to provide desired operating conditions during a plurality of potential failure conditions.
US08435145B2
A randomized chain sprocket has a set of four tooth gaps having three different tooth gap radial locations, two different link angles, and a chain with constant link pitch.
US08435141B2
A method and apparatus comprising a net, a set of lines, and a support system. The set of lines is associated with the net. The support system is configured to be connected to posts on a tennis court. The support system is further configured to be connected to the set of lines. The support system is further configured to change a tension in the set of lines. The net is configured to catch a tennis ball striking a tennis net on the tennis court when a desired amount of tension in the set of lines is present.
US08435140B1
The method generally involves obtaining data for the golfer's typical playing characteristics using a plurality of golf clubs, determining an average end location for each of a plurality of shots taken with each of a plurality of golf clubs, and calculating the distance from the end location of each of the plurality of shots taken with each of the plurality of clubs to a target location, each distance being a putt distance.
US08435135B2
A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball, a main body member connected to the face and having an engagement surface located in the rear side, a removable body member removably connected to the main body member, and a connecting element removably connecting the removable body member to the main body member. The connecting element includes a moveable engaging member that is moveable between a locked position, where the engaging member engages the engagement surface to retain the removable body member to the main body member, and an unlocked position, where the engaging member does not engage the engagement surface and the removable body member is removable from the main body member.
US08435130B2
A device for establishing a correct speed and angular direction of a striking face associated with a golf club head relative to a golf ball. A body is secured to a surface of the club head and incorporates a powered processor in communication with a separate accelerometer. The body includes a visual output, such as pluralities of LED elements, communicated by the processor and instructing at least one of a desired swing speed and correct direction of the ball striking face relative to the golf ball.
US08435128B2
A bowling lane with a mural image is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of bowling lane panels are provided, wherein each bowling lane panel depicts a different portion of a mural image. The plurality of bowling lane panels are assembled and secured onto a surface such that the assembly of the plurality of bowling lane panels forms the mural image. In another embodiment, a bowling center is provided with at least two bowling lanes. Each bowling lane depicts a mural image, and the mural images on the various bowling lanes form a composite multi-lane mural image.
US08435115B2
A method comprises receiving an indication of a triggering event at a gaming device, determining a gaming content associated with the gaming device, identifying a public display on which is displayed non-gaming media content, and outputting the gaming content on the public display wherein the gaming content supersedes at least a portion of the non-gaming media content.
US08435107B2
A method of operating a plurality of wagering game tournaments on a plurality of gaming machines includes receiving a wager from a player to play a wagering game on a gaming machine of the plurality of gaming machines. The method further includes providing an option, at the gaming machine, to enter the plurality of wagering game tournaments. The method also includes entering at least one of the plurality of wagering game tournaments and playing in any entered tournament when the tournament begins.
US08435103B2
An air conditioning arrangement for an aircraft with a plurality of climate zones that may be individually temperature-controlled includes a main branching system having an air supply feed path system with a mixing chamber and a plurality of sub-branching systems branching from the mixing chamber and leading to one of the climate zones in each case. Basic temperature control means are used for controlling the temperature of the air supply in the mixing chamber. Individual temperature-control means are used on the other hand for individually controlling the temperature of the air supply in each of the sub-branching systems as a function of a desired temperature value of the respective climate zone. Basic temperature control of the air supply in the mixing chamber preferably takes place independently of a temperature requirement of the climate zone with associated combined heat and power engine.
US08435099B2
An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a chemical mechanical planarization pad including a first domain and a second continuous domain wherein the first domain includes discrete elements regularly spaced within the second continuous domain. The pad may be formed by forming a plurality of openings for a first domain within a second continuous domain of the pad, wherein the openings are regularly spaced within the second domain, and forming the first domain within the plurality of openings in second continuous domain. In addition, the pad may be used in polishing a substrate with a polishing slurry.
US08435098B2
An abrasive article includes a backing having first and second major surfaces, an abrasive layer overlying the first major surface, and a backsize layer overlying the second major surface. The backsize layer is formed from a formulation including a cationically polymerizable component, a radically polymerizable component, and at least 5% by weight of a nano-sized filler based on the weight of the formulation.
US08435097B2
A reduced height quarter sheet sander has a housing having first and second halves mated together. An upper portion of the housing provides a handle. A pair of brush boxes is disposed in the housing on opposite sides of a commutator of an electric motor disposed in the housing. In an aspect, a switch disposed in the handle of the housing and a terminal block (at which a cordset that enters the housing terminates) disposed in the handle of the housing have generally the same horizontal elevation as the brush boxes (when the sander is lying upright). In an aspect, the stator is disposed in the housing so that the field coils extend across the housing from one half to the other half and outside the lower screw bosses.
US08435094B2
A modular toy vehicle design having a universal mating system between the body of the vehicle and the chassis such that multiple body styles will interchangeably mate with multiple chassis designs and where electrical interfaces are automatically established between the body and the chassis simply by mating and aligning the two together. The design allows for an electrical connection to be made in the process of mechanically mating and aligning the body of a toy vehicle to its chassis thereby powering electronic features that are physically connected to the body with the power source which is housed in the chassis. When the body is properly aligned and mounted, the electrical interfaces are automatically established. There is no separate step of plugging together mating connectors where one connector extends from a wire bundle electrically interfacing with the body and the mating connector extends from a separate wire bundle electrically interfacing with the chassis.
US08435091B2
A disconnectable mooring assembly for a vessel comprises a mooring buoy and a swivel positioned above the mooring buoy. The mooring buoy is provided with a central member for being anchored to the seabed and comprises a number of passages each adapted for receiving a riser. The mooring buoy further comprises an outer member surrounding the central member and capable of a rotation relative thereto. Said outer member is adapted to be housed in and locked to a corresponding receiving opening of the vessel. The swivel is located above the mooring buoy in such a manner that an interspace is defined between the mooring buoy and the swivel.
US08435088B2
A trim and tilt system comprises a trim cylinder unit including a trim cylinder and a trim rod reciprocatingly received by the trim cylinder. The trim rod has a chamfer at distal end thereof. A trim receiver mounted on a swivel bracket has a curved, three-dimensional surface for applying a force to the trim rod. The curved, three-dimensional surface of the trim receiver and the distal end of trim rod are able to self-align so that the force applied to the trim rod is applied substantially along a longitudinal axis of the trim rod.
US08435087B2
A system for controlling a marine vessel having first and second steering nozzles and corresponding first and second reversing buckets, comprises a processor configured to receive a first vessel control signal including at least a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in a port direction, and that is configured to provide a set of actuator control signals coupled to and control the first and second reversing buckets. The processor is configured to provide the set of actuator control signals so as to maintain the first reversing bucket substantially in a first discrete position and the second reversing bucket substantially in a second discrete position as long as the first vessel control signal includes a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in the port direction.
US08435074B1
A low-profile, right angle connector assembly comprises six cable connectors and six board-mount connectors housed within a PCIe bracket and EMI shell. The PCIe bracket and EMI shell are braced to a low profile PCIe card. Each board-mount connector is designed to receive a cable connector and allows for the transmission and processing of high-speed data with lower latency.
US08435072B2
An electrical connector includes a housing having an accommodation chamber defined therein and multiple holes cut through one side of the housing, and a wireless transmission module accommodated in the accommodation chamber, the wireless transmission module having a wireless network card and an adapter module electrically connected together for converting and transmitting wireless signals, the adapter module having a set of transmit pins extending out of the holes of the housing for connection to an external electronic device electrically for enabling wireless signals received by the wireless network card to be transmitted to the external electronic device.
US08435071B2
A terminal block cover includes a base having a base surface configured to be secured against a terminal block. First and second spaced apart sidewalls extend from and adjoin the base. An outer wall is spaced apart from the base and is secured to the base by and adjoins with the first and second sidewalls. A lateral wall is arranged at a first lateral side and extends between and adjoins the first and second sidewalls, the outer wall and the base, which together provide at least one terminal pocket. An inner surface is provided on the outer wall facing the terminal pocket and has first and second surfaces. The first and second surfaces are at first and second distances respectively from the base surface, and the first distance is greater than the second distance. The second surface retains a terminal nut.
US08435068B2
A housing (10) made of synthetic resin is formed with a pair of interference surfaces (17A, 17B) symmetrical with respect to a virtual axis of symmetry (S) and oblique to the virtual axis of symmetry (S) and receiving portions (16) spaced apart from the interference surfaces (17A, 17B) in a direction of the virtual axis of symmetry (S). The upper and lower covers (21A, 21B) of wire (20) are formed with interference portions (27) that come into contact with only parts of the pair of interference surfaces (17A, 17B), and contact portions (26) that come into contact with the receiving portions (16). The interference portions (27) contact the interference surfaces (17A, 17B) and plastically deform when the housing (10) and the wire cover (20) are connected and the receiving portions (16) and the contact portions (26) are held in contact.
US08435066B2
A backshell for an electrical assembly is provided. The backshell includes a shield termination body having a connector end and a relief end. The connector end is configured to join to a cable end of an electrical connector. A face of the connector end is oriented at an angle with respect to a face of the relief end. A strain relief is provided having a shield end and a cable clamp end. A face of the shield end is oriented at an angle with respect to a face of the cable clamp end. The shield end is rotatably coupled to the relief end of the shield termination body. The shield end of the strain relief is rotatable with respect to the relief end of the shield termination body so that the face of the cable clamp end of the strain relief is positionable at variable angles with respect to the face of the connector end of the shield termination body.
US08435062B2
Latch assembly for latching two mating connectors. The latch assembly includes a main body and a resilient latch finger extending from the main body. The latch finger includes a locking section, such as a locking cam. A release member, e.g., a slider, is moveable between a locking position and a release position. The release member a pressure surface profiled to flex the latch finger away when the release member is moved to the release position. The pressure surface is positioned between the locking section and the connected end of the latch finger, when the release member is in the locking position. The main body can, e.g., include a surface with a sunk section, the latch finger forming an extension of the sunk section, while the release member is a slider slideable in the sunk section.
US08435052B2
The invention is directed to a connector including an insulating housing with a plurality of channels accommodating at least one right-angle electro-conductive terminal leading from a mating side of the connector to a surface mount side of the connector. At least a part of channels is provided with a support surface which is adapted to pivotably support the terminal, the support surface being located at a distance above a bottom surface of these channel.
US08435050B2
Connector receptacles that provide a right-angle translation, may be readily manufactured, and may have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. One example may provide a connector receptacle having contacts that provide a right-angle translation. Another example may provide a connector receptacle having an aesthetically pleasing appearance. By inserting an injection molded housing into an over-mold, the interior of a connector may appear to be formed from a single piece of plastic or other material.
US08435049B2
A permanent part attachment portion and an additional part attachment portion are provided to a case. A terminal portion of a permanent bus bar is disposed in the permanent part attachment portion, and a terminal portion of an additional bus bar is disposed in the additional part attachment portion by allowing the additional bus bar to be contained in the case in a removable manner. It thus becomes possible to provide an electrical connection box that is adaptable to an addition of an electrical part without changing a die used to mold the case and/or a die used to form the bus bars.
US08435040B2
A connecting device (10) is provided for releasably connecting a fitting piece, such as an interior lining, to a supporting structure, such as a fuselage. The connecting device (10) includes a plug-in holding mechanism (50) including a bushing piece (52) and a connecting pin (75) that can be releasably locked therein. A bent connecting arm (60), to which the connecting pin is fastened, is releasably fastened to a structural holder (40) mounted on the supporting structure. In one position, the connecting arm (60) is plugged into the structural holder (40) and is releasably locked therein. In a second position (125), in which the connecting arm (60) is rotated 180° about the longitudinal axis thereof, an electrical contact device (90) is additionally inserted between the connecting arm (60) and the bushing piece (52). Hence, the same structural holder (40) and the same connecting arm (60) allow the fitting piece and the supporting structure to be connected to one another with or without connecting a contact device (90) therebetween.
US08435008B2
A turbine blade includes a platform, an airfoil located on one side of the platform, and a base located on an opposite side of the platform. The base includes an attachment portion that is receivable in a blade retention slot of a turbine disk and a shelf located outside the turbine disk. The shelf includes a mistake proof feature that projects from an outer surface of the shelf.
US08435002B2
A rotary blade rotating hub mounted rotating assembly vibration control system including a first imbalance mass concentration rotor, a second imbalance mass concentration rotor, a third imbalance mass concentration rotor, and a fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor. The first imbalance mass concentration rotor has a first imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The second imbalance mass concentration rotor has a second imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The third imbalance mass concentration rotor has a third imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor has a fourth imbalance mass concentration rotor center axis rotation centered on the rotating assembly center rotation axis. The first and second imbalance mass concentration rotors are driven at a first rotation speed greater than the rotating assembly operational rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of the first imbalance mass concentration and the second imbalance mass concentration to produce a first rotating net force vector to inhibit a first vibration frequency. The third and fourth imbalance mass concentration rotors are driven at a second rotation speed greater than the rotating assembly operational rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of the third imbalance mass concentration and the fourth imbalance mass concentration to produce a second rotating net force vector to inhibit a second vibration frequency.
US08434998B2
A seal assembly for a compressor includes a static member fixedly disposed within a compressor casing and having an end surface and a rotatable separator coupled with a compressor shaft and spaced from the static member. The separator has an axial end with a radial end surface located adjacent to the static member end surface such that a clearance space is defined therebetween. The separator has a plurality of openings extending inwardly from the end surface and spaced about the shaft axis such that land surface sections are defined on the end surface. The land surface sections or/and the openings are configured to prevent fluid flow radially inwardly through the clearance space. The static member has two annular walls receiving an end portion of the separator, with annular ridges providing labyrinth seals disposed against inner and outer surfaces of the separator, and an annular deflector with an angled deflector surface.
US08434991B1
An apparatus for loading a container (e.g., a 16-foot container or other storage box) onto a truck, trailer, or other vehicle, includes first and second container-engaging beams (e.g. 20-foot long steel tubes) mounted on the vehicle in longitudinally extending, laterally spaced-apart, horizontal positions so that an operator can deploy the beams rearwardly of the vehicle, engage the container with them, and then lift and withdraw the beams with the container onto the vehicle. Beam-holding components on the vehicle hold the proximal end portions of the beams forward of the vehicle's rearward end for hydraulically powered, operator-controlled movement vertically, laterally, and longitudinally. Beam-supporting components at the rearward end of the truck support the intermediate portions of the beams immediately rearward of the vehicle's rearward end for operator-controlled movement of the intermediate portions vertically and laterally in concert with movement of the proximal end portions in order to achieve desired beam orientations for container-loading purposes.
US08434987B2
A binding machine includes a body, an actuator coupled with the body, and a punch mechanism housed in the body for punching a stack of sheets upon actuation of the actuator. The punch mechanism includes a plate including a plurality of punch pins. The punch pins are configured to punch through the stack of sheets during a punch stroke, the punch stroke defining a force profile. A portion of the force profile defined from a first drop in force to a last peak force before a final decrease has no more than a 15 percent change in force relative to a normalized maximum force of the force profile.
US08434983B2
An exemplary locking assembly includes a locking member and a sleeve. The locking member includes a locking portion, a neck portion, and a head portion. One end of the neck portion is connected to the head portion, and another end of the neck portion is connected to the locking portion. An outer diameter of the locking portion is larger than that of the neck portion. An outer diameter of the locking portion is larger than that of the neck portion. The sleeve defines a through hole therein for holding and guiding the locking member. The through hole includes a first part. The sleeve further includes a restricting portion extending out from an inner surface of the through hole adjoining the first part of the through hole. After locking portion of the locking member passes through the restricting portion of the sleeve, the restricting portion blocks the locking portion from sliding out of the sleeve.
US08434973B2
A clamping mechanism includes a male portion and a female portion. The male portion has a forwardly extending locking protrusion, and an alignment protrusion extending forwardly of the locking protrusion. A rear of the female portion has a forwardly extending locking bore and an alignment bore extending forwardly from a front end of the locking bore. The locking bore has an insertion bore portion which merges with a gripping bore portion. The insertion bore portion has an insertion bore axis while the gripping bore portion has a gripping bore axis that is spaced apart by a non-zero first distance from the insertion bore axis. In a clamped position, the alignment protrusion abuts a portion of the alignment bore and the locking protrusion abuts the gripping bore portion along a gripping angular extension, thereby forming a circumferential interference fit.
US08434964B2
A coupling includes a first portion configured for connection to a first shaft and having a first portion flange and a second portion configured for connection to a second shaft and having a second portion flange. The coupling also includes an isolating member disposed between the first portion flange and the second portion flange and that is formed of ceramic and electrically isolates the first portion from the second portion. The coupling also includes one or more connecting members passing through the first portion flange, the second portion flange, and the isolating member and holding the first portion flange and the second portion flange in a fixed relationship to one another.
US08434954B2
An ergonomic writing instrument designed to facilitate the positioning of the user's hand grip. The writing instrument comprises a longitudinally extending body substantially oval in cross-section and being provided with four, substantially concave indentations positioned towards the proximal end of the handle, a first concave indentation being provided along a top surface of the handle, second and third indentations being provided along lateral surfaces, and a fourth indentation being provided along the bottom surface of the body, characterized in that the surface of the top of the handle is contoured such that extending from its distal end toward its proximal end and approaching the proximal end there is provided the concave indentation which extends and merges into an elevated ridge-like surface support which tapers angularly towards the proximal end of the handle.
US08434953B2
This image generating apparatus comprises a chassis including a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion and a print head including a first arm and a second arm rotatably mounted on the first mounting portion and said second mounting portion respectively. The first arm and the second arm of the print head are provided with a first stop portion and a second stop portion regulating movement of the print head in the direction of a rotation axis respectively, while a first angular range in which the first arm is mountable on/dismountable from the first mounting portion is different from a second angular range in which the second arm is mountable on/dismountable from the second mounting portion.
US08434947B2
A sensor-equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load imposed on the wheel can be accurately detected without influences from hysteresis is provided. This wheel support bearing assembly includes an outer member having a plurality of rolling surfaces, an inner member having rolling surfaces opposed respectively to the rolling surfaces of the outer member, and rolling elements between the rolling surfaces. A sensor unit is provided in a stationary member of one of the outer and inner members, which unit includes a strain generating member having two contact fixing segments to be fixed to the stationary member and a sensor fitted to the strain generating member for detecting a strain induced in this strain generating member. The two contact fixing segments are arranged at respective positions held at the same phase in a direction circumferentially of the stationary member.
US08434937B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for detecting the temperature of a substrate surface. In one embodiment, a method for measuring the temperature is provided which includes exposing the surface of the substrate to a laser beam radiating from a laser source, radiating emitted light from a portion of the surface of the substrate, through the shadow ring, and towards a thermal sensor, and determining the temperature of the portion of the surface of the substrate from the emitted light. The substrate may be disposed on a substrate support within a treatment region and a shadow ring may be disposed between the laser source and the surface of the substrate. The shadow ring may be selectively opaque to the laser beam and transparent to the emitted light.
US08434930B2
A magnetically-coupled stirring apparatus is provided. The stirring apparatus includes a rotor including at least one rotor magnet, with the rotor being positioned within a chamber. The stirring apparatus further includes an offset stirrer device positioned outside of the chamber. The offset stirrer device includes a shaft including a first end and a second end, with a stirring device axis being offset from a rotor axis, one or more paddle portions extending from the second end, and at least one stirrer magnet affixed to the first end. The at least one rotor magnet magnetically interacts with the at least one stirrer magnet. Rotation of the rotor induces rotation of the offset stirrer device.
US08434911B2
An illuminating lens includes: a light entrance surface through which light emitted from a light source enters the lens; and a light exit surface through which the light that has entered the lens exits the lens. The light exit surface has: a concave portion intersecting the optical axis; and a convex portion provided around the concave portion to extend continuously from the concave portion. The light exit surface is formed in a shape such that a curvature C of micro-segments of the light exit surface in a cross section including the optical axis has a maximum value at a position outward from the midpoint of the convex portion.
US08434908B2
A lighting fixture capable of efficiently radiating heat of a lamp device may be configured to be attached to a socket device. In some examples, by attaching the lamp device to the socket device, a cap portion of the lamp device is brought into contact with a fixture body, and pressed against and brought into close contact with the fixture body by an elastic body. Heat generated by lighting of LEDs of the lamp device is conducted from the cap portion to the fixture body and efficiently radiated.
US08434902B2
A modular lighting fixture system includes plural modular lighting segments, each modular lighting segment including a mating system for mechanically connecting the modular lighting segment to another modular lighting segment. The modular lighting segments fit together to create different shapes and designs, forming a larger overall fixture system.
US08434901B2
A light emitting system (1) for outputting a light beam comprising: an optical arrangement comprising at least one light source, for emitting a light beam having a determinate width and a determinate length on a projection plane placed at a determinate distance from the optical arrangement, an optical device (2) movable into a plurality of angular positions, by rotation around a rotation axis (Z1), and comprising optical elements arranged for varying the width of the light beam when the optical device is rotated.
US08434885B2
A reflecting sheet of the invention is comprised of at least two, a surface layer portion and an inner layer portion, or more layers, and is characterized in that the surface layer portion contains at least a thermoplastic resin (C), the inner layer portion contains a thermoplastic resin (A), and at least one kind of thermoplastic resin (B) incompatible with the thermoplastic resin (A), reflected light intensity in a vertical direction has anisotropy by an incident direction when light is incident at an incident angle of 60 degrees with respect to the vertical direction of a plane of the reflecting sheet in the entire reflecting sheet including the surface layer portion and the inner layer portion, and that a ratio L1/L2, which is a ratio of reflected light intensity L1 in the vertical direction in an incident direction A1 where the reflected light intensity in the vertical direction is the highest to reflected light intensity L2 in the vertical direction in an incident direction A2 orthogonal to the incident direction A1, is 1.2 or more.
US08434864B2
Aspects of the present invention provide multifocal ophthalmic lenses—for example, an ophthalmic lens having a progressive addition optical power region—having one or more discontinuities. The discontinuities can be used to merge or connect regions of the lens surface having different curvatures or average optical power. The use of discontinuities can obviate the need for blend zones which are largely responsible for the introduction of unwanted astigmatism in conventional lenses. In turn, a multifocal ophthalmic lens of the present invention can provide a desired additive power with less unwanted astigmatism than a conventional progressive addition lens (PAL).
US08434862B2
An image forming apparatus, including: a recording unit configured to form an image on a recording medium conveying in a conveying direction; a main body portion configured to support the recording unit in an openable and closable manner; a conveying unit configured to convey, in the conveying direction, the recording medium on which an image is to be formed by the recording unit, the conveying unit being disposed below the recording unit; a holder configured to contain the recording medium on which an image is to be formed by the recording unit, the holder being disposed upstream of the conveying unit in the conveying direction; and a raising and lowering mechanism configured to raise and lower the holder between a first position for feeding the recording medium to the recording unit and a second position placed above the first position.
US08434860B2
Apparatus and methods for controlling application of a substance to a substrate involve the use of a nanoparticle-based gating agent that blocks the substance from or attracts the substance to the substrate. The apparatus and methods may utilize ink jet technology to apply the gating agent directly to the substrate or to an intermediate surface.
US08434848B2
An image forming device forms an image on a recording sheet by bidirectional recording. In the image forming device, a control part controls the image forming device. The control part includes a distance changing part that changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a forward movement of a recording head to a first transport distance and changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a backward movement of the recording head to a second transport distance, and a nozzle changing part that determines inactive nozzles which do not discharge a recording liquid among nozzles of the recording head alternately for one of the forward movement and the backward movement of the recording head.
US08434845B2
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of head chips which comprise a plurality of nozzles to jet ink to a print medium according to print data, and a controller which compares jetting gaps of the head chips to the print medium with a reference jetting gap and determines jetting times of the head chips.
US08434842B2
A potential inclination of the second variation component in the liquid-kind ejection pulse of the first signal is gentler than a potential inclination of the first variation component. A potential inclination of the second variation component in the liquid-kind ejection pulse of the second signal is steeper than the potential inclination of the first variation component. A ratio of the potential of the intermediate hold component to the potential of the hold section is larger in the liquid-kind ejection pulse of the second signal than in the liquid-kind ejection pulse of the first signal.
US08434840B2
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method, including measuring a surface profile of a substrate, generating firing instructions for a droplet ejection device based on the surface profile, and depositing droplets on the substrate with the droplet ejection device according to the instructions.
US08434826B2
A vehicle seat includes a backrest and a seat part, at least one of which has a structural element with a cavity. The cavity is formed by a base plate and at least two profiles secured to the base plate. A corner region of the two profiles has provided in it a filling configured to influence the stability and/or the deformation behavior of the backrest and/or the seat part. The filling has a foam support and a foam material at least partially surrounding the foam support.
US08434824B2
The present invention provides for a universal foot assembly having a foot pedal that may be attached to a desk or workstation that can be adjustably configured to allow for the foot pedal to vibrate, rotate, or move in a number of directions. The foot assembly comes as part of a kit and is configurable for retrofit attachment to existing desks and workstations. The foot assembly helps students having ADD or ADHD expend nervous energy. It also provides a valuable exercise mechanism for those trying to improve their physical health.
US08434811B2
This invention relates to a vehicle visor, comprising a visor pivot rod, a carrier on the visor pivot rod, a spring mechanism inside the carrier, and an open channel with a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the carrier extends into the interior.
US08434809B2
A dash cluster system and a method for securing and/or interconnecting a dash cluster to power equipment. The dash cluster system includes a housing having a connecting assembly including at least one peripheral connector positioned along a peripheral surface of the housing. The dash cluster system further comprises a bezel having a front side and a rear side. The bezel also comprises a connecting arrangement formed from at least one extending connector, extending from the rear side. The dash cluster system also comprises a securing connection formed between the housing and the bezel by the interlocking of the peripheral connector of the connecting assembly with the extending connector of the connecting arrangement.
US08434808B2
A vehicle seat has a seatback movable between an upright position and a horizontal position, a seat bottom movable between a use position perpendicular to the seatback and a stowage position parallel to the seatback, and a lock mechanism for holding the seat bottom at the stowage position when the seat bottom is moved to the stowage position. When the seatback is moved to the horizontal position, the vehicle seat has a dive-down state where the seatback and the seat bottom are stacked on top of the other. The seat bottom has a detection lever that, when the seat bottom becomes the dive-down state, comes into contact with a floor panel and is displaced. In the lock mechanism, when the detection lever is displaced, the function of holding the seat bottom at the stowage position becomes ineffective.
US08434806B2
A barrier net mounting structure may include a roof bracket provided on a head lining, and a hook provided on a lateral portion of a barrier net and inserted into the roof bracket, wherein the hook includes a rod having one end provided on the lateral portion of the barrier net, and the other end inserted into the roof bracket, and a locking portion and a stopper portion which may be provided on the other end of the rod in a spaced state therebetween, wherein one end of the locking portion may be locked to an inner surface of the roof bracket, and one end of the stopper portion may be supported by an outer surface of the roof bracket.
US08434805B1
A protective shield for a bus driver which comprises a partition. A mechanism is for mounting the partition onto a floor and about a seat of the bus driver to protect the bus driver while operating a bus.
US08434804B2
A data center system can include a mobile support structure; one or more enclosures for removable electronic equipment where the enclosures are housed by the support structure; a cooling system in fluid communication with the enclosures for cooling of the electronic equipment where the cooling system is housed by the support structure; and a power system operably connected to the electronic equipment and the cooling system for supplying power thereto where the power system comprises a generator housed by the support system. The mobile data center can be moved to remote locations, and the electronic equipment can be placed in communication with a network when at the remote location Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08434803B1
A tool is attachable to a card and is useable to pull the card out of a card slot of a wallet. The tool includes a sticky end having two portions between which at least a portion of the card is insertable and which are stickable to the card, and a pulling end that extends away from the card when the sticky end is stuck to the card. A tool is attachable to an object, and the tool includes a first part, a second part, and a tab part. The first part has adhesive for adhering to a first side of the object. The second part has adhesive for adhering to a second side of the object opposite the first side of the object. The tab part is connected to the first part and the second part. A method allows for using an adhesive tool to pull a card.
US08434802B2
An extension tool is disclosed and comprises a first pole and a second pole. The second pole is slidably received within the first pole. The second pole has a plurality of apertures. A pin lever is pivotably mounted relative to the first pole. A pin slidably engages within the pin lever. The pin lever is released for inserting the pin into the plurality of apertures of the second pole for terminating displacement of the first pole relative to the second pole. The pin lever is depressed for removing the pin from the plurality of apertures of the second pole for permitting displacement of the first pole relative to the second pole. A device, tool or support may be secured to the second ends of the second pole. In one embodiment, a claw is secured to the second end of the second pole for engaging either a knuckle coupler or a wheel brake of a railroad car.
US08434801B2
A pipe flange lifting device for supporting and leveling two holes of a blind flange during installation onto a pipe end. The device comprises two L-shaped claws connecting to a common pin, forming an overall triangular-shaped device having a crane hoist fitting. The claws are positioned on opposing sides of a pipe flange and rotate freely with respect to the pin prior to installation, whereafter the claws are fitted beneath lifting bolts fitted through a flange for stable support during operation. The lifting bolts comprise a pair of bolts inserted into eyes of the flange prior to the lifting operation. Spacers along the pin allow the claws to be separated by a desired distance and prevent pinch points due to claw inclination. The design of the claws provides stable support for two lift bolts of a pipe flange and assists in the installation process.
US08434797B2
A shutter and fastener system comprising a shutter and two or more fastener mechanisms each comprising cooperating latching and anchor devices, one device mounted on an edge portion of the shutter and the other on an adjacent trim portion. The latching device engages the anchor device and exerts a strong pulling force substantially parallel with the surface of the shutter. The anchor device converts a portion of this force to a perpendicular force resulting in firm engagement between the shutter and the trim portion. An installation method comprises the steps of proving a shutter with at least one latching device mounted thereon and a small opening in the shutter aligned with operating means for the device. An anchor device is provided on an adjacent trim portion and the operating means is actuated from inside the shutter though the small opening to secure the shutter in place. A hanger means for the shutter may also be provided and the need for a ladder in an elevated installation is obviated by passing the shutter outwardly through an opening and thereafter actuating one or more latching devices from within the structure.
