US08459876B2
A method for producing a bearing ring for a roiling bearing, the bearing ring comprising a raceway for a rolling member as well as at least one lateral rim for axially guiding the rolling member. In one step of said method, a notch is introduced into a running surface of the bearing ring which faces the rolling member. The final contour of the bearing ring is created by means of a hard turning process.
US08459870B2
A packaging bag has a zipper including a pair of male member and a female member that are engageable with each other. The male member includes: a belt-shaped male base element provided on a packaging bag body; and a male engaging portion projecting from the belt-shaped male base element. The female member includes: a belt-shaped female base element located at a position opposed to the belt-shaped male base element; and a female engaging portion projecting from the belt-shaped female base element, the male engaging portion and the female engaging portion being disengageably engaged to form an engaging portion. The belt-shaped male base element and the belt-shaped female base element are made of a resin of which tensile modulus of elasticity is in a range of 700 MPa to 1600 MPa. The engaging portion is made of a resin of which tensile modulus of elasticity is in a range of 110 MPa to 560 MPa.
US08459868B2
In one embodiment, a portable X-ray imaging system is provided with a base unit and at least one front wheel on which the base unit is mounted. The base unit is also mounted on a pair of rear wheels. The imaging system is provided with a suspension system coupled to the base unit and to the rear wheels. The suspension system is arranged to permit flexible movement of the base unit and the rear wheels with respect to one another.
US08459862B2
A microbe testing device includes a measurement cell for holding a sample liquid, and a rotor that is rotated, by magnetic force imparted from outside the measurement cell, along a bottom face in the sample liquid held in the measurement cell. The sample liquid is stirred by rotating the rotor so that only its end portions are in contact with the bottom face of the measurement cell.
US08459859B2
A light guide module capable of illuminating and being applied in a device for decoration is provided. The light guide module includes a reflective layer, a light guide with a plurality of diffusing particles, and a light source. The light guide has a side surface, a reflective surface and a light-exiting surface, thereby allowing a light from the light source to enter and reflect and exit the light guide respectively. The reflective layer is disposed on the reflective surface of the light guide for reflecting the light to the light-exiting surface. The light guide forms a portion of an outer surface of the device.
US08459856B2
In one aspect, an illumination structure includes a substantially non-fiber waveguide, which itself includes a discrete in-coupling region for receiving light, a discrete propagation region for propagating light, and a discrete out-coupling region for emitting light.
US08459854B2
A lighting device (30) comprises a side-light light guide 1′ located in a support (2) that has an elongate opening for the passage of light emitted by the light guide. The support (20) is shaped to provide contact edges (24) and the only physical engagement between the support and the light guide is along those contact edges. The support also has planar surfaces internal positioned adjacent, and parallel to, planar surfaces (15) in the light guide to retain the light guide in the required orientation in the support. To enhance the flexibility of the support, in some embodiments only part of the support is continuous along the whole length of the support.
US08459850B2
An interior light assembly for use in a vehicle includes a housing having a light transmission end constructed to pass light out of the housing. A light source is located in the housing and arranged to emit light in a direction to pass out of the light transmission end of the housing. A visor extends from the light transmission end of the housing for blocking light from the light source in directions transverse to the light transmission end of the housing into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The visor has an end remote from the housing shaped to engage a windshield of the vehicle. The visor may be pivotably mounted on the housing to facilitate flush engagement of the remote visor end with the windshield. The visor can flare outwardly from the housing to the remote end so light can be seen at greater off-angles by persons outside the vehicle.
US08459849B2
An optical device having an optical axis (y-y) and comprising a source of light; a reflector which is associated with the source of light in order to form a light beam; and a rotary assembly which is designed to intercept the light beam, and can be rotated around an axis of rotation between first and second distinctive lighting positions. The rotary assembly comprises at least first and second shields associated respectively with the first and second lighting positions, in order to create a cut-off of the light beam. The first and second shields each comprise at least one ridge. The rotary assembly additionally is designed to permit progressive transition of the lighting between the first and second distinctive lighting positions.
US08459847B2
A gobo holder for a gobo wheel has a base element, a gobo fastening element rotatably mounted to the base element, and a resilient latching member on the base element. The gobo holder is mounted to a gobo wheel having a latching feature for such time until a mechanical latching connection is achieved between the resilient latching member of the gobo holder and the latching feature of the gobo wheel.
US08459831B2
A linear light-emitting diode (LED)-based solid-state lamp having an electrically insulating heat sink that comprises a honeycomb structure is used to replace a conventional metallic one for efficiently dissipating the heat generated by operating the lamp. The lamp further built with a pair of shock protection switches can operate free of electric shock hazard.
US08459830B2
A light output device includes first and second light sources, and a partly transparent mirror arranged between the light sources. The partly transparent mirror, during operation, receives substantially all light emitted by the first and second light sources, and reflects part of the light emitted by the first light source and transmits part of the light emitted by the second light source, and vice versa, such that the light from the first light source is superimposed onto the light from the second light source following reflection/transmission at the partly transparent mirror.
US08459821B1
An apparatus for safe carriage of a drink vessel within a darkened area, the apparatus including a receptacle having an upper opening, the receptacle's upper opening being fitted for nestingly receiving the drink vessel; the apparatus further including an attached and underlying illumination component case, the illumination component case housing light emitter, battery, electrical conductor and electrical switching elements.
US08459807B2
Techniques are described for forming microlens sheeting having composite images that appear to float with respect to the plane of the sheeting. As one example, a method comprises forming one or more images within a sheeting having a surface of microlenses, wherein at least one of the images is a partially complete image, and wherein each of the images is associated with a different one of the microlenses, wherein the microlenses have refractive surfaces that transmit light to positions within the sheeting to produce a plurality of composite images from the images formed within the sheeting so that each of the composite images appears to float with respect to the plane of the sheeting, and wherein forming the one or more images comprises forming the one or more images such that each of the composite images is associated with a different viewing angle range.
US08459805B2
A display apparatus is capable of displaying a distortion-free projected image based on an image signal from a computer. The display apparatus receives an image signal from the computer and projects an image depending on the image signal onto a projection surface. The display apparatus includes a setting section which sets identification information representative of an aspect ratio of a display of the computer. The identification information set in the setting section can be changed by the user.
US08459790B2
A printer includes a reversal transportation path which transports a paper to which ink ejected from liquid ejecting heads has adhered toward a downstream side in the transportation direction. In the printer, the reversal transportation path is formed between a pair of guiding plates having a substantially circular arc shape along the transportation direction of the paper and opening holes which blow out wind toward the reversal transportation path from a blowing unit are provided on an inner guiding plate of the pair of the guiding plates, which is positioned at the center side of the circular arc shape.
US08459779B2
A heater chip has a substrate and at least one die, made of silicon, and a bond non-adhesively attaching them. The substrate, thick enough to resist bowing, has ink supply vias from back to front surfaces. The die has ink flow vias from back to front surfaces and circuitry including heater elements adjacent the front surface interspersed with ink flow vias. A metal through the die connects a conductor on a front of the substrate to a heater element on a front of the die. A wire bond connects to the front of the substrate, but is offset from die.
US08459776B2
There is provided a method of printing a regular array of rows of subpixels on a workpiece. The subpixels have c different colors and have a subpixel pitch s. A printing head has z nozzles arranged in a row with a spacing p, where z=n1(c) and p=(c−1)(s), the printhead being at a first position relative to the workpiece. There are c different printing inks, one for each of the c colors, and each of the printing inks is supplied to the nozzles in a regular alternating pattern. The method includes steps of printing a first set of z rows of subpixels with the printing head; moving the workpiece laterally relative to the printing head by a distance d1, where d1=z(s); printing a second set of z rows of subpixels with the printing head; repeating the printing steps n2 times for a total of n2+2 sets of z rows of subpixels. Variables include: c, an integer greater than 1; n1, an integer greater than 0, with the proviso that when c is an odd number, then n1 is an odd number; and n2, an integer greater than 0.
US08459775B2
A liquid ejecting head including: a head main body that has a nozzle opening for ejecting liquid, a rectifying plate that is disposed in a position away from the liquid ejecting surface on which the nozzle opening is opened and has an opening disposed in an area facing the nozzle opening, and an air stream generating unit that generates an air stream between the liquid ejecting surface and the rectifying plate along the surface direction of the liquid ejecting surface.
US08459749B2
A roof cutter holder adjustment device for a roof cutter holder arranged in a vertically adjustable manner on a plow body of a winning plow, comprising a worm wheel for interacting with a rack-like tooth system on the roof cutter holder, an input shaft for actuating the worm wheel, and comprising a head plate which has a passage for the input shaft and which can be fastened or is fastened to the plow body in a rotationally fixed manner. In order to enable the roof cutter holder adjustment device to be mounted and released in a simple manner, the head plate has at least one fastening device, to which a securing element which can be put onto the free end of the input shaft can be fastened in a rotationally fixed manner in the mounted state.
US08459748B2
A vehicle seat assembly includes a frame member, a seat bottom and a buckle assembly. The seat bottom is coupled to the frame member for pivotal movement within a movement range defined between a seating position and a retracted position in which the seat bottom angles upward. The buckle assembly includes a buckle arm and a seatbelt buckle. The buckle arm includes a first end coupled to the frame member for pivotal movement between a seating position corresponding to the seating position of the seat bottom and a retracted position corresponding to the retracted position of the seat bottom. The seatbelt buckle is coupled to a second end of the buckle arm. The buckle assembly is configured to pivot in response to pivoting movement of the seat bottom with the majority of the seatbelt buckle being maintained within the cutout throughout all of the movement range of the seat bottom.
US08459747B2
A seat belt-integrated vehicle seat is provided with an improved seat frame rigidity, without a size precision decrease of the entire seat frame. The vehicle seat with a seat belt includes a seat back frame having at least a pair of side frames, and an upper frame for coupling a pair of the side frames on the upper side, a shoulder anchor portion provided in an upper part of the side frame, the shoulder anchor portion into which a shoulder belt portion of the seat belt is inserted, and a reclining device provided in a lower part of the side frame, in which the side frame has a closed section structure portion having a hollow closed section, and an extension portion integrally formed by downwardly extending a surface of the closed section structure portion and positioned on the outer side, and the reclining device is attached to the extension portion.
US08459744B2
There are provided a headrest that prevents looseness, abnormal sounds, and noise caused by a frame urging element or elements and regulating with certainty the rotating of the headrest in a condition where vibrations occur, and a vehicle seat provided with the headrest. A headrest that tilts from a head support state in which the headrest is raised to a storage state includes a pillar mounted in the upper part of a seat back, a headrest frame rotatably engaged with the pillar, a headrest frame urging element or elements for urging the headrest frame to one side, and a locking element or elements that hinder the rotating of the headrest frame and the pillar. The headrest frame urging element or elements includes a shaft disposed on a member constituting the locking element or elements, and a damper and a spring that are disposed on the shaft.
US08459741B2
A chair is provided that permits a chair user to configure the chair to accommodate uneven terrain. The chair user manually grasps a strap, additionally grasps the chair at another location, and moves the strap toward the top of the chair. The strap movement releases in a coordinated manner a group of telescoping leg posts from their fixed securement, whereupon the telescoping leg posts individually adjust to respective heights such that a seating portion of the chair is supported at a level disposition.
US08459740B2
An adjustable-height support member, also referred to as a chair, provides support in a panel assembly having an inner wall and an outer wall. The chair includes a base configured for attachment to an interior surface of the inner wall. A shaft extends from the base. An optional cap covers the shaft such that the total length of the chair corresponds with a desired thickness between the inner wall and the outer wall of the panel assembly. During assembly, the chair prevents sagging between the inner wall and the outer wall. The chair also allows the insulating foam to be applied so as to substantially fill the void between the inner and outer wall.
US08459738B2
A portable backrest gives upper body support to a person sitting sideways on a sofa or like furniture, the portable backrest placed and retained on the sofa through a cushion of the sofa on which the person eventually sits. A lower, support or base portion of the portable backrest forming a bracket that is received under and around a part of the cushion that is adjacent an armrest of the sofa while an upper portion of the portable backrest extends upwardly and outwardly from the lower portion and armrest to support the upper body, neck and head of a sitting person. In one form, a back portion of the backrest is pivotally connected to a lower portion of the backrest while in another form, the back portion is integral with the lower portion. The upper portion may have back, neck and head cushioning.
US08459737B2
A portable back support device is provided for increasing the spinal support experienced by a user of a low-back chair. The present invention comprises a winged headrest, a back support, a pair of removably attachable armrests, and an adjustable chair strap. The winged head rest and back support may be separatable and removably secured to one another, or alternatively may be may be one piece. The device has cushions of varying contour and firmness and is covered with an upholstery material. Cushioned armrests may be attached at the sides of the back support according to the preference of a user. The device is removably secured to a chair by means of an adjustable strap that fits around the back of a chair and may be tightened or loosened as necessary to affix the device.
US08459731B2
A seat assembly includes a seat back operatively coupled to a seat cushion. The seat back is pivotally movable between a first seating position and a second folded position. A head restraint is operatively coupled to the seat back for pivotal movement between a use position and a stowed position. A handle assembly includes a handling having a first slot operatively coupled to the head restraint and a second slot operatively coupled to the seat back. Operating the handle actuates the head restraint to move from the use position to the stowed position prior to actuating the seat back to move from the first seating position to the second folded position.
US08459730B2
A roof apparatus includes a functional bracket supporting a movable panel, a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a drive shoe moving along the guide rail, a front link connected to the functional bracket to move in the longitudinal direction in conjunction with the movement of the drive shoe, a front guide portion guiding the functional bracket and the front link in the longitudinal direction, a check member engaged with the drive shoe to move rearward with the drive shoe when a distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is shorter than a predetermined distance, the check member disengaged from the drive shoe when the distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance, a rear link engaged with the check member, and a rear guide portion guiding the rear link in the longitudinal direction.
US08459729B1
Wind deflector assemblies for an opening of a vehicle roof having a plurality of pretensioned movable arms. In one approach, a wind deflector assembly for a vehicle having a roof opening, is provided having a wind deflector guide attached to a vehicle along a front edge of the roof opening in a generally transverse axis of the vehicle on its lower edge; the wind deflector guide extendible above the roof opening by attachment on its upper edge to a plurality of movable deflector arms mounted to and extending rearward along a generally longitudinal axis of the vehicle; the plurality of movable deflector arms having an pretensioning element to extend the wind deflector guide from a retracted position to a deployed position. The plurality of movable deflector arms can be two reciprocal assemblies of three deflector arms, each assembly movable on four pivot mounts.
US08459717B2
A hinge assembly for a door lid of a vehicle includes a hinge arm support bracket that mounts within a luggage compartment of the vehicle. A hinge arm is connected to the support bracket at a proximal portion and including a distal portion that is mountable to the door lid, the hinge arm being pivotable relative to the support bracket. A force adjustment member is pivotally connected to the hinge arm. The force adjustment member includes a torsion bar mount portion extending outwardly from the hinge arm having an opening therethrough to receive an end of a torsion bar and a tool receiving portion that engages a torque adjustment tool to pivot the force adjustment member to apply a torque to the torsion bar.
US08459716B2
A removable tailgate gap cover for preventing ingress of debris in a tailgate gap. The gap cover comprises an elongated cover plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, two longitudinal edges and an elongated support bar having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is fixedly attached to and substantially centrally aligned with the lengthwise direction of the bottom surface. The elongated support bar comprises a magnetic attaching means disposed along the lower end of the elongated support bar for attaching the gap cover to the floor of the end portion of the truck bed.
US08459715B2
An engaging portion 11 provided at an article storage box 10 pivotally engages with an axle portion 7 provided at a peripheral edge portion 4S of an opening 4 of an instrument panel 1 so that the article storage box 10 can swing so as to be switchable between a closed state and an opened state. The article storage box 10 includes a box body 20 and a lid 30. The engaging portion 11 is provided at one of the box body 20 and the lid 30, and a support portion 27 receiving and supporting the engaging portion 11 on a side of the engaging portion 11 opposite to a side of the engaging portion 11 on which a force applied from the axle portion 7 to the engaging portion 11 is exerted is provided at the other of the box body 20 and the lid 30.