US08434788B2
A length adjustable steering column module for a motor vehicle has a support beam attachable to the motor vehicle. The module includes a steering column rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and has an upper and a lower steering tube. The upper steering tube is displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis and is non-rotatably connected to the lower steering tube. An adjusting device adjusts the distance of the upper steering tube from the lower steering tube. A jacket tube has an annular area, a crash member, and an upper and a lower end portion, the upper end portion grasps around the upper steering tube, and axially fixes and rotatably supports the upper steering tube. A central bearing is disposed between the annular area and the upper steering tube. The crash member, located between the central bearing and the lower end portion, shortens in the event of an accident.
US08434778B2
A semi-trailer for transporting circular objects may include a coupler assembly configured to be connected to a towing vehicle, a rear frame member, a pair of side rails joined at rear ends thereof by the rear frame member and at front ends thereof by the coupler assembly, a rear wheel and axle assembly mounted to the side rails between the front and rear ends thereof and at least one transportation well mounted to and between the side rails. The at least one transportation well may extend below the side rails. The at least one transportation well is configured to receive and hold therein while being transported by the semi-trailer at least one circular object.
US08434773B2
A lift axle control valve (200) for controlling a vehicle lift axle is provided. The valve (200) includes a vehicle port (103) configured to receive a vehicle pressure and a suspension port (106) configured to receive a suspension pressure. The valve (200) is configured to receive a lift axle control signal, actuate the lift axle control valve (200) to connect one or more lift bag output ports (121) to the vehicle port (103) and to connect one or more load bag output ports (131) to the vent port (118) if the lift axle control signal comprises a lift command, and actuate the lift axle control valve (200) to connect the one or more load bag output ports (131) to the suspension port (106) and connect the one or more lift bag output ports (121) to the vent port (118) if the lift axle control signal comprises a load command.
US08434769B2
Improvements in a trailer hitching and tracking steering system are disclosed include a new style RV or wagon style RV that includes an extendable, variable position tow bar that accommodates misalignment of a tow vehicle. The tow bar can be rotated for storage within the RV wagon. Further improvements include a wheel steering mechanism to improve tracking of a towed vehicle using a bi-directional caster front suspension for steering a wagon style RV in both a forward and reverse direction. The caster of the front wheels is automatically re-directed depending upon the direction of travel of the RV. The suspension system includes a steerable rear suspension that minimizes the amount the back wheels will cut the corner when turning. The improvements also include the use of visible light beams to guide a tow vehicle backing up to an RV to be correctly positioned for hitching without assistance.
US08434735B2
A bottom loading coupler may include a coupler body and a plurality of interlocks. Each interlock may be positioned in a corresponding slot in the body sidewall and have an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the coupler body. A coupler sleeve formed from a first material may be slidably positioned around the body sidewall of the coupler body. A wear ring formed from a second material may be disposed on the inner circumference of the coupler sleeve. The wear ring and the coupler sleeve may form an interlock retaining seat. The coupler sleeve may have a first, retracted position relative to the coupler body, wherein the interlocks are biased to the disengaged position and retained in the interlock retaining seat. The coupler sleeve may also have a second, extended position relative to the coupler body, wherein the wear ring biases the interlocks to the engaged position.
US08434734B2
The invention concerns an electromagnetic actuator (7) with a coil (8) and at least two armatures (12, 17) being movable along an axis (16) and being acted upon by a magnetic field generated by the coil (8). It is endeavoured to achieve large control opportunities by simple means. For this purpose, it is provided that one armature (12) is acted upon by a larger drive force from the magnetic field than another armature (17).
US08434725B2
A threaded rod hanger has quick lock plunger mechanism that includes plunger pieces within a tapered bore in a housing. The plunger pieces have tapered outer surfaces. A spring within the housing presses the plunger pieces toward the narrow end of the bore, with the spring located between the plunger pieces and a back plate that closes off part of a wide end of the tapered bore. The plunger pieces have internally threaded surfaces that engage threads on a threaded rod that is inserted into the bore, between the plunger pieces. Once the threaded rod has been inserted between the plunger pieces and released, the plunger pieces are pushed toward the narrow bore end. This causes the plunger pieces to press inward, automatically causing the internal plunger half threads to engage the external threads on the threaded rod.
US08434721B2
An aircraft tank system includes a tank cell for receiving fuel, a fuel line that connects the tank cell to a fuel inlet connection, and an aeration/deaeration device that for aeration/deaeration of the tank cell connects the tank cell to the environment. A shut-off valve of the aeration/deaeration device is adapted in an open position to open a connection between the tank cell and the environment and in a closed position to interrupt the connection between the tank cell and the environment. The aircraft tank system further includes an exhaust air outlet connection, which is connected to the aeration/deaeration device and which is adapted during filling of the tank cell with fuel to be connected to an aeration/deaeration connection of a storage tank of a refueling unit.
US08434719B2
A leading edge element, a method for manufacturing one, and an aircraft wing and stabilizer furnished with the leading edge element. The leading edge element is an elongate piece that comprises a skin plate and at least one longitudinal stiffener. The shape of the front edge of the skin plate is closed and the tail edge is open. The stiffener is fastened between the inner surfaces of the skin plate. Between the inner surface of the skin plate of the outermost longitudinal stiffener, there is a longitudinal space free of transverse stiffeners.
US08434704B2
A method and apparatus of producing inorganic semiconducting nanoparticles having a stable surface includes providing an inorganic bulk semiconductor material milled in the presence of a selected reducing agent. The reducing agent acts to chemically reduce oxides of the semiconductor material, or prevent the formation of such oxides to provide semiconducting nanoparticles having a stable surface, allowing electrical contact between the nanoparticles. The milling media and/or one or more components of the mill include the selected reducing agent. The milling media or mill are typically composed of a metal selected from the group comprising iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and aluminum, or an alloy containing one or more of these metals. Alternatively, the selected reducing agent includes a liquid contained in the mill during milling, which is typically an acidic solution containing any of hydrochloric, sulphuric, nitric, acetic, formic, or carbonic acid, or a mixture thereof.
US08434702B2
An electrostatic coating system includes a coating robot (1) and an electrostatic atomizer (6) attached to a polyarticular wrist portion (5) of the robot (1). The atomizer (6) includes an end plate (45), metallic connector (50) fixed to the end plate (45) in electric conduction, high voltage generator (20) and bell head (18). Electric power is supplied to the high voltage generator (20) through the connector (50). Wires (53) are connected to the connector (50) to take out high voltage leak caused by contamination like a deposition of paint on outer surfaces of the atomizer (6) through the wires 53 to control the high voltage generator (20) to lower the value of the high voltage applied to the bell head (18) of high voltage leak detected through the wires (53) is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
US08434695B2
A rotary sprinkler including a body member (A) having a water inlet nozzle (4) with a top end and a bottom end, a pressurized water connector (8) communicating with the bottom end of the water inlet nozzle, a ring (14) attached in spaced-apart relationship from the top end of the nozzle, and a rotor member (B) having at one end an opening (30) for receiving water from the inlet nozzle and directing it to a water distributing groove, and at its opposite end, an axle (36). The rotary sprinkler also includes a rotor axle seat member (c) engageable and disengageable with the rotor's axle and with the ring facilitating, upon disengagement of the seat member from the ring, axial retrieval of the rotor member through the ring.
US08434691B2
A thermostatic valve control structure mainly has an axial movement element movable axially to control opening size of a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet. The axial movement element has a ceramic layer which has a smooth surface to reduce friction with a sealing ring. The ceramic layer provides advantages of resisting acid and alkali, less likely to accumulate water dregs, simpler structure and longer life span. Thus the total life span and durability of the thermostatic valve control structure can be enhanced.
US08434683B2
Embodiments related to methods and systems for determining support for a memory card, where the memory card is accessible to a card reader and the card reader is in communication with an accessing device. One embodiment comprises transmitting a first test command to the memory card, receiving a response to the first test command, and determining that the response to the first test command indicates that a card type is not supported by a plurality of card drivers. In response to said determining, at least one additional test command specific to a card type supported by a selected card driver is automatically transmitted, and if the response is successful, the selected card driver, which was previously determined not to support the card type of the memory card, is indicated to support the card type of the memory card.
US08434679B2
The personalisation machine for smart cards (5) comprises an administration computer system (1) connected via at least one data personalisation transmission element (2, 200) to a turning device (3) equipped with routing means of personalisation data to locations (32) of a plurality of card locations (5). Said transmission element (2, 200) is of wired type and has a maximal data transmission capacity greater than 100 MBps (megabytes per second). To ensure a substantial processing rate with a compact machine, it is provided with:—means (4) for driving in rotation of bi-directional type for turning the device (3) around an axis (23) of rotation, said system (1) remaining fixed;—a control module (40) regularly inverting the direction of rotation of the turning device. Stops are provided for preventing rotation of the device (3) beyond one turn.
US08434671B1
A manufacturing method of a forged golf club head has acts of: providing pre-forged strike element and the pre-forged hosel made with different materials, welding the hosel on a connecting end of the strike element, and press-forging the blank to form a main component of the golf club head. The main component of the golf club head may accomplish the golf club head. Otherwise, a pre-forged secondary component is welded on a back part of the strike face of the main component to accomplish the golf club head. The strike element and the hosel made of different materials are directly secured to each other to precisely form a predetermined, shape so that the following surface treating steps and the manufacturing time are reduced and the quality of the golf club head is enhanced.
US08434667B2
A flux composition is provided, comprising, as initial components: a carboxylic acid; and, a polyamine fluxing agent represented by formula I: with the proviso that when the polyamine fluxing agent represented by formula I is according to formula Ia: then zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) a hydrogen. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the flux composition.
US08434666B2
A flux composition is provided, comprising, as an initial component: a carboxylic acid; and, a fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; and wherein zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) a hydrogen. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the flux composition.
US08434662B2
A method of welding that realizes enhancements of airtightness and watertightness at a weld area and a method of welding and method of friction stir welding that attain an enhancement of welding operation efficiency/speed. There is provided a method of welding including the first primary welding step of carrying out a friction stir welding on the abutting portion (J1) of metal members (1,1) from the surface (12) side of metal member (1) and the second primary welding step of carrying out a friction stir welding on the abutting portion (J1) from the reverse face (13) side of the member (1), wherein in the second primary welding step, the friction stir welding is performed while penetrating a stirring pin (B2) of rotation tool (B) in plasticized region (W1) formed in the first primary welding step.
US08434661B2
A friction stir welding tool and process for lap welding dissimilar materials are detailed. The invention includes a cutter scribe that penetrates and extrudes a first material of a lap weld stack to a preselected depth and further cuts a second material to provide a beneficial geometry defined by a plurality of mechanically interlocking features. The tool backfills the interlocking features generating a lap weld across the length of the interface between the dissimilar materials that enhances the shear strength of the lap weld.
US08434652B2
A cap for overfitting a nozzle having an elongate nozzle body; the cap having an elongate cap body with a longitudinal axis, and an outside surface and an inside surface. The cap body has closed end and an open end, with an at least one sidewall. A housing of the cap has an open end. The cap is for receiving and overfitting the nozzle body of the nozzle. The cap has three elongate spaced apart wing portions each having a wing profile each forming part of the outside surface of the cap. Each wing runs from the mouth of the cap to the closed end thereof, and each contiguous with the next so that an exterior face of one wing portion together with an exterior face of an adjacent wing portion form one continuous concave surface between each wing portion and the adjacent one. The cap has a part-helical, or skewed profile, which gives a visual indication of the direction of removal of the cap from the nozzle. A nozzle has matching depressions, which come into register with the concave surfaces of the cap. The assembly of cap over nozzle is suitable as a closure for a container holding curable product such as adhesive. A locking ring may be provided on the tube for locking a nozzle to the tube.
US08434651B2
A pouring member includes an unsealing cap and at least two rotation prevention sections extending vertically and downwardly from an end surface of an open end side of the unsealing cap and is arranged such that the at least two rotation prevention sections are apart from one another by an angle which is larger than a rotation angle required for twisting off the sealing part, and symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the unsealing cap. A recess is formed such that the recess opens to a front end side of the rotation prevention section, and an engagement projection engages the recess in a direction substantially parallel with a direction in which the rotation prevention sections are extended vertically and downwardly, and is formed at a specific position of the flange part of the pouring member.
US08434644B1
The present invention is directed to a two-handed tube squeezer for facilitating the expulsion of material from a collapsible container. In one embodiment, the tube squeezer includes a pair of frames that each has a handle portion and a tube engagement portion that supports a roller. The frames are connected by a hinge. When the frames are substantially parallel to one another, the handle and tube engagement portions all lie in a low profile plane. The handle portions also form a handle that is separated from the tube engagement portions. When a user is holding the handle with one hand and causing the rollers to squeeze a tube with the other hand, the hand that is holding the handle is separated from the tube engagement portions such that the squeezed portion of the tube is unlikely to come in contact with the hand that is gripping the handle.
US08434636B2
A culturing container is disclosed having a container base and a container cover with plural vent openings. Plural filter retaining frames are affixed surrounding the vent openings to accommodate filter retention across the vent openings thereby establishing plural integral filter vents in the container cover. Multi-ridge outer peripheries of the container base and the container cover are engageable to provide substantially air-tight container sealing.
US08434630B2
A method of assembling a merchandising system includes providing a retail display fixture including first and second ends each supporting the retail display fixture on a floor. The method further includes providing a display fixture accessory releasably secured to the retail display fixture and coupling an accessory sheath to the retail display fixture. The accessory sheath includes two substantially planar panels extending substantially parallel to one another and defining a cavity between the two substantially planar panels, a top panel extending between and coupled to each of the two substantially planar panels, and an open bottom providing access to the cavity. Coupling the accessory sheath to the retail display fixture includes sliding the accessory sheath over the display fixture accessory to substantially enclose the display fixture accessory within the cavity such that the accessory sheath substantially covers an entirety of two opposite sides of the display fixture accessory.
US08434629B2
A track assembly for a shelving system is disclosed that includes at least two tracks. The tracks are configured to slide relative to each other in an overlapping manner. Each track has one or more fastener holes along a longitudinal length of the track and one or more portions protruding outwardly from the track. The one or more protruding portions defining one or more recessed portions on an opposite side of the track, such that at least one protruding portion of one track is configured to be slidably engageable within at least one recessed portion of the other track when the corresponding overlapping fastener holes are aligned. The slidable engagement of the one or more protruding portions of one track within the one or more recessed portions of the other track may thus indicate that the tracks have been slidably positioned relative to each other with their overlapping fastener holes aligned.
US08434623B2
The present invention relates to a process for separating at least one first material from a mixture comprising this at least one first material and at least one second material, which comprises the following steps: (A) contacting of the mixture comprising the at least one first material and at least one second material with at least one selective hydrophobicizing agent in the presence of a suspension medium so that an adduct is formed from the at least one hydrophobicizing agent and the at least one first material but not with the at least one second material, (B) contacting of the adduct from step (A) with at least one magnetic particle which is functionalized on the surface with at least one polymeric compound having a transition temperature LCST (lower critical solution temperature) at a temperature at which the polymeric compound has hydrophobic character so that the adduct from step (A) and the at least one functionalized magnetic particle agglomerate, (C) if appropriate addition of further suspension medium to the mixture obtained in step (B), (D) separation of the agglomerate present in the suspension from step (B) or (C) from the suspension by application of a magnetic field, (E) dissociation of the agglomerate separated off in step (D) by setting of a temperature at which the polymeric compound has hydrophilic character in order to obtain the at least one first material.
US08434621B2
A wiper blade packing case including a plate-type lower panel; a plate-type upper panel; and a pair of covers, each of which has an elliptical cross-sectional surface corresponding to the cross-sectional surface of the receiving portion, and each of which is bent and extends from each of the shorter sides of the upper panel to close openings formed at both sides of the receiving portion.
US08434613B2
The invention provides a chain conveyor system capable of avoiding damages and vibration noise by securely attracting and retaining metallic magnetic articles in inclined conveyor lines or slippery wet conveyor lines and of providing ready transfer or relay of the articles to other conveyors or equipment also in a conveyor terminal carry-out area. The chain conveyor system comprises a conveyor chain having article-attracting magnet pieces for attracting and retaining articles on loading surfaces thereof and an article-separating device that is disposed coaxially with a sprocket wrapped by and engaging with the conveyor chain and has article-separating magnet pieces that cut the attraction of the article-attracting magnet pieces with the articles on an outer circumferential parts of a free roller.
US08434612B2
The postal sorting machine has sorting outlets in which mailpieces are accumulated, said sorting outlets being disposed in line along a certain longitudinal axis. It further includes a recirculation device for recirculating the mailpieces stored in the sorting outlets, this device comprising a belt (40) mounted to move along the sorting outlets and to which cleats (41, 42) are fastened to define a succession of compartments (4a, 4b, 4c) that face respective ones of the sorting outlets, each compartment being arranged to store, on edge, mailpieces taken from a corresponding sorting outlet.
US08434610B2
A loading head for use with food articles has a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of food articles, an indexing conveyor positioned beneath the main conveyor, and a transfer member positioned between the main conveyor and the indexing conveyor. The transfer member is adapted to transfer each food article from the main conveyor to the indexing conveyor. A buffering mechanism is adapted to move the transfer member between a first position and a variable second position. A pusher mechanism is associated with the indexing conveyor to raise and lower gates from an open position permitting food article transfer to a closed position prohibiting food article transfer. The pusher mechanism includes a cam operably associated with the gates to open and close the gates.
US08434608B2
A centrifugal clutch (1) has a clutch drum (2) and at least one centrifugal weight (6). The centrifugal weight (6) is arranged on a carrier (5) and is radially displaceable referred to the rotational axis (8) of the centrifugal clutch (1). At least one holder (7, 27) holds the centrifugal weight (6) in at least one axial direction of the rotational axis (8) on the carrier (5). The holder (7, 27) includes at least one guide surface (14, 34) with which the holder is guided in radial direction to the rotational axis (8). The guide surface (14, 34) extends parallelly and radially to the rotational axis (8) of the centrifugal clutch (1). The guide surface (14, 34) is configured in a planar region of the holder (7, 27) in order to obtain a long service life of the centrifugal clutch (1).
US08434602B2
A torque transfer device in the drive train of a motor vehicle for transferring torque between a drive unit and a shaft rotatable about a rotation axis, including: a hydrodynamic torque converter, which includes a converter cover, connectable to the drive unit, and which can be coupled through a pump shell to a turbine shell for torque transfer, which can be bridged by a torque converter lockup clutch for torque transfer, which comprises a piston, movable in an axial direction within a range towards the cover in order to clamp a friction liner support with at least one friction liner between the piston and the cover for torque transfer. A friction ring is disposed between the piston and the friction liner support, and the friction ring is movable in an axial direction within a range between the piston and the friction liner support and connected to the converter cover.
US08434601B2
A carrying case for an electronic device includes a main compartment receiving the electronic device and having an opening as an entrance, a cover foldably fixed on the main compartment for covering the opening, a first supporting member positioned on the cover and a second supporting member positioned on the cover and spaced from the first supporting member, a first engaging member and a first fixing member. The first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of forming a V-shaped ridge structure when the cover is partially elevated above the main compartment and supporting the electronic device. The first engaging member is fixed on the first fixing member to maintain the V-shaped ridge structure.
US08434600B2
Damping device for damping motion of movable furniture parts. A piston mounted in housing in longitudinally displaceable manner which, due lo displacement, forms two variable-size working chambers on opposite sides with damping medium. Via overflow-connection, throttled transfer of damping medium is possible between two working chambers. Piston plunger, fed selectively, is connected on one side of pislon. Via the outer end of piston plunger, the motion of the furniture part to be damped is transferred to the piston. On side of piston, an elongated adjustment shaft is connected to the piston plunger. Free end of plunger is fed in sealed manner out of front face lying opposite front face that is sealed on the piston plunger side. The end of adjustment shaft engages with a passage duct connecting two working chambers and forms a variable-sized throttle cross section in the passage duct, making adjusting motion of shaft relative to piston.
US08434595B2
A valve body cover of an automatic transmission, may include a cover plate having a hole, an oil level plug having a cap detachably mounted onto the cover plate from the outside of the cover plate and an insertion extended from the cap and selectively inserted into the hole of the cover plate, and rotational pressing members formed in the insertion of the oil level plug and the cover plate respectively to press the cap against the cover plate while the insertion of the oil level plug inserted in the hole is rotated relatively with respect to the cover plate.
US08434592B1
A mobile tower drive system for efficiently attaching a removable drive system to a scaffolding unit and driving the scaffolding unit from the work platform. The mobile tower drive system generally includes a lower unit adapted to be secured to a lower end of a scaffolding unit, wherein the lower unit has a wheel to operably engage a floor surface and move between an engaged and disengaged position. The lower unit removably attaches to an upper unit, wherein the upper unit is secured relative the upper frame of the scaffolding unit. Both, the lower unit and the upper unit employ coaxial drives for turning and driving the wheel. The coaxial drive also is used to brake the wheel. The coaxial drives are generally controlled via manually operable rotational control levers; however automated power sources may be utilized. Also disclosed are swivel locks for the caster wheels of the scaffolding unit.
US08434590B2
The present invention relates to a muffler (8) for an exhaust system (6) of a combustion engine (1), more preferably of a motor vehicle, with a housing (14) comprising at least one exhaust gas inlet (18) and at least one exhaust gas outlet (19), with a pipe arrangement (20) for conducting exhaust gas arranged in the housing (14), which comprises at least one pipe section (21) running within the housing (14), and with a hollow space (22) formed in the housing (14), which is present in addition to the pipe arrangement (20) and is connected to said pipe arrangement at least for the airborne sound transmission.
US08434587B2
A purpose is to provide a tubular body soundproof cover and a covered tubular body, for which elastic deformation of the tubular body is unlikely to be inhibited. The tubular body soundproof cover includes a sound absorbing layer arranged on outside in an axially perpendicular direction of a tubular body having tubular body side curved sections; a skin layer arranged on outside in the axially perpendicular direction of the sound absorbing layer; and cover side curved sections arranged on outside in the axially perpendicular direction of the tubular body side curved sections, including at least a portion of the sound absorbing layer and at least a portion of the skin layer. The cover side curved sections have non-adherent sections in which the sound absorbing layer and the skin layer are not bonded over the entire circumferential length.
US08434584B2
The invention relates to an electric machine (1) comprising: —a rotor (4) having 14 rotor poles (8) which is arranged rotatably about a central axis and—a stator (2) having 12 stator teeth (3) which project in a radial direction relative to the central axis from the stator (2) in the direction of the rotor (4), characterized in that each of the stator teeth (3) is surrounded by a stator coil (9) which surrounds only one of the stator teeth.
US08434573B2
In one aspect of the invention, a tool has a working portion with at least one impact tip brazed to a carbide extension. The carbide extension has a cavity formed in a base end and is adapted to interlock with a shank assembly of the cutting element assembly. The shank assembly has a locking mechanism adapted to interlock a first end of the shank assembly within the cavity. The locking mechanism has a radially extending catch formed in the first end of the shank assembly. The shank assembly has an outer surface at a second end of the shank assembly adapted to be press-fitted within a recess of a driving mechanism. The outer surface of the shank assembly has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 110 percent or more than a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material of the driving mechanism.
US08434572B2
Cutting elements for downhole cutting tools comprise a top surface having a cutting surface portion and a cutting profile asymmetrically disposed across the top surface. The cutting elements comprise first and second longitudinal side surfaces and first and second lateral side surfaces, each having a respective cross-section. The cross-section of one of the longitudinal side surfaces can have one beveled portion and the cross-sections of the other longitudinal side surface and the first and second lateral side surfaces can have two beveled portions. A cutting end of a downhole cutting tool comprises two cutting elements disposed facing each another with a portion of the cutting surface portion of a first cutting element being disposed opposite the cutting profile of the second cutting element and the cutting surface portion of the second cutting element being disposed opposite the cutting profile of the first cutting element.
US08434567B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to couple a tubular member to a bottom hole assembly, dispose at least one adjustable stabilizing member on the tubular member, and control at least one of a radial extension of the adjustable stabilizing member and an axial position of the adjustable stabilizing member relative to the bottom hole assembly to adjust a borehole trajectory, wherein the adjustable stabilizing member is adjustable in both radial and axial directions. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08434566B2
A power tool for operating on a workpiece, the power tool having a housing and a motor disposed within the housing. A controller is connected to the motor and receives user inputs for turning on the motor and a power tool battery pack is connected to the controller and the motor. At least one light is connected to the controller for illuminating the workpiece. The controller can turn on the light in a predetermined pattern to alert the user to a tool condition, such as the charge level being below a predetermined level.
US08434551B2
A solvent based gravity drainage process whereby the vertical growth rate of the chamber is restricted by placing, monitoring and managing a buoyant gas blanket at the top of the vapor chamber. The process reduces the heat loss to the overburden as well as providing a means to preserve a barrier layer of bitumen saturated reservoir sand at the top of the pay zone in reservoirs where there is limited or no confining layer present.
US08434546B1
A device and method for retaining the position of a core in a casting mold, such as a vehicle cylinder head casting mold. The core may be a port core, such as an exhaust port core. A plunger assembly is arranged in the mold to produce a substantially unidirectional pressing force against a supported end of the core. Due to the shape of the core and its orientation and arrangement with respect to the mold, the substantially unidirectional force exerted by the pin also creates a moment that results in an additional pressing force component that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the pressing force exerted by the pin. This second force component presses contacting ends at the other end of the core into tight contact with an associated molding surface. Consequently, the plunger assembly produces a retention force on the core in two directions.
US08434545B2
A die casting tool (1) of a die casting machine, includes a first mold (2) having a first and a second mold part (5, 6), which can be displaced in a linear manner to each other for closing and opening the mold and which form at least one casting chamber between each other, and including at least one casting runner (16), further includes an additional, second mold (3) having a third and a fourth mold part (7, 8), which can be displaced in a linear manner to each other in a parallel manner to the mold parts (5, 6) of the first mold (2) for closing and opening the mold, and which form at least one further casting chamber between each other, wherein a mold part (5, 6) of the first mold (2) and a mold part (7, 8) of the second mold (3) are disposed back-to-back and receive between each other an intermediate element (4), which is the casting runner (16).
US08434536B2
A heat-seal device generally includes a heat source, a thermal conductor, which encapsulates at least a portion of the heat source and is capable of transferring heat from the heat source, and a thermal insulator, which substantially surrounds the thermal conductor but leaves a portion thereof exposed, the exposed portion of the thermal conductor providing a heat-seal contact surface, which is adapted to be brought into contact with a material to be sealed.
US08434529B2
A filling device for beverage bottles, having a filling valve by way of which different media, including a product to be bottled, can be supplied and/or discharged, and a return gas pipe that is displaceable in linear fashion relative to the filling valve by means of an electromagnetic positioning drive. The positioning drive is a linear motor having a stationary stator housing and a rotor coupled to the return gas pipe.
US08434520B2
Valve control unit, particularly pilot control unit for a pressure modulator of a commercial vehicle
A valve control unit, particularly for a pressure modulator of a commercial vehicle includes a valve control housing, solenoid valves, which are provided with solenoids and internal valve pieces inserted into the solenoids, and a pneumatic interface. The solenoids are accommodated inside the valve control housing. Pressure sensors for measuring pneumatic pressures are accommodated in or on the valve control unit, preferably on the top surface. Valve bores, into which the internal valve pieces are inserted, extend within the valve control housing. Air ducts extend between the pneumatic interface, the valve bores, and the pressure sensors, inside the valve control housing. The solenoids and pressure sensors are contacted with an electrical interface. The valve control housing can be a single piece.
US08434512B2
A rotating disc diluter (1) has a rotatable rotary element (4) which carries surface-accessible transfer volumes (9, 10) which along their common path of movement alternately glide over feed and discharge ports (11-18) for an undiluted fluid flow on the one hand and for a dilution fluid flow on the other hand. For the simple widening of the usable dilution rate range, the rotary element (4) has at least two rows of transfer volumes (9, 10) on different paths of movement, the associated feed ports (11-14) of which for the undiluted fluid flow and/or for the dilution fluid flow can be separately controlled.
US08434507B2
A safety valve device has a safety valve body and is configured to open at a temperature of or over a preset reference temperature. The safety valve device also includes a gas flow path arranged to make a flow of hydrogen flowing out of a hydrogen tank via the safety valve body in a valve open position, and a discharge pipe configured to have a hydrogen discharge opening and arranged to discharge the hydrogen flowing through the gas flow path to the outside. The hydrogen discharge opening of the discharge pipe is formed to discharge the hydrogen in an oblique direction relative to a direction of an axial center of the gas flow path. The discharge pipe also has a groove formed to apply an input rotational force to the discharge pipe and thereby rotate the discharge pipe around the axial center of the gas flow path.
US08434505B2
In this disclosure, a reactor system is described. The reaction system comprises (a) a reaction vessel having an inner wall, wherein said reaction vessel is configured to receive reactants and export products and byproducts; (b) a primary quench device (PQD) configured to receive a coolant and disperse said coolant into said reaction vessel; and (c) a secondary quench device (SQD) configured to receive a coolant and disperse said coolant into said reaction vessel; wherein said PQD comprises an array of spray nozzles fixed on the inner wall of said reaction vessel at a first axial position; and wherein said SQD comprises (1) an axially movable pipe having a coolant entry end and a nozzle end, wherein said pipe is configured to be removably fixed inside said reaction vessel; and (2) a spray nozzle that is fluidly connected to said pipe at its nozzle end via a fluid tight seal connection.
US08434502B2
A caustic recovery arrangement for a clean-in-place system permits recovery of the caustic solution used for cleaning sanitary liquid-food processing equipment. A recovery tank receives the caustic aqueous solution and entrained solids. The caustic recovery tank has an upper barrel portion and a lower conic portion. The caustic solution remains in the recovery tank for about eight hours to allow the solids to settle out into the conic portion. A solution drain conduit at a lower end of the barrel portion connects to a caustic recovery line with a pump that feeds the recovered solution back to a main caustic supply tank. A solids drain conduit leads from an outlet at the bottom end of the conic portion of the caustic recovery tank to a solids receptacle so that the solids can be recovered for use, e.g., as animal feed or as fertilizer.
US08434499B2
A filter for a smoking article, which includes an upstream segment having a carbon filter and a downstream segment of filtering material. The upstream segment includes a carbon filter with a hollow tubular member concentrically positioned within the carbon filter, and one or more holes around an outer circumference of the hollow tubular member to allow mainstream smoke to bypass the carbon filter during the first puff. During use, the hollow tubular member has a lower resistance to draw than the carbon filter during an initial puff or puffs, and after the initial puff or puffs, mainstream smoke is drawn through the carbon filter.
US08434498B2
A filter material adapted for use as a filter element of a smoking article is provided, the filter material including at least one segment of fibrous tow having a plurality of degradable particles dispersed therein, the degradable particles comprising a starch material. Exemplary starch materials include naturally-occurring starch, hydroxyalkylated starch, starch esters, ionically modified starch, oxidized starch, hydrolyzed starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch, grafted starch, crosslinked starch, transglycosylated starch, starch ethers, and mixtures thereof, as well as blends of starch with other polymers. Filter elements and smoking articles, such as cigarettes, that contain the filter material are also provided. A method of preparing polymer fibers for use in filter elements is also provided, the method including adding the starch material to a fiber precursor solution prior to fiber extrusion or dry-blending the starch material with the polymer material to be formed into fibers.
US08434497B2
A cigarette pack capable of carrying different-sized and different-branded cigarettes is disclosed. The cigarette pack may consist of a first portion, a second portion hingedly coupled to the first portion, and a top portion hingedly coupled to a sliding portion slidably disposed within the second portion. The cigarette pack may also include sleeves disposed within the first portion and second portion and configured to support cigarettes within the sleeve. The cigarette pack may also include a platform for supporting cigarettes within either of said portions.
US08434496B2
A method of thermally processing a tobacco material is provided, the method including the steps of (i) mixing a tobacco material, water, and an additive selected from the group consisting of lysine, glycine, histidine, alanine, methionine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, phenylalanine, valine, arginine, di- and trivalent cations, asparaginase, saccharides, phenolic compounds, reducing agents, compounds having a free thiol group, oxidizing agents, oxidation catalysts, plant extracts, and combinations thereof, to form a moist tobacco mixture; (ii) heating the moist tobacco mixture at a temperature of at least about 60° C. to form a heat-treated tobacco mixture; and (iii) incorporating the heat-treated tobacco mixture into a tobacco product. Heat-treated tobacco composition prepared according to the method are also provided, such as heat-treated smokeless tobacco composition comprising a tobacco material, water, flavorant, binder, and filler, the heat-treated smokeless tobacco composition having an acrylamide content of less than about 2000 ppb.
US08434494B1
A gravity type water pipe providing enhanced cooling of smoke generated thereby. The water pipe comprises a water reservoir and a movable assembly which in operation is raised and lowered in water contained in the water reservoir. The movable assembly may comprise a vertical conduit, a bowl for containing ignited substances, and an enlarged chamber below the vertical conduit. A supplementary cooling chamber for containing ice is contained in the smoke flow path of the movable assembly. The supplementary cooling chamber is adapted to receive ice and may for example have a grate for entrapping ice cubes place in the supplementary cooling chamber. The supplementary cooling chamber may be a component unto itself which is removable from the movable assembly.
US08434484B2
This disclosure describes systems and methods for ventilating a patient with a system that includes an accumulator for storing a gas mixture. The disclosure further describes a novel approach for a fast delivery of a change in gas mixture to a patient by utilizing a variable-sized accumulator.
US08434475B2
A reaction and distribution system may include a distributor securable near or in a path correspond to a breathing passage such as the nostrils or the mouth of a user for delivering nitric oxide therapy thereto. The distributor may contain an internal reactor for creating the nitric oxide from reactants. Alternative embodiments may rely on a line delivering nitric oxide to the distributor from a remote generator such as a cannister carried in a pocket or placed/at the bedside of a user.
US08434474B2
Dispensing apparatus for delivering metered doses of product from a pressurized dispensing container, having a housing for receiving, in use, the pressurized dispensing container, and an outlet through which, in use, metered doses of product from the pressurized dispensing container can be dispensed. The housing has an aperture via which the pressurized dispensing container can be inserted into the housing. The dispensing apparatus is at least partially enclosed by a shrink wrapped film, the shrink wrapped film including an opening which is: (a) at least partly aligned with the aperture of the housing; and (b) dimensioned so as to allow, in use, said pressurized dispensing container to pass through the opening in order to be inserted into the housing via the aperture.
US08434470B2
An adjustable burn apparatus for a fireplace using a liquid or gel-type fuel. The apparatus includes an elongate housing with an elongate top opening into which an elongate removable fuel container is inserted. The removable fuel container has an elongate open top of a length approximating the length of the elongate housing, and an elongate cover which is hinged to the housing preferably along its long dimension and has an elongate flame opening. The hinged cover itself has a shutter slidably secured at its lower surface that is movable along positions opening, controlling and closing the flame opening.
US08434469B2
A portable radiant heater supplied by an associated fuel source comprises a housing having a handle for transporting the heater. A plenum in the housing receives fuel from the associated fuel source and mixes the fuel with air. A burner assembly includes a radiant surface that communicates with the plenum. A regulator limits the pressure of the associated propane source to approximately eleven inches water column, and an oxygen depletion system associated with the burner assembly automatically shuts off the heater at a predetermined oxygen content. A tank fitting with a position that can be adjusted relative to the regulator facilitates the installation of the associated fuel source to the heater.
US08434467B2
A quiver assembly for detachable connection to an archery bow includes a mounting base connectable to an archery bow and a quiver releasably connectable to the mounting base. The mounting base includes a base portion and a first clip portion extending from the base portion. The quiver is adapted to hold at least one arrow and includes a rail with a first longitudinally extending edge that cooperates with the first clip portion during rotation of the rail with respect to the mounting base for releasably connecting the quiver to the mounting base.
US08434466B2
A bow hunting attachment is provided that includes a mounting bracket configured for attachment to a bow. A spool is attached to the mounting bracket and has an outer surface a portion of which is configured for having a line wrapped thereon. A keeper is present and is configured for retaining the line onto the outer surface of the spool and is resilient so as to be capable of being displaced to allow the line to be removed from the outer surface of the spool upon firing of an arrow and pulling of the line that is attached to the arrow.
US08434463B2
A crossbow may include a main beam: (a) a bow assembly including a bow and a bow string adapted to propel an arrow; (b) a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam; (c) and a bow assembly mounting apparatus for use in selectively mounting the bow assembly at a first location on the main beam to provide a first draw weight and for use in selectively mounting the bow assembly to a second location on the main beam to provide a second draw weight that is substantially different from the first draw weight.
US08434460B2
An integrally molded carbon canister is provided. The integrally molded carbon canister includes a housing including four external side walls and an upper portion at least partially enclosing an internal cavity connected to a vapor inlet and outlet port, the upper portion including a depressed flow disruptor positioned rearward of an injection gate, and a first and second projected flow channel positioned adjacent to the injection gate and laterally spanning the housing. The depressed flow disruptor has a thickness that is less than a section of the upper portion surrounding the depressed flow disruptor and the projected flow channels have a thickness that is greater than a section of the upper portion surrounding the projected flow channels.
US08434456B2
A method for setting a combustion in a combustion engine, particularly in a diesel engine, having the following steps of generating a manipulated variable, particularly a point of injection (PI), as a function of a combustion feature (MFB50%), the combustion feature (MFB50%) representing a condition in cylinder, especially a pressure characteristic in the cylinder, and setting the combustion in cylinders of the combustion engine with the aid of the manipulated variable, the manipulated variable further being generated as a function of a correction value (CV), which is determined as a function of combustion information (dQmax) that provides an indication about the quality of the combustion.
US08434453B2
An electronic throttle control system and method are provided. The system includes a throttle valve, a motor configured to drive the throttle valve, and a throttle position sensor configured to detect an angle of the throttle valve. The system further includes an engine rotating speed detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to drive the motor to control the angle of the throttle valve. The controller is configured to initially set a lower limit value of the angle to an angle which is greater than a full closure angle of the throttle valve by a predetermined amount. The controller is further configured to, when a rise in an engine rotating speed is detected, re-set the lower limit value to reduce it by a predetermined amount to control the engine rotating speed to within a predetermined value from the preset idle speed.
US08434442B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a glow-plug engine capable of achieving suitable operation using a glow plug even for various kinds of fuel other than special alcohol based fuel. The end section of a glow plug protrudes inside a combustion chamber and is located in a specified area near the top surface 53a of piston when located at the top dead center. By doing so, it is possible to achieve suitable operation (combustion) using a glow plug even for various kinds of fuel other than special alcohol based fuels.
US08434441B2
A connecting device for the pivotal and loss-prevention joining of an actuating lever (1) and a support element (6) of a valve operating mechanism of a combustion engine. The actuating lever (1) has, in a supporting section (3), a spherical cap-shaped cavity (5) inside of which the spherical end (7) of the supporting element (6) may be placed. A recess and/or undercut (8) is formed underneath the spherical end (7) in the supporting element (6). The actuating lever (1) has, in the supporting section (3), a spherical upper surface (4) above the spherical cap-shaped cavity (5). A securing element (9) joins the actuating lever (1) and the supporting element (6) to one another. This securing element (9) has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape with an upper and a lower limb (10, 11) that are joined to one another via a joining section (12). Geometrically closed openings (13, 14) for accommodating the recess (8) of the supporting element (6) or the spherical upper surface (4) of the supporting section (3) of the actuating lever (1) are made in both limbs (10, 11). The opening (13) in the upper limb (10) is essentially round, and the opening (14), which is located in the lower limb (11) while being assigned to the supporting element (6), is provided, in essence, in the form of a slot.
US08434440B2
A switchable finger lever for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said finger lever comprising an inner lever comprising on an underside on one end, a support for a gas exchange valve and on another end, a contact surface for a head of a support element, said inner lever being flanked by outer arms which are articulated for pivoting relative to the inner lever on a side of the one end, at least each of said outer arms comprising on an upper side, a cam contacting surface, said inner lever comprising directly next to the contact surface a coupling device for an optional connection of the outer arms to the inner lever, said coupling device comprising a cross-bore in which two coupling slides are arranged diametrically opposite each other, which coupling slides for effecting coupling engage partially in or under an entraining surface arranged on the respective outer arm ending in this region, and the at least one restoring spring being likewise arranged in the region of the another end while being clamped between the inner lever and the outer arms.
US08434428B2
An animal exercise system in the form of a game includes an apparatus comprising an animal transport device; a game board; a plurality of edible game pieces in the form of a treat. In operation, the animal transport device engages and travels along the game board to selectively contact the game pieces. One or more of the game pieces may be fed to the animal as a reward.
US08434427B2
A styptic powder applicator and file for use with pets. The applicator is designed to be integrated with the container and have a funnel-like shape in order to handle a styptic powder in an easier fashion. The container further has a file attached to a side of the container for the removal of burrs left after clipping a pet's nails. This invention provides a more efficient structure for grooming a pet by incorporating a file for removing burrs with the styptic applicator for staunching the flow of blood from a “quicked” nail.
US08434423B2
Disclosed is a substrate carrying apparatus having a simple configuration capable of inhibiting the occurrence of pattern collapse. A carrying tray of the disclosed substrate carrying apparatus includes a bottom plate for supporting the substrate and a circumferential side wall being provided around the bottom plate. An opening is formed in the bottom plate. An elevating member, to and from which the substrate is to be transferred, passes through the opening. A space is temporarily formed in a carrying tray. The elevating member within the opening passes to the outside of the carrying tray through the space. When the substrate is carried, the liquid is reservoired within the carrying tray, and the substrate is carried while the liquid remained on the upper surface of the substrate.
US08434415B1
Disclosed is a combination furniture article and table support. The device comprises an article of furniture having an upstanding seatback and a flush-mounted frame therealong. The frame supports a hingeable tabletop that is flush with the seatback when in a stowed state. When deployed, the table is pulled away from the frame, rotated outward and secured within a cavity along the upper interior portion of the frame. This cavity secures over the upper edge of the table and supports the table in a horizontal configuration. The preferred embodiment utilizes a spring and damper element to draw the table into the cavity; however several embodiments are contemplated. The lower underside of the table includes a magnet or ferric material that aligns with a magnet within the lower portion of the frame to retain the table within the frame when stowed.
US08434410B2
A round of ammunition for an assault rifle or the like includes a cartridge and a bullet or projectile. The cartridge includes a rear portion and a forward portion with a reduced diameter while the rear portion is dimensioned to fit into the breach of a rifle and defines a hollow chamber or interior volume for a mass of gun powder and primer. The forward portion of the cartridge joins a bullet. The bullet includes a bullet shaped rounded lead tip and an aerodynamically shaped forward portion including a tapered shell and a solid cylindrically shaped lead middle portion. The forward portion also includes an axial steel rod between the tip and the middle portion. The bullet also includes a rear portion including a tapered shell surrounding a second hollow chamber with a small opening in the distal part of the bullet.
US08434405B2
A method for setting an operation condition of a press line includes a conveyance route setting step of setting a conveyance route so as to minimize a clearance between a work and a lower die; a phase difference setting step of setting a phase difference between conveying operations of respective conveyance machines so as to minimize a clearance between a work to be taken-out and a work to be taken-in; and a press-conveyance phase difference setting step that sets a phase difference between pressing operation and conveyance operation in accordance with the conveying route set for each conveyance machine, the phase difference between the conveyance machines, a line SPH, and a press SPH.
US08434403B1
This disclosure relates to the field of stovetop popcorn poppers, with an interoperating apparatus to facilitate the mixing or stirring of the popped popcorn during a coating or flavoring operation.
US08434392B1
A sensor and monitoring system for performing work upon an inner diameter of a machined workpiece, such as a pipe turned by a lathe, with the work being viewed and/or recorded remotely. The system includes a sensing device having an elongated rod, at least one sensor mounted to a first end of the rod, and a power supply and a transceiver mounted to a second end of the rod, the sensor being positioned within the bore of the workpiece for performing work upon the inner diameter and the transceiver and power supply positioned external to the bore. A controller device is wirelessly connected to the transceiver for wirelessly receiving and sending communication signals to and from the sensor via the transceiver. The sensor may of various types, such as a linear touch probe, a distance sensing laser, a temperature, vibration, gas, noise, or ultrasonic sensor, or a camera.
US08434391B2
A hand operated gripping tool includes a first jaw fixedly connected with a first jaw handle, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw such that the first and second jaws cooperably define a variable size space therebetween for receiving a part to be gripped, a second jaw handle pivotally connected with the second jaw for moving the second jaw relative to the first jaw, a link system pivotally connected to the second jaw handle and having a guided portion selectively engageable with a plurality of guide portions provided on the first jaw handle. The guided portion being engageable with a first of the guide portions to define a first range of movement of the second jaw towards the first jaw and a second of the guide portions to define a second range of movement of the second jaw towards the first jaw.
US08434386B2
A system for cooling a power transfer unit includes a case enclosing said unit and including an outer surface, a chamber bounded by said outer surface, an inlet for carrying coolant from a source of pressurized coolant into the chamber, and an outlet for carrying coolant from the chamber.
US08434369B2
A preloaded pressure sensor module (PPSM) is disclosed, where the PPSM outputs a linear Conductivity Response versus Pressure Force input. The PPSM has a convex or concave profile which is prepared by pressing a flat pressure sensor device onto to a convex or concave base respectively so that the pressure sensitive layer inside the sensor module is bent and displays a preloaded effect.
US08434364B2
A MEMS detection structure is provided with: a substrate having a top surface, on which a first fixed-electrode arrangement is set; a sensing mass, extending in a plane and suspended above the substrate and above the first fixed-electrode arrangement at a separation distance; and connection elastic elements that support the sensing mass so that it is free to rotate out of the plane about an axis of rotation, modifying the separation distance, as a function of a quantity to be detected along an axis orthogonal to the plane. The MEMS detection structure also includes: a coupling mass, suspended above the substrate and connected to the sensing mass via the connection elastic elements; and an anchoring arrangement, which anchors the coupling mass to the substrate with a first point of constraint, set at a distance from the axis of rotation and in a position corresponding to the first fixed-electrode arrangement.
US08434359B2
The invention relates to a sensor arrangement for detecting ambient conditions, in particular for a motor vehicle, with at least one carrier plate and optical elements arranged on this carrier plate, wherein several of the optical elements are arranged around a shared central region on the carrier plate, and at least two of the optical elements arranged around the central region exhibit primary action axes. These primary action axes are adjusted at a predetermined angle relative to the carrier plate, wherein the primary action axes are directed toward the shared central region. Additional sensors arranged on the carrier plate include a rain sensor, a solar sensor as well as various light sensors, which preferably are arranged on receiving surfaces of the carrier plate.
US08434357B2
A system and method for obtaining a clean fluid sample for analysis in a downhole tool are provided. In one example, the method includes directing fluid from a main flowline of the downhole tool to a secondary flowline of the downhole tool. While the fluid is being directed into the secondary flowline, sensor responses corresponding to the fluid in the secondary flowline are monitored to determine when the sensor responses stabilize. The secondary flowline is isolated from the main flowline after the sensor responses have stabilized. A quality control procedure is performed on the fluid in the secondary flowline to determine whether the captured fluid is the same as the fluid in the main flowline. Additional fluid from the main flowline is allowed into the secondary flowline if the captured fluid is not the same.
US08434354B2
This invention describes an apparatus and a method for integrity monitoring of a borehole and the seal integrity of a caprock suitable for sequestration of greenhouse gases. The apparatus includes plural neutrally buoyant sensors for placement outside of a casing, placement including distribution within at least mud filter cake, cement, and proppant. This invention also includes a method for monitoring integrity of a borehole suitable for sequestration of greenhouse gases or other types of well using the described apparatus.
US08434350B2
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium. The apparatus includes: at least one mechanically oscillatable unit; at least one transducer unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to mechanical oscillations based on an exciter signal and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and converts such to a received signal. The transducer unit has at least one piezoelectric element. The apparatus further includes: at least one electronics unit, which supplies the transducer unit with the exciter signal and which receives the received signal from the transducer unit; and at least one compensation element, which supplies the exciter signal to the electronics unit and from which the electronics unit receives a compensation signal. The invention provides that the compensation element has at least one at least element made at least partially of a piezoelectric material.
US08434343B2
An aspirating system for detecting the presence of a product representative of a hazard and a method of detecting the presence of a product representative of a hazard in an aspirating system are provided. The system comprises: piping that includes a plurality of apertures spaced apart along the length of the piping; an aspirator for drawing air from outside the piping into the piping through at least one aperture, a detector coupled to the piping for detecting the presence of a product representative of a hazard; a generator of test stimulus for generating the product representative of a hazard; wherein the test stimulus generator is fixed in, near, or on the piping such that in use a test stimulus is provided adjacent to at least one aperture of the piping. A control means can be provided to control the activation of the test stimulus from the generator and the time taken for the test stimulus to reach the detector can be measured.
US08434342B2
Can shells are produced with tooling installed on a single action mechanical press, and the tooling includes an upper retainer supporting a blank and draw die enclosing an outer pressure sleeve and an inner pressure sleeve surrounding a die center punch, all having air actuated pistons. The die center piston has an air reservoir connected by air passages which form air springs for the inner pressure sleeve, and the outer pressure sleeve receives the same controllable air as the reservoir or low pressure plant air supply. The inner pressure sleeve has a projecting nose portion which initiates the drawing of a cup and has contoured surfaces which mate with corresponding surfaces on a die core ring to form and clamp the chuckwall of the shell during downstroke of the press. A lower panel punch forms the center panel, panel wall and countersink of the shell during upstroke of the press.
US08434341B2
An apparatus for supporting a semiconductor workpiece includes a heating system configured to cause thermally-induced motion of the semiconductor workpiece by heating a surface of the workpiece relative to a bulk of the workpiece. The thermally-induced motion includes vertical motion of an outer edge region of the workpiece and a center of the workpiece relative to each other. The apparatus further includes a support system configured to allow the thermally-induced motion including the vertical motion of the outer edge region of the workpiece and the center of the workpiece relative to each other while supporting the workpiece.
US08434335B2
A combination door latch and deadbolt assembly that has first and second configurations for use with a door having a deadbolt aperture and a latchbolt aperture spaced by either a first vertical distance or a second vertical distance. The second vertical distance is less than the first vertical distance. In the first configuration, an insert slide is connected to an interconnect slide for vertical movement with the interconnect slide and the interconnect slide is operably connected to a deadbolt assembly via the insert slide. The insert slide and interconnect slide are movable vertically to move a deadbolt from an extended position to a retracted position in response to movement of an interior actuator from a first position to a second position. In the second configuration, the interconnect slide is operably connected to the deadbolt assembly without the insert slide.
US08434334B2
A drum type washing machine including a tub installed in a cabinet is disclosed. The drum type washing machine includes a drum performing washing, a motor rotating the drum, bearing housings having bearings to support a rotation shaft, a suspension connected to the bearing housings and the cabinet to mitigate vibration generated during rotation of the drum, a bracket installed to the bearing housings to form the rear side of the tub, and a gasket installed between the bracket and the tub to seal the tub and to prevent vibration from being transmitted from the bracket to the tub. Volumes of the tub and the drum can be easily increased without increasing the volume of the cabinet. Even when the volume of the washing machine is changed, only one of the tub and the bearing housings, which is not applicable to the drum type washing machine having the changed washing capacity, is selectively replaced. Thus parts can commonly used in various drum type washing machine having different volume.
US08434332B2
The present invention provides a rotary sinker capable of suppressing energy loss and achieving reduction in the driving load, a knitting machine provided with the rotary sinker, and a knitting machine control apparatus. The sinker 3 comprises a rotating body 4 that can rotate about an axis, and supporting members 32, 34 which rotatably support the rotating body 4. A circumference edge portion of the rotating body 4 is provided with sinker teeth 41 formed of a plurality of projecting sections to which rotational drive force is transmitted and with which a knitting yarn can be engaged.
US08434331B2
Disclosed is a tubular knit glove and method of flatbed knitting. The outward portion of a thumb pouch (7) is knitted while the direction of the wales continues from the end of a four finger body (6) with a reciprocating motion in the direction of the course. Rows of stitches are knit in the center and yarn-overs (8,9) are added on each side as connecting stitches. The inward portion of a thumb pouch (10) forms rows of stitches that link with the yarn-overs (8,9) when knitting back from the end of the outward portion of the thumb pouch (7). After forming a thumb pouch (11), a five finger body (14) is knit as a circularly-knit tube wherein the knitting thread revolves in the course direction completing a glove (1).
US08434330B2
In a technique for fabricating a birefringent optical fiber, a preform rod is fabricated having a longitudinal axis, an outer peripheral surface, and a selected refractive index variation. At least one longitudinal groove is cut into the preform rod through its outer peripheral surface, wherein the at least one longitudinal groove has a cross sectional area equal to that of a respective birefringence-inducing stress element to be loaded into the groove, such that when the stress element is loaded into the groove, a portion of the stress element protrudes outside of the circumference of the preform. A respective birefringence-inducing stress element is loaded into the at least one longitudinal groove. A preform assembly is created by positioning the loaded preform rod within an overcladding tube. The preform assembly is drawn into optical fiber.
US08434327B2
The present invention provides an improvement in an article of jewelry of the type in which the ornamental portion of the article is secured or released selectively from the support portion of the article. The removable jewelry setting provides a simplified construction which is used readily by the wearer of jewelry to assemble a particular combination of ornament and support selected from a wide variety of such combinations made available by the improvement. The construction also enhances the ability to tailor a jewelry article to a particular style of dress without unduly multiplying the number of expensive ornaments required to provide a wide range of ornamented articles. The construction opens new fields of fashion by rendering a wide variety of jewelry articles more available at lowered expense and provides a construction which is universal in the ability to accommodate almost any available ornamental element, including gemstones of essentially all sizes and cuts, so that the ornament is available for selection and placement by the wearer in combination with any one of a wide variety of supports. The construction enables ease of interchange of the ornamental portion of an article of jewelry.
US08434322B2
A refrigerator is disclosed which enables the user to easily take ice out of an ice maker without causing a variation in the capacity of the refrigerator or a limitation on the position of a freezing compartment. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator body which includes a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment, an ice making compartment which is arranged in the refrigerating compartment, to make ice, a heat exchanger which generates cold air for freezing food stored in the freezing compartment, and a cold air guiding device which guides the cold air generated by the heat exchanger to the ice making compartment, to enable the ice making compartment to make ice.
US08434321B2
An ice making assembly for a refrigerator and a method for controlling the ice making assembly are provided. The ice making assembly and the method of controlling the ice making assembly provides a constant amount of water supply for each ice making cycle regardless of environmental conditions such as the varying water supply pressure of different installation locations. Furthermore, overflowing can be prevented during water supply with the use of a capacitance water level sensor.
US08434319B2
An apparatus for preparing and dispensing a flavored ice beverage and a method of using thereof. The apparatus includes at least one container for holding flavor ingredients, a blending unit including a blender container and a blending mechanism, an ice flakes supplying unit, a mechanism for transferring the flavor ingredients to the blender container and a computerized control unit for controlling one or more aspects of the process of producing the ice beverage. The flavor ingredients can be in grain form, powder form or in liquid form.
US08434313B2
A thermal machine, especially a gas turbine, includes an annular combustor which is outwardly delimited by an outer shell and an inner shell (33) and through which a hot gas axially flows. The outer shell and inner shell (33) are each provided with a concentric cooling shroud (31) which is attached at a distance on their outer side, forming a cooling passage (32) through which cooling passage (32) cooling air flows in a direction which is opposite to the hot gas flow. The cooling of the combustor is improved by at least one of the cooling shrouds (31), on the side on which the cooling air enters the cooling passage (32), having an outwardly curved, rounded inlet edge (37) for improving the inflow conditions.
US08434308B2
A first portion of each of a plurality of Qu-type heat pipes is disposed in a hot gas path, and a second portion of each of the plurality of Qu-type heat pipes disposed away from the hot gas path. Also, the first portion of each of the plurality of Qu-type heat pipes extracts heat from the hot gas path and wherein the second portion of each of the plurality of Qu-type heat pipes creates a vapor that exits each second portion of the plurality of Qu-type heat pipes and away from the hot gas path.
US08434305B2
A turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine that powers a vehicle having a pressure vessel storing pressurized air. The turbocharger system comprises a turbocharger and a valve system. The system is configured such that the air intake system of the internal combustion engine can be supplied with air at super-atmospheric pressure either from the compressor of the turbocharger or from the pressure vessel. When the pressure vessel is supplying the intake system, compressed air from the compressor is recirculated back to the air inlet of the compressor so as to help prevent a surge condition in the compressor.
US08434283B1
The painting method disclosed is carried out by providing a curable liquid paint composition and an edging product having a colored surface and an adhesive surface opposite to the colored surface. The colored surface of the edging product is preferably a previously manufactured surface closely matching the to-be-used paint composition once the paint composition has been permitted to cure. The edging strip is permanently affixed onto a wall to be painted with the curable paint composition, with an edge of the edging strip contacting a surface bordering the wall or surface which is not to be painted with the curable liquid paint composition. The wall is then painted with the curable liquid paint composition, and the curable liquid paint composition is partly overlapped onto the edging product. The method provides a crisp even line at the interface between the wall and the bordering surface. Where the edging product has a thickness of less than 5 mils, it is easily concealed by partially overlapping with suitable paints on a wall on which it has been deployed.
US08434278B1
A storage bin support system for providing a leg structure to better support the storage bin and allow for easier access underneath. The storage bin support system generally includes a bin for holding the particulate material, wherein the bin includes a roof, sidewalls, and a base, and wherein the roof includes an inlet for filling the bin and wherein the base includes an outlet for emptying the bin, and a supporting framework for supporting the bin above a ground surface in an upright position, wherein supporting framework includes an outer framework and an inner framework interconnecting the outer framework with the base. The outer framework is spaced along an outer perimeter of the bin and the inner framework includes a plurality of upper angled supports comprising an upper end and optionally a plurality of lower angled supports comprising a lower end.
US08434277B2
Demountable modular structure for the construction of one-deck raised parking lots, preferably without foundations, designed to be employed for parking vehicles in angled arrangement, or herringbone pattern, including two or more parallel structure strips, each one defined by two rows of pillars offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the structure strip so as to form, between two adjacent couples of pillars, parallelogram-shaped portions of ground surface, wherein the upper level is made of an orthogonal network of main beams resting on each one of the rows of pillars and secondary beams resting on the pillars or fixed in orthogonal position to the main beams, and of rectangular or square floor slabs. The structure allows easier parking and maneuvering of larger vehicles as compared with structures with 90-degree parking stalls, with no detectable losses of efficiency in terms of parking places obtainable from a given available surface.
US08434273B1
A deck for the roof of a grain bin includes a plurality of deck units each having a plate having an upper face and a lower face and openings spaced from each other and adjacent each longitudinal edge of the plate. The spacing of some of the openings is substantially the same as the spacing of openings in the roof whereby the plate may be attached to the roof. A pair of ring segments extend substantially perpendicular to the elongate plate and rest upon the plate. Openings are in the ring segments and at least one of which is aligned with openings in the plate whereby the ring segments may be attached to the upper face of the plate. A riser extends upwardly from the ring segments opposite the plate, and the riser and ring segments are attached. A deck plate is attached to the riser opposite the ring segments.
US08434272B2
A recreational vehicle with weatherproofing for a slide-out compartment has a main body, a slide-out compartment having a side wall with an upper wall, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls extending inwardly from the side wall, and a first cover having one end affixed to the side wall of the main body and an opposite end affixed to the slide-out compartment. The first cover extends over top wall and a pair of end walls of the slide-out compartment. The first cover is formed of a flexible watertight material. The first cover is affixed by bracket to the side wall of the main body and to the slide-out compartment. A second cover is affixed to the first cover and extends through a slot formed between the upper wall of the slide-out compartment and the opening of the side wall of the main body.
US08434264B2
Described is an animal door for enabling an animal to pass through a structure and for having an adjustable height. More specifically, the animal door is capable of being installed at the structure at multiple orientations, whereby the orientation at which the animal door is installed governs the height of the door. Additionally, the animal door is removably installed at the structure such that the orientation, and thus the height, of the door is adjustable.
US08434261B2
The Invention relates to a planting pot made of plastic and having a bottom provided with holes, comprising in particular a multipart base region forming a first plane for setting the planting pot on a contact surface, wherein the base region is interrupted by at least one channel leading to the outside on the edge, wherein in an area adjoining the base region the planting pot comprises a hole, which is arranged at a distance from a channel for draining a bottom planting pot region.