US08459704B2
An improved security system to prevent unwanted entrance through a hinged barrier, such as, but not limited to a door, is provided and comprises a member associated with the barrier, whether internal or eternal to the barrier, and adapted to extend from a first length to a second length. An actuation mechanism is coupled to the member and is adapted to extend the member from the first length to the second length and to contract the member from the second length to the first length. A receptacle is provided adjacent the barrier for receiving a portion of the member when the member is extended by the actuating mechanism. A hinge assembly is provided and is disposed substantially opposite the receptacle and adjacent the barrier and is coupled to another end of the member, such that when the member is actuated to the extended position, the member, receptacle and hinge assembly form a security system to prevent unwanted entrance through the barrier.
US08459695B2
A curtain airbag assembly is provided having a number of airbags 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d arranged in a side by side relationship. Lower ends of the airbags 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d are linked to the adjacent airbag by an airbag tether connector assembly 10. Each of the tether connector assemblies includes first and second connectors 20, 30 that engage with one another and snap together to fasten together two tethers 26, 36. In the event that the first and second connectors 20, 30 are not correctly coupled together an indication of this fact is providing in one of a number of manners thereby reducing the risk that a vehicle 5 fitted with such a curtain airbag assembly can enter service with one or more tethers 26, 36 not connected.
US08459693B1
An apparatus is provided for releasably blocking a flow of pressurized fluid through a housing. The apparatus includes a seal member having a rupturable portion, and a support structure configured for supporting the seal member along the rupturable portion so as to substantially prevent outward bulging of the rupturable portion.
US08459689B2
An energy management system for mounting in a vehicle, the energy management system comprising an inflatable bolster for mounting in a glove box door of a glove box of the vehicle, the inflatable bolster including an expansible hollow interior, an inflator module for inflating the expansible hollow interior, a front wall for projecting inwardly into the vehicle and away from the glove box on inflation of the expansible hollow interior, and a back wall located between the expansible hollow interior and the glove box, and a support structure for mounting to the inflatable bolster, the support structure being operable to resist the back wall being forced into the glove box due to inflation of the inflatable bolster.
US08459688B2
A passenger air bag apparatus may include an air bag door, a chute positioned on both ends of the air bag door, wherein the chute has a first fitting hole in one end thereof and a second fitting hole in the other end thereof, and an air bag housing having a first hook received in the first fitting hole and a second hook received in the second fitting hole, wherein an air bag may be contained in the air bag housing, and wherein the first hook may be in contact with an edge of the first fitting hole, and the second hook may be not in contact with an edge of the second fitting hole.
US08459682B2
A cycle seat post having an axial hollow region has formed therein or attached thereto a retaining structure for removably securing a power cell cartridge within the hollow region. The retaining structure comprises one or more shoulders for engaging corresponding shoulders on the power cell cartridge. A retaining cap in physical engagement with the power cell cartridge secures the power cell cartridge in place. An opening in the retaining cap permits connection between a power cell retained in the power cell cartridge and electronic and/or electromechanical devices external to the power cell cartridge. A biasing member and spring claim may further secure retaining cap in place.
US08459680B2
A bicycle assembly can include a bicycle frame that can have a main frame, a sub-frame and a shock absorber. The sub-frame can move in relation to the main frame and the shock can be used to regulate that relationship. A extension body can be used to establish a rear pivot point of the shock absorber. In some embodiments, the extension body can also be used to adjust the length of the combined shock absorber and extension body.
US08459674B2
A control arm for a motor vehicle includes a single-shell base body having a flat bottom and lateral legs which are formed by bending the bottom. Attached to the base body are plural bearings, with at least one of the lateral legs having a recess provided between two of the bearings.
US08459667B2
The invention relates to a foot-propelled wheeled hobby and/or sport device which has a wheel (1) situated between two side-plates (2; 3), and the side-plates (2; 3) are suspended on the axle (X) of the wheel (1). Foot-boards (5) situated below the axle (X) of the wheel (1). Foot-boards (5) situated below the axle (X) of the wheel (1), protruding outwards are connected to the side-plates (2; 3). In the course of the appropriate use of the device (I; II) the side-plates (2; 3) project over the knee of the user (12) standing on one or both of the foot-boards (5), providing a supporting surface (a) for the knee. The invention is based on that at a certain distance (e) behind the wheel (1)—with respect to the travelling direction—there is a structure in the range of the track of the wheel (1) ensuring stabilisation against tilting, and in order to relieve the knees of any load the side-plates (3) are constructed with a height (L) ensuring a supporting surface (b) for the user's (12) thigh.
US08459658B2
A hand-held power tool for at least percussively driving a working tool (2) along a percussion axis (A) and including a chuck (4) for receiving the working tool (2) and including a receiving sleeve (6, 6′) fixedly connected with the chuck (4) for joint rotation therewith and for limited axial displacement relative thereto, at least one locking member (7) radially displaceably supported in the receiving sleeve (6, 6′) for axially securing therein a shank (3, 3′) of the working tool (2) insertable in to the receiving sleeve (6, 6′), and an axially extending anvil (8) securable in the receiving sleeve (6, 6′) for closing a power tool side end of the receiving sleeve (6, 6′).
US08459657B2
A metallic gasket including a base plate having a convex metal bead formed, by bending the base plate, between a combustion chamber opening and on the outer periphery portion of the base plate, and a first thickness-increased portion formed thicker than the remaining portions of the base plate to provide a difference in thickness, by which a surface pressure is made to concentrate on the first thickness-increased portion to seal a joint between a cylinder head and a cylinder block when the metallic gasket is disposed between the joint surfaces of the cylinder head and the cylinder block and fastened by clamping bolts. An elastic sealing material is fixed to the convex portion of the metal bead and filled in a concave portion on the reverse side of the base plate to form a rubber bead, and the sealing material is deformed under compression in the through-thickness direction in cooperation with the deformation of the metal bead when the gasket is fastened with clamping bolts. This gasket reduces production cost and preserves a stable sealing performance for extended periods of time.
US08459647B2
A game includes an adversarial figure with at least two portions that cooperatively present a figure-holding chamber. A captured figure is removably positioned in the chamber and operable to enter and exit the chamber. The holding figure also has a latch assembly that holds the portions in a closed condition where figure ingress and egress is restricted. The latch assembly can be shifted to open the portions and permit figure ingress and egress to and from the chamber. The game has an objective of freeing the captured figure from within the chamber by having a player position a rescuing figure in a game area, and releasing the captured figure from control of the holding figure as a result of a releasing act of the rescuing figure.
US08459629B2
A sheet processing apparatus comprises: a conveying portion which contacts a doubled up booklet and conveys the booklet; an end conveying portion which abuts against an open end of the booklet and pushes out the booklet, thereby conveying the booklet; a stopper which abuts against a back of the booklet to position the booklet; a holding portion which holds the booklet which abuts against the stopper; a processing portion which processes the booklet held by the holding portion; wherein the conveying portion can come into contact with and separate from the booklet, the conveying portion separates from the booklet, or a pressure for bringing the conveying portion into contact with the booklet is reduced before the back of the booklet abuts against the stopper, the back of the booklet is abutted against the stopper by the end conveying portion and then, the holding portion holds the booklet.
US08459626B2
A clamp having a lock is provided. In another aspect, a fail safe lock maintains the position of a clamping member when fluid pressure or other actuating power is undesirably reduced. Another aspect employs teeth on a locking structure which engage matching teeth on a shaft where engagement of the teeth prevent unclamping of a workpiece. In still another aspect, a manual override member disengages a lock in order to unclamp a workpiece.
US08459624B2
The present invention provides clamp head comprising an arched body having upper and lower faces, a vertex and opposing unequal length arms. The body is further provided with a through aperture for a bolt or like threaded fastener which extends between the upper and lower faces in the region of the vertex. The aperture in the upper face is oval and tapers outwardly through the body in the direction of the lower face. The arms comprise a reaction arm having at its distal end a reaction face and a clamping arm having at its distal end a clamping face, the reaction and clamping faces being provided with respective formations. The formations of the reaction arm extend in a direction which is substantially transverse to the direction of the formations of the clamping arm.
US08459621B2
The present invention provides a method of bonding suspension components which creates strong and durable bonding layer by using a chemical coating compatible with MCU. The bonding material uses coating materials to form an intermediated property bonding layer. This bonding layer prevents corrosion on the metal suspension components. The coating has the correct chemical activity to chemically bond MCU at the molecular level during the standard curing reaction. The coating provides an intermediated property layer to improve cyclic fatigue bonding performance, and bond effectively during molding and manufacturing operations.
US08459616B2
Disclosed herein is an air cleaning humidifier having a disc assembly performing a purifying function and a humidifying function of indoor air, and a disc assembly thereof. The air cleaning humidifier includes a main body, a tub provided in the main body, an air blower fan generating an air current in the tub, and a rotatable disc assembly having a part of the disc assembly being disposed in the tub, and including a plurality of stacked discs, each of at least two of the discs including a body, a plurality of assembly parts defined through a surface of the body, first protrusion parts protruded from one surface of the body, and second protrusion parts protruded from the other surface of the body, the body being divided into a plurality of sectors by the plurality of assembly parts, and the first protrusion parts and the second protrusion parts being alternately formed in even-numbered regions, into which each of the plurality of sectors is divided.
US08459608B2
The present invention provides more efficient, cost effective coke drum valve devices and system as well as more efficient, cost effective methods for isolating the flow of matter in a delayed coker unit operation. Specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to various seat systems used in valves for delayed coking operations.
US08459603B2
A motor vehicle screen device having a screen that can be driven by a driving mechanism between an inactive position within a cavity of a dashboard and an approximately vertical active position outside the cavity and from the active position into the inactive position. The screen is provided with spaced-apart guiding elements which are guided within guides that run nearly horizontal, perpendicular to the movement path of the screen. The monitor can be driven such that the guiding elements thereof are movable within the guides. At least one of the guiding elements is locked at the active position end of the guide by a locking mechanism.
US08459595B2
The present invention is a safety system for use in conjunction with a control bar for a kite wherein the two front lines are secured by a front line swivel positioned between the bar and the kite. One front line terminates at the swivel and one extension of the other front line, the center line, travels through a central aperture in the swivel. The center line is then routed through an aperture on the control bar and terminated with an end that can be secured to the user either manually or by a leash arrangement. The swivel allows any twists that may form in the front lines to unwind. An increased diameter element located proximally of the swivel is configured to engage the center swivel, but is configured to pass through the aperture on the control bar. When the bar is released, sufficient slack is imparted into the remaining flying lines to effectively depower the kite while retaining attachment to the kite through the restrained front line.
US08459578B1
A prescription label identity peeler includes a box-shaped housing. A lid extends over the box-shaped housing. A sanding member is adjustably carried within the box-shaped housing. A pair of linkage arms is pivotally extend between the lid and the sanding member. The motorized linkage arms will move the sanding member simultaneously and horizontally against the empty pill bottle in an inverted position, while the wheel on the swing arm assembly will contact a bottom end of the empty pill bottle via compression of the springs, thereby removing the label from the empty pill bottle when the inverted empty pill bottle rotates.
US08459573B2
A fluid effects apparatus for producing a water display or show. The apparatus includes a base with a center point gimbal mechanism and a fluid outlet manifold with an inlet for receiving fluid. The fluid outlet manifold is pivotally supported upon the center point gimbal mechanism and includes a nozzle manifold with a pivotally mounted nozzle for dispersing the received fluid and a nozzle drive assembly coupled to the nozzle that selectively rotates the nozzle about its rotation axis. The drive assembly includes a motor mounted to pivot with the fluid outlet manifold upon the center point gimbal. The drive assembly includes an output drive element of the motor that is coupled to the nozzle to selectively rotate the nozzle. The nozzle manifold includes a second nozzle and switching means for selectively directing the received fluid to one of the two nozzles.
US08459571B2
An injection valve has a valve body and a valve pin. The valve body has a metering orifice. In a closed position of the valve pin, the flow of fluid through the metering orifice is disabled and otherwise released. A control signal (ANS_SIG) for metering fluid with the injection valve is generated for a first valve pin actuator which is coupled to the valve pin to drive the valve pin. At least one first atomization signal (ZER_SIG—1) for the first and/or the second valve pin actuator is generated at least during a predetermined interval during the control of the first valve pin actuator with the control signal (AN_SIG) in such a manner that the valve pin is oscillatingly displaced relative to a position of the valve pin in response to the first atomization signal (ZER_SIG—1), the valve pin having said position in response to the control signal (ANS_SIG).
US08459566B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for creating and utilizing hidden tags on goods, associated labels and/or associated promotional materials related to such goods or to certain services that are only visible through the use of a viewing device.
US08459563B2
The present disclosure relates to a circuit board including a supporting material and having conductive tracks on a top surface, wherein the circuit board has a recess in the supporting material, which opens into a lateral surface adjoining the top surface and into which an RFID microchip is inserted.
US08459562B1
A system and method for processing transactions using a multi-account transaction device. The method comprises the steps of: receiving at least one transaction particular relating to a transaction conducted with a multi-account transaction device; determining at least one first desired account associated with the multi-account transaction device to which the transaction will be posted; posting the transaction to the at least one first desired account; receiving at least one second desired account to which at least a portion of the transaction should be posted; posting the at least a portion of the transaction to the at least one second desired account; and reconciling the at least one first desired account.
US08459556B2
Systems and methods are provided for prioritizing an order in which to process a plurality of sub-regions of an acquired image of an optical code. A method of processing an optical code in a data reader comprises the steps of receiving data corresponding to a plurality of sub-regions of an acquired image of an optical code, processing according to a processing order the plurality of sub-regions for decodable data corresponding to the optical code, determining based on the step of processing the plurality of sub-regions whether one or more of the plurality of sub-regions contains decodable data, and if it is determined that a sub-region contains decodable data, increasing the processing priority associated with said sub-region. If one or more of the sub-regions having the highest processing priority contains decodable data, the remaining sub-regions do not need to be processed, which may save processing resources and increase the read throughput.
US08459555B2
An XML system is configured to generate encoding information for an RFID device, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream. The XML system includes a computer system having a memory subsystem, a communication interface operatively coupled to a network, an XML processor configured to receive and process the XML input data stream, and an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream or obtain the stylesheet from a repository. The XSLT processor transforms data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained. Also included is an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor configured to format the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet, and a rendering subsystem configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate encoding information for an RFID device.
US08459553B2
A medium processing apparatus is provided. The medium processing apparatus comprises an MR sensor, one or more differential amplifiers, a storage, and a controller. The MR sensor comprises a plurality of detection elements configured to detect a magnetic component of a medium. The one or more differential amplifiers receive respective output signals of two detection elements among the plurality of detection elements to subtract and amplify the received signals. The storage stores various pattern information of a magnetic component signal for the medium. The controller compares the pattern information, stored in the storage, with magnetic component signals respectively outputted from the detection elements and a magnetic component signal outputted from the one or more differential amplifiers to determine authenticity of the medium.
US08459550B2
The present application relates to a method for transferring data, a computer program product, a data provision device, a data receiving device and a communication system, in particular to authentication/verification of data provided between one or more radio frequency identification reader(s) and one or more radio frequency identification transponder(s). In some embodiments, the method includes an initializing step and a data provisioning step.
US08459549B2
A self-service device (1), specifically an automated teller machine, account statement printer, and/or information or transaction terminal, with a base housing (2), an operator interface (3), an input device for identification cards (9), a magnetic interference unit (8) and one or more additional components (4, 5, 6) where the magnetic interference unit (8) is configured as a coil enclosing the input and/or output device for identification cards (9).
US08459548B2
A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. Gift cards may be inputted by a user into such a payment card or other device such that a user can combine gift cards. Similarly, a user be provided with a global payment account that can be utilized in multiple countries that have different standards for formatting data. A user may be provided with a default country (e.g., United States) but may have a way to select that the user is in a different country (e.g., Japan). Accordingly, a user may select that a Japanese data structure be transmitted through a magnetic stripe reader when the user is in Japan.
US08459547B2
A control device for controlling a use of control object apparatus, including a control section which is configured to read out information recorded in an IC card with noncontact state, to discriminates an attribute of a user based on readout information and previously stored information, and to switch between an authentication mode and a billing mode in accordance with the attribute of the user, wherein in the authentication mode, the control section permits the use of the control object apparatus only with an authentication, and in the billing mode, the control section executes a billing processing on the IC card in accordance with a use state of the control object apparatus.
US08459536B2
A container formed from a foldable blank into a box-like configuration for transport of a tray or container storing food items therein, such as a catering tray. The container includes a bottom portion defined by a bottom wall, front and rear walls, and spaced-apart side walls, all of which project upwardly from bottom wall. A top portion is provided which is swingably movable relative to the bottom portion to provide open and closed configurations of the container. The container provides an added insulative layer so as to maintain food items stored within the catering tray at the desired temperature, and also improves handling thereof.