US08434260B2
A decorative surround for potted plants is described. The surround may be a shell having a generally convex outer surface and an aperture in the shell suitable for either receiving or supporting a plant pot. The surround may be supported with respect to the ground or other reference surface by the periphery of the shell or by the bottom of a structure within the aperture, and the surround held against the ground by the weight of the potted plant. Alternatively, the surround may be affixed to the ground with pins or stakes. Another decorative surround is sized so that the aperture is smaller than a maximum diameter of the plant pot, and a strap is provided to hold the plant pot against an inner surface of the shell. The visible surface of the surround may be formed, textured or colored so as to have a visual appearance simulating natural rock.
US08434256B2
An apparatus for cleaning a gun barrel having striations formed on an inner surface of the gun barrel includes a cleaning means that is in contact with the inner surface of the gun barrel as being moved by a drive means installed inside a cylindrical main body. The cleaning means includes a main member having a circular plate on which a plurality of insertion holes is formed along its circumference; a rotating member formed inside the circular plate and having a motor and a rotating gear interlocking with the motor; and cleaning members formed to be inserted into the insertion holes, respectively, to clean the inner surface of the gun barrel and having lower sides interlocking with the rotating gear, respectively, to be rotated. The apparatus for cleaning a gun barrel is rotated at high speed with an appropriate pressure along the groove part of the gun barrel accurately, and thus a wide area can be cleaned in a short time. Even if the brusher is worn out, an appropriate pressure is maintained by the spring, and thus the amount of wear is compensated for. Since the brusher does not secede from the barrel, the accuracy is increased, and since the respective brushers are replaceable and it is not required to replace the whole cleaning member, the cost is saved.
US08434251B2
Disclosed is a display apparatus including a first case and a second case coupled to each other to define an external appearance of the display apparatus. A fastening guide extends from an inner surface of the first case, and a fastening member is engaged with the fastening guide. The fastening member is provided with a boss portion for screw-fastening. The first case and second case are coupled to each other using the fastening guide and fastening member having a thin thickness, whereby a reduced thickness of fastening parts and stable inter-coupling of the first case and second case are accomplished.
US08434242B2
The technology relates to spray dried plasma and methods of making the same. The method includes providing plasma to a spray drying apparatus, spray drying the plasma, at the spray drying apparatus, to form physiologically active plasma powder, the spray drying apparatus configured utilizing one or more parameters, and storing the physiologically active plasma powder.
US08434241B2
A method for drying a wet material, which comprises a liquid Fd to be distilled, uses a gas-tight container system resistant to excess and/or negative pressure and a drying container, a condenser and a vapor chamber connecting the drying container and condenser. The temperature adjustable drying container contains the wet material. The liquid Fd is turned to vapor in the temperature adjustable vapor chamber. The condenser condenses the vapor to give the condensation product. The pressure in the vapor chamber is monitored and controlled so that drying and distillation are always carried out in a range close to the saturation vapor pressure of the liquid Fd to be distilled. The pressure and the temperature in the vapor chamber are continuously determined. If the pressure goes above the upper limit of the range, the pressure is reduced in such a manner that especially foreign gas is removed.
US08434240B2
A method of controlling the primary drying stage in a freeze drying apparatus having a shelf and bulk product or a number of vials in different areas on the shelf which contain product to be freeze dried. Temperature sensors are positioned in selected locations or vials which are representative of the different bulk product areas or the positions of all of the vials in different areas of the shelf. The temperature sensors are monitored and compared to determine the selected location or vial having the highest temperature while the temperature sensor therein is still in ice. The shelf temperature is controlled based on the selected location or vial with the highest temperature so long as the temperature sensor therein is still in ice. When the temperature sensor in the highest temperature selected location or vial is no longer in ice, another selected location or vial with the highest temperature and a temperature sensor therein that is still in ice is then used to control the shelf temperature.
US08434237B2
An illuminated level has a housing containing a solid body pivotally mounted in the housing and forming a pendulum which can pivot to a first position in which the surface is accurately level. A light path is provided through the solid body having an exit opening at the pivot point and an entry opening the opposite end. A source of laser light on the housing is arranged to transmit light through an orifice on the housing so that the light through the orifice enters the entry opening to pass along the path when the solid body is in the first position and is prevented from entering the entry opening when the solid body is out of the level position. A light receiver in the housing at the outlet is responsive to the passage of light through the path for providing a sound indicating when the solid body is in the first position.
US08434225B2
A method for manufacturing a heat pipe. Activated particles or particle clusters are formed. The activated particles or particle clusters are contacted with a working fluid in a non-oxidizing environment to form a chemisorbed layer of the working fluid thereon to generate chemisorbed working fluid surfaced activated hydrophilic particles or activated hydrophilic particle clusters which provide a solid-liquid contact angle to working fluid when subsequently added of <30 degrees. The chemisorbed working fluid surfaced activated hydrophilic particles or hydrophilic particle clusters are vacuum transferred and filled inside the heat pipe along with an additional volume of working fluid. The heat pipe is then sealed.
US08434222B2
A first artwork layer having a first adaptable-mask section allows a graded amount of light to pass into an underlying first photoresist layer. Subsequent to developing the first photoresist layer, the graded amount of light creates a rounded geometric void used as a mold or sidewall for the creation of at least a lower portion of a rounded trace. A dielectric layer is laminated upon the lower portion and a second artwork layer having an second adaptable-mask section allows a graded amount of light to pass into a second photoresist layer. Subsequent to developing the second photoresist layer, the graded amount of light creates a rounded geometric void used as a mold or sidewall for the creation of at least an upper portion of a rounded trace. The photoresist and dielectric layers are removed resulting in a circuit apparatus having a rounded differential pair trace.
US08434221B2
The present invention discloses a method for generating nano patterns upon material surfaces. The method for generating nano patterns upon material surfaces comprises the following steps: providing a thin film capable of controlling lattice directions, applying a nanoindentation action to the thin film to generate an indentation at a specific position on the thin film. At least one hillock is then generated in a specific direction to generate a pattern and to be applied to a data storage system.
US08434213B2
There is provided a system for readily and efficiently fabricating a wound coil composed of a bobbinless coil. The system includes a coil winding device having an upper jig to which an upper plate is attached and a lower jig to which a lower plate is attached which are provided so as to be relatively displaceable and a tension device for applying predetermined tension to a wire rod fed from a wire rod supplying source. The coil winding device is provided with a claw section having first through third split claws that function as a winding section around which the wire rod is wound between the upper and lower plates and that slide in a radial direction when the upper jig is assembled coaxially with the lower jig.
US08434212B2
A stator coil producing method and a stator coil production machine. The stator coil is used in an electric rotating machine. The stator coil production machine includes a rotary retainer which retains and moves shaping press pairs along a looped path to press or shape portions of a conductor wire into in-slot portions to be disposed in slots of a stator core and coil-end portions which extend outside the slots. The method comprises a coil-end portion shaping step of bringing press members of each of the shaping press pairs close to each other in sequence to shape the coil-end portions and an in-slot portion shaping step of advancing the shaping press pairs on the looped path in contact with the cam mechanism and also moving selected ones of the shaping press pairs in sequence in a direction perpendicular to the path to shape the in-slot portions.
US08434209B1
An animal deterrent device and methods for installing and producing an animal deterrent device for delivering an electric shock to an animal, pest, or bird to be deterred, having the typical components of a non-conductive base to which the electrically conductive elements are attached. The bottom layer unfolds outward to allow sewing of the conductive elements to the top layer of the elongated base, while preventing the stitching from penetrating the bottom layer of the elongated base. The bottom layer is then folded back into place after sewing is completed, thereby insulating any hole, fastener, or conductive element that pushed through the top layer of the elongated base from water or other material that may congregate at the bottom exterior, preventing unwanted arcing to the exterior surface below.
US08434207B2
Methods of forming a lined tubular member are described herein. A method includes forming at least one corrugated portion in a conduit having at least one substantially tapered end to form a corrugated conduit, providing the corrugated conduit to a tubular member; and expanding the corrugated conduit while the corrugated conduit is inside the tubular member.
US08434202B2
The slide fastener includes elements and a slider, wherein each of the elements includes a horizontal functional section an upper vertical functional section and a lower vertical functional section the slide fastener includes a plurality of fastener units in each of which the elements are arranged to oppositely face each other and the meshing portions are meshed with each other by sliding the slider between the oppositely-positioned elements, whereby the engagement pieces of the oppositely-positioned elements form an engagement portion and the engagement holding pieces of the oppositely-positioned elements in pair form an engagement holding portion, and the plurality of fastener units are constituted in a multilayered structure by engaging the engagement holding portions of a second fastener with the engagement portions of a first fastener such that the engagement holding portions of a new fastener unit are engaged with the engagement portions of a preceding fastener unit.
US08434197B2
One end portion of a front-rear adjustment member 17 is disposed in a door-side mounting member 3 such that the front-rear adjustment member 17 is rotatable about a second shaft 12. An adjustment screw (not shown) having an axis thereof oriented in the left-right direction is provided in the door-side mounting member. The adjustment screw is threadedly engaged with the other end portion of the front-rear adjustment member 17. After the adjustment screw is rotated in normal and reverse directions, thereby rotating the front-rear adjustment member 17 as appropriate, a connecting arm 13 is rotated about a first shaft 11 so as to cancel out the rotation of the front-rear adjustment member 17.
US08434196B1
Multi-axis compliant hinges used in conjunction with strut elements to form a collapsible structure. The hinges behaves similar to a pin-clevis hinges but have increased compliance during the deployment sequence allowing connected struts to translate and rotate finite amounts relative to each other. Once deployed, the hinges lock out to form strong and stiff joints. The hinge uses two opposing resilient tape spring surfaces for each axis. The opposing tape spring surfaces of each axis are joined together by rigid inserts at their ends opposite the common connection point and to which structural members or struts are connected.
US08434193B2
A cleaning appliance of the canister type includes separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a floor engaging rolling assembly comprising a device for drawing the fluid flow through the separating apparatus, a chassis connected to the rolling assembly, a duct moveable relative to the chassis for conveying the fluid flow to the separating apparatus, a floor engaging steering member for steering the rolling assembly, and a control mechanism for moving the steering member relative to the rolling assembly in response to movement of the duct relative to the chassis.
US08434189B2
A brush includes: a brushing unit including a bristle-retaining member that has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a plurality of bristles retained on the bristle-retaining member and disposed on the first side, and a pivot connector provided on the second side of the bristle-retaining member; a handgrip having a pivoted portion that is pivotally connected to the pivot connector, a grip portion that is opposite to the pivoted portion, and a positioning portion that is disposed between the pivoted portion and the grip portion; and a resilient component disposed between the brushing unit and the handgrip, and providing a biasing force for urging the positioning portion of the handgrip to abut against the bristle-retaining member.
US08434188B1
The present invention is directed generally to building tools with improved comfort in gripping and/or efficient control that may be used in various manners and orientations. A handle and work object (e.g., trowel blade) may be connected together by a connecting member (or connecting means) that may be a sloped, angled, and/or substantially curved member, so that a user has increased hand orientation options and/or control over the tool while gripping the handle and/or connecting member in various manners and orientations. In various embodiment(s), the connecting member (e.g., a tang for a trowel) may be a relatively gradually and/or notably sloped, angled, and/or curved structure that may reasonably provide a comfortable extension of the handle and augment the gripping of the tool. The various tools may include a handle connecting member having construction whereby a portion of the sides of the handle connecting member are removed. Magnesium may be used.
US08434178B2
By providing a plurality of preformed components which are quickly and easily affixed in engagement with each other, a final construction is realized which peripherally surrounds any desired mattress configuration in cooperating association therewith. In this way, a new foam plastic product is achieved which is capable of being quickly and easily mounted to mattress constructions peripherally surrounding the mattress and providing an enhanced side support system. In this way, any desired mattress size or configuration is capable of being peripherally surrounded with a foam support assembly for enhancing the mattress construction and configuration. Furthermore, by employing the present invention, a rapid, convenient, and virtually labor free assembly is realized.
US08434171B2
A commode seat for a rollator, incorporating therein a collapsible telescopic splash guard.
US08434167B2
An improved face shield assembly universally fits to most hard hats and includes a dual-point pivot system which allows the face shield to be located in a “down” as-used position, an “up” as-used position and a “stowed” position above the hard hat. The improved face shield assembly includes three separate brackets, namely a main mounting bracket secured to the brim of a hard hat, a rotating bracket pivotably mounted to the main mounting bracket and a lens mounting bracket pivotably mounted to the rotating bracket. Spring-loaded struts stabilize and retain the lens mounting bracket in the as-used and stowed positions relative to the rotating bracket.
US08434163B1
The present invention features a therapy vest system for providing targeted heat or cold application to a person. In some embodiments, the vest of the vest system comprises a first shoulder pocket secured over a first shoulder region of the vest, and also a second shoulder pocket secured over a second shoulder region of the vest. In some embodiments, the vest further comprises a first side pocket secured to a first rib side region of the vest and also a second side pocket secured to a second rib side region of the vest. In some embodiments, the vest system further comprise extremity tubes.
US08434162B2
An eye protector (16) is provided for mounting to a protective helmet (10) of the type worn by a firefighter or other emergency worker. The protective helmet (10) has a brim (14), and the eye protector (16) includes a bracket (20) mounted to the brim (14), a first stop surface (38) carried on the bracket (20), an eye shield (18) attached to the bracket (20) for movement between a storage position extending along the brim (14) and a usage position extending downward from the brim (14) to shield the eye of the wearer, and a second stop surface (37) carried on the eye shield (18) and abutted against the first stop surface (38) with the eye shield (18) in the usage position to limit movement of the eye shield (18) beyond the usage position.
US08438657B2
A method for controlling access to a data network uses an end point identifier associated with an end point for control of the access to the data network. When a user X is logged in at the end point and a data query is directed from the end point to a data server, the data server uses the end point identifier of the end point in order to grant the user authorizations for data access.
US08438648B2
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses for preventing unauthorized font linking are presented. A request for a font file may be received. It may be determined whether the request is valid, and this determination may be based on a security token and/or a referrer string. If the request is determined to be valid, a first watermark may be embedded in the font file, and the first watermark may be based on the security token. The first watermark may include at least one point in at least one glyph contained in the font file. A second watermark may be embedded in the font file, and the second watermark may include at least one table that identifies a customer. The font file then may be served to the requestor.
US08438646B2
There are provided methods and systems for providing a plurality of protected segments from a contiguous media content segment, and selectively providing a user access to at least a portion of one of the protected segments in response to accessing a gating media segment associated with the protected segment.
US08438639B2
Disclosed is a DDoS attack detection and response apparatus. The DDoS attack detection and response apparatus comprises: a receiver unit receiving HTTP requests from a client terminal which is characterized as an IP address; a data measuring unit computing the number of HTTP requests by IP and the number of URIs per HTTP over a certain time period; a DDoS discrimination unit comparing the number of HTTPs per URI with a threshold value and defining an access of the client terminal having the IP address as a DDoS attack when the number of HTTPs per URI is larger than the threshold value; and a blocking unit blocking packets from the IP address when the DDoS discrimination unit detects a DDoS attack.
US08438637B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for performing an analysis on a plurality of portions of potentially unwanted data each requested from a different device. In use, a detection of potentially unwanted data (e.g., potentially malicious data) is identified based on a first analysis. Additionally, receipt of a plurality of portions of the potentially unwanted data is requested, where each of the plurality of portions is requested from a different device. Further, a second analysis is performed on the plurality of portions of the potentially unwanted data for determining whether the potentially unwanted data is unwanted (e.g., malicious).
US08438634B2
Various embodiments include at least one of systems, methods, software, and data structures for communicating security credentials between Customer Information Control System (CICS) regions in a container of a CICS channel data structure. Some embodiments include receiving a dataset from a first CICS application executing within a first CICS region, the dataset received from the first CICS application for transmission to a second CICS application in a second CICS region. When the dataset includes a channel data, populating a container of the channel data with credential data to authenticate the dataset within the second CICS region and forwarding the dataset to a CICS transformer process of the first CICS region to transform and communicate the dataset to the second application in the second CICS region.
US08438632B2
A low-cost Multi Function Peripheral (MFP) prevents a user from forgetting to cancel an authenticated state. The MFP includes a scanner unit, a printer unit, a touch screen, and a reset key for initializing various settings. When the user is authenticated, the MFP accepts various operations. Under a state in which the user is authenticated, when the reset key is operated, a control unit executes a logout process.
US08438630B1
A system and method is disclosed for implementing a data loss prevention (DLP) system capable of detecting transmission attempts involving encrypted data. In response to detecting that the data is encrypted, such a DLP system may perform any number of configurable DLP actions, such as blocking the data transmission attempt and/or sequestering the data. The DLP system may determine that the data is encrypted, based at least in part, on a value of a compressibility measure of the data, such as a compression ratio. The DLP system may leverage other operating system and/or file system capabilities, such as file extensions, magic numbers, or other utilities. The DLP system may determine if the data is compressed rather than encrypted by attempting to decompress the file.
US08438629B2
A packet security method and apparatus adjusts a security level of the packet according to a feature of the packet. The packet security method includes detecting a feature of a packet to be transmitted, determining a security level of the packet according to the detected feature, and generating a security packet according to the determined security level. The feature of the packet is at least one of a destination address of the packet, a transfer protocol of the packet, a packet size, an application for the packet, and a designated security level for the packet. According to the method, the security function is adoptively applied according to the feature of the packet being transmitted, and thus flexibility can be provided in the application of the security function to achieve an efficient use of resources.
US08438627B1
A system, a method and computer-readable media for establishing connectivity over a plurality of access technologies. A system is provided that includes a client device. The client device is configured to communicate over a network by utilizing at least two access technologies. The system also includes a gateway in communication with the client device. The gateway includes multiple access technology termination nodes configured to support communications utilizing multiple access technologies. The gateway also includes a registration manager configured to assign the client device an address for identifying the client device. The registration manager is further configured to maintain the address assigned to the client device when the client device switches from utilizing a first access technology to utilizing a second access technology.
US08438626B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for sharing session data among cores in a multi-core system. A first application firewall module executes on a core of a multi-core intermediary device which establishes a user session. The first application firewall module stores application firewall session data to memory accessible by the first core. A second application firewall module executes on a second core of the multi-core intermediary device. The second application firewall module receives a request from the user via the established user session. The request includes a session identifier identifying that the user session was established by the first core. The second application firewall module determines to perform one or more security checks on the request and communicates a portion of the request the first core. The second application firewall module receives and processes the security check results and instructions from the first core.
US08438623B2
This invention provides a system, method and computer program product to allow a user to access administrative security features associated with the use of a security token. The administrative security features provide the user the ability to unlock a locked security token, diagnose a security token, activate and deactivate a security token, request a replacement security token or temporary password or report the loss of a security token. The invention comprises a client application which integrates into the standard user login dialog associated with an operating system. A portion of the user dialog is linked to a remote server to access the administrative services.
US08438616B2
A method for terminal configuration and management includes: acquiring a configuration file, where the configuration file includes server account information; configuring the server account information in the acquired configuration file onto a Device Management Tree (DMT) of a terminal; based on the server account information, establishing a management session between the terminal and the server, and performing management and subsequent configuration on the terminal during the session. A corresponding terminal device and a corresponding system are also provided. Through the method, the terminal can determine, according to protocol version information supported by or corresponding to the corresponding server and carried in a configuration packet, a protocol that should be used for communication with a server, and perform configuration according to the correct protocol version, thus improving the operation efficiency.
US08438609B2
A system, method, computer program product, and carrier are described for obtaining a resource authorization dependent upon apparent compliance with a policy of causing an emulation environment to isolate a first software object type from a second software object type; and signaling a decision whether to comply with the policy of causing the emulation environment to isolate the first software object type from the second software object type.
US08438606B2
An IPTV may be controlled in part by a second user consumer electronic (CE) device using a web page served from a third party server even though the third party server cannot function as a proxy to the IPTV.
US08438605B2
A video distribution system according to the present invention includes a user terminal, an SIP session controller, and a video distribution server. When the SIP session controller receives a request to establish a session, the SIP session controller establishes a session between the user terminal and the video distribution server, and controls a bandwidth controller to reserve a bandwidth for the distribution of video content in a communication path between the user terminal and the video distribution server. The video distribution server sends a bandwidth changing request for requesting the SIP session controller to change the bandwidth to reserve a bandwidth depending on a fraction of the bandwidth that is needed for distributing video content. In response to the bandwidth changing request, the SIP session controller further secures a bandwidth for the distribution of video content in the communication path between the user terminal and the video distribution server.
US08438603B2
Methods and apparatus for supporting content delivery service are described. In accordance with the invention content can be supplied to temporary storage of a regional or local server used to supply the content to a customer's premises when the requested content is not already available in the regional or local server. A content server hierarchy may be implemented with servers higher up in the hierarchy including more content, e.g., titles, than the number of titles stored in the lower level servers. By storing less frequently accessed content in servers higher in the hierarchy and frequently requested titles lower in the hierarchy, a vast number of titles can be supported without overburdening the storage available at local and regional servers. In addition, a national or other server high in the hierarchy can be used to store, move, and distribute local or other content as part of an on demand service.
US08438600B2
A method of processing EPG (Electronic Program Guide) metadata in a network device includes performing a service discovery procedure utilizing multiple service discovery metadata components supplied by a service provider, receiving EPG metadata corresponding to a super group information element comprising both of a member element giving a group ID of another super group information element that has a higher level than a level of the super group information element and a level attribute giving a level of super group represented by the super group information element, wherein the member element is used to reference the other super group information element at a higher level, and processing the EPG metadata.
US08438589B2
One embodiment provides a method and apparatus for obtaining metadata program information during channel changes. The method includes the capture of an on-screen display that is rendered by a rendering device such as, for example, a digital television system. The on-screen display may be generated by an access device such as a set-top box in response to a program selection event. Once captured, the on-screen display may be decoded to determine metadata for a program selected by the program selection event. In one embodiment, decoding may be provided using pattern matching, optical code recognition (OCR) or other like decoding technique for decoding a video frame to determine metadata for a program selected by the program selection event. In one embodiment, a copy of the program in conjunction with the captured metadata are stored within the persistent memory of a digital television device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08438585B2
A drive device for an optical disc apparatus, wherein the tooth comprises a tooth body fixed to an optical pickup; support pieces projecting from the tooth body toward a lead screw; resin spring pieces extending from the support pieces in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the lead screw; a plate part formed in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the lead screw from the resin spring pieces; meshing cogs formed on the plate part on the side near the lead screw; a cover projecting above the lead screw from the plate part disposed above the meshing cogs, straddling the lead screw, and bending sharply downward at the distal end; and a handle projecting from the tooth body.
US08438583B2
An exemplary electronic device includes a cover, a circuit board and a driving module both mounted on the bottom cover, an electronic component fixed on the circuit board, a heat dissipating plate mounted on the circuit board and thermally contacting the electronic component, and a top cover covering the bottom cover. The driving module has a rotating shaft adapted for supportively driving an optical disk to rotate. The electronic component generates heat during operation. Through holes are defined in the top cover and located at a periphery of the rotating shaft. Two opposing elongated extending portions extend downwardly from the heat dissipating plate towards the circuit board. An airflow channel is formed between the two extending portions under the heat dissipating plate and aligned with the electronic component.
US08438582B2
A soft-denial system for client-server networks is disclosed for translating server authorization denials into responses that are known to be innocuous to the client application. The soft-denial system includes a client-application which originates a service request across a network to a server-application which rejects the request due to lack of authorization and subsequently provides a denial response. A soft-denial application intercepts the denial response, translates the response into a response known to be innocuous to the client-application, and forwards the innocuous response to the client-application. The soft-denial system is particularly useful for overcoming client-application failures due to authorization expectation mismatches.
US08438579B2
A method for tracking time, including obtaining a plurality of tasks; identify a first open event and a first close event associated with a first file; identifying a start idle event and an end idle event associated with the first file after identifying the first open event; generating a first open event time stamp for the first open event, a first close event time stamp for the first close event, a start idle event time stamp for the start idle event, and an end idle event time stamp for the end idle event; mapping the first file to a first task of the plurality of tasks; and presenting a report including the first task, the first open event time stamp, the first close event time stamp, the start idle event time stamp, and the end idle event time stamp.
US08438575B2
Computing resources shared by local and network filesystems may be used to maximum capacity by a single application, or equitably shared by multiple applications under heavy load. A portion of the resources are set aside for local filesystem use and a small number is reserved for each network filesystem. The remaining resources may be used by either local or network filesystems. An enforcement limit puts a ceiling on the number of resources that can be used by a single network filesystem. When the enforcement limit is applied to a filesystem, the number of executing resource acquisition requests from that filesystem is reduced, by completion of the requests, to the reserved number of resources for that filesystem before any more resources acquisition requests from that filesystem are executed.
US08438566B2
Automated management of partition service assignment to a virtual input/output (VIO) adapter is provided. Responsive to creation of a new partition service in a data processing system, a partition priority number is determined for the new partition service, and, for each VIO adapter, the partition priority numbers of the partition services currently assigned to that VIO adapter are summed. For a VIO adapter with a lowest sum of partition priority numbers, logic determines whether assigning the new partition service to that VIO adapter results in its summed partition priority number being above a predefined threshold, and the new partition service is assigned to a VIO adapter based, at least in part, on whether assigning the new partition service to the VIO adapter with the lowest sum of partition priority numbers results in that VIO adapter's summed partition priority number exceeding the predefined threshold.
US08438564B2
Systems, methods, apparatuses and computer program products provide alternative desktop computing solutions and generally provide client devices configured to utilize one of a local common base image and a common base image stored remotely, with a user-specific overlay image remotely storing user specific data. The clients can be configured to store the common base image locally.
US08438563B2
A virtual machine managing method includes: a dependence relation list generation step of detecting a dependence relation among virtual machines implemented on a physical machine and generating a dependence relation list, based on a detection result; a target management table generation step of reading, when a selection instruction for selecting a target virtual machine to be halted among the plurality of implemented virtual machines is detected; and a halted target presentation step of reading the virtual machine identification information on all of the virtual machines in dependence relation with the target virtual machine to be halted, and visually presenting the read virtual machine identification information on all of the target virtual machines to be halted.
US08438559B2
A method for platform-agnostic software installation involves obtaining a knowledge package, where the knowledge package includes guidelines for obtaining and installing software deliverables. The method further involves obtaining a profile, where the profile includes platform-agnostic data indicating a desired system state. The method further involves distributing the knowledge package and the profile to a first managed host and a second managed host, where the first managed host has a first operating system platform, and where the second managed host has a second operating system platform. The method further involves filtering the profile based on the knowledge package to obtain a first platform-specific profile for the first managed host and a second platform-specific profile for the second managed host, updating the first managed host to the desired system state using the first platform-specific profile, and updating the second managed host to the desired system state using the second platform-specific profile.
US08438558B1
A system and method are provided to (a) convert an older or base version of software into an alternate representation of the base version; (b) convert a newer or updated version of software into an alternate representation of the updated version; (c) compare the alternate updated version with the alternate base version (d) modify portions of the alternate updated version based on the comparison and (e) create a patch, where the patch represents the differences between the alternate updated version and the alternate base version.
US08438551B2
The invention concerns the transformation of executable code from one language to another. In particular, the invention concerns the automated transformation of code. The invention concerns methods, software and computer systems for the creation of a tree comprised of nodes to be used in the transformation of code. The invention also concerns the methods, software and computer systems for the building of a parser to be used in the transformation of code. Finally, the invention also concerns an automated and iterative method of transforming, assessing and re-transforming code. The invention is advantageous in its ability to avoid usage of an intermediate transformation language, and its high level of automation that reduces manual transformation and accordingly is more efficient and less costly.
US08438549B1
Programming for a data processor to execute a data processing application is provided using microcode source code. The microcode source code is assembled to produce microcode that includes digital microcode instructions with which to signal the data processor to execute the data processing application.
US08438543B2
A solution for discovering shared software components (C1-C9) of software products (PRODa-PRODe) installed on a data processing system is proposed. In order to achieve this result, for each software product the corresponding software components are aggregated into groups (Ga1-Ge1); each group includes software components that must be linked by a corresponding relationship (such as a co-location on the same operating system image). In this way, it is possible to assign a software component available on the system to its software product even when it may be used by more of them. Particularly, the operation is performed deterministically when the available software component is included in a single valid group (i.e., a group including all the required software components); in this case, the available software component (C2) is assigned to the software product (PROD) associated with the single valid group (Gb1). Alternatively, when an (ambiguous) available software component (C4, C8, C9) is included in more valid groups, a score is calculated for each associated (eligible) software product according to the corresponding available software components; the eligible software product with the highest score (PROD) is then selected for assigning the ambiguous software component.
US08438539B2
A computer program product that includes a project object. The project object can be configured for linearly organizing a series of custom self-contained content. The project object can be a compliable object that includes at least one menu framework object and a set of project data objects. The menu framework object can define a menu. The menu framework object conforms to a standardized menu slideshow framework. The standardized menu slideshow framework can be a reusable templated framework. Each of the project data objects can include a self-contained content object. Each self-contained content object can be programmatically linked to the menu framework object without modifying source code of the self-contained content object. The menu framework object can define a linear ordering of the set of project data objects.
US08438536B2
Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and/or data structures to implement a multi-way branch statement in a computer programming language. The multi-way branch statement may include a plurality of case labels each having a non-primitive data type (e.g., strings) and being associated with a block of code to be executed dependent upon a control variable that also has a non-primitive data type. The implementation may include encoding the case labels for the multi-way branch statement as a binary decision diagram (BDD), such as a zero-suppressed binary decision diagram (ZDD), wherein the control variable for the multi-way branch statement may be compared with the case labels by stepping through the BDD. The BDD may include identifiers that provide information regarding which of the case labels is matched by the control variable, such that an appropriate code block may be executed.
US08438532B2
A software artifact is scored for a user. Metadata associated with an artifact about project activity of how active an artifact project is to which the artifact belongs, a security risk indicated in the metadata of the artifact, or a license indicated in the metadata of the artifact, is collected from a software repository. A weighting of the artifact alone is determined from the metadata associated with the artifact that indicates desirability of the project activity, the security risk, or the license. The metadata associated with the artifact is compared to appropriateness with a metadata of a user project to which the user belongs as indicated by a profile of the user, so as to provide a score considering the determined weighting of the artifact and a appropriateness of the artifact for the user with respect to an intended use of the artifact by the user.