US08459526B2
A method and apparatus for fabricating a vertical deposition mask capable of welding a mask sheet and a mask frame for preventing a large area mask from drooping due to the weight of the mask. The apparatus includes a tensioning device for tensioning a mask sheet and a welder for attaching a mask frame to a circumference of the mask sheet. The tensioning device includes clamps for supporting the mask sheet and tensioners coupled to the clamps for applying tensile force to the clamps and to evenly fix in place the mask sheet by the clamps.
US08459513B2
A fitment (10) for a bottle (90) is provided. The fitment (10) comprises retaining means (60) for retaining it in a bottle closure (70). The retaining means is movable from a first position in which it engages the closure and a second position in which it does not.
US08459510B2
In some embodiments, a dispenser for attachment to a liquid container may include one or more of the following features: (a) a tubular valve body of a generally hollow form having a liquid outlet port on one end of the valve body capable of coupling to the liquid container, the valve body further including an air vent opening and a liquid vent opening located on an opposite side of the valve body, (b) an integral lid with the valve body slidingly disposed on the opposite side of the valve body and coupled to be moved between a liquid blocking and a liquid dispensing position, and (c) a liquid seal coupled to the integral lid capable of positioning within a liquid vent opening and an air seal coupled to the integral lid capable of positioning within an air vent opening.
US08459503B2
Temperature controlled liquid dispenser, containers therefore, and bag-in-box container construction
A dispenser for relative rapid cooling or heating of the contents of a liquid storage container provides a receptacle for receiving the liquid storage container therein and positioning a thermal transfer portion of the liquid storage container in thermal conductive relationship with a thermal conduction pad associated with the receptacle. Thermal energy is effectively and efficiently transferred from the thermal conduction pad to the liquid in the liquid storage container. The thermal conduction pad is controlled to provide and maintain the desired temperature to the liquid. The liquid is dispensed directly from the container. Various types of containers can be used in the dispenser, with a special bag-in-box container having a inner container and outer box with thermal conduction windows in the box to provide good heat transfer between the thermal conduction pads and the inner container constituting an aspect of the invention. A special rigid container can also be used.
US08459500B2
A container comprising a rigid body (5) having a neck (6) defining an aperture providing access to the container cavity and a bag (9) positioned in the interior of the body (5), the bag being formed of thermoplastic material and itself having a neck (2) from which there radially extends a flange (3) which rests on a free edge of the neck (6) of the body (5) and defines a hole for providing access to the cavity of the bag (9) and for sealedly housing the body of a hermetic pump (P) operable manually to withdraw the fluid substance (F) from the bag and feed it to the outside through its dispensing stem (S), the bag being formed by hot blow molding of a preform placed directly within the container, said bag having a substantially uniform thickness and being detached from the container along its entire outer surface.
US08459498B2
A tablet dispenser having a lower housing (12), an upper housing (14) with an elastometric cover (16) that covers at least a portion of a trigger mechanism. The dispenser mechanism (120) has a spring element (130) and a lever mechanism (142) pivotally mounted in the dispensing zone (124). An interior of the lower housing (12) is provided with a pusher bar (149) which extends from a fore wall (103) of the lower housing (12) back towards an upward extending leg (145) of the lever mechanism (142).
US08459489B2
An organizer container includes a fabric body movable into an expanded configuration, wherein the body defines a bottom and above the bottom, a parallelepiped-shaped enclosure divided into three compartments by first and second parallelepiped-shaped divider panels spaced from each other and perpendicularly oriented relative to the bottom. The container also can be moved into a first partially expanded configuration wherein only two compartments are established, with the first divider panel being held substantially flush against a first end wall of the body by a first holding mechanism. The second divider panel likewise may be moved flush against the second end wall and both divider panels can be moved together to entirely collapse the container. A stiffener can be moved within the enclosure to be sandwiched lengthwise between a divider panel and an end wall and/or between two divider panels.
US08459488B2
An organizer is provided. In one form, the organizer includes a storage container and at least one divider. The storage container has at least one outer wall and an opening defining an interior space. The at least one divider is sized to fit within the interior space. The at least one divider has a peripheral wall defining a storage space. An upper portion of the peripheral wall defines a divider opening. The at least one divider further includes at least one handle located adjacent the divider opening and extending inwardly towards the storage space.
US08459477B2
A hoisting crane with a substantially hollow vertical column with a foot which is or can be fixed to a support, and with a top, an annular bearing structure, which extends around the vertical column and guides and carries a jib connection member, so that the jib connection member can rotate around the column, a jib connected to the jib connection member, the jib connection member forming a substantially horizontal pivot axis so that the jib can be pivoted up and down, a column top cable guide having a topping cable and hoisting cable pulley assembly, a topping winch and an associated topping cable for pivoting the jib up and down, a hoisting winch and an associated hoisting cable for hoisting a load; wherein the column top cable guide is mounted via an associated rotary bearing structure at the top of the column.
US08459475B2
A convertible media and document storage system uses elements of common pallet rack framing and is convertible between open slot and container storage. The container storage includes pilasters hanging from horizontal beam elements of the framing, and vertically spaced apart pairs of adjustable wireform racks engage the pilasters and provide horizontal ledges for supporting containers of various sizes. The use of hanging pilasters minimizes strength and material requirements. The open slot storage includes tall vertical drawers riding on overhead rails attachable to the same horizontal beam elements and individually horizontally drawn for access to the stored material such as data tape and disk media. The storage system optimizes utilization of space and allows large facilities to reconfigure storage between open slot and container storage when demands change.
US08459473B2
A hanging closet includes closet body having horizontal partition panels connected between two opposing sidewalls thereof at different elevations to divide the holding space of the closet body into vertically spaced storage spaces, first sleeves located on each sidewall of the closet body at different elevations, suspension flaps each having a fixed end affixed to one sidewall of the closet body between two first sleeves and a free end provided two second sleeves that are spaced at a distance equal to the length of the first sleeves, and rod members insertable into the first sleeves and the second sleeves to secure the free end of each suspension flap to one associating sidewall of the closet body so that each suspension flap defines with the associating sidewall of the closet body a storage space.
US08459471B2
A non-slip jewelry display having a tacky top surface such that jewelry items cling to the display in a frictional fashion; thereby preventing shifting or sliding of the jewelry item on the display when moved or otherwise jolted about.
US08459460B1
The present invention provides a box package having a clamshell with a panel assembly, and a method of manufacturing and using a box package. The clamshell includes a first part and a second part adapted to form a cavity. The first and second parts are movable relative to one another about an operating hinge between an open position and a closed position. A panel assembly covers at least a portion of each of the first and second parts. The clamshell may include more than one manufacturing hinge, and at least one of the manufacturing hinges may divide the first and second parts. The panel assembly may define an access window and at least a portion of the first part may open and close through the access window.
US08459459B2
A lockable pill container includes a holder defining at least one compartment having an access opening providing access to a pill holder interior volume. At least one lid is moveable between a covering position and an open position. The lid includes a first locking member that is sized to project into the holder when the respective lid is in the covering position. A second locking member is moveable between a locking position and a release position. The locking position includes a position in which the second locking member engages a first locking member of the at least one lid in the covering position. The release position includes a position in which the second locking member is disengaged from all of the first locking members. The second locking member includes opposite first and second ends. The second locking member is moveable from the locking position to the release position by application of a force against the second end. The second locking member is moveable from the release position to the locking position by application of a force against the first end. A visual indicator, such as color, can be used to help the user know when the container is locked or not locked. A tactile indicator can be used to help the user know when the container is locked or not locked.
US08459451B2
Methods and apparatus for securely but removably tabbing one or more sheets of paper are disclosed. According to another aspect of the present invention, a kit includes a container and a first tabbed note assembly. The container includes at least a first compartment, and the first tabbed note assembly includes a first tabbed note and a first fastener. The first tabbed note has a first opening defined therein, and the first fastener is at least partially disposed in the first opening. The first tabbed note is positioned, or otherwise contained, at least partially in the first compartment. In one embodiment, the kit includes a divider that is inserted at least partially in the container such that the first compartment and a second compartment are defined at least partially by the divider.
US08459449B2
An easy to carry lightweight carton for shipping and storing cut paper and for providing rapid and easy access to the paper when the carton is opened. The carton has a base portion and a lid pivotally attached to the base portion. A front wall of the carton may be pivoted down when the lid is pivoted up to facilitate access to the contents of the carton for ease of unloading of paper from the carton. A carry handle is built into the lid to facilitate carrying of the carton. The carton may be re-closed after it is opened.
US08459447B2
A package having a parallelepiped-shaped container, which is cup-shaped and has a bottom wall, an open top end opposite the bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall opposite and parallel to each other, and two parallel lateral walls interposed between the front wall and the rear wall; and a lid, which rotates between a closed position and an open position respectively closing and opening the open top end of the container, and has a top wall hinged to the rear wall of the container, and a front wall which, in the closed position, is superimposed on the front wall of the container.
US08459441B2
A system with rotatable levers spaced and positioned to alternately retain or release components from a plurality of lanes simultaneously into slots of a component receiving mechanism. The levers may be differently sized and shaped to hold back certain components at different positions than others, or the levers may be attached to a rotatable member at varying angles to one another to accomplish such varying holdback patterns. Alternatively, a cam and pin arrangement may be utilized.
US08459440B2
In an article sorting device including a plurality of slats (article support bodies) overlaying between a pair of endless chains (endless rotation bodies) arranged along a main conveyance route, slats having a longitudinal direction at a right angle to the main conveyance route, and shoes (article lateral pressing bodies) fitted onto the slats slidably in the longitudinal direction of the slats, and guided by a branch guide member provided in a fixed direction relative to the main conveyance route, sliding sections for each of the shoes slidably in contact with each of the slats are positioned in the vicinity of both left and right ends in a sectional view relative to the longitudinal direction of the slats, and the sliding sections are positioned in the vicinity of a lower end in the sectional view.
US08459439B2
A device for driving, dipping and turning bodyworks of motor vehicles, vans, truck cabs and metal article vessels, into processing basin, and for withdrawing the above elements from the processing basins, comprises a slidable framework, which can slide on sliding rails, supporting a pair of arms bearing, at free end portions thereof, a swinging shaft adapted to bear a supporting skid for supporting a bodywork, the sliding framework comprising at least a winch driving a drum, for winding a rope coupled to a respective arm at the swinging shaft, the slidable framework further comprises at least a rack, therealong an end portion of the respective arms coupled to framework slides.
US08459437B2
A financial self-help service device for preventing plugging by foreign objects and damage by mucilage glue is provided. It has a panel, and a cash inlet-outlet (1) is set on the panel. The financial self-help service device further includes a gate (2) for opening or closing the cash inlet-outlet (1). POM (polyoxymethylene) plastic convex points (9) are provided at the edge of the gate (2) matched with the cash inlet-outlet (1), so as to form a flow guide gap between the gate (2) and the panel when the gate (2) closes the cash inlet-outlet (I).
US08459434B2
An apparatus for receiving and detecting an article having a chute configured for receiving the article therein, a stop having a stop member disposed within the chute and biased towards the article to allow the stop member to engage the article moving through the chute but which prevents the article from being withdrawn from the chute, a receipt dispenser for issuing a physical receipt indicating that an article has been received by the apparatus, and a lock mechanism operable by movement of the article in the chute so as to physically detect the presence of an article therein to prevent dispensing of a receipt when the article is not detected in the chute. A method for receiving and detecting an article is also provided.
US08459433B2
A parking lock for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle is provided, wherein the automatic transmission has an actuator which can disengage a locking element in the automatic transmission, the locking element is held in a locked position by spring force, and a locking assembly (1) is provided which is connected via an actuating element (2) to the locking element and which has a knee lever (3) which can fix the actuating element (2) so as to prevent engagement of the locking element in the automatic transmission. The invention is characterized in that the knee lever (3) fixes the actuating element (2) in an overextended position, wherein a fixed counter support (4) is attached at the overextended side of the knee lever (3).
US08459430B2
An apparatus and system are disclosed for automatic centrifugal engagement of a clutch incorporating a friction disk that expands when rotated above a threshold speed. The apparatus may include a clutch basket, a clutch pack capable of coupling the clutch basket with a center clutch, a pressure plate that may be easily adjusted to create a gap between the pressure plate and the clutch pack and an expanding friction disk assembly that may take the place of one or more friction disks. The assembly expands under centrifugal force to provide automatic engagement of the clutch. A mechanism is provided to manually override the automatic engagement of the clutch with a clutch lever and with improved operational performance of the clutch lever versus previous automatic clutch systems.
US08459429B2
The present invention relates to a power transmission device for a water pump, including a pulley, a magnetic flux generator, a disk assembly, and a hub assembly, wherein the disk assembly has a disk, a friction ring for providing a frictional contact with the hub assembly, and a resilient ring adapted to pressurize the friction ring toward the hub assembly, so that when the attracting magnetic flux of the magnetic flux generator is not applied, the friction ring makes a frictional contact with the hub assembly through the resilient pressurization of the resilient ring, whereas, when it is applied, the disk moves toward the pulley to allow the frictional contact between the friction ring and the hub assembly to be released.
US08459421B2
There is provided a disk brake comprising: a piston that presses a brake pad to a disk rotor; and a caliper at which the piston is slidably provided through a piston seal, the caliper making the piston moved forward by hydraulic pressure, wherein the piston has that an anodized film layer formed by an anodized treatment is formed on a surface of a piston base body made of aluminum alloy, and a chromium plating layer is directly laminated on a surface of the anodized film layer.
US08459404B2
A loudspeaker component includes a unitary plastic element that defines at least a portion of (i) a first acoustic volume that can be acoustically energized by an electro-acoustic driver, (ii) a first port which extends from the first acoustic volume and conducts acoustic energy from the first acoustic volume towards an environment external to a loudspeaker in which the plastic element resides, and (iii) a second port which conducts acoustic energy from a second acoustic volume, defined by the loudspeaker, towards the external environment.
US08459402B2
A curvature radius of a raceway groove of an inner ring of a first bearing supporting a first end portion of a worm shaft and a curvature radius of a raceway groove of an outer ring of the first bearing are larger than 50% of a diameter of each rolling element of the first bearing, whereby the worm shaft is pivotable about the first end portion. Internal clearances in the first bearing are eliminated because the first bearing is pressed in a radial direction by a pressing member. When the worm shaft vibrates relative to a housing in an axial direction, paired second elastic members and damp and absorb the vibration.
US08459396B2
A building machine, especially a road finishing machine, comprising a presence detection system. The presence detection system comprises a sensor which is integrated in the control panel of the building machine. By means of the sensor a distance measurement can be carried out, which determines whether the operator is properly seated on the driver's seat of the building machine or whether he stands properly at the standing work place. In order to determine the presence a tolerance range may be specified, which allows a slight movement of the operator on the driver's seat. If the operator approaches the limits of the tolerance range he is asked in time by warning signals to be seated again properly on the driver's seat or adopt a proper position at the standing work place. If the sensor detects no operator on the driver's seat or at the standing work place all of the functions of the building machine are stopped in order to make sure that the work site is safe.
US08459392B2
A snowmobile (10) having an electronic oil pump (72) fluidly connected to an oil tank (70) thereof is disclosed. The electronic oil pump (72) is fluidly connected to an engine (24) of the snowmobile (10) for delivering lubricant to the engine (24). An electronic control unit (150) is electrically connected to the electronic oil pump (72) for controlling actuation of the electronic oil pump (72). A method of operating an electronic oil pump (72) is also disclosed.
US08459384B2
A climbing robot for travelling over adhesive surfaces with endless traction mechanisms (14) and, fastened to them at a distance, controllable adhesive feet (21) that circulate with the endless traction mechanisms (14) along guides (17) in the travel plane, by means of which the adhesive sides of their adhesive elements (15) always point towards the travel surface and wherein the adhesive elements (15) that support and move the climbing robot are switched “ON” and lowered onto the adhesive surface and all of the other adhesive elements (15) are switched “OFF” and raised from the adhesive surface, wherein the climbing robot has square running gear (11), one foot plate (13) each with a guide (17) running around the edges for a multitude of adhesive feet (21) driven by traction mechanisms is arranged in two diagonally opposite corner areas (18) of the running gear (11), wherein the foot plates (13) are attached to a support bar (12) of the running gear (11) and the adhesive feet (21) and therefore their adhesive elements (15) are routed through the guide (17) in such a way that they run in each case at a right angle around their corner area (18) of the square running gear (11) and along an arc (19) connecting the ends of this corner area (18), wherein both of the arcs (19) are on an inner circle enclosed by the square of the running gear (11).