US08438527B2
According to one embodiment, an original plate evaluation method is disclosed. The original plate includes a substrate and N patterns differing from one another in shape. The method includes selecting N1 patterns from the N patterns based on first criterion, obtaining measured values for the N1 patterns, performing a decision whether the obtained measured values satisfy first specification value, selecting N2 patterns from the N patterns based on second criterion, predicting shapes of transfer patterns corresponding to N2 patterns, performing a decision whether the predicted shapes satisfy second specification value, and evaluating the plate based on the decision.
US08438525B2
The present invention introduces methods, systems, and architectures for routing clock signals in an integrated circuit layout. The introduced clock signal clock signal structures are rendered with non Manhattan routing. In a first embodiment, the traditional recursive H clock signal structure is rendered after transforming the coordinates system such that a rotated recursive H clock signal structure is rendered. In another embodiment, a recursive Y structure is used to create a clock signal structure. The recursive Y structure may also be implemented in a rotated alignment. For clock signal redundancy, non Manhattan wiring may be used to create a clock signal mesh network.
US08438513B1
A new method is presented for eliminating existential quantifiers from a Boolean CNF (Conjunctive Normal Form) formula. This new method designs circuits by solving a quantifier elimination problem (QEP) by using derivation of dependency sequents (DDS). This new method begins with a first quantified conjunctive normal form formula, determines dependency sequents for the left branch and the right branch of a branching variable, resolves dependency sequents derived in both branches, and designs a circuit using a current formula having less variables than the first quantified conjunctive normal formula. Utility of this method includes verification, in particular, determining reachability of a state of a design.
US08438502B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to receive from a media processor one or more scaling characteristics of a three-dimensional (3D) image, present a user interface (UI) for controlling a presentation of the 3D image at a presentation device communicatively coupled to the media processor, wherein the UI is adapted to the scaling characteristics of the 3D image, detect a manipulation of the UI, and transmit to the media processor instructions for adapting the presentation of the 3D image at the presentation device according to the detected manipulation of the UI. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08438501B2
A consumer electronics device has a video display, a processor controlling the display, and a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor. The storage medium bears instructions executable by the processor to cause a user interface (UI) to appear on the display, where the UI includes plural alpha-numeric elements. Further, each element includes plural alpha-numeric characters arranged in a row. Even further, each element is characterized by a color, a row orientation, and a size, where at least the size is established at least in part by a frequency of selection of an element. Thus, at least a first element has a first color, first size, and first row orientation and at least a second element has a second color, second size, and second row orientation respectively different from the first color, first size, and first row orientation.
US08438497B2
A system and method for controlling a media generation system where a media event may be selected via a stateless software module, the system receiving a media event protocol file corresponding to the selected media event. The media generation system generates the media event based on the received media event protocol file.
US08438495B1
A design application can provide a mechanism for quickly and intuitively designing wireframes by automatically generating containers and margins. For example, a graphical user interface can be provided in which a parent container is defined and surrounded by a boundary (“wirebox”), which may (or may not) include margins defined between the wirebox and container perimeter. Responsive to input data representing a user gesture, such as clicking and dragging at a wirebox boundary, the parent container can be divided into two or more containers. In some embodiments a tree structure with memory locations (e.g., folders) corresponding to the containers can be defined alongside and in response to definition of containers in the wireframe.
US08438485B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for generating, customizing, distributing, and presenting an interactive audio publication to a user are provided. A plurality of text-based and/or speech-based content items is converted into voice-navigable interactive audio content items that include segmented audio data, embedded visual content, and accompanying metadata. An audio publication is generated by associating one or more audio content items with one or more audio publication sections, and generating metadata that defines the audio publication structure. Assembled audio publications may be used to generate one or more new custom audio publications for a user by utilizing one or more user-defined custom audio publication templates. Audio publications are delivered to a user for presentation on an enabled presentation system. The user is enabled to navigate and interact with the audio publication, using voice commands and/or a button interface, in a manner similar to browsing visually-oriented content.
US08438483B2
In an example embodiment, computer-implemented methods, apparatus, and systems to navigate extensible video functions are provided. These may operate to receive a first request for a banner interface region. In response, the banner interface region is rendered with video content. The banner interface region includes a graphical user interface that maps to a variety of extensible video functions. A second request to access one of the video functions may be received, and the selected extensible video function is then executed. Additional methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed.
US08438477B2
A method for displaying an image of a map using a processing system, the method including: dividing a first map image obtained from a map widget into sections wherein the first map image is displayed by the processing system; recording the location of each marker to be represented in a second map image; calculating a weight factor for each section; moving and deforming each section according to the weight factor of each section to form the second map image; placing a new marker on the second map image wherein the new marker represents at least one marker with a recorded location; and displaying the second map image in place of the first map image.
US08438474B1
A method may include storing, in a memory associated with a computer device, cached content associated with a document and receiving a request to access the document. The method may further include sending a request to revalidate the cached content to a server device associated with the document, performing speculative rendering of the document, using the cached content, the speculative rendering being performed as a plurality of work items, receiving revalidated content associated with the document, determining invalid ones of the plurality of work items based on the revalidated content, and discarding the invalid ones of the plurality of work items.
US08438470B2
Provides ability to analyze the readability of an image to be displayed on a screen as a web page, etc., and appropriately modify the image. It includes a rendering section for generating an image by rendering an HTML document; an image processing section for performing image processing on the image generated by the rendering section to simulate and evaluate how the image is viewed under a certain visual characteristic; and a result presentation section for locating an HTML element that needs to be modified in the HTML document to be processed based on the evaluation result of the image processing section 30 and for presenting the HTML element to a web page creator. The result presentation section also retrieves a modification method for the HTML element that needs to be modified from a symptom model storage section. A document modification processing section actually modifies the HTML document.
US08438458B2
A decoder includes a first decoder configured to iteratively decode input data, accumulate iteratively decoded data in bit units, compare an accumulated value obtained for each bit of the iteratively decoded data with a plurality of reference values, and output decision data and indicator data according to a comparison result. The decoder includes a second decoder configured to perform error correction on a symbol including the decision data according to the indicator data.
US08438453B2
In a memory system, a host controller is coupled to a non-volatile memory (NVM) package (e.g., NAND device). The host controller sends a read command to the NVM package requesting a low latency read operation. Responsive to the read command, a controller in the NVM package retrieves the data and sends the data to an ECC engine for correcting. Following the read command, the host controller sends a read status request command to the controller in the NVM package. Responsive to the read status request, the controller sends a status report to the host controller indicating that some or all of the data is available for transfer to the host controller. Responsive to the report, the host controller transfers the data. An underrun status can be determined to indicate that uncorrected data had been transferred to the host controller.
US08438450B2
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for facilitating integrity verification of a transport stream is provided. Integrity verification is performed without increasing the bit rate of the transport stream by generating a checksum corresponding to a portion of the transport stream and inserting the checksum into a null packet within the transport stream. Utilizing a null packet to carry the checksum allows the checksum to be transmitted without increasing the bit rate of the transport stream. In addition, by creating a checksum corresponding to a portion of the transport stream, integrity verification may be performed on a streaming data file.
US08438429B2
Memory module groups are provided which include a memory module, which includes memory chips. In the case in which an error chip that is a memory chip that is provided with an error is in a first memory module, a first memory module group that is provided with the error chip is not managed as a memory module group that cannot be used even if an error of the first data element is mis-corrected based on the error detecting code of the first kind. In the case in which an error chip is in a second memory module, a second memory module group that is provided with the error chip is not managed as a memory module group that cannot be used in such a manner that an error of the second data element is not mis-corrected based on the error detecting code of the second kind.
US08438427B2
A method for diagnosing problems in a computer system by providing a user interface for visualizing flows through subsystems of the computer system, and allowing a user to explore relationships between a triage map which graphically depicts subsystems, and a transaction trace graph, which depicts a time sequence of invoked components of the subsystems. In one aspect, in response to a user selecting a portion of the transaction trace graph which depicts an invoked component, the user interface visually distinguishes one of the subsystems which invokes the invoked component. In another aspect, the transaction trace can be played back so that subsystems in the triage map are highlighted in turn, in a time sequence, as components of different subsystems are invoked. A time marker can skip to selected time points which result in updating of the triage map.
US08438425B1
In one aspect, a method of testing a device for use in a storage area network (SAN) system includes receiving recorded messages including messages from a host and from a storage array and messages to a host and to a storage array, sending the recorded messages from the host and the storage array to a device under test, receiving messages from the device under test in response to the recorded messages sent and determining whether the device under test functions identically to a validated device based on the messages from the device under test being substantially identical to the recorded messages.
US08438416B2
A system and method for dynamic function based power control is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a bridge unit having a memory controller and a communication hub coupled to the memory controller. The system further includes a power management unit, wherein the power management unit is configured to clock-gate the communication hub responsive to determining that each of a plurality of processor cores are in an idle state and that an I/O interface unit has been idle for an amount of time exceeding a first threshold. The power management unit is further configured to clock-gate the memory controller responsive to clock-gating the communication hub and determining that a memory coupled to the memory controller is in a first low power state. The power management unit may also perform power-gating of functional units subsequent to clock-gating the same.
US08438409B2
A mobile phone that uses OS virtualization for minimizing power consumption in mobile phones is provided. Apparatus and methods may involve conserving processor power in a mobile phone according to the invention may include the following steps. A first step may be awakening a first processing core from a low power state in response to a first operating system (OS) thread. A following step may include processing the first OS thread using the first processing core. A next step may include determining whether utilization of the first processing core over a first time period has exceeded a predetermined threshold. The method may also include awakening a second processing core from a low power consumption state if utilization of the first processing core over a first time period has exceeded a predetermined threshold.
US08438407B2
An information processing system has a power supply section which detects a predetermined potential applied to a USB terminal and supplying the potential as a source potential, an information detection section which detects the predetermined information supplied to the USB terminal, and a processing section which executes, subsequent to the detection of the predetermined potential, the encoding process or the decoding process in accordance with at least the operating information supplied from the operation key arranged on the body and in accordance with the predetermined information supplied to the USB terminal after detection of the predetermined information. The recording and reproducing operation can be performed with the operating key on the body with power supplied only from the USB terminal.
US08438402B2
An electronic terminal performs early detection of unauthorized analysis thereon and prevents unauthorized acquisition and falsification of confidential information that is not to be released to a third party. The electronic terminal stores confidential information that is protected by consecutive application of a plurality of protection measures for defense against an attack from a third party. The electronic terminal monitors for attacks to the protection measures from an external source, and upon detecting an attack on one protection measure, updates a protection state of the confidential information to a new protection state in which either a new protection measure has been added to a protection path from the one attacked protection means to the confidential information, or the one protection measure on the path has been updated to a higher defense level.
US08438401B2
Devices and methods for securely storing data are provided. A device for constructing an encryption key comprising a tamper-protection barrier that encloses one or more memory devices is provided. The memory stores data for constructing the encryption key. The memory may include a single memory device or a plurality of memory devices. The tamper-protection barrier also encloses a security processor configured to combine the data stored in the memory based in part on a function, such as a logical exclusive-or (XOR) function, to construct the encryption key. The stored data in the memory may include partial keys. These partial keys may be created based in part on applying the XOR function to an encryption key.
US08438392B2
Embodiments of systems and methods which provide highly specific control over the execution of general-purpose code block are disclosed. These embodiments may allow the exact circumstances under which a given code block is allowed to execute to be determined with specificity. Such a control mechanism may be coupled with embodiments of a data hiding system and method, based for example, on an ordered execution of a set of code segments implemented via recursive execution. When embodiments of these systems and methods are utilized together an unencumbered generality as well as a level of protection against attack that surpasses many other security systems may be obtained.
US08438379B2
A value of a configuration setting contained within a selected content unit of an application may be used as input for a configuration check algorithm to calculate a control parameter output. The algorithm may include logical operators, conditional statements, mathematical logic, and mathematical functions. The algorithm may be used to verify the correctness of the value. Different control parameter output values may be associated with different options in the automated configuration verification program. The options may include, but are not limited to, modifying an unsupported configuration setting value to a supported value, updating configuration setting values in non-selected content units, exiting the automated program and switching to a manual configuration setting change mode, and automatically updating a configuration setting value to a supported value without further intervention.
US08438367B2
An apparatus has a queue, each entry stores a different line of a stream of instruction bytes and accumulated prefix information associated with each instruction byte. Control logic: (a) detects a condition where an initial portion of an instruction partially within a first line stored in the bottom entry (BE) of the queue remains unextracted from the queue, wherein the initial portion instruction bytes are all prefix bytes; (b) saves away the initial portion length, shifts the first line in the BE out of the queue, and shifts a second line into the BE, in response to detecting the condition; (c) extracts instruction bytes of the unextracted instruction from the second line in the BE and extracts accumulated prefix information from the second line of the BE in place of the already shifted out initial portion prefix bytes; (d) calculates the unextracted instruction length using the saved length; and (e) extracts an instruction other than the unextracted instruction from the second line in the BE using the calculated length.
US08438365B2
A method of loading data into register files that correspond to respective execution units within a data-parallel processor. After receiving a first set of parameters that specify a subset of data within a first memory, the first set of parameters are compared to a plurality of sets of conditions that correspond to respective patterns of data. The first set of parameters is then converted to a second set of parameters in accordance with one of the sets of conditions satisfied by the first set of parameters. A sequence of memory addresses are generated based on the second set of parameters. Data is retrieved from locations within the first memory specified by the sequence of memory addresses and loaded into register files that correspond to respective execution units within a processor.
US08438359B2
Provided is a method for managing a memory storage region used by a processor. The processor is connected to the memory that stores data accessed while a task is being executed. The memory management method including the steps of: dividing the memory area of the memory into blocks having a plurality of different sizes; selecting a block having a size matching a size of the data accessed while the task is being executed; and storing the data accessed while the task is being executed in the selected block.
US08438358B1
A system and method are provided for using a system-on-chip (SoC) memory speed control logic core to control memory maintenance and access parameters. A SoC is provided with an internal hardware-enabled memory speed control logic (MSCL) core. An array of SoC memory control parameter registers is accessed and a set of parameters is selected from one of the registers. The selected set of parameters is delivered to a SoC memory controller, to replace an initial set of parameters, and the memory controller manages an off-SoC memory using the delivered set of parameters.
US08438356B2
Methods, systems and computer program products for implementing a polling process among one or more flash memory devices are described. In some implementations, the polling process may include sending a read status command to a flash memory device to detect the ready or busy state of the flash memory device. A status register may be included in the flash memory device for storing a status signal indicating an execution state of a write (or erase) operation. A solid state drive system may perform the polling process by reading the status register of the flash memory device.
US08438355B2
Various embodiments for defragmentation of a storage volume in a computing storage environment by a processor device are provided. A volume table of contents (VTOC) is serialized for a volume scan operation. At least one dummy data set in the storage volume is allocated, to be subsequently filled with actual data pursuant to a defragmentation operation. The serialization of the VTOC is released, allowing access to the storage volume. Input/output (I/O) operations are allowed to occur.
US08438352B2
Embodiments of the system described herein can be implemented in a software application that runs on a host device or is embedded in a logic or memory device such as a gate array, EEPROM, a control, or dynamical system. The system embodiment allows a set of similar or dissimilar intelligent devices or sensors, which may be interconnected with any type of network or bus, to replicate data between themselves for the purpose of remote backup, redundancy, content distribution, or measurements. The attributes of the data, which may be changed or created on one device or passed through the device, are tracked and journaled in volatile or non-volatile storage in a first phase. This occurs in real-time as the data changes or passes through the device. In a second phase, the attributes that match patterns pre-specified in a configuration are used to decide what changes or the content to replicate to one or more devices. In a third phase, the data is replicated. In practice, the techniques described herein are independent of hardware, operating systems, and applications. The example embodiment is designed to be transparent for system redundancy and error recovery processes such as error correction, retransmission on links, and raid reconfiguration.
US08438332B2
A method to maintain write operation atomicity where a write operation crosses a data storage medium track boundary. The method supplies a storage controller comprising a host adapter, a processor, and a NVS. The host adapter receives from a host computer a write request and data. The method determines if the write request will cross a data storage medium track boundary. If the write request will cross a data storage medium track boundary, the method indicates to the host adapter that the write request comprises a two-track transfer, and writes the data to the NVS as the data is received. If the host computer fails prior to providing all the data to the storage controller, the method discards the data written to the NVS to ensure write operation atomicity.
US08438325B2
An invention is provided for improving performance in block based non-volatile memory when performing random small write operations. When requests for small page updates are received for a memory page currently storing data, the updated page data is written to a reserve memory page. The reserve memory page can be in the same memory block as the target memory page, or in an associated reserve memory block. In addition, the associated logical page address is temporarily remapped to the reserve page. Later, when time permits, the page data for the block can be reorganized into continuous pages in a new block.
US08438323B2
A communication processing apparatus (101) includes: a MAC unit (106) receiving a packet; a classification unit (107) classifying the received packet; a transfer control unit (104) transferring data of the classified packet to a main memory (102); a first memory (112m) storing an interrupt management table (112); an interrupt control unit (111) specifying, with reference to the interrupt management table (112), an interrupt control method associated with the classification of the packet classified by the classification unit (107) and outputting an interrupt signal to a CPU (103) using the specified interrupt control method; and a setting unit (110) registering the classification and the interrupt control method into the interrupt management table (112) according to instructions from an application program activated in the CPU (103) so as to update the interrupt management table (112).
US08438317B2
According to this invention, when initialization of a storage medium such as a flash memory is erase of the data area, the processing can be stopped. When the processing is stopped, at least initialization of the management area has been completed, and processing using the storage medium can be executed. If erase processing is not stopped but proceeds to the end, no erase processing need be performed in writing new data, and high-speed write is promised. For this purpose, when complete formatting is designated, the management area of the file system is first initialized. Then, erase processing for the data area of the file system is executed by a predetermined block size. If it is determined that stop is designated during the data area erase processing, the processing ends, but the management area has already been initialized.
US08438316B2
A computer system including a management computer for managing the entire system, an integral apparatus, and a high-level connecting device for connecting the management computer and the integral apparatus is designed so that the management computer retains integral apparatus internal configuration information, configuration information about an integral apparatus to be introduced, that indicates the configuration of the integral apparatus that may possibly be introduced to the system, and lifetime information indicating lifetime of the integral apparatus; obtains connectivity guarantee information indicating whether connectivity between the computer and the storage apparatus is guaranteed or not; selects an integral apparatus to be removed from the system by referring to the lifetime information; selects an integral apparatus to be introduced to the system by referring to the integral apparatus internal configuration information, the configuration information about the integral apparatus to be introduced, and the connectivity guarantee information.
US08438310B2
A plurality of affiliated websites are configured to log user interactions. The logs comprise user identification information that allows a profile aggregation service to correlate user interactions across the affiliated websites and to generate respective user profiles. The user profiles may be used to configure the websites. A context aware platform (CAP) website may be configured to provide web services for entities in a business hierarchy. The CAP website may capable of presenting content in one of a plurality of operational modes associated with a geographical granularity of the business hierarchy. In addition, the CAP website may be configurable according to a user profile generated by a profile aggregation service.
US08438309B2
A method that allows for rapid inter base station handoffs in IP based wireless networks is disclosed. More specifically a technique to address the problem of accurate location management during rapid handoff across multiple base stations is described in this invention disclosure. The idea proposed uses a combination of Timestamp and Sequence number along with a message exchange protocol over the network to maintain the registration with only a single base station at any point of time.
US08438301B2
A computer system receives a request from a client computer system for data that is to be presented to a user, accesses a portion of the requested data and determines the encoded bit rate from the accessed portion of requested data. Based on the encoded bit rate for the requested data, the computer system determines an initial amount of data that is to be transferred to the client computer system to enable prompt access to that portion of data and determines the transfer rate for transferring the remaining data to the client computer system. The transfer rate for the remaining data is lower than the transfer rate for the initial amount. The computer system transfers the initial amount of data to the client computer system and transfers the remainder of the requested data to the client computer system at the determined lower transfer rate, subsequent to transferring the initial amount.
US08438300B2
A distributed method that combines both flow control and smart volume reduction means in a communication network is provided herein. The stages of the method are applied by each node in the network in a distributed way, which adapts to the evolving state of the system. The operations performed by each node in the network are adapted dynamically in a way that adjusts itself to the changes that occur in various parameters of the network. Such parameters include both local node state and also the state of different nodes in the distributed infrastructure. The state of the nodes is characterized by parameters such as transmission rates, available buffer space and the state of data in buffer. The stages are carried out in parallel by the nodes and ordered such that the equality of the data flowing in the network, in terms of delay and specified attributes, is maximized.
US08438296B2
According to particular embodiments, a system for outputting prerecorded communications includes a central server that receives playback instructions, retrieves event data from a database according to the playback instructions, and outputs events from the event data to an agent server according to the timing characteristics associated with the events, and the agent server that deploys playback agents into the target group communication service to submit events to the target group communication service.
US08438295B2
Data sets of various types may be accessible through a host according to a protocol, such as a RESTful HTTP interface. Various domains may involve domain-specific processes to be executed as pre-triggers or post-triggers of various protocol requests (e.g., an HTTP GET request specifying a Read operation on an access-restricted data set may involve an authorization operations set that verifies the access privileges of the requester.) A host of the data set may be configured to receive a resource script expressing the operations set in a script language, to store the resource script, and to associated it with at least one data set and at least one verb of the protocol. Upon later receiving a protocol request specifying the verb and the resource, the host may then execute the resource script (as a pre-trigger and/or as a post-trigger) in accordance with the business logic of the domain.
US08438291B2
Business applications running on a content delivery network (CDN) having a distributed application framework can create, access and modify state for each client. Over time, a single client may desire to access a given application on different CDN edge servers within the same region and even across different regions. Each time, the application may need to access the latest “state” of the client even if the state was last modified by an application on a different server. A difficulty arises when a process or a machine that last modified the state dies or is temporarily or permanently unavailable. The present invention provides techniques for migrating session state data across CDN servers in a manner transparent to the user. A distributed application thus can access a latest “state” of a client even if the state was last modified by an application instance executing on a different CDN server, including a nearby (in-region) or a remote (out-of-region) server.
US08438288B2
A system is described for allowing a user, operating a trusted device, to remotely log into a server via a potentially untrustworthy client. The system operates by establishing a first secure connection between the client and the server. The system then establishes a second secure connection between the device and the server through the client. The user then remotely logs into the server over the second secure connection using the device. The second secure connection is tunneled within the first secure connection, preventing the untrustworthy client from discovering personal information associated with the user. According to one feature, prior to forming the second secure connection, the user can establish a pairing relationship with the client by reading an address of the client using any kind of reading mechanism. According to another feature, the device can receive marketing information in the course of a transaction.
US08438279B2
A server system provides responsive content to a user when a request for an invalid URL is received. The server system may implement multiple rescue strategies for attempting to rescue the invalid URL. One such rescue strategy involves repairing the URL by correcting for encoding errors. Another rescue strategy involves determining that the URL contains an obsolete or outdated item identifier (e.g., product identifier) that renders the URL invalid, and returning information regarding one or more related items to the user. Another rescue strategy involves mining the invalid URL for one or more text strings reflective of the type of content desired, and then using the one or more text strings to execute a keyword search to identify content to provide to the user. The various rescue strategies may be attempted in sequence according to a hierarchy.
US08438271B2
A method, computer, and computer program product for performing a service. A processor unit identifies information about a network data processing system for performing the service. The processor unit identifies a plurality of steps used to perform the service. The processor unit identifies a set of software tools needed in each step in the plurality of steps to perform the service on the network data processing system. The set of software tools is identified based on the information identified. The information comprises at least one of a type of optimization performance system, a type of cluster, and a configuration of the cluster.
US08438269B1
The present invention includes a method of measuring performance and capacity of a network includes monitoring network activity using an application programming interfaces monitoring system with a web services definition language file and at least one probe. The web services definition language file provides instructions to a probe control system in the application programming interfaces monitoring system and the probe control system providing regular expressions to the at least one probe. Then, performance data is collected using the at least one probe. The performance data includes a date stamp and a collection of performance information. Next, using the at least one probe, performance data measurements are transmitted between the network and the application programming interfaces monitoring system. The application programming interfaces monitoring system stores the performance data measurements in a database of performance data monitored and analyzes the performance data measurements to determine performance and capacity of the network. After that, the application programming interfaces monitoring system reports information on performance and capacity of the network to a network operations center dashboard.
US08438265B2
A method of offloading, from a host data processing unit (205), the generation of data corruption-detection digests for iSCSI PDUs to be transmitted as TCP segments over respective TCP connections. An iSCSI layer processing software (310) executed by the host data processing unit provides a command descriptor list (320) containing command descriptors adapted to identify portions of at least one iSCSI PDU to be transmitted, and data corruption-detection digest descriptors (CRC DESC(PDUa); CRC DESC(PDUb)), each one associated with a respective PDU data corruption-detection digest. An iSCSI processing offload engine (223) transmits the iSCSI PDU over the respective TCP connection, based on the descriptors in the command descriptor list; during the transmission, the iSCSI PDU data corruption-detection digest are calculated, and the calculated data corruption-detection digest is saved in the corresponding data corruption-detection digest descriptor in the command descriptor list.
US08438264B2
Methods and apparatus for monitoring a communication network are disclosed. A disclosed method of monitoring a communication network periodically collects data from a plurality of network elements within the communication network. The disclosed method analyzes the collected data in accordance with a rule that corresponds to a characteristic of performance or capacity of the plurality of network elements to form performance or capacity data representative of a user experience of the communication network. The disclosed method then presents the performance or capacity data via a web browser using a plurality of view levels and types.
US08438254B2
A network appliance is described that can provide a variety of software services, including both platform services, such as access method services, and a load balancing service. A network may include a network appliance that both provides one or more platform services and acts as a load balancer. When two or more such appliances are used together, they can replace a substantial portion of a conventional network. For example, when a network appliance receives a client communication, its load balancer service can determine whether one of its own platform services will process the communication or forward the communication to another network appliance for processing. Moreover, if the load balancing service of a network appliance fails, another network appliance can provide load balancing. Similarly, if another service of a network appliance fails, then the network appliance may continue to provide load balancing but forward communications requiring the failed service to another network appliance for processing.
US08438253B2
A method, system, machine-readable storage medium, and apparatus are directed towards upgrading a cluster by bifurcating the cluster into two virtual clusters, an “old” virtual cluster (old active cluster) and a “new” virtual cluster (new standby cluster), and iteratively upgrading members of the old cluster while moving them into the new cluster. While members are added to the new cluster, existing connections and new connections are seamlessly processed by the old cluster. Optionally, state mirroring occurs between the old cluster and the new cluster once the number of members of the old and new clusters are approximately equal. Once a threshold number of members have been transferred to the new cluster, control and processing may be taken over by the new cluster. Transfer of control from the old cluster to the new cluster may be performed by failing over connectivity from the old cluster to the new cluster.
US08438250B2
The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for updating script images in wireless sensor networks. In one exemplary embodiment, a system has logic that is configured to display a list of nodes of a wireless sensor network. The logic is further configured to display a script source of a first script image stored at one of the nodes in response to a selection of the one node from the displayed list of nodes. The logic is also configured to modify the script source based on user input and to convert the modified script source to a second script image. The logic is configured to transmit at least one remote procedure call through the wireless sensor network to the one node. The one node is configured to write the second script image in memory of the one node in response to the at least one remote procedure call.
US08438248B2
In one embodiment, a method for optimization of network protocol options with reinforcement learning and propagation is disclosed. The method comprises: interacting, by a learning component of a server of a network, with one or more clients and an environment of the network; conducting, by the learning component, different trials of one or more options in different states for network communication via a protocol of the network; receiving, by the learning component, performance feedback for the different trials as rewards; and utilizing, by the learning component, the different trials and associated resulting rewards to improve a decision-making policy associated with the server for negotiation of the one or more options. Other embodiments are also described.
US08438243B2
Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber's network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber's digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively replaced if desired in order to make the remotely delivered content more appropriate to the remote user's context.
US08438241B2
A method for processing communication traffic includes monitoring the communication traffic that is directed to a group of addresses on a network, and determining respective baseline characteristics of the communication traffic that is directed to each of the addresses in the group. Deviations from the respective baseline characteristics of the communication traffic directed to at least one of the addresses in the group are detected, as an indication that at least some of the communication traffic may be of malicious origin. Responsively to detecting the deviation, the communication traffic that is directed to all of the addresses in the group is filtered so as to remove at least some of the communication traffic that is of the malicious origin.
US08438218B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for providing accessible home network information regarding one or more home networks that can be accessed from a remote access (RA) environment. The apparatus includes a channel-creation module which creates a communication channel via which an RA client and an in-home RA server can communicate with each other; an information-management module which issues a request for capability information, a credential list and a profile list to each of the RA client and the in-home RA server; and an information-generation module which generates channel-creation information for creating a communication channel between the RA client and the in-home RA server based on the capability information.
US08438216B2
Management of virtual machines within a private network may be provided from a server application, such as a web application, on a machine remote from a private network. The server application receives management commands and communications the management commands in a vendor independent format to a client application within the private network. The client application receives the management commands, instantiates the management commands into a vendor specific definition and redirects the management commands to the virtual machine host for appropriate execution.
US08438212B2
A system and method for providing broadcast messages to message specific broadcast target areas having a broadcast admission control module receiving records each having a broadcast message, a message specific broadcast target area, and a broadcast message originator identifier for each one broadcast message, validating each received broadcast message record as a function of the broadcast message originator identifier and the broadcast target area, and generating a validated broadcast message record for each successfully validated broadcast message record. The system includes a broadcast message distributor module receiving the validated broadcast message records, determining for each message record which message broadcast transmission network provides broadcast messaging service to at least a portion of the broadcast target area and transmitting each broadcast message and all or a portion of the broadcast target area, over an output interface coupled to the determined broadcast transmission network.