US08459377B2
An apparatus and method for generating a drive force in a downhole environment includes chambers of a reactant and a catalyst, respectively, that are maintained separate until selectively exposed to one another. Once exposed, the reactant and catalyst produce expanding fluid pressure and sometimes heat. The products of the reaction are directed to a drive member to carry out a desired operation in the downhole environment.
US08459375B2
Expandable reamers for enlarging boreholes in subterranean formations include a tubular body and at least one member positioned in openings in the tubular body. The at least one member is configured to move between retracted and extended positions. A push sleeve is disposed at least partially within the tubular body and coupled to the at least one member. The push sleeve moves axially upward to move the at least one member to the extended position in response to a pressure of drilling fluid passing through a drilling fluid flow path in the tubular body. The push sleeve moves axially downward to move the at least one member to the retracted position in response to a pressure of drilling fluid upon a restrictive element disposed within the fluid passageway. The restrictive element disposed within the fluid passageway may be discarded from the fluid passageway by increasing the flow rate through the drilling fluid flow path.
US08459372B1
A hand-held power drill incorporates an electronic voltage sensor having a sensing input conductively connected to the drill chuck so that a drill bit held by the chuck serves as a voltage sensing element. The electronic voltage sensor can operate an audible or visible warning device, and can also disable the drill motor, when the drill bit is in close proximity to a live wire. A two pole switch with successively closed sets of contacts allows the drill to be used as a voltage probe without operating the drill motor. An auxiliary by-pass switch gives the operator the option to operate the drill even when it is in proximity to a live wire.
US08459371B2
An aerating device for attachment to a self-propelled lawnmower is disclosed. The device comprises a frame having a proximal end, a distal end, and a pair of sides extending between the proximal end and the distal end. An axle is mounted to the frame and extends between the sides of the frame. At least one tine assembly is mounted to the axle for rotation about a tine axis extending longitudinally through the axle. A platform is secured to the frame and extends outwardly from one of the proximal and distal ends of the frame for supporting an operator in front of or behind the at least one tine assembly.
US08459369B2
A hazard control system according to various aspects of the present invention is configured to deliver a control material in response to detection of a hazard and signal a secondary hazard detection system that an event has occurred. In one embodiment, the hazard control system comprises a pressure tube having an internal pressure that is configured to leak in response to exposure to heat. The leak changes the internal pressure and generates a pneumatic signal. A valve may be coupled to the pressure tube and be configured to release the control material from a container is response to the pneumatic signal. A second valve may also be coupled to the pressure tube and be configured to provide a signal to the secondary hazard detection system in response to the pneumatic signal.
US08459356B2
A well treatment composition comprises a surfactant comprising a substituted ethoxylated phenol having at least one substituent, 1 to 14 moles of ethylene oxide, and the substituent being an alkyl, alkene, or alkyne with a carbon chain length in the range of 4 to 25, wherein the substituted ethoxylated phenol is selected from the group consisting of: ortho-, para-, or meta-substituted ethoxylated phenol; cardanol ethoxylate; derivatives thereof; and combinations of any of the foregoing. Preferably, the surfactant comprises cardanol ethoxylate, a substituted cardanol ethoxylate, and derivatives thereof. A method of cementing in a subterranean formation comprises: introducing a cement composition into the subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises: (A) cement; (B) water; and (C) the surfactant; and allowing the cement composition to set.
US08459350B2
A process for producing methane, carbon dioxide, gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons, and other valuable products from subterranean carbon bearing formations, in-situ. The process utilizes indigenous and/or non-indigenous microbial consortia that are capable of converting a carbon-bearing material such as shale or coal to desired products. The process comprises injecting fluid into a carbon bearing deposit with at least one injection well and removing injected fluid and product from the deposit through at least one production well, and controlling fluid pressure within at least a portion of the deposit by use of the injected fluid, the pressure being controlled such that the fluid pressure within at least a portion of the deposit exceeds the fluid pressure that normally exists in that portion.
US08459348B2
A downhole line tool assembly (200) for use in a wellbore. The downhole line tool assembly (200) includes a downhole power unit (206) having a moveable shaft (240) and a line motivator tool (208) having a drive assembly (246, 247) adapted to contact a line (204) passing through the line motivator tool (200) in the wellbore. The drive assembly (246, 247) is operably associated with the moveable shaft (240) such that rotation of the moveable shaft (240) rotates the drive assembly (246, 247), thereby moving the line (204) relative to the line motivator tool (208).
US08459340B2
An exemplary flat heat pipe with an evaporator section and a condenser section includes a hollow casing, and a first wick structure and a second wick structure in the casing. The second structure contacts an inner surface of the casing at the evaporator section. The first structure at the evaporator section includes a first contact portion contacting an inner surface of the second structure, and a first isolated portion from the inner surface of the second structure. The first isolated portion and the inner surface of the second structure define a first channel therebetween. The first structure at the condenser section includes a second contact portion contacting the inner surface of the casing, and a second isolated portion from the inner surface of the casing. The second isolated portion and the inner surface of the casing define therebetween a second channel communicating with the first channel.
US08459334B2
A system and method to improve long term reliability of an integrated circuit package containing a patterned metal thermal interface (PMTI), the method including: coupling a heat sink to a heat source; providing a PMTI material between the heat source and the heat sink; providing a partial containment of a compressed malleable metal to impede the PMTI from being inched-out of its location under a bearing load.
US08459333B2
A rolling mill for producing rolled rolling stock is operated in a continuous manner by integrally forming the rolling stock during scheduled operation from a supply device which supplies the stock to the rolling mill to one finishing rolling train arranged downstream of the rolling stock supply device by guiding the stock into the finishing rolling train continuously and rolling it to form a first outflow product. The operation is monitored for a deviation from the scheduled operation that influences the rolling process, wherein in case of a deviation measures are taken to examine whether a second outflow product, which is different from the first outflow product, can still be produced. If the second outflow product cannot be produced, the operation of the rolling mill is altered from a continuous operation to a discontinuous operation, whereby production failures caused by undesired process deviations in a rolling mill can be reduced.
US08459328B2
A cord drive mechanism to convert linear motion to circular motion for use in coverings for architectural openings. Various controls are used to provide a braking force on the cord. Some of the embodiments incorporate a capstan.
US08459327B2
An easy to use, universal, simple, lightweight, compact, portable system of concealment and methods for its construction and use. The concealment system comprises a support and a curtain. The support attaches to a structure and pivots on the attachment. Various embodiments include multiple supports and multiple curtains. A method of hiding in front of a similar pattern. An alternate support may be used to form both tree blinds and ground blinds.
US08459322B2
A pneumatic radial tire has a chipper in place of a traditional apex, the chipper located between a carcass main portion and turnup portion. The chipper layer may be composed of a chopped carbon fiber and aramid composite reinforced elastomeric layer. The tire sidewalls have a radial height SH and a section width SW located within a range of 0.4 to 0.44 of the sidewall radial height SH measured from the bead core. The section width SW may further be located within a range of 0.1″ to 0.3″ inches from a radially outward end of the chipper layer in a radial direction. The tread may of a dual layer construction, having a radially inward first layer formed of a relatively low rolling resistance compound and a radially outward second layer formed of a compound containing silica.
US08459317B2
Disclosed is a hand-crank pencil sharpener, comprising a housing and a gearing member and a sharpening member which are installed within the housing. The gearing member is connected to a hand crank and transmits a rotation of the crank to the sharpening member. A vertical feeding path is provided for a pencil to be inserted into the sharpening member. The hand-crank pencil sharpener further comprises a feeding member in the feeding path. The gearing member comprises a gearing branch for driving the feeding member. The inserted pencil is fed into or withdrawn from the sharpener automatically by a linkage of the gearing branch and the feeding member when the crank is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.
US08459307B2
A seam for ductwork has a male end portion integrally formed at a distal end of a duct wall and a female end portion integrally formed at another distal end of the duct wall. The female end portion includes a first fold and a second fold, which define a female groove for accommodating the male portion. A distal end of the second fold is bent transverse to the female groove prior to the male portion being inserted into the female groove.
US08459306B2
A flexible pipe body and a method of manufacturing flexible pipe body and a tape used during the manufacturing are disclosed. The flexible pipe body includes at least one layer of helically wound tape, adjacent windings in the layer of tape being interlocked by a hooked region of a winding nested in a valley region of an adjacent winding wherein the tape has a cross-sectional profile comprising a first contact surface and parallel spaced apart side walls substantially perpendicular to the contact surface.
US08459301B2
A connecting unit for a sanitary fitting is proposed, said connecting unit having, on one side thereof, plug-in sockets for connection to plug-in nipples of the sanitary fitting. On the opposite side, the connecting unit contains connections for the domestic installation pipes. The sanitary fitting and the connecting unit are connected by plugging in a direction parallel to the wall surface.The connecting unit may contain a flushing pipe which is designed as a continuous bore. When the connecting unit is not yet connected to the sanitary fitting, said flushing pipe can be used to flush out the pipes. Said flushing pipe is stopped from functioning when the connection between the sanitary fitting and the connecting unit is produced.
US08459300B2
An arrangement is provided for feeding a liquid additive from a receptacle into a fuel line or into an exhaust line of an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle by way of a blockable feed line leading into at least one of the above-mentioned line and by way of a pump which at least temporarily generates a feed pressure in the feed line. The receptacle can be filled with additive from a larger storage tank also accommodated in the motor vehicle by way of a connection line that can be blocked. The feed line branches off the connection line between the receptacle and the storage tank. The pump is installed in the receptacle or between the receptacle and the branching-off of the feed line into the connection line. The connection line can be shut-off in the storage tank or between the storage tank and the branching-off of the feed line.
US08459296B2
The present embodiments are directed towards the transfer, retrieval and storage of flexible materials. In one embodiment, a system is provided that generally includes a hose retrieval system having a first hose gripper assembly. The first hose gripper assembly includes a pair of first grippers configured to move between a first open position and a first closed position in opposite crosswise directions relative to a longitudinal axis of a hose. Each first gripper includes a first L-shaped structure, and the first L-shaped structures are configured to overlap one another to define a first bending gap in the first closed position.
US08459290B2
A material gas concentration control system for keeping a concentration of a material gas in a mixed gas constant comprising a tank to accommodate the material, an inlet line to input a carrier gas for evaporating the accommodated material into the tank, and an outlet line to output the mixed gas consisting of the material gas evaporated in the tank and the carrier gas, and further comprising a first valve arranged in the inlet line, a concentration measuring part that measures the concentration of the material gas in the mixed gas, and a concentration control part that controls an open degree of the first valve so as to make the measured concentration of the material gas measured by the concentration measuring part become the previously determined set concentration.
US08459289B2
An operating mode of an electro-pneumatic converting unit is stored in advance in an electro-pneumatic converting unit operating mode storing unit. A blockage location identifying function is provided in a calculating unit. The operating unit monitors the magnitude of shift and the direction of shift of the control output, relative to the nozzle back pressure, through the blockage location identifying function, and identifies whether a blockage has occurred in the fixed orifice or the nozzle/flapper mechanism based on the magnitude of shift and direction of shift of the control output, relative to the nozzle back pressure, and based on the operating mode of the electro-pneumatic converting unit, stored in the electro-pneumatic converting unit operating mode storing unit. An electro-pneumatic converting unit operating mode identifying function may be provided in the calculating unit, and the operating mode of the electro-pneumatic converting unit may be identified through this function, and the identification result may be stored in the electro-pneumatic converting unit operating mode storing unit.
US08459281B2
A runner fastening device is provided for holding a runner of an umbrella at an upper position relative to a central shaft unit, and includes a spring catch having a retaining region and an actuated region, a retained member moved with the runner and having a retained slot which extends to terminate at an abutment wall to abut against the retaining region at the upper position, and a sleeve member movably surrounding the retained member. By mating engagement between cammed and camming surfaces of the retained member and the sleeve member, when the sleeve member is moved downwardly, the actuated region is pressed against a biasing action to retreat inwardly to sweep the retaining region away from the abutment wall to thereby permit downward movement of the runner.
US08459273B2
Accessory for use together with hair dryers including a hollow part and a monobloc, preferably obtained from an injected piece of plastic which has a connection terminal. The connection terminal has a tubular body and is dimensioned for coupling by locking to an end of a hair dryer. The connection terminal is disposed in an intermediate chamber. A plurality of hollow projections extend from the connection terminal. Each of the hollow projections diverts an air flow from the hair dryer to a series of openings disposed in the hollow projections and the body of the intermediate chamber.
US08459261B2
A side-stream respiration monitoring system includes a sensor, a monitor, and a display. The sensor is constructed to engage respiration flows having a variable flow amounts and acquire a respiration sample from the flow. The monitor is connected to the sensor and configured to determine the amount of respiration flow as well as the amount of several constituents of the respiration flow such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, and nitrous oxide. The monitor is also configured to adjust the determined values for ambient environment variations and is self-calibrating with respect to the ambient conditions. The monitor temporally aligns the acquired data to account for dead-space respiration events and physiological respiration modifications such as cardiac events. Information generated by the monitor is communicated to an operator via a display configured to display the real-time respiration performance.
US08459256B2
A mouth-to-mouth resuscitation device comprising a straight blow-in tube having a proximal side and a distal side, a filter and one way valve on the proximal side for receiving exhaled breath from a mouth of a rescuer, an opening at the distal side for delivering the exhaled breath into the throat of a victim, an inflatable bladder surrounding the straight blow-in tube which, when inflated, assumes a donut shape which has a diameter of about 1.5″ to 2.5″, the bladder located on the straight blow-in tube between about 0.75″ and 2.0″ from the distal opening, an inflation tube in fluid communication with the inside of the inflatable bladder.
US08459253B2
A dose counting device for use with a medicinal metered dose dispensing device, the device including an actuator having at least one finger that is designed for reciprocal movement comprising an outward stroke and a return stroke, an annular member having a helical thread segment formed about a circumferential arc on a part of its surface, and a drive nut positioned around a radial cross-section of the annular member and having an internal helical rib engaged with said helical thread segment on the annular member whereby rotation of the drive nut about the circumferential arc of the annular member results in rotational movement of the annular member, the outer surface of the drive nut comprising one or more driving surfaces for engagement by said at least one finger on the actuator during said reciprocal movement to cause rotation of the drive nut.
US08459252B2
An apparatus for use in conjunction with a metered dose inhaler which includes a novel valve system to aid in the delivery of aerosolized medicament to a subject. The apparatus also includes a novel rotational flow generator to aid in the useable delivery of said medication and avoid its loss either in the apparatus or by non-useful delivery to said subject.
US08459251B2
A solar thermal unit adapted for fitting into one or more connectors designed for receiving one or more panes of glass (2), wherein said thermal solar unit includes a fluid circuit, a light-absorbing surface (3), and a housing for the light-absorbing surface (3) and fluid circuit, which housing extends to the rear and sides of the light-absorbing surface.
US08459247B1
A cooking apparatus includes a frame with an upper section for holding a pot and a lower section for resting upon an underlying support surface. The frame has a burner element that can be a nozzle tube having a commercially available burner nozzle for generating a cooking flame during use. The nozzle can be fueled with propane, butane or the like using a commercially available tank, regulator and supply hose. The frame can include an upper ring, lower rings, the upper ring providing legs, pot support bars or members for holding the bottom of a pot. A heat shield is comprised of multiple specially configured sections that overlap and connect to the frame. The shield is positioned below the flame during use to lessen heat transfer from the flame to the underlying support surface.
US08459241B2
A liquefied natural gas system for a natural gas vehicle engine with flow driven by the engine includes dual flow paths through at least one heat exchanger. A return path extends from the dual flow paths to the storage tank, and an engine feed path extends from the dual flow paths configured to couple to the engine. A valve and control system are coupled to the dual flow paths capable of alternating flow through the dual flow paths so that one flow path supplies the engine through the engine feed path while the other flow path pressurizes the storage tank through the return path.
US08459230B2
An ignition timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, when determining that recalculations are possible from the time when final ignition timing is calculated normally to final ignition timing, recalculates the correction amount of the ignition timing by feedback control and the final ignition timing. Accordingly, engine speed at a time closer to actual ignition timing is reflected on the final ignition timing. This configuration prevents overshoot from occurring even when a feedback gain is made greater and thus allows highly-responsive feedback control of the ignition timing thereby suppressing the change in rotation of the engine effectively. When the recalculations are not performed, the final ignition timing based on the correction amount, as normally calculated, is used. Thus, the final ignition timing is maintained at certain accuracy and abnormal ignition such as accidental fire is prevented.
US08459224B2
An intake manifold is located on a downstream side of a throttle valve in an intake passage. A switching valve is placed on an upstream side of a connection between a communication conduit and an outlet of a lower portion of a surge tank of the intake manifold and is adapted to open or close the communication conduit. A control device controls the switching valve to open or close the switching valve. The control device closes the switching valve when an operational state of an engine is in one of idling time, accelerating driving time and high speed driving time of a vehicle, and the control device opens the switching valve when the operational state of the internal combustion engine is in decelerating driving time of the vehicle.
US08459222B2
A laser spark plug device for an internal combustion engine includes a prechamber for receiving an ignitable medium and at least one overflow channel providing a fluid connection between an internal space of the prechamber and an external space surrounding the prechamber. The at least one overflow channel is configured such that when a fluid flows through the overflow channel into the internal space of the prechamber, the result is a fluid flow having at least one eddy which rotates on an eddy axis forming an angle of more than approximately 45° with a longitudinal axis of the laser spark plug device.
US08459221B2
A device for variably adjusting the control times of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine. The device has a driving element, an output element, at least one pressure chamber, at least one mechanism limiting the angle of rotation, and a pressure accumulator. A phase angle between the output and driving element is changed by delivering or discharging pressure medium to or from the pressure chambers. The mechanism limiting the angle of rotation has a receiving member and an engaging element to which a force is applied towards the receiving member. When locked, where the engaging element engages into the receiving member, the mechanism limiting the angle of rotation limits the phase angle of the output element relative to the driving element at least to an angular spread. The mechanism limiting the angle of rotation can be unlocked by applying pressure medium to the receiving member.
US08459216B2
An apparatus is disclosed including a fan producing an outlet fluid flow, and an inlet receiving an inlet stream and operably coupled to the fan. The apparatus further includes a divider separating the outlet flow into a first outlet stream and a second outlet stream, a first flow path directing the first outlet stream to a first heat transfer device thermally coupled to a first heat generating device, and a second flow path directing the second outlet stream to a second heat transfer device thermally coupled to a second heat generating device. In certain embodiments, the first and second heat transfer devices are a radiator and a surface of a generator, and the first and second heat generation devices are an internal combustion engine and the generator.
US08459212B2
Leash attachments designed to reduce the tangling of a pet leash around the hind legs of a pet during a walk are provided. The leash attachment can be a rearward leash positioner comprising a strap configured to secure around the torso of a pet. A leash guide member attached to the strap is designed to reposition the fall point of a leash to a position that is rearward of its fall point in the absence of the leash positioner.
US08459205B1
A birdfeeder that is easily packed, delivered, assembled and disassembled. The birdfeeder is comprised of eight ⅛″ thick, flat parts that lock together by taking advantage of gravity and friction created by the use of a keyed mortise and tenon connection, such as that common to wood construction at the turn of the century. The eight parts disassembled pack flat as a kit for shipping and stocking. Once received the birdfeeder kit is easily assembled & disassembled, optionally without the use of tools or fasteners.
US08459204B2
An animal feeder has a feed hopper with side walls, end walls, a bottom assembly, and an open top. Moveable gates extend below the lower edge of the side walls and are slidably mounted upon the side walls. The bottom assembly includes a feed trough under the gate in communication with the feed hopper. An adjustment mechanism allows vertical adjustment of the gate relative to the feed trough and includes an upwardly extending rod connected at its lower end to the gate and at its upper end to one end of a crank lever. The crank lever is rotatable about a pivot provided in a bracket extending perpendicularly to the end walls of the feed hopper. A pair of handles extends through a pair of slots provided in an arcuate panel attached to the bracket. Rotational movement of the handle and crank lever cause vertical adjustment of the gate. A pawl attached to the handle locks the handle in any of a plurality of different angular positions of adjustment in the slot, which has a plurality of notches located on an edge thereof into which the pawl of the handle is movable to secure the handle against inadvertent movement.
US08459200B2
An exposure indicating device disposed in a respirator system. The exposure indicating device comprises a diffractive optical element. The exposure indicating device comprises a material having an index of refraction that changes as a function of exposure to a chemical vapor, where the exposure indicating device provides an optical signal that changes in optical property as a function of exposure to the chemical vapor.
US08459199B2
A weapon storage device (10) which is to be attached to an external face (8) of a hull (4) of a submarine (2) and which is capable of containing weapons (14), such as ammunition or weapon carriers, which are to be deployed from the storage device on receipt of a deployment signal transmitted from inside the submarine, includes a compensation element (16, 18, 30, 40) which allows the variation in mass of the storage device (10) resulting from the deployment of at least one weapon to be compensated for, partially or wholly, by replacing a volume of gas initially contained in the storage device by an identical volume of water introduced into the storage device.
US08459190B2
An elongate structure that includes a hollow outer portion and a hollow inner portion disposed within the hollow outer portion. The hollow outer portion includes a first outer side surface, a second outer side surface, and a third outer side surface that define first, second and third intersecting planes respectively. The three intersecting planes form three dihedral angles whose sum is about 180°. The hollow inner portion is in contact with each inner side of the hollow outer portion. Further, the hollow inner portion includes at least one panel that extends between each inner side of the hollow outer portion to thereby form hollow inner triangular channels.
US08459185B1
A method for generating a projectile using an explosive device that can generate a projectile from the opposite side of a wall from the side where the explosive device is detonated. The projectile can be generated without breaching the wall of the structure or container. The device can optionally open an aperture in a solid wall of a structure or a container and form a high-kinetic-energy projectile from the portion of the wall removed to create the aperture.
US08459182B2
A method and apparatus of securing and tensioning a printing form in an apparatus having a rotatable drum, comprising positioning a first portion of the printing form over a first set of pins that are coupled to a surface of the drum. The first portion of the printing form is then stamped onto the first set of pins thereby securing the first portion of the printing form to the drum. A rotatable member having a second set of pins is rotated so that the circumferential distance between the first set of pins and the second set of pins, is about equal to the length of the printing form. The drum is rotated until a second portion of the printing form is positioned above the second set of pins. The second portion of the printing form is then stamped onto the second set of pins.
US08459181B2
A sheet processing apparatus includes a first cylinder, second cylinder, third cylinder, first driving device, second driving device, third driving device, gap amount input device, and controller. The first cylinder receives a sheet from an upstream transport cylinder and holds the sheet. The second cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and prints/coats the sheet held by the first cylinder. The third cylinder is disposed to oppose the first cylinder and supplies ink/varnish to a circumferential surface of the first cylinder. The first driving device adjusts a gap amount between the first cylinder and upstream transport cylinder. The second driving device adjusts the position of the second cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The third driving device adjusts the position of the third cylinder with respect to the first cylinder. The gap amount input device inputs the gap amount between the first cylinder and upstream transport cylinder. The controller controls the first, second, and third driving devices on the basis of the gap amount input from the gap amount input device.
US08459180B2
The invention concerns an installation for the temperature treatment of products placed on pallets or similar, including at least one chamber, means for the introduction of a pallet, means for conveyance of the pallet between an entrance and an exit, and means for blowing air through the products on a pallet. It is characterized in that the installation also includes raisable, longitudinal separation means, placed substantially on the main axis of the said at least one chamber, which are used to prevent the passage of air between the top surface of each pallet present in the chamber and the ceiling of the said at least one chamber.
US08459179B2
A beverage ingredient capsule (1) is provided with an identification member (6) designed for being physically contacted from outside in order to control operation parameters of an associated beverage production machine.
US08459167B1
An armor structure for a vehicle underbody. The armor structure includes an inner plate that is mounted proximate to the vehicle underbody, the inner plate having a plurality of first openings; and an outer plate that is mounted distal to the vehicle underbody, the outer plate having a plurality of second openings. The inner plate and the outer plate are substantially parallel and separated by a spacing. The inner plate and the outer plate each have substantially equal V bends at an obtuse angle, and the V bends in the inner plate and the outer plate are aligned. When an underbody blast event is encountered by the vehicle, the outer plate is forced towards, and substantially against the inner plate such that fluid communication via each of the first openings is reduced or prevented.
US08459164B2
A method of braiding a stent includes braiding a number of elongate filaments around a mandrel using tensioned braiding carriers without spooling the filaments to the tensioned braiding carriers to form a braided stent having atraumatic ends.
US08459162B2
In order to perform turning operations of the kind that has heretofore been performed by diamond-shaped inserts, an insert which is basically equilateral triangular in shape with multiple alternately usable cutting edges, of which all three corners are usable as cutting edges, without decreasing the positional accuracy of the cutting edge during cutting. At least one recess and a plurality of protrusions are formed on each side of the insert. The recess and protrusions formed on the insert are brought into engagement with a protrusion and recesses formed on a side wall of a seating groove formed in a holder. In this state, the insert is pressed against a bottom seating face and the side wall of the seating groove with a clamp as a means to stably restrain the insert. This prevents shifting of the cutting edge during cutting even if the direction of the cutting force changes.
US08459152B2
An open-end wrench and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, the structure of which includes a body and a cover. The body includes a head portion and a handle portion, and the head portion includes a jaw portion and an opening formed at an inner side of the jaw portion. The cover includes a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate connecting the first plate and the second plate. An external surface of the third plate is formed to a wrench opening. A mouth is defined by external edges of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate, and the mouth is penetrated by the jaw portion, so the cover wraps the jaw portion and the head portion is imbedded to the cover by using adhesive means.
US08459151B2
A wrench for action on a work piece is provided. The wrench is a box end socket wrench. The socket wrench has an elongated handle with a box head. The box head has a top and a bottom surface and an inner wall defining an inner aperture. The inner wall is shaped to receive the work piece and has a receiving groove spaced apart from the top surface of the box head to receive a biased member. The biased member extends into the inner aperture of the box head to releasably secure the work piece. When the work piece is inserted in the inner aperture of the box head, the work piece sits flush with the corresponding top and bottom surface of the box head of the wrench.
US08459150B2
Provide a sealing device with which simple and reliable operation can be performed. When stored, a liquid agent container, in which a sealing agent is contained, is temporarily held above a injection unit. When the liquid agent container is forcibly pressed downward in use, the upper end of a pressing jig penetrates through an aluminum seal into the container, and the sealing agent flows out to a compressor unit is activated and compressed air is supplied into the liquid agent container to place the pressurized sealing agent into a pneumatic tire through a joint hose.
US08459148B2
A ball balancer and a laundry apparatus having the same are disclosed. A ball balancer includes a circular housing comprising motion space formed therein, a fluid inlet and an air outlet, a plurality of ball members movable in motion space of the housing, a closing member closing up the fluid inlet and the air outlet, and viscous fluid filled in the motion space via the fluid inlet formed in the housing. The ball balancer according to the present invention may be fabricated more efficiently.
US08459147B2
A rotor balance adjusting member and a rotor balance correction method are disclosed. The rotor balance adjusting member has a ring member fixed to a pulley concentrically and comprises a weight and a clip member which fixes the weight to the ring member. The ring member has an outer side fit-in slot, and inner side fit-in slot, an outer side stop slot, and an inner side stop slot. The clip member comprises an elastic material and moves in a circumferential direction regulated by the outer side fit-in slot and the inner side fit-in slot. The weight fixed to the clip member is arranged in a position which counters the inner side of the ring member when the clip member is fitted in the ring member.
US08459144B2
A bicycle shifter is provided with a shifter housing, a winding member and an indicator unit. The winding member is movably coupled to the shifter housing. The indicator unit includes an indicating member and an adjustment member. The indicating member is operatively and adjustably connected to the winding member. The adjustment member adjusts a position of the indicating member relative to the winding member.
US08459125B2
The present disclosure relates to sensors including pressure sensors, humidity sensors, flow sensors, etc. In some cases, a sensor assembly may include a pressure port connected to a sensor unit, an electrical connector connected to the sensor unit and an outer housing encompassing at least portions of the pressure port, sensor unit and electrical connector. In some instances, the sensor unit may include pressure signal output terminals electrically connected to electrical terminals of the electrical connector.
US08459121B2
Methods and systems for acoustically treating material using a continuous process in which material may be caused to flow in a continuous or intermittent fashion into/out of an acoustic treatment chamber where the material is exposed to focused acoustic energy. The methods and systems may be arranged to permit continuous processing for extended periods while an acoustic energy source operates at a relatively high power output. Treatment chambers may include features such as an acoustic window, a heat exchanger, inlet/outlet flow arrangements, an inspection window, insert elements that define a treatment volume size or shape, etc. Treatment system configurations relating to arrangements of a treatment chamber relative to an acoustic source and coupling medium, material flow paths, and others are provided.
US08459118B2
A process to monitor unwanted formation of a polymer having internal mechanical strain is disclosed. The acoustic emission generated by polymer formation is detected by one or more acoustic sensors attached to a piece of equipment.
US08459115B2
The present invention discloses a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System, MEMS) accelerator with enhanced structural strength. The MEMS accelerator is located on a substrate, and it includes: multiple springs, wherein each spring includes: an anchor, fixed on the substrate; an extensible part, which has a fixed end fixed on the anchor, and a free end floating above the substrate; a proof mass, connected to the free ends of the springs; and multiple in-plane sense electrodes, wherein the extensible part is folded back and forth to form a substantially polygon shape as a whole, in which the fixed end is located within the middle one third length of one side of the substantially polygon shape, and the free end is located within the middle one third length of an opposite side of the substantially polygon shape.
US08459107B1
A manifold gauge cover featuring a first half shell and a second half shell connected via a hinge. The inner surfaces of the shells are lined with foam. The shells can move between an open position and a closed position respectively allowing and preventing access to the inner cavities of the shells. A locking mechanism secures the shells in the closed position. A gauge aperture is disposed in the back surfaces of the shells to allows passage of the hook of a manifold gauge set. A magnet is disposed on the bottom surface of a shell. A chart holder is disposed on the top surface of a shell adapted to hold a pressure temperature chart. When the half shells are in the closed position, the half shells cover a portion of a manifold gauge set.
US08459105B2
A fuel injector diagnostic is disclosed. In one example, the diagnostic can determine if that amount of fuel injected or the timing of start of injection is degraded. Thus, the fuel injector diagnostic method can distinguish between different types of injector degradation.
US08459100B2
An automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water comprises a sensor for determining chemistry information, a microprocessor for processing chemistry information, and a housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the microprocessor. Preferably the housing is floatable or mountable. The method of providing chemistry information of a body of water comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of the body of water and determining chemistry information.
US08459098B2
The present invention discloses a physiologic sampling pump (PSP) which uses at least one valve placed near the sampling medium to modulate air sampling to follow a person's inhalation rate and to obviate the sluggishness inherent in prior art PSPs caused by varying pump speed and by the propagation time through an air tube that connects the collection medium to prior art pumps thereby also obviating limitations inherent in system response, functionality, and accuracy. Moreover, by maintaining an essentially constant air flow through a cyclone at all times and through the collection medium while sampling, the present invention operates at known collection efficiencies, and is therefore capable of size-selective sampling of particulates as opposed to prior art PSPs that by varying the magnitude of air flow, make the separation efficiencies of pre-collection devices indeterminate and the samples worthless. When used instead with an impact sampling head, the present invention may collect total particulate as well, and may collect gases and vapors with a charcoal tube sampling head. Structural features associated with the physiological sampling pump for providing rapid response to breathing include an outer housing including a thereto-resistant case, multiple and interchangeable PSP sampling heads further including collection media and a valve(s) mounted on a valve manifold with associated tubing.
US08459096B2
The present invention is related to a system for monitoring radon emissions to predict earthquakes. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a radon monitoring system that is designed to remotely monitor the release of radon gas and to use such data in the prediction of earthquakes.
US08459094B2
An accelerometer with improved calibration features, an electronic device having an accelerometer with improved calibration features, and a method of calibrating an accelerometer of an electronic device are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is method of calibrating an accelerometer of an electronic device, the accelerometer having at least a primary sensing axis and a secondary sensing axis, the second sensing axis being oriented parallel to the primary sensing axis and in the opposite direction of the primary sensing axis, the method comprising: measuring acceleration calibration data using the primary sensing axis and the secondary sensing axis of the accelerometer; determining calibration parameters in accordance with measured calibration data from the accelerometer; and storing the calibration parameters in a memory of the electronic device.