US08438206B2
A linear feedback shift calculation apparatus, into which input data is input, and which outputs output data, including: an L generation unit which generates q values of q0 to qN−2 represented by: q k = { p 0 ( k = 0 ) p k + ∑ i = 0 k - 1 q k - 1 - i × p i ( 1 ≤ k ≤ N - 2 ) Equation 1 (where, p0, p1, . . . , pN−1, q0, q1, . . . , qN−2 belong to Galois field GF(2)) from coefficients p0 to pN−2 among inputted coefficients p−1 to pN−1 (wherein, N is a natural number of 2 or more); and a matrix calculation unit which outputs the output data calculated from the output data b0 to bN−1 represented by: ( b N - 1 b N - 2 ⋮ b o ) = L × ( U × ( a N - 1 a N - 2 ⋮ a 0 ) + p - 1 × ( a - 1 a - 2 ⋮ a - N ) ) Equation 2 and L = ( 1 0 … 0 0 0 q 0 1 0 … 0 0 q 1 q 0 1 0 … 0 ⋮ ⋱ ⋱ ⋱ ⋮ q N - 3 q N - 4 … q 0 1 0 q N - 2 q N - 3 … q 1 q 0 1 ) Equation 3 U = ( p N - 1 p N - 2 … p 2 p 1 p 0 0 p N - 1 p N - 2 … p 2 p 1 0 0 p N - 1 p N - 2 … p 2 ⋮ ⋱ ⋱ ⋱ ⋮ 0 0 … 0 p N - 1 p N - 2 0 0 … 0 0 p N - 1 ) from the q values q0 to qN−2, the coefficients p−1 to pN−1 and the input data a−N to a−1, a0 to aN−1.
US08438203B2
Methods and systems of processing and displaying data that include obtaining and processing time-time data to obtain an in-phase sum of the time-time data, and of providing and utilizing the in-phase sum of the time-time data to generate a graphical display of the Radon sum of the time-time data. The in-phase sum of the time-time data may be provided for display, for example, by outputting a data signal suitable for generating a graphical representation of the in-phase sum of the time-time data, and the output data signal may be utilized to generate a graphical representation of the in-phase sum of the time-time data.
US08438200B2
A method for calculating coordinate points corresponding to a segment of a circle for arch construction includes entering a desired width dimension of a desired arch, entering a desired height dimension of a desired arch, and calculating coordinate pairs corresponding to a previously defined coordinate system, wherein the resultant coordinate pairs correspond to points defining an arc, wherein the arc is the arc corresponding to the width and height dimensions of the desired arch.
US08438197B2
Incidental content as metadata contains one of primary content and usage editing material content information. The primary content has been used directly as an editing material in a secondary usage mode fashion in order to produce the incident content data and the usage editing material content information indicates the incidental content. A generation structure is recognized by back-tracking content serving as a parent by referencing usage editing material content starting with given incidental content, based on the usage editing material content information of each incidental content.
US08438192B2
The invention provides a system and method for retrieving and storing industrial data, the system comprising a data retriever that includes a data retrieval manager and one or more watchers for monitoring data associated with one or more industrial devices, wherein if the data associated with the one or more industrial devices is new or modified, the one or more watchers notifies the data retrieval manager thereof and the data retrieval manager uploads the new or modified data. The system further includes a database manager for receiving the new or modified data in a first form from the data retrieval manager and for storing the new or modified data in a structural data form in one or more databases.
US08438181B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating responses to writs, such as subpoenas, in an efficient and timely manner. Implementations of the invention may include a writ response module and a queue manager to offer web service providers to automatically generate reports in response to various writs and to prioritize processing and human review prior to delivery of results.
US08438176B2
An apparatus includes: an obtaining unit to obtain a plurality of addresses in order, and a storage unit to store a first group of addresses included in the plurality of addresses and obtained before a certain address is obtained by the obtaining unit, and to store a second group of addresses included in the plurality of addresses and obtained after the certain address is obtained by the obtaining unit. An extracting unit extracts one or more addresses from the first group of addresses when the obtaining unit further obtains an address that matches any address of the first group of addresses, or extracts one or more addresses of the second group of addresses when the obtaining unit further obtains an address that matches any address of the second group of addresses, wherein the one or more extracted addresses are other than the matched address.
US08438161B2
A database access facility for accessing databases includes a monitoring function which monitors accesses by requestors of database data. The monitoring function tracks which database fields are requested to dynamically determine the fields which the application needs. Once sufficient tracking data is obtained, subsequent accesses to the database on behalf of an application are automatically modified by the application server to request only the fields which are likely to be needed. Preferably, the database access facility is an application server for one or middle tier applications which access the database on behalf of multiple clients in a three-tier client-server environment.
US08438156B2
In one embodiment, a user of a social networking system requests to check in a place near the user's current location. The social networking system generates a list of places near the user's current location, ranks the places in the list of places near the user's current location by a distance between each place and the user's current location, as well as activity of the user and the user's social contacts for each place, and returns the ranked list to the user.
US08438151B1
Methods, systems and computer readable instructions to provide unbiased real property information to an end-user based on the location of the end-user when the end-user initiates a request for the real property information. The real property information is unbiased because the provider of the real property information searches for information that may adversely affect a potential transaction and provides the information found in the search regardless of the potential effect on a transaction.
US08438150B2
A system and method are disclosed for presenting attainable events in the form of an event widget on the client computer browser. This system and method provides for embedding an event widget onto a third party, or affiliate, website so that when the website is viewed by a computer end user, the widget displays a tailored list of events. The tailored list of events include events that may be filtered and ranked based on webmaster settings and refined by system users. The events may be data mined from the Internet, as well as entered by System Users. System Users that directly enter events have the option to sell tickets to those events, and the system will broker the sales commissions, as appropriate, to the entities that helped effect the sale, such as website owners and other System Users who provided event information in the form of audio or video presentations that were associated particular events.
US08438149B1
Disclosed are various embodiments generating network pages for search engines from data protected from search engines. A portion of data from a corpus of data that is protected from indexing by a search engine is extracted. A first network page is generated based at least in part on the portion of data. The first network page is configured for the search engine to index the portion of data. The first network page omits a context for the portion of data from the corpus of data. The first network page includes one or more links to a second network page that is protected from indexing by the search engine. The second network page provides access to the corpus of data.
US08438146B2
Embodiments of the invention may provide an approach for managing electronic records in a content management system. The content management system may use a container structure to create, edit, and manage electronic records in a coordinated way. The container structure may include a master container and a plurality of sub-containers. An associated method generally may include receiving a request comprising a record and one or more properties associated with the record; determining, from the one or more properties associated with the record, a date; based on the date of the record, associating the record with a sub-container of the container structure; and managing disposition of the sub-container based on an associated policy.
US08438144B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium is provided for replaying captured workload data in a database environment with connection pools. A replay system includes a dispatcher that manages a connection pool. In one aspect, the dispatcher selects available connections for sending database commands that are ready to be executed against a database, but prevents from being sent, or holds, commands that are not ready to be executed against the database. Commands may be stored at the dispatcher until the database advances to a state that allows the commands to be executed. In another aspect, the dispatcher may use an available connection to send a command to a database instance even though the command is not ready to be executed, as long as at least a threshold number or percentage of connections remains available.
US08438142B2
Systems and methods to generate modified/refined user inputs based on the original user input, such as a search query, are disclosed. The method may be implemented for Roman-based and/or non-Roman based language such as Chinese. The method may generally include receiving an original user input and identifying core terms therein, determining potential alternative inputs by replacing core term(s) in the original input with another term according to a similarity matrix and/or substituting a word sequence in the original input with another word sequence according to an expansion/contraction table where one word sequence is a substring of the other, computing likelihood of each potential alternative input, and selecting most likely alternative inputs according to a predetermined criteria, e.g., likelihood of the alternative input being at least that of the original input. A cache containing pre-computed original user inputs and corresponding alternative inputs may be provided.
US08438140B2
A computer-readable medium includes a report generator configured to process a current version of a data set to generate a report including a data item. The computer-readable medium also includes a report data change tracker configured to identify a change in the data item with respect to a previous version of the data set. The computer-readable medium further includes a report data change presenter configured to superimpose an indication of the change onto the report.
US08438137B2
Techniques for selecting between source and target deduplication include analyzing resource information related to resources available for deduplication, analyzing backup metadata of a backup job containing formation related to backup of data from the source to the target, and selecting between deduplication on the source or the target based on the analyzed resource information and the backup metadata.
US08438136B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for recovering a backup catalog from replicated data. A set of catalog metadata may be stored in a metadata object on a first storage device. The set of catalog metadata may describe a plurality of files stored in an archive. The metadata object and the archive may be copied to a second storage device, thereby generating a replicated metadata object and a replicated archive on the second storage device. The set of catalog metadata may be imported from the replicated metadata object into a destination backup catalog. The destination backup catalog describes the plurality of files stored in the replicated archive.
US08438134B2
A computer-readable recording medium containing a database copying program for making a copy of a database on a remote computer being connected over a network, without causing a delay in replying to an application program. A mirroring unit copies data written on a plurality of local disks onto corresponding remote disks in the same sequence as the data was written. Upon reception of a data writing request, a data writing unit stores the data in a local disk selected as a current disk. When the data stored in the current disk reaches a maximum data capacity, the current disk manager switches the current disk to another local disk. In addition, when the data stored in the current disk reaches the maximum data capacity, an operation information manager stores operation information requesting backup of the data stored in the current disk, in a local disk selected as an operation information storage disk.
US08438130B2
Methods, computer systems, and computer program products for replicating data are provided. Meta-data and data associated with the meta-data are received at a first data server. A new portion of the data that is not already stored on the first data server is identified. The new portion of the data is stored on a second data server before the meta-data is stored on the second data server.
US08438129B1
Described is a system for health prognosis of a component based on the use of a graphical probabilistic model. The model comprises a layer of at least one component node representing the health of a component, a layer of at least one health observation node representing a health observation, and a layer of at least one usage node representing a usage observation. Additionally, the system is configured to collect component failure data, which is used in generating normalized failure histograms. The histograms provide failure densities for component and health observation failures. The system also computes at least one parameter for the model using component and health observation failure densities. A component prognosis is computed based on present observation of system usage and health with a history of past observation using a standard reasoning engine.
US08438127B2
Provided is a mobile terminal including a movement sensor that detects a movement of a user and outputs movement information, acquires information on a building existing at a current location or information on buildings existing in a vicinity of the current location, analyses the movement information output from the movement sensor, and detects a first behavior pattern corresponding to the movement information from multiple first behavior patterns obtained by classifying behaviors performed by the user over a relatively short period of time, and analyses the information on a building or buildings and the first behavior pattern, and detects a second behavior pattern corresponding to the information on a building or buildings and the first behavior pattern from multiple second behavior patterns obtained by classifying behaviors performed by the user over a relatively long period of time.
US08438116B2
Digital cash token protocols employ two pairs of private and public keys. Each public key is certified separately and the protocols do not use any blind signature schemes. As a result, the digital cash token protocols provide strong protection of user privacy by using two certified public keys instead of a blind signature. One pair of certified keys consists of one master user private key and one master user public key. A second pair of certified keys consists of one pseudonym user private key and one pseudonym user public key. The use of a master key pair and a pseudonym key pair circumvents the need for blind signatures. As a result, the proposed protocols do not require blind signatures and do not add additional overhead and security requirements necessitated by conventional blind signature schemes. The protocols use public key protocols and digital signatures and symmetric key protocols, which may be readily implemented in standard information security based systems based on cryptographic constructs. In addition, the protocols may be deployed in mobile, off-line, and on-line settings.
US08438097B2
Systems and methods of trading items on an electronic trading system according to the invention are provided. The embodiments of the invention are based at least in part on a new order type. The new order type is a modification of a conventional good-until-bettered order type. A good-until-bettered bid/offer is received along with instructions that specify a good-until-bettered increment value and/or duration. The good-until-bettered order is maintained in the electronic trading system until a bid/offer that is better by the specified plurality of standard trading increments is received by the electronic trading system and/or remains in the system for the good-until-bettered duration.
US08438095B1
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN INFLATION-SENSITIVE INDEX AND ASSOCIATED FINANCIAL PRODUCT GENERATOR (“ISIG”) provides facilities for generating and managing inflation-sensitive financial indices and/or the associated portfolios of investment vehicles underlying them, as well as for constructing tradable financial products based on and/or otherwise influenced by the values of those indices. In one embodiment, the ISIG may generate, maintain and/or manage at least three indices and/or financial products based thereon (e.g., such as index-linked exchange traded funds, and/or the like): a long-term inflation index that depends on the long term inflation expectations embedded in the U.S. Government bond market; a long-term TIPS index, that tracks an investment in the longest TIPS in the marketplace, the 30 year TIPS bond, that may roll to on-the-run series according to a predefined roll schedule; and a long-term treasury index that tracks an investment in the longest maturity sector for government bonds with the price transparency and liquidity of a futures contract.
US08438092B2
A computer program product is provided for selecting a recommended investment portfolio based in part on socially responsible considerations. A portfolio of securities is identified for potential inclusion in the recommended investment portfolio. Socially responsible investing (SRI) scores are provided for the identified securities, and the identified securities are ranked relative to each other based on their SRI scores in a computerized ranking engine. A processor receives an entry of initial weightings for each of the identified securities, or data by which initial weightings for each of the identified securities can be objectively calculated; the ranking of the identified securities based on their SRI scores; and an SRI multiplier algorithm that is correlated with the relative ranking. The initial weightings or the data are unadjusted by socially responsible considerations. The processor uses a weighting calculation engine to calculate adjusted weightings for the portfolio of securities using at least the entered items. Securities having higher ranked SRI scores relative to other securities receive greater weightings, and the weightings include non-binary weightings. The processor outputs the adjusted weightings for the portfolio of securities. The adjusted weightings are used to select the recommended investment portfolio based in part on socially responsible considerations.
US08438090B2
Index-linked notes with periodic coupons subject to a triggering event, and accompanying methods, are described herein. In some instances, exemplary notes allow a purchaser to purchase a note and receive periodic coupons returned on the note as long as a triggering event does not occur. Assuming that the triggering event does not occur, the purchaser may receive these coupons until the note reaches maturity. Payment of the periodic coupons may cease, however, when a triggering event (e.g., the purchaser's death) does occur. In addition, the amount of the periodic coupons are tied in some manner to a financial index, such as the Bloomberg index, the S&P 500, or the like.
US08438089B1
A transaction verification system and method may include receiving an interaction record describing communications between parties regarding a transaction event. The interaction record may include interactions having multiple communication formats. Transaction data describing transaction parameters input into a trading system during the transaction even may be compared to the interaction record. A matching score may be calculated that indicates a level of similarity between the interaction record and the transaction data. The matching score may be calculated for multiple of transaction events in an interaction log, and an interaction log score may be calculated.
US08438087B2
A system and method are provided for presenting trading information. One example method includes displaying a plurality of effective trade indicators corresponding to price levels at which effective trades have been initiated, and displaying trading information corresponding to each effective trade. The effective trades can be determined based on user-configured trade definitions. The trading information can include a traded quantity and profit/loss corresponding to each effective trade. In addition to the trading information, current market information could be displayed as well in relation to the plurality of effective trades.
US08438082B2
A consumable supply management system, connected to an image forming apparatus storing an apparatus identification data and using a consumable supply, includes a system controller and a management information storage. The management information storage stores management information including the apparatus identification data and a delivery-completed flag. The system controller includes a remaining amount information recording unit, a search unit, a delivery instruction unit, and an information clearing unit. The remaining amount information recording unit stores the management information to the management information storage when notification of remaining amount of the consumable supply is received. The search unit searches management information. The delivery instruction unit determines to deliver or suspend a delivery of a spare consumable supply in view of information clearing status of the management information and status of the delivery-completed flag. When consumable supply replacement information is received, the information clearing unit clears the management information.
US08438079B1
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A server system receives a request for details regarding a product that a user of a remote computing device selected for purchase from a user interface provided by a third-party application program executable at the remote computing device. The received request specifies the product. The server system uses an indication of the product to identify details that are specific to the product. The server system sends, for receipt by the particular application program, the details. The server system receives, from the particular application program and after sending the details, confirmation to purchase the product, and, in response, sends a charge request to charge the user for the product to a transaction processing system.
US08438076B2
A data processing system is provided for obtaining client's real time pricing information from password protected secure data bases, and sending the client a price comparison report. If the web sites are secure, the system provides real time impersonation of the client in order to gain access to the web site.
US08438075B2
A system and method for conducting electronic business between buyers and sellers is provided. The system and method disclose a means for at least one buyer to request and receive online bids from one or more sellers of a particular product according to a price curve or price schedule. A price schedule or curve for a product defining a product's unit price as a function of the volume of product ordered. Upon receipt of a plurality of bids from sellers, a buyer can then select a seller-supplier based at least in part on the price schedule.
US08438074B2
A computer system that includes a central server that is programmed to store an initialize business rule associated with a vendor and a DNS associated with the vendor. The central server is programmed to receive a first user query for a product or service of the vendor. The central server is programmed to dynamically form a universal code sequence forming a DNA field, having at least fields for a user identity, a transaction scope and a product definition. The central server is programmed to receive, from the vendor a first vendor response based upon execution by the vendor of the initialize business rule and to receive a second user query. The central server is programmed to dynamically add the universal code sequence to form a request DNA. The central server is programmed to dynamically form an offer DNA and determine if the offer DNA matches the request DNA.
US08438071B2
The present invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for facilitating the selection, purchasing and ordering glass products. The apparatus includes a processor which is controlled by software to facilitate a selection process which integrates the comparison of glass products and their properties, as well as, including particular properties of particular components of a glass product. The apparatus can work with a user input device and is programmed to display graphics associated with selections and potential selections for glass products. The system and method providing selection menus for display on a display device and an animation graphic associated with a selection presented to the user. The system, apparatus, and method integrates the glass product selection information, and makes selections for the user, based on the user's previous choices and specified target performances to present to the user potential glass products.
US08438068B2
Seller's reputation quantification technique embodiments are presented that quantify in monetary terms a risk of dissatisfaction to a potential buyer of a product or service from a seller in an on-line consumer market. Generally, this involves computing the monetary sales limit for the seller. This monetary sales limit represents an amount, which if a sum of the current prices of all the products and services currently offered by the seller is equal to or less than the amount, there would not be a significant risk to the buyer of being dissatisfied with the product or service. Given this, a risk of a potential buyer's dissatisfaction with a product or service purchased from the seller in view of a price the buyer wants to pay is assessed. The assessed risk is then provided to the potential buyer in the form of one or more risk indicators.
US08438059B2
A system may present dynamic content to an e-mail recipient in the form of an image implementing frame-sequence animation. Each frame may present an offer to the recipient. Upon selection of an offer, the system may determine which offer the recipient selected by determining which frame was displayed when the recipient responded. The e-mail may include an image URI specifying a frame-sequence animation image. The image URI may include an identifier, which may allow the system to determine when the recipient opened the e-mail message, and a link URI, which may also include the identifier. When the recipient indicates a response to an offer, the system may associate the link URI with the image URI and may determine to which offer the recipient was responding.
US08438055B2
A system and method are disclosed for distribution of advertisements between communication devices. The system and method provides for accounting and distribution of incentives related to distribution of the advertisements. The system further provides for association of testimonials from advertising recipients related to the advertisement and for distribution of the testimonials to communication devices. A bi-directional selection between subscribers and advertisers using the system is created whereby both advertisers and subscribers agree to participate in the distribution of advertisements and testimonials.
US08438051B2
A method and apparatus to efficiently round requested quantities to efficient transportation quantities in the supply chain. Target locations are organized in a sequence. A tolerance interval around the requested quantity is calculated for each target location. The requested value is then rounded to an efficient transportation quantity for each target location in its sequential order.
US08438050B2
A method and system that allows a user to file a complaint related to a transaction completed over a network-based transaction facility. For example, a method can include the following operations conducted via a server: receiving a complaint from a first party, communicating information about the complaint to a second party, enabling an exchange of information regarding the complaint, and determining whether a criterion required for approval of the request for compensation has been satisfied.
US08438043B2
In cooperation with a first database, a problem preparation supporting unit supports the preparation of nursing problem items for patients. Based on the nursing problem items prepared, a plan preparation supporting unit supports the preparation of nursing care plans by conducting search through a second database. In cooperation with a third database, a specification unit specifies an implementation of nursing items contained in the prepared nursing care plan. When a communication unit receives an implementation result of the nursing items, the communication unit outputs the result to a recording unit. A nurse enters an evaluation of the implementation result of the nursing items to an operation apparatus. The evaluation entered is recorded in the recording unit. Among the nursing problem items stored in the recording unit, the nursing items contained in the nursing care plans, the implementation results and the evaluations, the management unit associates them with one another by bringing them into correspondence with each other.
US08438036B2
In recent years, it has become commonplace for portable devices to generate analog audio signals from numerous sources, meaning that the codecs employed in these portable devices need to be able to utilize various digital bit streams at different sampling rates. To date, however, the circuitry for asynchronous sampling rate conversions for multiple bit streams has been complex, rigid, and power hungry. Here, a codec is provided which uses miniDSP cores to perform asynchronous sampling rate conversion efficiently and with reduced power consumption compared to other conventional codecs.
US08438031B2
A conversation manager processes spoken utterances from a user of a computer. The conversation manager includes a semantics analysis module and a syntax manager. A domain model that is used in processing the spoken utterances includes an ontology (i.e., world view for the relevant domain of the spoken utterances), lexicon, and syntax definitions. The syntax manager combines the ontology, lexicon, and syntax definitions to generate a grammatic specification. The semantics module uses the grammatic specification and the domain model to develop a set of frames (i.e., internal representation of the spoken utterance). The semantics module then develops a set of propositions from the set of frames. The conversation manager then uses the set of propositions in further processing to provide a reply to the spoken utterance.
US08438015B2
An embodiment of an apparatus for generating audio subband values in audio subband channels includes an analysis windower for windowing a frame of time-domain audio input samples being in a time sequence extending from an early sample to a later sample using an analysis window function including a sequence of window coefficients to obtain windowed samples. The analysis window function includes a first number of window coefficients derived from a larger window function including a sequence of a larger second number of window coefficients, wherein the window coefficients of the window function are derived by an interpolation of window coefficients of the larger window function. The apparatus further includes a calculator for calculating the audio subband values using the windowed samples.
US08438013B2
Audio data representative of a music piece is converted into data components in respective different frequency bands for every unit time interval to generate time frequency data pieces assigned to the respective different frequency bands. From the generated time frequency data pieces, detection is made as to each sustain region in which an effective data component in one of the frequency bands continues to occur during a reference time interval or longer. A feature quantity is calculated from at least one of (1) a number of the detected sustain regions and (2) magnitudes of the effective data components in the detected sustain regions. The music piece is classified in response to the calculated feature quantity.
US08438006B2
A translation system is provided. The system includes an input interface for receiving a term to be translated, a multi-language term processing module, a term correlation calculation module and an analysis module. The multi-language term processing module collects multi-language correlated terms corresponding to the term to be translated and language data sources, and establishes term pairs each including any two multi-language correlated terms having a relationship in translation. The multi-language correlated terms include at least the term to be translated and at least one candidate translated term in the target language. The term correlation calculation module calculates a term correlation value between the two multi-language correlated terms of each term pair and a self correlation value of each multi-language correlated term. The analysis module determines one of the candidate translated terms as the translation result term according to the term correlation values and the self correlation values.
US08437996B2
A computer implemented system and method for parallel adaptive data partitioning on a reservoir simulation using an unstructured grid includes a method of simulating a reservoir model which includes generating the reservoir model. The generated reservoir model is partitioned into multiple sets of different domains, each one corresponding to an efficient partition for a specific portion of the model.
US08437988B2
Methods, computer systems, and computer readable media are provided for simulation of a model of a system by detecting a violation of a cross condition while iteratively refining a first solution of a system of nonlinear algebraic equations at a current time point, and responsive to the detecting, predicting a crossing time step, projecting an initial guess for a second solution of the system of nonlinear algebraic equations at the crossing time point, and iteratively refining the second solution and the crossing time step by jointly solving an equation for the cross condition with the system of nonlinear algebraic equations as a coupled nonlinear system in which the crossing time step is treated as an unknown to compute changes to the second solution and the crossing time step in each iteration.
US08437987B2
A method, system and computer readable medium are disclosed. The method, system and computer readable medium comprises providing a mathematically linked multi-step process for simultaneously determining operating conditions of a system or process that will result in optimum performance in both mean performance requirements and system robustness requirements. In a method and system in accordance with the present embodiment, the steps can be applied to any data array that contains the two coordinated data elements defined previously (independent variables and response variables), and for which a response prediction model can be derived that relates the two elements. The steps are applied to each row of the data array, and result in a predicted Cp response data set. In the preferred embodiment the array is a statistically rigorous designed experiment from which mean performance prediction models can be derived for each response evaluated. The data are applied to each row of the data array.
US08437970B2
Responsive to a recalibration trigger event, magnetometer data output by a magnetometer can be compared to historical magnetometer data previously output by the magnetometer. If a match is determined, a confidence of the match can be determined using theoretically constant data related to Earth's magnetic field. The constant data can be calculated from the historical magnetometer data. If the confidence of the match exceeds a confidence threshold level, historical calibration data can be used to calibrate the magnetometer. If the confidence of the match does not exceed the confidence threshold level, a calibration procedure can be performed to generate new calibration data, and the new calibration data can be used to calibrate the magnetometer.
US08437969B2
A phasor measurement unit and method including a transducer for transduction measurement of an electrical characteristic of a current carrying element in electrical power generation or distribution systems, the transducer generating a transducer output signal representative of the electrical characteristic; an amplifier receiving the transducer output signal and generating an amplifier output signal; a filter receiving the amplifier output signal, low pass filtering the amplifier output signal, and generating a filter output signal; an analog to digital converter receiving the filter output signal and generating a digital output signal; and a processor receiving the digital output signal, calculating phasor data from the digital output signal and generating a data output signal, wherein the calculated phasor data is at least as accurate as phasor data from a phasor measurement unit or a frequency data recorder having a transducer for nontransduction measurement of the same electrical characteristic.
US08437960B2
This invention relates to improved techniques for processing potential field measurement data from airborne surveys such as gravity surveys, and to improved techniques for data acquisition which are enabled by the improved data processing techniques. We describe a method of processing measured potential field data from a potential field survey of the earth to determine map data for mapping said field, the method comprising: inputting said measured potential field data, said measured potential field data comprising data defining a plurality of potential field measurements and associated positions, each said position defining a position of a said potential field measurement in three dimensions; determining a plurality relationships between said potential field measurements and said positions, each said relationship relating a said potential field measurement to a function of a said associated position in three dimensions multiplied by a field mapping parameter; and determining a substantially self-consistent set of said field mapping parameters for said plurality of relationships to thereby determine said map data.
US08437955B2
A map drawing device can reduce the use amount of a video memory and power consumption. The map drawing device comprises an arithmetic processing unit that operates according to a map drawing program and outputs an address of map data to be drawn; an address difference detection circuit that makes comparison of each address of map data output one by one from the arithmetic processing unit and determines whether or not to output a transfer start trigger signal to a data transfer control unit; and a data transfer control unit that directly transfers the map data with the address instructed by the arithmetic processing unit from a map data storage medium to the video memory based on the transfer start trigger signal output from the address difference detection circuit.
US08437952B2
Provided are a navigation system and a method of recognizing a traffic lane using the same. The navigation system includes an electronic map in which information about roads and spatial data of topographical features around roads are stored, a satellite navigational device that calculates a position and a transverse point of a vehicle on the road using satellite navigation information and the road information, a radio communication unit that receives information about positions of the navigational satellites from a base station, and a lane recognition unit that calculates the number of lane-specific visible satellites and the number of real visible satellites on the basis of information about a lane position of the electronic map, spatial data of the topographical feature located at the transverse point, and the position information of the navigational satellites, and that compares the number of lane-specific visible satellites with the number of real visible satellites to recognize a lane along which the vehicle is traveling. Thus, there are no restrictions in the aspects of installation and maintenance, and accurate lane recognition is possible without an influence on the weather conditions around the road.
US08437951B2
The disclosure is directed to a method, computer program product, mobile device or a system allowing for determining various route metrics based on stored route records associated with routes traversed by the mobile device. The determination of a route metric may utilize processing of a single route record or multiple route records. Exemplary route metrics include route timing metrics such as lap times, or route record metrics. Configurations of computer program products, mobile devices and systems for enabling the determination of various route metrics are also described.
US08437950B2
A method for increasing the driving stability of a vehicle, particularly of a commercial vehicle, which counteracts a vehicle instability by a control intervention in a control system operating the drive and/or the brakes of the vehicle, in which the control intervention occurs as a function of the ratio between the height of the center of gravity of the vehicle and a spring constant of the vehicle suspension.
US08437948B1
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for forecasting traffic and concurrently presenting images of forecasted traffic are disclosed to facilitate more efficient departure and/or navigation by providing an outlook of anticipated traffic flow for an area and/or a route (e.g., associated with an origin and destination), for example. A predicted traffic pattern and/or associated navigation may be provided and/or generated based upon traffic data (e.g., historical traffic data, current traffic data, and/or predicted traffic data). Additionally, a suggested departure time may be provided to mitigate travel time to and/or from a destination, for example. Accepted suggestions may be associated with predicted traffic data to update predicted traffic patterns (e.g., predicted traffic data) thereafter. Accordingly, travelers may be provided with traffic forecasting to enable more desirable travel experiences (e.g., shorter travel times).
US08437939B2
A representative point corresponding to geometry of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is calculated based on positional information on a stationary target detected by a radar, and based on positional information of the calculated representative points, left and right side corresponding straight lines that correspond to left and right side edges of the road are calculated. With one of the corresponding straight lines that has a most distal end more proximal to the vehicle than that of the other being set as a reference corresponding straight line, information on curving geometry of the road is detected based on positional information on a representative point within a process targeted area that is sandwiched between the left and the right side corresponding straight lines and extends in the traveling direction of the vehicle and is also distal to the most distal end of the reference corresponding straight line.
US08437937B2
A method for operating a powertrain system including a torque machine coupled to a drive wheel of a vehicle includes determining a regenerative braking capacity of the powertrain system. In response to a net operator torque request including a braking torque request, a friction braking torque command to operate a friction brake system and a regenerative braking torque request for the torque machine are coincidentally generated, a torque command is generated for controlling operation of the torque machine in response to the regenerative braking torque request, and the friction braking torque command is adjusted by an amount corresponding to a difference between the braking torque request and the regenerative braking torque request.