US08459093B2
A microelectromechanical gyroscope includes a body and a sensing mass, which is movable with a degree of freedom in response to rotations of the body about an axis. A self-test actuator is capacitively coupled to the sensing mass for supplying a self-test signal. The capacitive coupling causes, in response to the self-test signal, electrostatic forces that are able to move the sensing mass in accordance with the degree of freedom at an actuation frequency. A sensing device detects transduction signals indicating displacements of the sensing mass in accordance with the degree of freedom. The sensing device is configured for discriminating, in the transduction signals, spectral components that are correlated to the actuation frequency and indicate the movement of the sensing mass as a result of the self-test signal.
US08459091B2
A test device for screwers, comprises a transducer (11) having a head (28) with a seat (19) for receiving the coupling end (13) of an adapter or joint simulator (12, 12′). The coupling end (13) is made with a side wall (21, 21′) polygonally-fashioned in order to be received in the seat (19), achieved in a complementary polygonal manner. The head (28) can be tightened as a clamp in order to releasably lock, in the seat (19), the coupling end (13) of the adapter or joint simulator.
US08459090B2
A rod bender includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end and extending along a longitudinal axis; a first arm having a proximal end attached to the distal end of the body and extending transversely therefrom and having a longitudinal axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the body; and a second arm having a proximal end attached to the distal end of the body and extending transversely therefrom and having a longitudinal axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the body and offset from the longitudinal axis of the first arm, said second arm including a channel positioned toward a distal end of said second arm, said channel having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second arm.
US08459079B2
An auto-scraping apparatus for a work piece of a hard rail has a tracking device, a driving device and a tool device. The tracking device has a connecting frame, a moving frame, a lifting frame and a tool frame. The moving frame is movably connected to the connecting frame. The lifting frame is movably connected to the moving frame. The tool frame is rotatably connected to the lifting frame. The driving device is connected to the tracking device and has two linear motion units and a rotating motion unit. One of the linear motion units drives the moving frame and the other linear motion unit drives the lifting frame. The rotating motion unit is mounted in the tool frame and has a rotating shaft. The tool device is detachably connected to the driving device and has a tool carrier and a relieving tool.
US08459078B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed whereby a propellant driven water stream is used in the formation of materials made from high tensile strength alloys. High pressure developed in liquid flowing through a tubular work piece is employed to achieve desired forms. The high pressure results from superposition of compression waves generated in the course of the impact of the liquid by products of propellant combustion.
US08459068B2
A washing machine with a controllable fresh water intake for at least two detergent chambers which are located inside a housing of a detergent flushing device and which have an outlet for water or the mixture of detergent and water which opens onto a bottom surface of the housing which is inclined towards an outlet connection for a detergent supply line to the tub of the washing machine in which a laundry drum is mounted at least approximately horizontally, the washing machine comprising partial surfaces into which the bottom surface of the housing is divided, the partial surfaces including inclinations differing from the horizontal, the inclinations being differently directed to at least one of the other partial surfaces and each partial surface is assigned to at least one detergent chamber and includes an outlet connection in a lowest region of the partial surface.
US08459059B2
The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit comprising at least one fan, at least one compressor and at least one condenser, wherein the fan is arranged such that it applies air to the compressor and to the condenser in parallel.
US08459054B1
A multi-stage evaporative cooling system and method employing direct evaporative cooling at each stage. An exhaust fan is located between stages to expel warm air and partially depressurize the vapor space. An aspect of the present disclosure also describes the application of evaporative cooling to a pet shelter.
US08459047B2
Provided are a method and refrigeration appliance for making substantially-transparent ice. The refrigeration appliance includes a fresh food compartment in which a refrigeration temperature that is greater than 32° F. and less than 55° F. is maintained, and a water tray disposed within the fresh food compartment and including a bottom surface and an upwardly extending wall forming a reservoir for holding a volume of water. A plurality of fingers are supported adjacent to the water tray to be at least partially submerged in water within the water tray, and an evaporator is in thermal communication with the fingers for chilling an exposed surface of the fingers to a finger temperature that is less than 32° F. Water is introduced into the water tray, and an extent to which the fingers are submerged in the water is repeatedly adjusted.
US08459041B2
A turbine system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the turbine system includes a transition duct. The transition duct includes an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending between the inlet and the outlet and defining a longitudinal axis, a radial axis, and a tangential axis. The outlet of the transition duct is offset from the inlet along the longitudinal axis and the tangential axis. The transition duct further includes an interface member for interfacing with a turbine section. The turbine system further includes a leaf seal contacting the interface member to provide a seal between the interface member and the turbine section.
US08459033B2
The present application provides a gas turbine engine system for combusting a flow of fuel. The gas turbine engine system may include a combustor and a fuel system for providing the flow of fuel to the combustor. The fuel system may include a fuel heat exchanger so as to provide the flow of fuel to the combustor at a substantially constant temperature.
US08459029B2
A rankine cycle system includes a heater configured to circulate a working fluid in heat exchange relationship with a hot fluid to vaporize the working fluid. A hot system is coupled to the heater. The hot system includes a first heat exchanger configured to circulate a first vaporized stream of the working fluid from the heater in heat exchange relationship with a first condensed stream of the working fluid to heat the first condensed stream of the working fluid. A cold system is coupled to the heater and the hot system. The cold system includes a second heat exchanger configured to circulate a second vaporized stream of the working fluid from the first system in heat exchange relationship with a second condensed stream of the working fluid to heat the second condensed stream of the working fluid before being fed to the heater.
US08459015B1
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, an internal combustion engine having a new and novel system for improving the efficiency of the engine. In a preferred embodiment the system comprises an expander effective for receiving condensed engine exhaust and placing said exhaust in contact with copper or a copper alloy and for transforming the exhaust into vapor for transfer into the combustion chamber of the engine. In a preferred embodiment the system further comprises a condenser means for cooling the exhaust exiting the engine sufficiently to condense any water vapor and/or fuel vapor to form a liquid mixture or water and fuel, collecting and storing the liquid mixture, and directing the stored liquid mixture to the expander.
US08459013B2
A closure member for a urea tank used to provide urea to an exhaust treatment system of a vehicle comprises a closure member body defining respective urea inlet and outlet passages and coolant inlet and outlet passages therethrough. A valve carried by the closure member body, and a portion of the valve can be an integral one piece part of the closure member body, selectively blocks the flow coolant through the interior of the urea tank. When coolant flows into the tank, it is separated from urea in the tank by a recirculating conduit which returns the coolant from the coolant inlet passage to the coolant outlet passage. Coolant circulating within the tank heats urea therein. The coolant flow valve can comprise a solenoid controlled valve with an electrical connector carried by the coolant tank for making connections to wiring that provides power to the solenoid to control the valve. The closure member can also carry a support, such as a downtube, that can contain temperature and level sensing components with the closure member supporting a connector coupled to wiring for such components.
US08459012B2
A method for purging reductant from a reductant supply system is disclosed. The method includes dispensing reductant into an exhaust system via a dispensing device. The method also includes purging the dispensing device by urging reductant from the dispensing device to a reductant source.
US08459007B2
A method comprises modifying combustion parameters of an engine of a hybrid vehicle to provide an engine power level insufficient to maintain crankshaft rotation at a desired speed including increasing a temperature of an exhaust gas and reducing an emissions content of the exhaust gas; and supplementing the engine power level with an electric machine of the hybrid vehicle to maintain crankshaft rotation at the desired speed. A control module comprises a cold start combustion control module that modifies combustion parameters of an engine of a hybrid vehicle to provide an engine power level insufficient to maintain crankshaft rotation at a desired speed, wherein the modifying includes increasing a temperature of an exhaust gas, and reducing an emissions content of the exhaust gas; and an electric machine control module that supplements the engine power level using an electric machine of the hybrid vehicle to maintain crankshaft rotation at the desired speed.
US08459006B2
A temperature control device for a catalyst, which is capable of rapidly activating a catalyst while maintaining reduced exhaust emissions, by properly controlling the temperature of exhaust gases according to an activated state of the catalyst. If the catalyst is determined not to be in the activated state, based on an acquired temperature of the catalyst, the temperature control device for a catalyst sets a temperature higher than the temperature of the catalyst by a predetermined temperature is set as a target exhaust gas temperature. Further, the temperature control device controls a combustion control parameter including at least one of an amount of recirculation of exhaust gases by an EGR device, an amount of intake air drawn into an engine, a supply amount and a supply timing of fuel supplied into the engine, according to the set target exhaust gas temperature.
US08458999B2
The fleece layer for laying down a card web to form a fleece has a cross-lapping upper carriage, through which the card web is guided; a cross-lapping laying carriage, through which the card web coming from the upper carriage is guided and which serves to lay the card web down onto an output conveyor belt, and at least two card web conveyor belts for guiding the card web to the upper carriage and from there to the laying carriage. An upper run of a first endless card web conveyor belt extends from the infeed area of the fleece layer to the upper carriage and serves as a support surface for the card web. A positionally variable pressing means is provided, which can be actuated to produce a variable card web buffer in the upper run of the first card web conveyor belt.
US08458997B2
A mower-conditioner including a plant mowing mechanism including a cutting device, a plant conditioning system and a mechanism lifting these elements relative to the ground, this assembly being carried by a frame and including a fairing, the machine also including a plant ejection channel positioned as an extension of the plant conditioning system. The fairing is articulated to the plant ejection channel by a transverse axis that is positioned inside the machine, above and slightly behind the plant conditioning system, and the plant ejection channel is itself articulated to the frame.
US08458995B2
A method of loading a plurality of food items in multiple layers comprises collecting food items in a staging area in a first plurality of groups, each group having a plurality of food items. The first plurality of groups is displaced substantially simultaneously downwardly into an accumulating and storage area and thereby forming a plurality of first layer group. A second plurality of groups of food items is collected, each of the second plurality of groups having a plurality of food items. The second plurality of groups is displaced substantially simultaneously downwardly into the accumulating and storage area such that the second plurality of groups forms a plurality of second layer groups of food items superposed to the first layer groups, and thereby forming a plurality of two layer-groups. The plurality of two-layer groups of food items are displaced downwardly into a receptacle in a packing area.
US08458993B2
Various device embodiments include first and second plate assemblies. Each plate assembly includes a base, a seal plate, one or more air bladders and a servo motor to provide a linear motion of the seal plate with respect to the base. The device further includes at least one plate assembly motor operably linked to the bases of the plate assemblies to provide a linear motion of the first and second plate assemblies toward each other to perform a sealing operation and away from each other. The device further includes a controller connected to the at least one plate assembly motor and to the first and second servo motors to coordinate the motion of the first and second seal plates to perform a seal operation on a web while traveling with the web.
US08458988B2
A minimum weight thin wall profile member is produced by selecting range values of cross section dimensions ratios for the thin wall profile member and various ratio values within the range values, and determining shape efficiency factor values Σ1, Σ2 . . . Σn based on the selected ratio values within the range values. Each shape efficiency factor value is determined using the expression Σ=Kf·Km, where Kf=(i2/F)2/5 is an overall stability factor, Km=K1/5/(b/δb)2/5 is a local stability factor, b, δb are the width and the thickness, respectively, of the main strip, i and F are the radius of gyration and the area of the cross-section, respectively, and K is the local stability stress coefficient. A maximum shape efficiency factor value Σmax is selected from the determined shape efficiency factor values, and the corresponding ratio values are used to produce the minimum weight thin wall profile member.
US08458982B2
The Dual Tension Connector (DTC) is a metal connector used for tying a wood or steel railing stanchion to a structural framing member. The DTC is designed to resist force applied to a railing stanchion in any direction. It is a one-piece solution for railing stanchion connections that requires no welding or separate washers. The DTC consists of a rectangular shaped section that can be attached to a structural framing member, and two elongated strap members located on each side of the rectangular shaped section. Each elongated strap has two seat members, and two triangular-shaped side members with seat members that are integrally connected. The seat members are located in such a manner so they may be folded, and locked together to act as one unit in resisting tension forces applied to the DTC.
US08458977B2
A wall brace support for an acoustical ceiling tee having a bulb includes an elongated main portion having two ends; a wall attachment tab at one of the ends, the tab being operable to abut the wall and receive at least one fastener therethrough to fasten the tab to the wall; and an acoustical ceiling tee attachment structure at the other end, the structure being operable to receive at least one fastener therethrough to fasten the structure to the bulb at a location spaced away from the wall.
US08458973B1
Tie beam formation apparatus includes parallel opposed sidewalls defining a channel constructed to receive concrete for the formation of a tie beam. The sidewalls are disposed to become a fixed part of the tie beam. The apparatus further includes mounting structure attached to the sidewalls for holding the sidewalls in the channel defining position. The mounting structure is designed to hold the sidewalls on an upper surface of a block wall and to engage the sidewalls with the block wall at regular intervals. The mounting structure is further designed to allow a flow of concrete into openings in the block wall at spaced apart regular intervals.
US08458957B2
A pocket door system with a constant rail system provides a pocket door adapted for sliding into and out of an enclosed wall pocket to enable or prevent egress through a framed door opening. The pocket door includes a roller mechanism mounted at a top surface and a slotted lower guide mechanism mounted at a bottom surface. A floor track with a vertically extending, flat, planar protruding plate element is mounted upon a floor surface is secluded within the enclosed wall pocket. The vertically extending, flat, planar protruding plate element is insertable into the corresponding vertically extending flat, planar slot of the guide mechanism. The roller mechanism of the pocket door system engages an upper track as the lower guide mechanism engages with the protruding element guide wherein the pocket door slides into and out of the enclosed wall pocket without wobbling and dislocating from the tracks during use.
US08458956B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for a door drive, in particular for roller doors, sectional doors or the like, having a door movement element, in particular a door shaft, for the opening and closing of a door and a connection means arranged at the door movement element. In accordance with the invention, the door drive includes at least two electric motors of which one is indirectly/directly fixedly connected to the connection means arranged at the door movement element and all further electric motors are arranged radially movably around the door movement element and are connected thereto via the arranged connection means.
US08458955B2
A seed and plant growth medium module includes a seed embedded in plant growth medium which is encapsulated in a biodegradable moisture retaining shell. The shell has a bottom with an upper covering. A root opening is provided in the bottom to allow egress of roots as the seed germinates. A plant egress opening is provided in the upper covering to allow upward growth of a plant resulting when the seed germinates. At least one water entry opening is provided in the shell to allow entry of moisture into the shell to wet the plant growth medium.
US08458952B1
In an embodiment of the invention, aqueous growth medium in a pond can be used to grow algae which can be pumped to a primary dewatering device where the algae can be separated from the harvested growth media based on the flow of the harvested growth media and gravity. The flow through the primary de-watering device can be optimized to maintain log phase growth in the pond, while minimizing the pumping cost and maximizing the concentration of total solids in the primary de-watered algae.
US08458950B2
A fishing lure attachment that includes (i) an elastic collar operable for fitted engagement and disengagement around a fishing lure body, and (ii) a flexible ball chain, having a plurality of spherical elements serially interconnected by rod members to form a chain of balls simulating a flow of blood droplets, attached to and extending from the collar.
US08458947B2
A device for cleaning tubular passageways of a firearm that carries ignition products of a firearm propellant includes a relatively rigid hollow, tubular guide and a compliant cleaning rod within the bore of the hollow guide. The cleaning rod travels within the hollow guide before entering the tubular passageway to be cleaned. The cleaning rod is sufficiently flexible so as to be unable to support its own weight without substantial bending when supported at one end in a cantilever fashion. A cleaning kit is also provided including the cleaning device and a plurality of related cleaning items, such as brush-like cleaning elements.
US08458945B2
A shotgun choke system consisting of four zones, a the first zone being a compression or constriction zone; the second zone being a stabilization zone; the third zone being a second compression or constriction zone; and the forth and final zone being a second stabilization zone. The shot package is compressed and constricted into a tight, uniform shot delivery package, and the wad package is completely separated from the shot package. The shot package therefore leaves the barrel of the choke, first, while gasses from the shot escape through a muzzle break and the wad package exits following the shot package, drastically reducing recoil and improving the shot pattern over prior art choke embodiments.
US08458944B2
A firearm system includes a foregrip removably mountable to a firearm, the foregrip having a programmable button controlling at least one of an accessory of the firearm and a component of the foregrip.
US08458942B2
An alignment guide for maintaining perpendicularity between an elongated anchor rail secured to an overhead support and a sign supporting elongated adjustment rail, comprising: a guide housing having an anchor rail receiving channel arranged across an upper surface thereof; an adjustment rail receiving channel arranged across a lower side of the guide housing, wherein the anchor rail receiving channel and the adjustment rail receiving channel are perpendicular to one another.
US08458934B2
A display unit comprising of at least one display sheet of a substantially rigid and foldable material divided into a plurality of panels by crease and/or score lines that when erected forms a display unit with at least one concave presentation face.
US08458931B2
A tooth retention device for attachment to an excavator bucket, which has a tooth mounting portion, a fork shaped body fitting over the edge of the bucket, a clamp passing through the body and the bucket, and a wedge holding the clamp in position, in which the wedge has a threaded rod and a threaded block on the rod. The rod is rotatable to move the block between locked and released positions.
US08458913B2
The present invention is to provide an assisted-opening folding knife, which includes a handle having a first positioning groove and a first recess, a blade capable of pivotally springing out of the handle, and a pushing device. A first post on the blade is moved along the first recess while being rotated into the handle, and a second post on the blade is exposed outside the handle while being received in the handle. The pushing device includes a pushing element located in the first positioning groove and a second spring provided between the pushing element and the first positioning groove, so as for the pushing element to move along the groove. Thus, while the blade is rotated into the handle, the first post presses and passes the tip of the pushing element and is then blocked by the pushing element, thereby preventing the blade from springing out of the handle.
US08458905B2
A process for providing a cushioned region (14) on a substrate (12) is disclosed. The substrate (12) is at least partially covered by a sheet (18) of preferably textured material. A skin (22) is coupled to the substrate (12) and a compressible material (24) (such as foam) is injected between the sheet (22) and skin (24). The sheet (18) is intended to promote adhesion to the compressible material (24) (e.g. mechanical and/or chemical joining or bonding). If portions of the coversheet (18) are exposed on a visible surface, the coversheet may also be configured to provide a decorative or ornamental appearances.
US08458875B2
A removal tool includes a staking unit configured to deform a circlip located at a bore of an apparatus when the removal tool is pushed into the bore, and a spring fork unit configured to push a ferrule ring located at the bore when the removal tool is pushed into the bore.
US08458874B2
An apparatus is disclosed for applying tags with attached elastic anchor bands onto the tops of objects such as bottles in a high speed packaging application. The apparatus includes an infeed assembly for feeding a web, a conveyor assembly that receives a web and conveys it along a path in an upstream direction, a rotating selector wheel, a placement assembly, a pair of rotating jaw assemblies, a vacuum cup of the selector wheel, and stretched elastic bands over the tops of respective bottles being conveyed along a path below the placing assembly. The elastic bands then snap onto the tops of their respective bottles to secure the tags to the bottles.
US08458872B2
A low-pressure process apparatus for processing a substrate comprises a base, a stage, a housing and at least one first roller set. The stage is disposed on the base for supporting the substrate. The housing is detachably disposed on the base moving between a first position and a second position, wherein when the housing is in a first position, the housing and the base form a chamber to receive the stage. When the housing is detached, the first roller set contacts and supports the housing to facilitate movement thereof in a first horizontal direction.
US08458871B2
A large machining apparatus for working a substantially planar workpiece such as a metal plate in relation to which a set of work actions, such as machining grooves and holes, is required at one of a number of work zones on or in the workpiece, the apparatus including: a working assembly such as a drop down drill movably mounted on a beam for reciprocal linear movement along a first horizontal axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the workpiece; and an assembly rail movably mounted on the beam at right angles to the beam to carry the working assembly. The apparatus further includes: an immobilizing base mounted on the rail for reciprocal linear movement along the assembly rail in the direction of a second axis and a clamping base mounted on the immobilizing base and adapted to be clamped onto the workpiece to locate the working assembly at a predetermined one of said work zones; and a movable base mounted on the assembly rail for limited reciprocal linear displacement along the assembly rail in the direction of the second axis relative to the immobilizing base. The working assembly is mounted on the movable base to enable limited linear displacement of the working assembly in the second axis direction in the predetermined work zone.
US08458868B2
A shock-absorbing seat belt buckle (1) including is provided a housing, a push-button (2) displaceably mounted in the housing, a linearly guided inertia mass (3), and a transmission lever (4) pivot-mounted to the housing, which transmission lever is coupled to the inertia mass (3) by an arm (4a) and supports the push-button (2) against the opening direction with another arm (4b), wherein a sound-absorbing elastic layer (11) is provided between the transmission lever (4) and the inertia mass (3), at least in the region of contact between them.
US08458865B1
A paper yard bag 28 securing device consisting of a cylindrical shape adapted to fit over the corners of two or more bags 28. Two cross-sectional cuts 20a and 20b form four symmetrical legs 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d and a body 12. Each of the four legs 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d has a convex radius 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d facilitating the easy insertion of a group of corners of two or more bags 28. This mechanism serves to both maximize the opening of the bags 28 and secure a plurality of bags 28 adjacent to one another greatly reducing the time to fill yard waste.
US08458864B1
A multi-purpose utility strap featuring an elongated strap component having an identical first end and second end. A first attachment component is disposed on the top surface of the strap component at the first end, a second attachment component is disposed on the top surface of the strap component next to the first attachment component, a third attachment component is disposed on the bottom surface of the strap component at the second end, and a fourth attachment component is disposed on the top surface of the strap component a distance from the second end. The first attachment component is adapted to engage the second attachment component to form a loop, and the third attachment component is adapted to engage the fourth attachment component to form a loop.
US08458860B2
Connecting member for a sports boot closure and tightening device (4), comprising a base (25, 35) adapted to be fixed on the surface of the sports boot and a connecting element (31, 37) adapted for cooperation with a second connecting member, wherein the connecting element (31, 37) has a geometry such that its tangent (c, d; c′) to the zone where it connects with a second connecting element of the second connecting member is not perpendicular to the closure direction of the connecting member in the configuration in which it closes and tightens the sports boot.
US08458859B2
A strip clamping device having a strip to be clamped (1), a clamping mechanism (3) provided with a winding body (2) for the strip to be clamped (1), a toothed locking wheel (4) which is associated with the winding body (2) and has a locking toothed wheel work (5) in which a pawl (8) and a driving ratchet (7) associated with a driving lever (6) engage in order to rotate the winding body (2) in a defined direction by repeated pivoting of the driving lever (6). The winding body (2) has a spring accumulator (9) acting in the winding direction, and is a storage spool receiving essentially the entire length of the strip (1), one end of the strip being connected to the winding body (2) in a fixed manner.
US08458832B1
A novel duvet having two or more sealable side edges, wherein the inside corners of the duvet may further comprise a clip to hold the comforter in place.
US08458831B2
A bed rail having a guard frame that prevents a child from rolling off a bed and a pair of legs that extend between the mattress and box spring. The guard frame swings between up and down positions and is pivotally connected to the legs via a first junction. A second junction locks the guard frame to the legs. The second junction includes a rotatable seat that engages a pin extending from the guard frame. The bed rail further includes a strap that engages a proximal end of a leg, a distal end of the leg, and an anchor, which engages the side of the bed opposite of the bed rail.
US08458827B2
A patient positioning system and a rail for use in the system. According to one embodiment, the system includes first and second stationary rails arranged parallel to one another. First and second sets of mounting assemblies are used to fix the first and second stationary rails, respectively, to a ceiling. A traverse rail is slidably coupled to the stationary rails. The system also includes a harness for holding a patient and a motorized assembly for raising and lowering the harness, the harness being slidably coupled to the traverse rail. At least one of the first stationary rail, the second stationary rail, and the traverse rail is shaped to include a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, a right wall, a substantially open front, a substantially open rear, a first rib extending from the left side wall to the right side wall, and a second rib extending from the top wall to the first rib, the first rib and the second rib jointly dividing the interior of the rail into a pair of upper chambers and a lower chamber.
US08458823B2
In a goggle lens interchange system, a goggle frame has a ledge on which a lens is removably placed, wherein the ledge is able to be exposed so that a lens of the goggles is able to be removed from the ledge, and another or replacement lens is able to be placed on the ledge.
US08458818B2
Elastomeric film-like products such as natural latex gloves are coated with novel lubricity compositions and compositions which protect the skin of the wearer from certain undesirable medical conditions. In powder-coated gloves, the coating composition comprises rice starch, and optionally USP-grade colloidal oatmeal in pharmaceutically accepted concentration. In powder-free gloves, the coating composition comprises colloidal oatmeal enhanced water or beta glucan solution, optionally in combination with one or more other starch components. Colloidal oatmeal enhanced water, and methods of making the colloidal oatmeal enhanced water are also disclosed. In addition, beta glucan solution, and methods of making the beta glucan solution are also disclosed. A liquid referred to herein as Polycoat may also be made by mixing colloidal oatmeal enhanced water with beta glucan solution, and the resulting liquid may be applied to elastomeric articles such as gloves.
US08464358B2
Portable on-line identity verification technology includes, for example, portable widgets with an identity rating, and other on-line identification verification icons and identity rating scores.
US08464355B2
Exchange of Digital Rights Management protected content between two devices without the need for a third party. Each user marks a license as unusable and the devices the trade licenses. A user then instructs the device to import the received license. The device verifies that a license has been rendered unusable and only then erases the unusable license and enables the device to use the new license. The content associated with a license may be traded before or after the license exchange, and may also be downloaded from a third party. Also provided is a device for exchanging licenses.
US08464347B2
Provided is a software update apparatus including an install module group (130) composed of a plurality of install modules. Each of the install modules receives, from an external server (200), a replacement protection control module (121) for updating a protection control module (120) having a function of verifying whether a predetermined application has been tampered with. Each of the install modules simultaneously running is verified, by at least another one of the install modules simultaneously running, as to whether the install module has a possibility of performing malicious operations.
US08464342B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for adaptively selecting electronic message scanning rules. Embodiments of the invention relate to dynamically (and potentially unpredictably) varying the depth/thoroughness of classifying electronic messages to protect against undesirable message content (e.g., SPAM, viruses, digital leakage, etc.). A minimum effectiveness is maintained and, when available resources permit, can be exceeded to provide increased protection. An optimal subset of available message classification rules can be selected on a per message basis. The selection of rules is based on available system resources, minimum desired effectiveness (e.g., defined in a Service Level Agreement (“SLA”)), and rule characteristics. Feedback loops can be used to optimize selected classification rule subsets.
US08464337B2
A computer is adapted for changing one or more of the application, security, or user contexts based on the orientation of a component, such as a monitor. Changing the context responsive to the reorientation allows two or more users to use the same hardware to complete a transaction requiring at least two perspectives, for example, buyer and seller. In the background, transaction end points may be changed as well as establishment of a secure channel for supporting confidentiality of a user and their personal information. The computer so equipped may be applicable to many situations involving two parties, such as hospitals, personnel/human relations, banking, government benefits, and retail.
US08464334B1
This invention discloses a technique of computer network defense. The technique is called Random IP-Security (RIP-Sec) 30, and it may preferably be deployed in the gateway 18 and other routers 20 of a computer network. The RIP Sec 30 technique uses a unique randomization of the existing artifacts of a data packet. These artifacts of a data packet are IP addresses of the packet. The unique randomization is able to substitute one value of the artifact with another exactly identical value of the artifact, that is, an IP address is replaced by another IP address, where the replaced IP address have no relationship to the original IP address, they having been derived from a unique randomization process of the original data.
US08464330B2
An agent device is connected with one or more image-forming devices in a local network having a firewall provided therein. A management device carries out remote management of the image-forming devices in the local network through the Internet. The agent device includes a command receiving unit which starts connection with the management device and receives a management command from the management device via the firewall, the command being sent by the management device in response to the connection. An image-forming-device communication unit receives device-state information of a corresponding one of the image-forming devices according to the management command. A command response transmitting unit transmits the device-state information to the management device through the Internet.
US08464321B2
A method for assigning network addresses is provided. When a mobile node (MN) moves to an access domain (AN) of a visited network, the method, in the visited network, includes: receiving a network access request sent by the MN; determining a home network of the MN according to user information of the MN, and sending an authentication request to the home network for authenticating the MN; receiving an authentication response returned by the home network, where the authentication response includes a local home of address (L-HoA) for identifying the AN where the MN is currently located; and assigning a local care of address (L-CoA) to the MN, where the L-CoA identifies position information of the MN in the current AN. Correspondingly, a network and a network node are provided. Thus, technical solutions can implement address assignment when the MN moves.
US08464320B2
A computer-implemented method may include receiving first monitored information relating to a user at a time of initial user authentication with a particular application or resource. It may be determined that a second authentication is required at a second time subsequent to the time of initial user authentication. Second monitored information may be captured at the second time. The second monitored information may be compared to the first monitored information to determine whether continued authentication is maintained. Access to the particular application or resource when it is determined that continued authentication is not maintained.
US08464317B2
A method and system is presented to parse a WSDL description and build a hierarchical protected object namespace for authorization of access to the resource, wherein the protected object namespace is based on the abstract part of a WSDL but can be used to assist in authorization decisions for multiple different concrete bindings of this WSDL, wherein the concrete binding/request is based on the WS-Addressing endpoint reference.
US08464308B2
A method for processing a channel change request in a television system operating according to the IP protocol. This method is implemented in a digital decoder of the subscriber and its purpose is to avoid overloading the access network in the case of burst zapping and avoid penalizing the reactivity time of the system in the case of simple zapping. In the case of reception of a burst of channel change requests separated by a time interval less than the duration of the predetermined timeout (Ttempo), the digital decoder transmits, to the access network of the system, two physical channel change requests, one for the first channel change request and the other for the last channel change request of the burst.
US08464307B2
An audiovisual processing system comprises a signal receiving circuit and a host device. The signal receiving circuit comprises a tuner and a demodulator. The tuner generates a tuned signal based on a radio frequency signal. The demodulator generates a digital signal based on the tuned signal, generates a frequency down-converted signal based on the digital signal, generates an audio processing signal based on the frequency down-converted signal in an audio processing mode, generates a demodulated video signal based on the frequency down-converted signal in a video processing mode, generates an output signal based on the audio processing signal in the audio processing mode, and generates the output signal based on the demodulated video signal in the video processing mode. The host device receives the output signal, and generates a demodulated audio signal based on the output signal in the audio processing mode.
US08464300B2
Various embodiments facilitate the management of receiving device health. One embodiment provides a receiving device health manager that identifies receiving devices having degraded operational states, based on operational state data received from those receiving devices. The receiving device health manager may further determine and initiate corrective actions with respect to the identified receiving devices, based on information about customers associated with the receiving devices and/or about the receiving devices themselves. In one embodiment, a corrective action may include a customer service contact to schedule a receiving device repair visit by a technician. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US08464297B2
Systems and methods are operable to identify videos of interest using information acquired by a portable electronic device. An exemplary embodiment receives the acquired information pertaining to a video of interest, wherein the acquired information was acquired by the portable electronic device; determines an identity of the video of interest based upon the acquired information; and communicates the video of interest to a media device.
US08464296B2
An interactive media guidance system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. Options may be provided that allow the user to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all or selected channels for some or all episodes including reruns, new episodes, network or syndicated episodes, on all or only on selected days.
US08464286B2
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, which facilitates a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience. The present invention includes displaying a channel list in which receivable channels including at least one pay broadcast channel are listed, receiving a broadcast viewing authority for watching the pay broadcast channel from a broadcast viewing authority server via a broadcasting network or an internet network, storing the received broadcast viewing authority, and updating the stored broadcast viewing authority each time a broadcast mode is entered. Accordingly, when the broadcast viewing authority is updated in the mobile terminal to prevent illegal copying or piracy of the broadcast viewing authority, the terminal user needs not to temporarily stop viewing the corresponding broadcast. Moreover, each time the mobile terminal enters a broadcast mode, an old broadcast viewing authority is deactivated and a new broadcast viewing authority is received. Therefore, the illegal copying or piracy of the broadcast viewing authority stored in the mobile terminal can be basically prevented.
US08464283B2
A disc drive including a tray, a housing configured to receive the tray, a pickup device installed on the tray, and a spindle motor including a rotator having built therein a permanent magnet, a stator including a magnetic coil, and a rotation axis supporting portion that is configured to support a rotation axis of the rotator and fixed to the tray.
US08464279B2
A system is provided for dynamically identifying and correlating network domain events. The system includes a network domain and a plurality of managed objects in the network domain. A management server is in communication with the managed objects. The management server can receive domain events from at least one of the managed objects. A management module on the management server maintains a topology of managed objects in the network domain. A rule knowledge base is in communication with the management server. The rule knowledge base includes correlation rules for identifying and correlating domain events. A correlation module utilizes a processor to correlate the domain events with the topology using the correlation rules to identify an interaction between the managed objects and the domain events.