US08437934B2
A temperature and/or wear sensor for brake or clutch devices is designed as a thermocouple in which the conductors (20, 22) that are electrically insulated from each other are arranged inside a friction lining (14) and can be connected to each other so as to be electrically conductive by means of a rotatably mounted brake element (12), clutch element or the like, with which the friction lining can be engaged in order to brake or to depress the clutch (FIG. 1). The conductors can be coupled to an electric oscillating circuit.
US08437933B2
A hybrid electric vehicle has a first mode in which slippage of a clutch between an electric motor and a driving wheel is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of the electric motor and a second mode in which the slippage of the clutch is allowed and controlled by rotational speed control of an engine. When the vehicle is stationary in the first mode, a controller reduces a control setpoint of hydraulic pressure of the clutch from an initial point. The controller identifies a reference point of the control setpoint with which actual output torque of the electric motor is substantially constant with respect to the reduction of the control setpoint. Then, the controller increases the control setpoint to a precharge point, and reduces the control setpoint to a corrected point that is lower than or substantially equal to the initial point and higher than the reference point.
US08437932B2
Various embodiments of methods, apparatus and systems that calibrate main modulation of an elector-hydraulic control system are presented. Some embodiments calibrate regulator control signals that cause a main regulator valve to develop a main line pressure based upon status of a clutch trim valve that develops a clutch feed pressure for a clutch of a transmission.
US08437921B2
An apparatus for controlling the depth of a hoe bucket, including a hoe bucket defining a cutting edge, an elongated member pivotably connected to the bucket, an actuator operationally connected to the elongated member, an electronic controller operationally connected to the actuator, and a position sensor operationally connected to the cutting edge and operationally connected to the electronic controller. The actuator may be energized to pivot the elongated member to a position adjacent the cutting edge for engaging ground, and positioning of the elongated member adjacent the cutting edge prevents the cutting edge from digging ground.
US08437917B2
A launch interval is determined for a vehicle based on the time that the operator takes to move a foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal for launching the vehicle from a stopped condition. Such launch interval may be determined for multiple launches to determine to determine an average launch interval. During the launch interval, actions can be taken to prepare the engine and/or turbocharger to launch the vehicle once the operator has called for such a launch by depressing the accelerator pedal. The magnitude of the actions taken and/or the rate at taking such actions can be based on the launch interval, i.e., whether the operator tends to move rapidly or slowly from brake pedal to accelerator pedal. The vehicle may base the rate of the actions on the driving style of the particular driver currently driving the vehicle.
US08437916B2
A control module may be configured to support wireless transmission and/or receipt of signals used to direct universal garage door openers and other appliance control systems. The control module may be operable to prevent certain garage door opener and/or application control requests in the event certain security measures are not met. The control module may be integrated into a smart junction box, body control module, and/or other module in the event the control module is adapted for use within a vehicle.
US08437915B2
To accurately extract a pulsating component generated due to a cogging torque or a torque ripple to reduce a pulsation, the pulsating component is extracted using a bandpass filter having a variable time constant, and the time constant is set according to a frequency of cogging torque or torque ripple to be extracted. Further, a reference angle for a rotation angle of a motor is preset according to a generation harmonic order of the cogging torque or torque ripple, and the time constant of the bandpass filter is set from a time period required for the motor to rotate by the reference angle.
US08437904B2
Systems and methods for health monitoring of complex systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a plurality of signals indicative of observation states of plurality of operating variables, performing a combined probability analysis of the plurality of signals using a diagnostic model of a monitored system to provide a health prognosis of the monitored system, and providing an indication of the health prognosis of the monitored system. In some embodiments, the monitored system may be an onboard system of an aircraft.
US08437893B2
A method of providing meteorological data for aeronautical use. The method includes collecting data from a plurality of data sources, processing the data to determine current meteorological conditions of a current location of an aircraft in an airspace, and providing the current meteorological conditions to the aircraft and other users as appropriate, such as airline operations centers, air navigation service providers, and national weather service providers. Based on current aircraft behavior data and guidance systems design, beneficial wind and meteorological data can be established for a given flight and its cleared route and descent path.
US08437883B2
A voltage control and conservation (VCC) system is provided, which includes three subsystems, including an energy delivery (ED) system, an energy control (EC) system and an energy regulation (ER) system. The VCC system is configured to monitor energy usage at the ED system and determine one or more energy delivery parameters at the EC system. The EC system may then provide the one or more energy delivery parameters to the ER system to adjust the energy delivered to a plurality of users for maximum energy conservation.
US08437881B2
Methods of placing computer equipment within a server room. The methods may comprise receiving a reservation request for a first piece of computer equipment and selecting a first zone of the server room. The reservation request may specify a type of the first piece of computer equipment. Also, the power dissipated by computer equipment currently present in the first zone plus a power dissipated by the first piece of computer equipment may be less than a maximum power capacity of the first zone. The methods may also comprise selecting a first cabinet within the first zone. The first cabinet may comprise free physical space sufficient for the first piece of computer equipment. In addition, the methods may comprise reserving a portion of the first cabinet for the first piece of computer equipment.
US08437874B2
Systems and methods for processing plant material samples and a transfer station designed for use in such systems and methods. In one embodiment, the system includes a controller, a plant-material sampling device, and a transfer station. The plant-material sampling device is configured to communicate with the controller and to read an identifier of a plant. The sampling device also has a removable magazine, and is designed to take at least one plant sample from multiple plants, place such samples in the magazine, and track the identity of the plant from which each sample is taken. The transfer station is configured to hold, at multiple positions, multiple magazines and multiple trays such that the positions of the magazines are mirrored by the positions of the trays, read an identifier of each magazine, read an identifier of each tray, map storage locations for each one of the magazines to storage locations of one of the trays, and sequentially unload plant samples from the magazines to the trays.
US08437863B2
An implantable electrode lead for tissue stimulation adapted to be attached to an implantable tissue stimulator provided with a pulse generator, has at least two stimulation electrodes to apply stimulation pulses to said tissue and arranged close to the distal end of the electrode lead, and at least two electrical conductors to connect said electrodes to said pulse generator. The electrode lead further has a switching unit arranged close to the distal end of the electrode lead and adapted to switch the electrode lead between a local pacing mode and a normal pacing mode, the switching unit being controlled by a mode control signal. Further, a pacing module is arranged close to the distal end of the electrode lead and in relation to the switching unit and being connectable to said at least two stimulation electrodes, the pacing module includes a pulse generating unit to generate stimulating pulses to be applied to the tissue by the stimulation electrodes. When the electrode lead is in the local pacing mode the electrical conductors are disconnected from said stimulation electrodes which instead are connected to the pacing module, and when the electrode lead is in the normal pacing mode the electrical conductors are connected to the stimulation electrodes.
US08437862B2
An IMD may transition to an MRI mode automatically in response to detecting one or more conditions indicative of the presence of a strong magnetic field. Large static magnetic fields, such as those produced by an MRI device, may interact with the blood of a patient as it flows through the magnetic field to produce a voltage, a phenomenon referred to as the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect. The voltage produced by the MHD effect is proportional to the strength of the magnetic field. As such, the voltage produced by blood flow in the strong magnetic field of an MRI device may result in a change in a characteristic of an electrogram (EGM). The IMD may detect the change in the characteristic of the EGM caused by the MHD effect and transition to operation in the MRI mode in response to at least the change in the EGM.
US08437860B1
A hearing assistance system includes a hearing assistance unit, with an interface for receiving a removable module, and a removable module configured to be retained in the interface.
US08437858B2
A visual prosthesis system comprises a retina implant at least partly located in the interior of a patient's eye. The retina implant comprises an array of micro-contacts adapted for contacting ganglia of the patient's retinal tissue. The visual prosthesis system further comprises a data processing unit with an additional interface for receiving an external signal from an external signal source, the data processing unit being adapted for converting the external signal into corresponding stimulation data for the retina implant, and a wireless transmission unit adapted for transmitting the stimulation data to the retina implant via wireless transmission. The retina implant is adapted for receiving the stimulation data and for stimulating the micro-contacts according to the stimulation data.
US08437852B2
A method and system for recording changes to programmable parameters in an implantable pulse generator. An executable program is stored in an implantable pulse generator. A parameter log is maintained in the implantable pulse generator, where the parameter log is used to record changes to the state of one or more programmable parameters of the executable program. When a change is detected in the state, from a first state to a second state, of the one or more programmable parameters the first state of the one or more programmable parameters changed to the second state are recorded in the parameter log. The parameter log is retrievable to allow for analysis of when and how changes took place to the executable program.
US08437850B2
A method and apparatus for controlling an atrial overdrive pacing therapy include detecting an atrial arrhythmia episode and determining if the atrial arrhythmia episode is an early recurring episode. Delivery of the atrial overdrive pacing therapy is enabled in response to the early recurring episode and commences upon detection of an atrial arrhythmia episode or a long pause.
US08437848B2
A new pacemaker apparatus for treating the physiological electric conduction of the heart that includes a conduction abnormality in a ventricle. The pacemaker includes a pulse generator and a pacing electrode located in the heart, the pulse generator providing pacing signals to the pacing electrode. The pacemaker further includes a signal generation circuit that generates electrical signals from heart-related feedback signals that indicate that the pacing electrode is delivering the pacing signals in a region at or near the His bundle of the heart. The combination of the pulse generator and the signal generation circuit indicates that the pacing electrode is delivering the pacing signals in the region, at or near the His bundle of the heart, to electrically bypass the conduction abnormality of the heart in the ventricle.
US08437846B2
A pre-sutured anchor including a deformable anchor sleeve with a lumen sized to receive the therapy delivery element. An outer surface of the anchor sleeve including one or more annular compression grooves oriented generally co-axial to the lumen. At least one compression member is located in a compression groove in an open configuration. The compression member includes at least one stop. A suture material pre-tied in a self-locking compression knot extends around each compression member. The suture material includes distal ends adapted to receive a tension force that is transmitted as a radial compression force to deform the compression members and substantially engage the stop in a compressed configuration. The anchor sleeve compressively engages the therapy delivery element in the compressed configuration.
US08437841B2
In a living body inspection apparatus to inspect RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome), a pulse interval is obtained from a pulse wave signal, thereby performing a frequency analysis of the obtained pulse interval using CDM. From a result of the frequency analysis, the low frequency components ranging from 0.04 to 0.15 Hz and the high frequency components ranging from 0.15 to 0.4 Hz are extracted. A value of low frequency components (LF)/high frequency components (HF) is obtained as an index to which an amendment based on age is applied. It is then determined whether LF/HF is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination value indicating RLS. For example, it is determined whether LF/HF is equal to or greater than 0.65, which suspects RLS. It is determined whether a signal is accurately calculated which indicates an activity of autonomic nerve. A state of RLS is determined using LF/HF.
US08437835B2
The preset invention provides a liquid injector in which, when an injection time period and an injection rate are entered as an injection condition, a condition image having a horizontal width corresponding to the injection time period and including the injection rate as text data is displayed in a condition screen with its vertical axis representing the injection rate and its horizontal axis representing the injection time period at a vertical position in association with the injection rate and a horizontal position in association with the injection time period. The operator easily understands instinctively the injection condition from the horizontal width and the position of the condition image, and since the condition image includes the injection rate as text data, the operator can check quickly the numerical values. Thus, the liquid injector can be provided which allows simple entry and review of the injection condition.
US08437829B2
Novel membranes comprising various polymers containing heterocyclic nitrogen groups are described. These membranes are usefully employed in electrochemical sensors, such as amperometric biosensors. More particularly, these membranes effectively regulate a flux of analyte to a measurement electrode in an electrochemical sensor, thereby improving the functioning of the electrochemical sensor over a significant range of analyte concentrations. Electrochemical sensors equipped with such membranes are also described.
US08437828B2
A blood inspection device capable of separately discharging a sensor and a filter by using a single discharger means. The blood inspection device has a housing provided with a circular hollow cylindrical body having an opening. A filter including a filter is provided inside the cylindrical body, and a sensor is provided outside the cylindrical body. A body of the discharger is slidable outside the cylindrical body. A first discharge section of the discharge comes into contact with the sensor unit to push out and discharge it. A second discharge section of the discharger comes into contact with the filter to push out and discharge it.
US08437825B2
A noninvasive physiological sensor for measuring one or more physiological parameters of a medical patient can include a bump interposed between a light source and a photodetector. The bump can be placed in contact with body tissue of a patient and thereby reduce a thickness of the body tissue. As a result, an optical pathlength between the light source and the photodetector can be reduced. In addition, the sensor can include a heat sink that can direct heat away from the light source. Moreover, the sensor can include shielding in the optical path between the light source and the photodetector. The shielding can reduce noise received by the photodetector.
US08437824B2
The invention provides a body-worn system that continuously measures pulse oximetry and blood pressure, along with motion, posture, and activity level, from an ambulatory patient. The system features an oximetry probe that comfortably clips to the base of the patient's thumb, thereby freeing up their fingers for conventional activities in a hospital, such as reading and eating. The probe secures to the thumb and measures time-dependent signals corresponding to LEDs operating near 660 and 905 nm. Analog versions of these signals pass through a low-profile cable to a wrist-worn transceiver that encloses a processing unit. Also within the wrist-worn transceiver is an accelerometer, a wireless system that sends information through a network to a remote receiver, e.g. a computer located in a central nursing station.
US08437816B2
An oscillator and method for applying a time-varying force to a magnet is provided. The oscillator includes a superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. The oscillator further includes at least one magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field having a time-varying field strength to the superconductor material. The time-varying field strength cycles between at least a first field strength below the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature and at least a second field strength above the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature, such that the superconductor material cycles between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
US08437810B2
A multimode wireless communication device comprising a Wi-Fi module, a cellular communication module, and an integrated power management module is described. The integrated power management module or power management means is configured to manage power for the Wi-Fi module and the cellular communications module. The integrated power management module comprises a Wi-Fi power save mode, a Wi-Fi sleep mode, a Wi-Fi power down mode, a cellular power save mode, and a cellular low power mode. In the Wi-Fi power save mode a timer switches the Wi-Fi module between a Wi-Fi power save awake state and a Wi-Fi power save sleep state.
US08437805B2
A method and apparatus for transforming a display image on a display from a first orientation to a second orientation, the method having the steps of: breaking up the display image into multiple sub-images; and transforming each of the multiple sub-images individually, the transforming step including selecting a pixel, determining a transformed location for the pixel, and writing the pixel to a display buffer.
US08437790B1
A technique for a wireless device to obtain white space information from a component configured for cellular communication, such as a cellular phone. The wireless device and cellular phone may communicate using a short-range connection, such as a peer-to-peer connection, ensuring that the white space information, which is location based, generated by the cellular phone is also accurate for the location of the wireless device. With such white space information, the wireless device can comply with regulatory requirements for white space use by accessing a regulatory database identifying, by location, available white space channels. When the cellular phone is configured for accessing a wide area network, the cellular telephone may provide the white space information as a set of channels available for white space communication. Channels of the set may be prioritized based on one or more parameters, including frequency, permitted transmit power or detected noise.
US08437781B1
An access network may be maintaining data indicating which of its coverage areas have a short occupancy time. The access network may then conduct a first paging of an access terminal in each coverage area in a first set of coverage areas, the first set including a subset of coverage areas having a short occupancy time. Thereafter, the access network may determine that it has not received a response to the first paging from the access terminal during a first timeout period, which is preferably shorter than a predefined paging timeout period. In response, the access network may conduct a second paging of the access terminal in only each coverage area in the subset of coverage areas (i.e., the coverage area(s) in the first set of coverage areas that have the short occupancy time).
US08437776B2
In general, the invention relates to methods that record the location of a user based upon their current and past location information. A network is configured to include a server programmed with a database of location information, a database of user information, a database relating to physical advertisement locations, and a wireless communication system capable of communicating with the user's mobile device. The location of the mobile device is ascertained and recorded. The location information is analyzed to determine if the user was in proximity to a physical advertisement, and the businesses visited by the user. The location information is analyzed to determine the effectiveness of physical advertisements, such as print and billboard advertisements, by determining whether a user viewed a physical advertisement and subsequently visited a business locations associated with that physical advertisement.
US08437774B2
A method and apparatus for a registration update of a mobile device (UE) in a communication network is described. The location of the mobile device (UE) is registered in a first registration area (A) and associated with a list of further registration areas (B). A registration area update is triggered when the mobile device (UE) is detecting a change of location to a second registration area. The registration area update is initiated with a random time delay after the mobile device (UE) detects the change to the second registration area if the second registration area is in the list of further registration areas (B).
US08437773B2
Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods and/or apparatuses that support information dissemination for and/or within location based systems to control information dissemination.
US08437772B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to determining whether a reported position of a wireless transmitter is sufficiently accurate in accordance with an accuracy metric based at least in part on a calculated range between an estimated position of a mobile station and the reported position and also based at least in part on one or more measurements taken from one or more signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter.
US08437769B1
A mobile station transmits a message by transmitting an access probe that includes the message preceded by a preamble. The mobile station selects the length of the preamble from among a first preamble length and a second preamble length. The second preamble length is greater than the first preamble length. The mobile station makes the selection based, at least in part, on the distance between the mobile station and the mobile station's primary base transceiver station (BTS). If the distance is greater than a threshold distance, the mobile station selects the second preamble length. If the distance is less than the threshold distance, the mobile station selects the first preamble length, provided that an idle handoff to a neighboring BTS that is more than the threshold distance away is unlikely.
US08437765B2
A device identifies mobile devices within a geographical area associated with a carrier network. The device further divides the geographical area into cells. The device also collects network statistics associated with the mobile devices. The device assigns values to the cells based on the network statistics, and identifies locations in which to place the small cells within the geographical area based on the values.
US08437763B2
Mechanisms to update a serving BS with the CSG memberships of a MS are generally presented. In this regard, a base station is introduced including a wired backbone interface to communicate with a plurality of macro base stations and a plurality of femto base stations, and control logic, the control logic to identify one or more femto base station(s) that a mobile station is authorized to access, and the control logic to generate a request for the mobile station to scan for a specific femto base station which the mobile station is authorized to access. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08437754B2
A user equipment UE receives (302) from a serving cell indications of frequency bands supported by neighbor cells/frequencies, at least one individual neighbor cell/frequency supporting a plurality of frequency bands. The neighbor cells/frequencies are filtered (304) to retain only those that are indicated to support a frequency band or frequency bands which are also supported by the UE. Examples are given of various system information blocks for sending the frequency band indications to the UE. In one embodiment (310), they are arranged in an information element IE having an entry for each of the neighbor cells/frequencies and a list of frequency bands for each entry. In another (312), the IE has an index and an associated frequency band(s) where a value of the index indicates that one or more of the neighbor cells/frequencies referred to by the index belongs to the associated frequency band(s).
US08437749B2
A wireless device searches for a network to establish a connection, and, when a network is found, the wireless device attempts to establish a connection. The wireless device receives a PLMN code from the network. The wireless device receives the current GMT time from a GPS satellite. The wireless device determines the time zone that the wireless device is located in using the PLMN code. The wireless device determines the daylight saving time settings using the PLMN code and/or the GMT time. The wireless device determines the current time and date for the present location of the wireless device using the received GMT time and the determined time zone and day light saving time settings. The wireless device is updated to reflect the current time, date, time zone, and daylight saving settings.
US08437737B2
A method for recharging a first SIM card through a mobile phone using a second SIM card is described. The method includes: receiving identifying information; generating a first short message containing the identifying information; receiving recharging information containing a phone number associated with the second SIM card and charge amount; generating a second short message containing the recharging information; and sending the first short message and the second short message to a mobile service provider, such that the mobile service device can accordingly recharge the first SIM card.
US08437735B2
Automatically selecting an emergency number for use by a mobile communications device enabled for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, including: receiving at the mobile communications device a geographic indicator in a beacon frame transmitted from a wireless access point of a wireless local area network that is connected to an Internet Protocol network; and determining from a plurality of emergency numbers stored in a storage element of the mobile communications device a selected emergency number in dependence on the received geographic indicator.
US08437732B2
Enhanced services, such as call restriction, call forwarding, anonymous call rejection, and proprietary services, may interfere with an emergency callback potentially preventing the callback from reaching the intended destination. Systems and methods for processing emergency calls to eliminate emergency callback failure in response to an emergency call being disconnected are provided herein.
US08437731B2
A method for predicting a survival rate among individuals, where the survival rate depends in part on a responsiveness of emergency personnel, and the responsiveness of the emergency personnel depends in part on an amount of time taken to route an emergency call to a primary emergency response center, includes determining, by a computer system, a number of emergency calls initially routed to a primary emergency response center. The computer system determines a number of emergency calls initially routed to a secondary emergency response center that, in turn, routes the emergency calls to the primary emergency response center. The computer system calculates a survival rate amount individuals according to a function of the determined number of the number of emergency calls initially routed to a primary emergency response center and the number of emergency calls initially routed to a secondary emergency response center. The calculated survival rate is displayed on a terminal.
US08437729B2
Disclosed herein is a mobile communicator that includes a contact operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration and positioned to complete an electric circuit when the contact is in the closed position thereby activating the mobile communicator and providing the mobile communicator with functionality. The mobile communicator includes a display, a notification mechanism, a user interface, a transmitter and a receiver. Further, the mobile communicator includes an initial default disabled state, wherein at least one of a plurality of functions are disabled. The mobile communicator remains in the initial default disabled state even when the contact is in the closed position and the activating electrical circuit is complete. A logic of the enabling system is configured to change the initial default disabled state of the mobile communicator to an enabled state, wherein the at least one of the plurality of functions become enabled, when a condition is satisfied.
US08437727B2
A signal processing device such as an RFIC having a function of holding therein control data, enabling stable operation of an integrated circuit because of suspension of power supply during the intermittent reception suspension period in the standby mode, and enabling further improvement of power saving. A portable communication terminal device and a radio communication system are also provided. The signal processing device has an RFIC unit (12) and an ASIC unit (13) connected to the RFIC unit (12) via an input/output buffer circuit (140), making control such that power supply to the RFIC unit (12) is suspended during the reception suspension period during which signaling information is not received in the standby mode and power is supplied to the RFIC unit (12) when signaling information is received, and including an SPI therein. The ASIC unit (13) makes a control simultaneously with suspension of the power supply to the input/output buffer circuit (140), fetches a register value from a control register (34) before the power supply to the RFIC unit (12) is suspended, holds the register value in the SPI, and transfers the held register valued to the RFIC unit (12) and the control register (34) when the power supply is restarted.
US08437712B2
A system for diversity processing a signal propagated via two diversity antennas includes: respective propagation paths for propagating two replicas of the signal, these propagation paths being coupled to the two diversity antennas so that the replicas are propagated via different antennas; a time variable delay element for subjecting at least one of the replicas to a time variable delay; and a level adjusting element, such as an asymmetric splitter, to produce a level imbalance between the power levels of the replicas propagated via the two diversity antennas.
US08437710B2
A wireless transmission apparatus includes an electrically insulative housing, metal conducting terminals vertically arranged at the rear side of the electrically insulative housing and having one respective front contact portion respectively horizontally extended to the bottom wall of an accommodation chamber in the electrically insulative housing, and a transmission module, which includes a circuit assembly accommodated in the accommodation chamber of the electrically insulative housing and metal adapter terminals each having a bonding end vertically disposed at the rear side and respectively bonded to the circuit assembly and a springy contact end horizontally disposed at the front side and kept in positive contact with the front contact portion of one respective metal conducting terminal.
US08437707B2
The radio OFF mode control unit 12 cancels the radio OFF mode temporarily, even though the portable radio has shifted to a mass storage mode, when the access monitoring unit 13 does not receive any access command from the PC 90 for a predetermined time. The USB control unit 14 sets a state where the memory card does not exist virtually so that no access command is received from the PC. Moreover, the incoming information unit 15 inquires whether there is incoming information to the server 100.
US08437701B2
A method and a terminal for acquiring a frequency difference are disclosed. The method includes acquiring a difference T1 between clock timing before dormancy and clock timing of a base station, recording a dormancy period T between dormancy start and dormancy end, acquiring a difference T2 between clock timing after dormancy and clock timing of the base station, and computing a frequency difference between a low speed clock and a base station clock according to normalization frequencies, T1, T, and T2.
US08437699B2
A system for automatically synchronizing and communicating data between a mobile platform and a remote system, where the remote system has a backoffice repository and a scheduler application controlled by an entity operating said platform, includes: a backoffice interface manager for interfacing with said repository and said application, to communicate scheduling information between said platform and said application; and a computer controlled support system located remote from said platform and in communication with said backoffice interface manager, and further including a common data store system for holding said data and synchronizing the communication of said data between at least one mobile subsystem on said application, to ensure communication of said data between said mobile subsystem and said remote system within a predetermined time of executing an operational procedure with said platform.
US08437698B2
Method and apparatus are provided for estimating Time of Arrival (“TOA”). The method includes: performing channel estimation according to a Normal Burst (“NB”) free of interference and a local training sequence and generating a channel estimate, performing TOA estimation according to the channel estimate, and adjusting a synchronization position of the current NB according to a TOA estimation result. Interference to signals is cancelled before the TOA estimation, thus overcoming energy estimate deviation arising from interference in a strongly interfering radio environment, as occurs in the prior art, and preventing the impact on the TOA estimation. The disclosed methods and apparatus provide for more accurate energy estimates in a strongly interfering radio environment. The technical solution under the present invention does not require adjustment of the method of adjusting the search window.
US08437694B2
A portable apparatus, a counterpart apparatus and communication method are disclosed. The communication method comprises: communicating wirelessly an identifier from a portable apparatus to a counterpart apparatus by an induction-based magnetic field; executing a pairing protocol utilizing the identifier between the radio transceiver of the portable apparatus and a radio transceiver of the counterpart apparatus by electric radiation; and communicating information between the radio transceiver of the portable apparatus and the radio transceiver of the counterpart apparatus by electric radiation.
US08437690B2
A method is provided for transmitting a multimedia content from a server to a radiocommunication terminal, wherein the content comprises at least one multimedia, called initial, scene, and a series of instructions for moving the initial scene. The method includes transmitting an initial portion of the content from the server to the terminal, recording and reconstructing the initial portion on the terminal, transmitting at least one complementary portion of the content from the server to the terminal in the form of a complement to at least one portion previously received by the terminal in response to the request thereof, recording the complementary position, and reconstructing the multimedia scene updated according to the request from the portions previously received by the terminal.
US08437685B2
In a post-processing apparatus in which sheets are stacked in a stacker section and arranged to be subject to post-processing, the stacker section is provided with a sheet ejection section which subsequently ejects the sheets one by one or two or more sheets overlapped with each other, wherein the sheet ejection section is provided with a corrugation application member to apply corrugation onto the sheet to be ejected and to change extent of the corrugation to be applied.
US08437679B2
A system for recycling a liquid in a printer comprises a first reservoir configured for collecting possibly polluted liquid to be recycled from the printer, a filtration system configured for purifying the liquid received from the first reservoir, and a second reservoir configured for collecting the liquid from the filtration system, wherein overflow from the second reservoir is directed to the first reservoir.
US08437678B2
An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer to develop a latent image, a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the bearing member, a voltage application unit that can apply a plurality of direct current voltages of different values between the bearing member and the regulating member, and a current detection unit that can detect a plurality of direct currents of different values flowing in the regulating member when the voltage application unit applies the plurality of direct current voltages, wherein the image forming apparatus sets a direct current voltage value Vb applied by the voltage application unit when developing the latent image, so that the following expression is satisfied: |Vb|>|Vbmin|, where Vbmin indicates a direct current voltage value when the direct current detected by the current detection unit is a minimum value.
US08437671B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that directly transfers an image onto a transfer sheet; an intermediate transfer member onto which an image is transferred; a secondary image forming unit that transfers an image onto the intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer unit that transfers the image on the intermediate transfer member onto the transfer sheet; a fixing unit that fixes an image on the transfer sheet at a fixation position; and a guide member that guides the transfer sheet to the fixation position.
US08437666B2
A developing device usable with an image forming apparatus, which has an improved configuration to allow smooth flow of developer stored therein. The developing device includes a housing in which a developer receiving chamber is defined, a partition to divide the developer receiving chamber into a first developer receiving chamber and a second developer receiving chamber, and a first developer delivery member arranged in the first developer receiving chamber to deliver developer in a first direction. The partition includes at least one opening to communicate the first developer receiving chamber and the second developer receiving chamber with each other, and a shield to block between the first developer receiving chamber and the second developer receiving chamber at an upstream position of the first direction so as to isolate the two developer receiving chambers from each other.
US08437663B2
The present invention provides a charging member that includes at least: a base material; and a conductive outermost layer that is disposed on the base material, comes into contact with a body to be charged, has a ten-point average surface roughness Rz of about 2 μm to about 20 μm, and contains (A) a resin and (B) specific conductive particles for forming the surface roughness, the charging member coming into contact with the body to be charged, in a state where a voltage is applied, to charge the body to be charged.
US08437662B2
A driving force transmitting apparatus includes a driving source, a drive pulley rotatable by a driving force supplied from the driving source, a follower pulley rotatable with a member to be rotated, and a belt member extending around a cylindrical surface of the driving pulley and a cylindrical surface of the follower pulley. In addition, an intermediate transmission member contacts the driving pulley and the follower pulley, and the intermediate transmission member has a rigidity higher than that of the belt member.
US08437661B2
A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The process cartridge further includes a portion to be positioned, first and second displacing portions, and a portion to be urged. The process cartridge also includes a pull-up force receiving portion, disposed at a trailing side of the cartridge, for being urged by a pull-up force of a pull-up member.
US08437654B2
According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying apparatus includes: a fixing device configured to heat, with a heat roller, a sheet having a toner image transferred thereon and fix a toner on the sheet; a conveying roller arranged downstream of the fixing device and including plural rollers configured to convey the sheet from the fixing device; a heating unit configured to heat the plural rollers of the conveying roller; and a temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit such that the temperature of the plural rollers approaches the toner temperature of the sheet passing through the conveying roller.
US08437646B2
A paper feed system for use in a printing apparatus that detects multi-feeds and separates all sheets while allowing a single sheet to continue into the machine includes a nip with a drive roller for feeding sheets. A reversible pressure roller downstream of the drive roller is connected to a motor, but idles in the direction of the paper feed in normal operation. When a multi-feed is detected, the motor is turned ON and the reversible pressure roll actuated by a controller. The reversible pressure roller has more friction with the sheet in its contact than the friction between sheets. This drives the sheet in contact backwards.
US08437637B2
Disclosed are a system and a method for controlling multicast data. The system may comprise: a plurality of transceivers, each of which comprises a laser configured to generate an optical carrier, the generated optical carrier being modulated by electrical downstream p-t-p data so as to generate optical downstream p-t-p IRZ signal; a PM configured to modulate the generated optical downstream p-t-p IRZ signal by electrical multicast data so as to generate orthogonally modulated signal; and a DI configured to demodulate the orthogonally modulated data and has a frequency response peak or dip in response to the demodulating, wherein an offset of a laser center wavelength of the laser from the frequency response peak or dip is adjustable so as to selectively enable or disable the multicast data.
US08437636B2
Provided are methods of transmitting and receiving a multicast or broadcast frame in an optical line terminal (OLT) and an optical network unit (ONU) for a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)-passive optical network (PON), a WDM-PON system, and an OLT for a WDM-PON. The method of transmitting a multicast or broadcast frame in an OLT for a WDM-PON includes converting and splitting a multicast or broadcast frame input using a single wavelength into a plurality of wavelengths, combining the split wavelengths, and outputting the multicast or broadcast frame. In this way, a multicast or broadcast frame can be transmitted and received, thereby providing a single copy broadcast (SCB) function in a WDM-PON.
US08437631B2
An imaging device includes a laminated member, a vibration member, a driving portion. The laminated member is arranged to face an image pick-up portion that is configured to obtain an image from an optical system. The laminated member includes a plurality of light transmissive layers that are laminated each other. The vibration member is provided on the laminated member and vibrates the laminated member to cause bending vibration. The driving portion is electrically connected to the vibration member so as to drive the vibration member. At least one light transmissive layer among the light transmissive layers is larger than other light transmissive layers. The at least one light transmissive layer has a laminated part and a non-laminated part. The vibration member is mounted on the non-laminated part.
US08437622B2
A content receiver receives an captioning element and positional information regarding segments of a content instance. The captioning element corresponds to a component of captioning data included in content that can be utilized with the positional information to locate where the segments stop and/or start. The content receiver analyzes the content based on the captioning element and the positional information and alters how the content will be presented. Such alteration may involve skipping and/or deleting segments, starting/stopping presentation of content other than at the beginning and/or end of the content, altering recording timers, and/or replacing segments with alternative segments. In some implementations, the content may be recorded as part of recording multiple content instances received via at least one broadcast from a content provider wherein the multiple content instances are all included in a same frequency band of the broadcast and are all encoded utilizing a same control word.
US08437618B2
In an apparatus capable of mounting a recording medium for recording content data, an information acquisition section acquires protection information from a server, which indicates whether or not content data supplied from the server needs to be protected. A protection determination section determines whether or not the content data needs to be protected according to the protection information. When the content data needs to be protected, an ID determination section further determines whether or not a unique identification code is provided which uniquely identifies a recording medium mounted on the apparatus. When the recording medium has the unique identification, a recording destination settling section settles that recording medium to be a content recording destination. A data acquisition section acquires content data from the server. An encryption section encrypts the acquired content data using the unique identification code. A data recording section records the encrypted content data in the recording medium settled to be the content recording destination.
US08437616B2
A recording system includes an input unit for inputting moving image data, a memory for accumulating the moving image data input by the input unit, a recording unit for recording the moving image data in a recording medium, and a selection unit for selecting either one of a first recording mode and a second recording mode. In the first recording mode, a predetermined amount of the moving image data is accumulated in the memory, is read out from the memory, and is recorded in the recording medium. In the second recording mode, the moving image data is recorded in the recording medium without being accumulated in the memory.
US08437615B2
In a case of recording and managing a program which has a plurality of image streams in one program, it is necessary to address which stream a logic table which records a position of an I picture for high-speed fast forwarding and rewinding corresponds to.In a recording method which records a digital broadcast, in particular one method is provided which records and manages the program which has the plurality of image streams in one program.In the case in which there are a plurality of image streams in one program, as information which indicates which stream the logic table of the I picture, for carrying out the fast forwarding and rewinding operations quickly, corresponds to, a component tag fixed by a European or Japanese digital broadcast standard is recorded with the logic table. Also, in the event of recording an American broadcast stream, in digital broadcast standards of which there is no component tag regulation, a value of a program map table (PMT), which indicates one of the plurality of streams, is recorded.
US08437610B2
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US08437601B2
A method of reproducing one interactive graphics stream among one or more interactive graphics streams from an information storage medium, via a reproduction apparatus providing a visual display of interactive graphics, including obtaining attribute information in a player status register in the reproducing apparatus, and reading and reproducing one of the interactive graphics streams corresponding to the obtained attribute information among one or more interactive graphics streams from the information storage medium, the one interactive graphics stream being used to control reproduction of audio-visual data and being reproduced with the audio-visual data. With the method, text information written in a variety of languages and data shared by those languages are multiplexed and stored in one menu stream such that data is not redundantly stored and less storage space is wasted.
US08437586B2
A photoelectric connection assembly includes a circuit board defining conductive pads on a first surface thereof and waveguides embedded therein, an electrical connector assembled to the circuit board and a light transmission module. The electrical connector includes a seat defining a first receiving cavity for receiving the conversion module and a second receiving cavity below the first receiving cavity, a cover rotatably associated with a rear end of the seat and rotating to shield the first receiving cavity and conductive terminals loaded on the seat. The terminals include contacting portions extending in the first receiving cavity for electrical connection with the conversion module and leg portions connecting with the conductive pads. The light transmission module is received in the second receiving cavity and includes conversion module.
US08437579B2
Image processing system for automatic adaptation of a 3-D mesh model onto a 3-D surface of an object
An image processing system having means of automatic adaptation of 3-D surface Model to image features, for Model-based image segmentation, comprising: dynamic adaptation means for adapting the Model resolution to image features including locally setting higher resolution when reliable image features are found and setting lower resolution in the opposite case. This system comprises estimation means for estimating a feature confidence parameter for each image feature. The model resolution is locally adapted according to said parameter. The feature confidence parameter depends on the feature distance and on the estimation of quality of this feature including estimation of noise. The large distances and the noisy, although close features are penalized. The resolution of the Model is decreased in absence of confidence and is gradually increased with the rise of feature confidence.
US08437578B2
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus, as implemented by a software program on a computer system, for digitally producing counterfeit-deterring scrambled or encoded indicia images. This method and system are capable of combining a source image with a latent image so the scrambled latent image is visible only when viewed through a special decoder lens. The digital processing allows different latent images to be encoded according to different parameters. Additionally, latent images might be encoded into single component colors of an original visible image, at various angles from each other.
US08437569B2
A method for simultaneously optimizing a digital image taken in or through a scattering medium and obtaining information regarding optical properties of the scattering medium is provided. Digital image data are received by a computer. The digital image is evaluated according to an objective image quality metric and a resulting image quality value is compared to a previously stored image quality value for the image. A revised optical transfer function is derived by modeling the optical properties of the medium to be used to generate a restored digital image, which is derived from the original image and the revised optical transfer function. The restored digital image is evaluated according to the objective image quality metric and an optimized restored image is identified. The optical properties associated with the optical transfer function producing the optimized restored image represent a close approximation of the true optical properties of the medium.
US08437568B2
A method for calculating an image quality metric for evaluating the quality of a digital image including the steps of denoising the data of the image, identifying edges in the denoised data, determining an edge profile of the edges, determining a grayscale angle for each identified edge in the edge profile that is associated with the edge, and calculating the image quality metric based on a weighted average of the grayscale angles for all the edges.
US08437564B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for performing compression with sparse orthonormal transforms. One method includes receiving a block of data; classifying the block of data based on directional structure; selecting one of a plurality of available directional, orthonormal transforms to apply to the block based on results of classifying the block; and applying the selected transform to the block to generate a plurality of coefficients, thereby producing a compressed version of the block.
US08437555B2
A method for identifying motion video content, forming a registered fingerprint database in advance for video contents of broadcasting video signals, wherein said method at least comprises the steps of storing a consecutive of video frame images of a motion video content to be identified into a frame buffer; obtaining sample values on the video frame images by a frame sampler; holding the sample values in a fingerprint store as a fingerprint A for search in the fingerprint database; and performing a fingerprint pattern matching algorithm between the fingerprint A for search in the fingerprint database and fingerprints B contained in the fingerprint database so as to determine whether the motion video content has ever been broadcasted before. The method according to the present invention can effectively organize, archive, and search video content; lower the cost of digital storage devices; and identify video content efficiently and with minimal or no human interactions.
US08437550B2
The present invention relates to a method for setting initial values of graph cuts) to distinguish between a character region and a background region in an image. The method includes the steps of: (a) detecting a face region from an inputted image; (b) determining reference character region patterns including respective face regions, among pre-stored multiple character region patterns, of which degrees of similarity to the detected face region exceed the predetermined value; and (c) granting an initial value for the background to a first region which is not covered by any of the reference character region patterns and an initial value for the character to a second region which is covered by all of the reference character region patterns if the reference character region patterns are aligned overlappedly on the inputted image based on the detected face region.
US08437547B2
A device for determining an edge histogram of an image based on information about a gradient strength and a gradient direction of a local gradient in an image content of a partial image of the image includes an allocator which is implemented to allocate the information about the gradient strength and the gradient direction based on an allocation regulation to an edge image in order to obtain edge type information. The allocation regulation is selected such that with a predetermined gradient direction at least three different allocated edge types exist mirroring the different gradient strengths. The device further includes an edge histogram determiner which is implemented to determine the edge histogram based on the edge type information so that in the edge type histogram at least three edge types having different allocated gradient strengths may be differentiated.
US08437537B2
A method estimates a 3D pose of a 3D specular object in an environment. In a preprocessing step, a set of pairs of 2D reference images are generated using a 3D model of the object, and a set of poses of the object, wherein each pair of reference images is associated with one of the poses. Then, a pair of 2D input images are acquired of the object. A rough 3D pose of the object is estimated by comparing features in the pair of 2D input images and the features in each pair of 2D reference images using a rough cost function. The rough estimate is optionally refined using a fine cost function.
US08437534B2
A defect classification method to classify defects by using a classifier having a binary tree structure based on features of defects extracted from detected signals acquired from a defect inspection apparatus includes a classifier construction process for constructing the classifier by setting a branch condition including defect classes respectively belonging to groups located on both sides of the branch point, a feature to be used for branching, and a discriminant reference, for each branch point in the structure based on instruction of defect classes and feature data respectively associated therewith beforehand. The process includes a priority order specification process for previously specifying target classification performance of purity and accuracy for each defect class, whole and in worst case, with priority order, and an evaluation process for evaluating whether the specified target classification performance under the branching condition is satisfied and displaying a result of evaluation, every item.
US08437533B2
In order to measure a three-dimensional shape, feature information is read from a database. A board is transferred to a measurement position. A measurement head is transferred to an inspection area of the board. Light of a first lighting device for three-dimensional measurement and light of a second lighting device for two-dimensional measurement is illuminated onto the inspection area to photograph a first reflection image and a second reflection image that are reflected from the inspection area. The inspection area is realigned by comparing the feature information with at least one of the photographed first and second reflection images to inspect distortion of the inspection area. The realigned inspection area is inspected. Thus, the three-dimensional shape may be precisely measured.
US08437529B1
A stack of currency bills is received, transported, and imaged via an image scanner to produce image data that is reproducible as a visually readable image for each currency bill. Each of the currency bills has an associated serial number and additional identifying character information. The associated currency bill serial number and the additional identifying character information are extracted from the image data of each currency bill. Each currency bill is denominated. A suspect determination is made for each currency bill and upon a determination that a currency bill is a suspect bill, A suspect note report is automatically generated. Fields in the report are populated with information associated with the suspect bill including the extracted serial number, the extracted additional identifying character information, and the denomination of the suspect bill.
US08437528B1
A stack of documents is received, transported, and imaged to produce image data. The image data associated with each document is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of a respective document. The document processing device determines whether each document satisfies one or more certain flag criteria. A document that satisfies one or more of the certain flag criteria is a flagged document. In response to one of the documents satisfying one of the certain flag criteria, the document processing device continues to transport subsequent documents in the stack of documents and displays on a display unit of the document processing device a visually readable image of at least a portion of the flagged document using the image data associated with the flagged document and a positional locator associated with the location of the flagged document in the output receptacle.
US08437521B2
Systems and methods for automatic accurate and efficient segmentation and identification of one or more vertebra in digital medical images using a coarse-to-fine segmentation.
US08437514B2
A face cartooning system is described. In one implementation, the system generates an attractive cartoon face or graphic of a user's facial image. The system extracts facial features separately and applies pixel-based techniques customized to each facial feature. The style of cartoon face achieved resembles the likeness of the user more than cartoons generated by conventional vector-based cartooning techniques. The cartoon faces thus achieved provide an attractive facial appearance and thus have wide applicability in art, gaming, and messaging applications in which a pleasing degree of realism is desirable without exaggerated comedy or caricature.
US08437499B2
The subject invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating automated manufacturing processes in a regulated industrial controller environment. In one aspect, a system for automated industrial processing is provided. The system includes an interface component to facilitate processing of one or more electronic signature components and a verification component that operates with the interface components and the electronic signature components to validate requested or proposed process changes before actual system implementation of the process changes.
US08437493B2
An apparatus for mounting a speaker module to a portable terminal is provided. The speaker module is mounted to a casing frame of the terminal using a coupling part formed outside a housing of the speaker module, so as not to leave a space between the speaker module and the casing frame in a sound output direction of the speaker module. Therefore, better speaker performance can be achieved by raising the height of the speaker module of the slim portable terminal or increasing the space for the back volume.
US08437492B2
An earpiece is provided containing a thermal activator layer comprised of a first polymer, the thermal activator layer being separated from the tympanic membrane of the user's ear by an air gap, and an acoustical reflector layer, containing a second polymer and pigment particles, adjacent to the thermal activator layer. The earpiece may be produced by sequential introduction of various liquefied components in layers within the ear canal, with the components being cured to provide the thermal activator layer and the acoustical reflector layer.
US08437489B2
A hearing instrument with at least one microphone and signal processing includes at least two receivers having a different frequency response. At least a first one of the receivers can be placed outside the ear canal, for example in a behind-the-ear component. A behind-the-ear component and an external component can be provided for being placed in the user's ear canal or in the user's ear with a connection link between the behind-the-ear component and the external component. The sound processing means can feed the first receiver with a first signal of a first central frequency and the second receiver with a second signal of a second central frequency. The signal processing means can be one or two signal processing units. A frequency separating filter can have an input operatively connected to an output of the signal processing unit.
US08437488B2
A hearing instrument comprises an openable cover lid, the cover lid comprising at least one electrical input element and at least one lid contact terminal arranged to physically and electrically contact at least one corresponding device contact terminal when the lid is in a closed position. The cover lid further comprises at least two electrical input, each of the at least two input elements being functionally associated with the impedance between the lid contact terminal and a further terminal, and the hearing instrument comprises means to infer the state of the input elements from said impedance. In a preferred embodiment, the number of input elements is equal to or larger than the number of lid contact terminals. In a further embodiment, the lid is the lid of a battery compartment of the hearing instrument, and in a closed position of the lid at least one of the input elements is in electrical contact with one of the terminals of a battery lying in the battery compartment.
US08437477B2
A wireless apparatus including a button; a wireless communication interface; a processing unit to output encryption key information to another wireless apparatus using the wireless communication interface with lower transmission output than transmission output of information other than the encryption key information, responsive to detection of user's operation for the button; and a memory to store the output encryption key information corresponding to the another wireless apparatus. The wireless communication interface receives wireless signals from the another wireless apparatus and the processing unit decodes the information contained in the wireless signals and encrypted with the encryption key information. Also disclosed is an encryption key information managing method of managing encryption key information and a non-transitory readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program executed by a computer to manage encryption key information.
US08437476B2
The invention relates to a method for broadcasting data in a system using a BES (A1) stateless scheme using a binary tree T with a KEKs No 2 key structure, i.e. such that a key ki,j is associated with each difference of subsets Si,j, and a root key k0, - - - associated with the set of the tree T and a BES (A2) “stateful” scheme using the same binary tree T with a KEKs No 1 key structure, i.e. such that a key ki is associated with each subtree Si wherein the scheme (A1) is used for the current broadcast session and the keys known by the denied users are updated with a “stateful” scheme (A2) from time to time.
US08437471B2
A system includes a key path generator that generates a key path based on a plurality of encryption keys. A block coding unit generates a plurality of codewords based on a plurality of data blocks. A block scrambling unit scrambles the plurality of codewords to generate a plurality of encrypted blocks by entropy processing, chaos processing and permutation processing each of the plurality of codewords, based on the plurality of encryption keys.
US08437470B2
A method of encrypting a block of data, is described, the method including providing a combining unit operative to combine a key with a block of data, the block of data expressed as a block of bits, providing a mix and condense unit operative to mix bits included in the block of bits among themselves, receiving an input including the block of data expressed as the block of bits, combining, at the combining unit, the block of bits with a key, and mixing, at the mixing and condensing unit, the combined block of bits, wherein the mix and condense unit includes a plurality of layers, each layer among the plurality of layers including a plurality of mini-functions. Related apparatus and methods are described.
US08437467B2
In one embodiment, a low cost, simple circuit for detecting an off-hook condition of a telecommunication line comprising tip and ring signal lines is provided. The circuit comprises a voltage divider for coupling between the tip and ring lines without an intervening transistor and having a node at which is presented a scaled version of a voltage across the voltage divider. The circuit further comprises a transistor having a control terminal coupled to the node, a first current flow terminal coupled to a voltage source, and a second current flow terminal coupled to an output terminal, wherein the output terminal bears a value that is indicative of a voltage across the tip and ring lines and thus whether the telecommunication line is off-hook.
US08437465B1
Systems and methods for capturing communications data are provided. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: establishing connection with a customer center, the customer center being associated with a communications infrastructure; obtaining information that is related to the communications infrastructure, the information obtained being related to a communications protocol that is associated with the communications infrastructure; determining the type of communications protocol based on the information obtained; determining whether the type of communications protocol is supported by a recording system; responsive to determining that the type of communications protocol is supported, receiving communications data using the determined communications protocol; determining whether to record the received communications data; and responsive to determining that the received communications data are to be recorded, recording the received communications data.
US08437462B2
A method and apparatus are provided for exchanging configuration information within a call center system between a central server and a plurality of dissimilar contact centers. The method includes the steps of the central server monitoring an contact center of the plurality of dissimilar contact centers for a configuration change message and converting the configuration change between a format of the central server and a format of a subscribing contact center of the plurality of contact centers, where the subscribing contact center is different than the monitored contact center.
US08437457B1
A system and method routes a call within a communications network. A call routing device is interconnected to a plurality of trunks forming trunk groups and receives a call. A database stores a dialing plan having data related to restrictions as to which outbound trunk from the call routing device can be used based on an originating account as either a station or trunk of a caller or the number of a caller. A call router processor determines an outbound trunk from the call routing device to which a call from a caller is routed at the call routing device if the configured dial plan permits the originating account or number of the caller to access the selected outbound trunk. A call router routes the call from the caller onto the selected outbound trunk.
US08437453B2
The present invention teaches a multiple server based interactive voice response (IVR) system in which individual IVR strings on an index computer are associated with connections to external servers, the IVR system index computer accessible by each individual IVR string's self-identification telephone number either from Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) information, Automatic Number Identification (ANI) service information, item ID information provided by a caller or a combination thereof. When a call is received to the IVR system index computer, it uses DNIS, ANI and/or item ID information to route the call to string information (outgoing messages, menu options, etc) which might be located the index computer or on a clientele computer. In embodiments, the client business might be able to easily access the information associating options to messages and the message files themselves and change their IVR string without technical support.
US08437447B2
A laminography system includes a first linear guide defining a z-direction of a Cartesian coordinate system and an imaging radiation source fixable to the first linear guide and movable along the first linear guide. The radiation source is configured to form a cone of rays including a central ray defining a y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system. A detector is disposed in a position so as to be struck at a center thereof by the central ray of the radiation source substantially in an x-direction of the Cartesian coordinate system. The system also includes a first rotation device configured to rotate the detector about a first axis of rotation that is parallel to a z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system and that passes through an intersection of the central array and the detector. The detector is fixable to a second linear guide and is movable on the second linear guide along the first axis of rotation. An object slide is disposed between the radiation source and the detector. The object slide is configured to receive an object for inspection and is rotatable by a second rotation device about a second axis of rotation that is parallel to the first axis of rotation and that passes through an intersection of the central ray and the object for inspection.
US08437443B2
Example embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods for producing radioisotopes in instrumentation tubes of operating commercial nuclear reactors. Irradiation targets may be inserted and removed from instrumentation tubes during operation and converted to radioisotopes otherwise unavailable from nuclear reactors. Example apparatuses may continuously insert, remove, and store irradiation targets to be converted to useable radioisotopes.
US08437440B1
A method for generating a data unit for transmission via a communication channel includes generating a preamble of the data unit, including generating a set of more than four training fields and applying a different spatial mapping to each training field in the set of training fields; and generating a data portion of the data unit, wherein the data portion is transmitted using more than four space-time streams, so that a receiver device can receive the data portion via the more than four space-time streams using channel information derived from the set of training fields.
US08437439B2
A signal processing apparatus, which executing a decoding process for a digital signal Manchester-encoded by assigning two bits of “10” to any one of binary digital signals “0 and “1”, and assigning two bits of “01” to the other binary digital signal, is provide with a decoding unit which executes the decoding process with a processing unit corresponding to a term of two bits of the Manchester-encoded digital signal so as to detect only any one of the first bit and the second bit of the Manchester-encoded digital signal.
US08437434B1
A plurality of received data symbols is received, and a first received data symbol is selected from the plurality of received data symbols. A plurality of global optimum candidate values of a first estimated transmitted data symbol corresponding to the first received data symbol is determined for different given candidate values of second estimated transmitted data symbols corresponding to second received data symbols. Likelihood values for bits corresponding to the second estimated transmitted data symbols are calculated using the plurality of global optimum candidate values. All possible values of the first estimated transmitted data symbol are grouped into two or more bit groups, and a plurality of local optimum candidate values are determined for different bit groups. Likelihood values for bits corresponding to the first estimated transmitted data symbol are calculated using the plurality of global optimum candidate values and the plurality of local optimum candidate values.
US08437433B2
A demodulation mask bitmap includes binary mask values. Each mask value corresponds to an input resource element to a demodulator. For each mask value of a first state, a demodulation engine of the demodulator is not clocked and the demodulator outputs a zero-valued resource element. For each mask value of a second state, the demodulation engine is clocked, the input resource element is demodulated, and the demodulator outputs a demodulated resource element. A demodulation mask bitmap is designed to mask pilot resource elements and corrupted resource elements. Power is conserved by not clocking the demodulation engine for corrupted and pilot resource elements. Subsequent LLR generation and decode operations are simplified. Decoder performance is improved because the decoder does not decode LLR values derived from corrupted resource elements and/or resource elements not relevant to the reconstruction of a communicated message.
US08437432B2
In an ultra-wideband (“UWB”) receiver, a received UWB signal is periodically digitized as a series of ternary samples. The samples are continuously correlated with a predetermined preamble sequence to develop a correlation value. When the value exceeds a predetermined threshold, indicating that the preamble sequence is being received, estimates of the channel impulse response (“CIR”) are developed. When a start-of-frame delimiter (“SFD”) is detected, the best CIR estimate is provided to a channel matched filter (“CMF”) substantially to filter channel-injected noise.
US08437416B2
A reference signal cyclic shift (CS) is quantized as a combination of a cell specific CS with an outcome of a pseudo-random hopping, and an indication of the cell specific CS is broadcast in the cell. In one embodiment the CS is quantized as a modulo operation on a sum of the cell specific CS, the outcome of the pseudo-random hopping, and a user specific CS, in which case an indication of the user specific CS is sent in an uplink resource allocation and a user sends its cyclically shifted reference signal in the uplink resource allocated by the uplink resource allocation. The CS may also be quantized according to length of the reference signal as cyclic_shift_symbol=(cyclic_shift_value*length of the reference signal)/12; where cyclic_shift_value is between zero and eleven and cyclic_shift_symbol is the amount of CS given in reference signal symbols.
US08437404B2
A decoder for decoding a plurality of digital video data is described. In an embodiment, the decoder comprises a DV video decoder for decoding digital video data which is formatted according to the DV standard. The DV video decoder has a Very-Long Instruction Word (VLIW) processor and a variable length decoding unit. The VLIW processor includes a preparser unit for recovering a decoding order of the digital video data so that the variable length decoding unit can process the digital video data. The variable length decoding unit decodes a variable length coding format of the digital video data which has been preparsed by the VLIW processor. Furthermore, the VLIW processor includes a decompression unit for decompressing the digital video data which has been decoded by the variable length decoding unit. In an embodiment, the VLIW processor and the variable length decoding unit are formed on the same semiconductor device.
US08437403B2
A method and device for analysing video images by obtaining high frequency components. The device includes means for obtaining high-frequency components of a video image and means for obtaining a high-frequency image on the basis of the high-frequency components. Means for calculating the variance for each pixel of the high-frequency image. Means for associating a coefficient with each pixel of the video image as a function of the variance. The coefficient is representative of the visual sensitivity of each pixel for the human eye. The invention relates to a method and a device for analysing video images.
US08437402B2
An image decoding method includes decoding encoded image data to generate a decoded image signal including a luma signal and a chroma signal. The method further includes scaling, when a reference field is a bottom field while a current field is a top field for motion estimation and when the decoded image signal is in a format in which the number of chroma pixels is vertically different from the number of luma pixels, a chroma motion vector of the chroma signal by mv/2−¼, where mv is a vertical component in a luma motion vector of the luma signal. The method also includes performing motion compensation of the decoded image signal using the scaled chroma motion vector.
US08437401B2
A method of motion estimation (ME) refinement. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an initial motion vector (MV) by conducting a first ME on an initial block in a picture, the initial block covering an initial area of the picture, (B) generating a current MV by conducting a second ME on a current block in the picture, (i) the current block covering a subset of the initial area and (ii) the second ME being seeded by the initial MV, (C) generating at least one additional MV by conducting at least one third ME on the current block, the at least one third ME being seeded respectively by at least one neighboring MV spatially adjacent to the current MV and (D) generating a refined MV of the current block by storing in a memory a best among the current MV and the additional MV.
US08437398B2
An interpolation image generation method and apparatus for adaptively converting a frame rate based on a motion vector, and a display device having an adaptive frame rate conversion function are provided. The interpolation image generation method includes an interpolation image generation process calculating motion vectors from a previous image unit and a subsequent image unit that are continuous and generating an interpolation image using the motion vectors; a motion error boundary detection process detecting an area, in which a motion error determined from the motion vectors is greater than a predetermined value, as a boundary area of the interpolation image; and a motion compensation process compensating for a motion error inside the detected boundary area based on a dominant direction of the motion vectors using at least one of the previous image unit and the subsequent image unit.
US08437392B2
Systems and methods for editing and selectively encoding video. In general, in one implementation, the method includes generating video segments from portions of one or more video sources, at least one video source being encoded to have interframe dependencies; generating a video sequence from the video segments; scanning the generated video sequence to identify invalid interframe dependencies; and selectively reencoding portions of the generated video sequence to generate an output video sequence having valid interframe dependencies. The method may further comprise generating the output video sequence without reencoding valid portions of the video sequence. Valid portions of the video sequence may comprise portions lacking invalid interframe dependencies or buffer violations.
US08437382B2
A multicarrier transceiver is provided with a sleep mode in which it idles with reduced power consumption when it is not needed to transmit or receive data. The full transmission and reception capabilities of the transceiver are quickly restored when needed, without requiring the full (and time-consuming) initialization commonly needed to restore such transceivers to operation after inactivity.
US08437378B2
The present technology relates to protocols relative to utility meters associated with an open operational framework. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to protocol subject matter for advanced metering infrastructure, adaptable to various international standards, while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field. The present subject matter supports meters within an ANSI standard C12.22/C12.19 system while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field, all to permit cell-based adaptive insertion of C12.22 meters within an open framework. Cell isolation is provided through methodology and apparatus subject matter relating to quasi-orthogonal sequences in a frequency hopping network.
US08437377B2
A pulse generator with a filter section limiting a band of an input signal, and a pulse generating section generating a plurality of pulses which are sequentially delayed one after another by a time period (τ) substantially equal to a reciprocal of a center frequency of the band of the filter section, and inputting the plurality of pulses to the filter section.
US08437376B2
A nitride semiconductor device includes a multilayer semiconductor structure made of a group III nitride semiconductor and having a light-emitting facet, and a first coating film formed to cover the light-emitting facet of the multilayer semiconductor structure. The first coating film is a crystalline film made of a nitride containing aluminum. The crystalline film is composed of a group of single domains, and the single domain is comprised of a group of grains whose crystal orientation planes have a same inclination angle and a same rotation angle. A length of a boundary between the domains per unit area is 7 μm−1 or less.
US08437372B2
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change.
US08437370B2
A method of forwarding data transmissions from a first network to a third network via a second network comprises receiving packets of a first type from the first network, segmenting each packet of a first type into packets of a second type, transmitting the packets of a second type to the second network, and producing and transmitting at least one encoded duplicate of each of the packets of a second type to the second network. The encoded duplicate packet allows a packet of the first type to be recreated in the event that not all the packets of the second type are received at the second network. In the event that a sufficient number of the packets of a second type and the encoded duplicate packets are not received to recreate the packet of a first type, the method determines a loss ratio that represents the number of packets not recreated relative to the number of packets transmitted during a selected time interval, dynamically adjusts the overhead required to produce the encoded duplicate packets to attempt to minimize the loss ratio, detects a significant increase in the determined loss ratio over a plurality of the time intervals, successively reduces the overhead required to produce the encoded duplicate packets in response to the detection of a significant increase in the determined loss ratio, and determines whether the reduced overhead requirement stabilizes the determined loss ratio and, if the answer is affirmative, terminates the successive reduction of the overhead requirement.