US08464272B2
A messaging entity within a messaging system may facilitate registration with the messaging system by software components. The messaging entity may facilitate unicast communication between registered software components. The messaging entity may facilitate registration for multicast events by software components. The messaging entity may facilitate multicast communication between registered software components.
US08464271B2
A runtime dependence-aware scheduling of dependent iterations mechanism is provided. Computation is performed for one or more iterations of computer executable code by a main thread. Dependence information is determined for a plurality of memory accesses within the computer executable code using modified executable code using a set of dependence threads. Using the dependence information, a determination is made as to whether a subset of a set of uncompleted iterations in the plurality of iterations is capable of being executed ahead-of-time by the one or more available threads in the data processing system. If the subset of the set of uncompleted iterations in the plurality of iterations is capable of being executed ahead-of-time, the main thread is signaled to skip the subset of the set of uncompleted iterations and the set of assist threads is signaled to execute the subset of the set of uncompleted iterations.
US08464264B2
There is disclosed an information processing apparatus and method for executing a workflow having a plurality of steps (and corresponding method). The information processing apparatus registers the workflow having a plurality of steps and manages a start parameter for indicating a condition for starting each step included in the workflow and an end parameter that is generated at an end of the each step. The apparatus determines a second step for following a first step based on the end parameter of the first step and the managed start parameters.
US08464260B2
A hardware device interface supporting transaction authentication is described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a device, including an interconnect interface, and processing logic (coupled to the bus interface) that provides access to a plurality of functions of the device through the interconnect interface. A first transaction received by the device, and associated with a function of the plurality of functions, causes a request identifier within the first transaction to be assigned to the function. Access to the function is denied if a request identifier of a second transaction, subsequent to the first transaction, does not match the request identifier assigned to the function.
US08464259B2
In one or more embodiments of the invention, migration of a virtual machine includes identifying a hardware resource which is accessed directly by a device driver of the virtual machine and generating an emulation of the hardware resource to simulate the hardware resource as experiencing an error. The current state of the virtual machine can then be transmitted to the destination host computer, wherein the current state includes the emulation which simulates the hardware resource as experiencing an error. In at least one embodiment, generating the emulation includes defining the error as one that triggers a reset of the hardware resource after migration of the virtual machine from the source host computer to the destination host computer.
US08464253B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for providing services using a virtual operating system (OS). The apparatus classifies virtual resources into a plurality of mutually exclusive regions and manages the virtual resources based on the provides services regions. The plurality of provides services regions include a virtual region whose resources are stored in and used on an external storage, and an overlay region whose resources refer to host resources. The apparatus uses the region information for virtual resources and a list of resources accessed for each application process to manage the virtual resources.
US08464243B2
During execution of an existing scheduling computer program on a client node, an update computer program and a self-describing automatic installation package are downloaded to the client node from a logical depot node implemented on an existing management server. Therefore, advantageously, no physical depot node or other additional computing device is needed for the client node to update itself. Execution of the update computer program is spawned on the client node from the existing scheduling computer program. As such, the update computer program inherits root access to the client node and security credentials to the management server from the scheduling computer program—advantageously, then, a user does not have to perform any laborious configuration of the client node in order to update the node. The client node ultimately updates itself using the self-describing automatic installation package, which includes all the information needed for the client node to update itself.
US08464231B2
A method and apparatus access a production among first and second groups of productions. The productions form rules for constructing hierarchical data of a structured electronic document. The first group is associated with a first group of events, each production being defined for an event type and contextual information including a name associated with an element in the hierarchical data. The second group is associated with a second group of events distinct from the first group of events, the events of the second group describing the hierarchical data of the structured electronic document. The device determines whether an event is of the first group including determining whether the event in question is defined by a name associated with an element in addition to an event type, and predicts a production from the second group that is associated with the event is determined to be of the first group.
US08464214B2
The present invention is related to the field of real-time software, and, more specifically, to an apparatus, method and system for building complex high-performance software by composition.
US08464213B1
A system and method is disclosed for creating a reusable control from various applications or portions of applications. Using a pre-existing application or one specifically developed for the control, a developer programmatically declares which functionalities of the original application are to be included in the new control. This control building logic becomes a part of the application code. On execution of the application with the added control building logic, the native code that will re-create the control functionality is automatically generated. The control developer may now extend the generated code using simple Object Oriented Programming (OOP) inheritance to add properties and parameters that will control its behavior. The resulting control may then be referenced by other developers when creating a new software application.
US08464210B1
The invention is directed to method of generating database encoded software for controlling operation of a data processing device. The method comprises providing a formal language specification representative of source code for the software, translating said formal language specification into data suitable for storing in database structures and in a form suitable for being queried by a database query language and storing said data in database structures of a database. The method includes using a software development tool in a software development and testing environment to manipulate the database encoded software using a database query language such as SQL and XQuery to develop new software features. The query language can also be used to control replication and/or synchronization of the database encoded software with the contents of a data processing device control program database by way of installing said control program on said device or upgrading the control program software of said device.
US08464206B2
A method and system for providing a consistent flow documents and data content across different organizational units of a company or agency where the documents and data come from different enterprise systems and data stores but are related to linked processes that share models for organizing the content in the business context and in a format that enables a user to relate the content to the process step or steps they are performing. The system includes a network service that enables a configuration utility to automatically discover the objects and metadata and provides for a mapping of selected fields of the metadata to regions displayed in the user interface view with provision for filtering the data by mapping selected fields to a user input form. Thereby, a business analyst can create solutions without writing and maintaining complex program logic for each combination of presentation environment, enterprise system and data store.
US08464200B1
An approach is in which a dynamic thermal relief generator retrieves a circuit board file that identifies power plane thru pin locations and a power plane layer. The dynamic thermal relief generator selects one of the power plane thru pin locations and creates a thermal relief pattern that includes thermal relief shapes that identify conductive material voids on a power plane layer to exclude substantially conductive material. The dynamic thermal relief generator determines that one of the conductive material voids affects one or more proximate signal tracks and, in turn, automatically adjusts the thermal relief pattern accordingly.
US08464197B2
A method is described for routing a semiconductor chip's global nets. The method includes identifying a subset of the global nets and routing the subset of global nets using multiple threads, where, each of the global nets within the subset are routed by one of the threads in isolation of the subset's other global nets. The method further includes identifying a second subset of the global nets and routing the second subset of global nets using the multiple threads, where, each of the global nets within the second subset are routed by one of the threads in isolation of the second subset's other global nets but in respect of the routes of first subset of global nets.
US08464181B1
A digital map of a geographic area is displayed via a user interface, and a 3D representation of a multi-story building located in the geographic area is displayed on the digital map. The 3D representation includes multiple stacked, individually selectable floor maps corresponding to the floors of the multi-story building. A scrolling gesture that includes a motion in a direction substantially along a vertical axis of the 3D representation of the building is received. In response, the floor maps are consecutively activated, and visual attributes of the activated floor map are changed relative to every other floor maps in the 3D representation, so that no more than one of floor maps is activated at one time.
US08464179B2
A system comprises a processor and a keyboard coupled to the processor. The keyboard comprises a mathematical function key and an arrow key. When the mathematical function key is pressed, the processor causes the display to display a sequence of math functions or math menu choices upon a user repeatedly pressing the arrow key. For each math function displayed on the display, the processor concurrently also causes the result of the math function to be displayed without the user pressing another key.
US08464173B2
A computing device with a touch screen display simultaneously displays on the touch screen display a plurality of user interface objects and at least one destination object. The computing device detects a first input by a user on a destination object displayed on the touch screen display. While continuing to detect the first input by the user on the destination object, the computing device detects a second input by the user on a first user interface object displayed on the touch screen display. In response to detecting the second input by the user on the first user interface object, the computing device performs an action on the first user interface object. The action is associated with the destination object.
US08464170B2
A system combines 2D and 3D modeling in rendering shapes and includes: a 3D modeling factory to generate a 3D model of selected shape parameters or features; a front face factory to generate 2D text and text effects, and some 2D shape effects; a ground plane factory to generate effects that are rendered on a ground plane of a shape; and a rasterizer/compositing engine to combine 2D and 3D effects generated by the front face factory, ground plan factory, and the 3D modeling factory.
US08464165B2
A videoconferencing application includes a user interface that provides multiple participant panels, each of which is displayed with perspective with the panels appearing to be angled with respect to the user interface window. The participant panels display live video streams from remote participants. A two-way layout provides two participant panels for two remote participants, each of which is angled inwardly towards a center position. A three-way layout provides three participant panels for three remote participants, with a left, center and right panel, with the left and right panels angled inwardly towards a center position.
US08464161B2
An approach for managing permissions in a collaborative workspace involves providing a permissions user interface presentation without loosing a context associated with a collaborative workspace user interface presentation. The permissions user interface presentation visually organizes a set of workspace members into two or more permission level categories. The permissions user interface presentation also allows a user to efficiently add new workspace members from a local system or an alternative system.
US08464146B2
A method to provide a local user interface using an image forming apparatus including storing at least one of at least one first web application corresponding to each function of the image forming apparatus and a second web application provided by a third party, receiving a request for access to a local user interface from the at least one printing control apparatus, and identifying whether to display the at least one web application having an individual context, generating the local user interface according to the identification results, providing the printing control apparatus with the generated local user interface, and independently driving the web application of the image forming apparatus according to a web application selected by the printing control apparatus. Accordingly, a plurality of web applications can be controlled independently, so the user's convenience can be improved.
US08464137B2
Error correction in not-and (NAND) flash memory including a system for retrieving data from memory. The system includes a decoder in communication with a memory. The decoder is for performing a method that includes receiving a codeword stored on a page in the memory, the codeword including data and first-tier check symbols that are generated in response to the data. The method further includes determining that the codeword includes errors that cannot be corrected using the first-tier check symbols, and in response second-tier check symbols are received. The second-tier check symbols are generated in response to receiving the data and to the contents of other pages in the memory that were written prior to the page containing the codeword. The codeword is corrected in response to the second-tier check symbols. The corrected codeword is output.
US08464132B2
A method for accessing a flash memory includes: writing a data stream into at least a page of at least one data block of the flash memory, where each page of the data block includes an identity code; reading at least one identity code of the page; and determining a specific page according to at least the identity code, where the specific page is a last page that the data stream is written to before the flash memory is disconnected from a power source.
US08464129B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention are methods for the organization of trapping-set profiles in ROM and for the searching of those profiles during (LDPC) list decoding. Profiles are ranked by dominance, i.e., by their impact on the error-floor characteristics of a decoder. More-dominant trapping-set profiles contain information about both unsatisfied check nodes (USCs) and mis-satisfied check nodes (MSCs), while less-dominant trapping-set profiles contain information about only USCs. Trapping-set profile information is organized into a number of linked, hierarchical data tables which allow for the rapid location and retrieval of most-dominant matching trapping-set profiles using a pointer-chase search.
US08464128B2
In one embodiment, an LDPC decoder attempts to recover an originally-encoded LDPC codeword based on a set of channel soft-output values. If the decoder observes a trapping set, then the decoder compares the observed trapping set to known trapping sets stored in a trapping-set database to determine whether or not the observed trapping set is a known trapping set. If the observed trapping set is not known, then the decoder selects a most-dominant trapping set from the trapping-set database and identifies the locations of erroneous bit nodes in the selected trapping set. Then, the decoder adjusts the channel soft-output values corresponding to the identified erroneous bit nodes. Adjustment is performed by inverting some or all of the hard-decision bits of the corresponding channel soft-output values and setting the confidence value of each corresponding channel soft-output value to maximum. Decoding is then restarted using the adjusted channel soft-output values.
US08464122B2
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and a data processing method which can improve the tolerance to errors of data. A demultiplexer 25 replaces, in accordance with an allocation rule for allocating code bits of an LDPC code to symbol bits representative of symbols, mb bits from among the code bits and sets the code bits after the replacement as symbol bits of b symbols. For example, when m is 12 and b is 1, where the i+1th bits from the most significant bit of the 12×1 code bits and the 12×1 symbol bits of one symbol are represented as bits bi and yi, replacement for allocating, for example, b0 to y8, b1 to y0, b2 to y6, b3 to y1, b4 to y4, b5 to y5, b6 to y2, b7 to y3, b8 to y7, b9 to y10, b10 to y11 and b11 to y9 is carried out. The present invention can be applied, for example, to a transmission system for transmitting an LDPC code and so forth.
US08464116B2
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for allowing response data output from the scan outputs of a circuit under test to be formatted and applied as stimulus data input to the scan inputs of the circuit under test. Also the disclosure described a novel method and apparatus for allowing the response data output from the scan outputs of a circuit under test to be formatted and used as expected data to compare against the response data output from the circuit under test. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
US08464112B2
A test architecture accesses IP core test wrappers within an IC using a Link Instruction Register (LIR). An IEEE P1500 standard is in development for providing test access to these individual cores via a test structure called a wrapper. The wrapper resides at the boundary of the core and provides a way to test the core and the interconnections between cores. The test architecture enables each of the plural wrappers in the IC, including wrappers in cores embedded within other cores, with separate enable signals.
US08464105B2
The present invention provides a method of multiuser precoding and scheduling, comprising: feeding channel state information (CSI) and statistic properties of CSI error back to a base station (BS) from a user equipment (UE); generating multiuser precoding matrix and scheduling scheme by the BS, according to the feedback CSI and the statistic properties of CSI error; and performing multiuser precoding and scheduling on user data by using the generated multiuser precoding matrix and scheduling scheme.
US08464104B2
A versioned workload partition (WPAR) can be migrated from a source machine to a destination machine. Each thread associated with a process executing within the versioned WPAR is frozen. For each thread associated with the process, an error number associated with the thread is received in response to freezing execution of the thread and at least a current state of the thread is determined as checkpoint information associated with the thread based, at least in part, on the error number associated with the thread. The checkpoint information associated with the one or more threads is provided to the destination machine. The checkpoint information is used at the destination machine to reconstruct the process within a destination versioned WPAR on the destination machine.
US08464088B1
Various methods and structures related to clock distribution for flexible channel bonding are disclosed. One embodiment provides a clock network in physical media attachment (“PMA”) circuitry, a specific type or portion of system interconnect circuitry, arranged in pairs of channel groups. In one embodiment, clock generation circuitry blocks (“CGBs”) in each pair of channel groups receives outputs of multiple phased locked loop circuits (“PLLs”) which can be selectively utilized by the CGBs to generate PMA clock signals. In another embodiment, the CGBs can also select output of a clock data recovery (“CDR”)/transmit PLL circuitry block in one of the channels of a channel group of the pair of channel groups. In one embodiment, first groups of connection lines couple circuitry in a channel group pair such that a designated CGB in each channel group pair can provide clock signals to one or more of the channels in the channel group pair. In one embodiment, second groups of connection lines connect channels in one channel group pair to channels in other channel group pairs such that one or more channels across the channel group pairs can receive a clock signal generated by a CGB in a designated channel. These and other embodiments are described more fully in the disclosure.
US08464086B2
The present invention relates to power consumption, and specifically an apparatus, method, and computer readable medium to manage and control power consumption in computer systems. Specifically, the present invention manages power consumption by controlling the types of threads that are executed by the processor. The present invention monitors the resources of the system to determine the power consumption of the system. If the power consumption is too high, the present invention issues more low power threads to be executed by the processor.
US08464081B2
A system and method for communicating information using Layer 1 from a powered device to power source equipment via Ethernet. In one embodiment, Layer 1 information such as power management, classification, temperature, and disconnect information is transmitted from a powered device to power source equipment using an AC signal that has a cycle defining a first time period during which the AC signal is turned on and a second time period during which the AC signal is turned off. A type of information being sent by the powered device can be determined based on characteristic on/off times of the AC signal cycle.
US08464076B2
A device for generating a born encrypted optical file includes a photovoltaic matrix for converting an optical image into a digital file. The digital file is a collection of digital data that has not been processed by any image processing logic and thus cannot be used to directly generate a reproduced image of the object. An encryption logic converts the digital file into an encrypted digital file that can be exported from the device to an authorized device to create a decrypted digital file. This decrypted digital file is capable of being used by a display logic to display an image of the object.
US08464071B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a trusted database system that leverages a small amount of trusted storage to secure a larger amount of untrusted storage. Data are encrypted and validated to prevent unauthorized modification or access. Encryption and hashing are integrated with a low-level data model in which data and meta-data are secured uniformly. Synergies between data validation and log-structured storage are exploited.
US08464061B2
A secure wireless communication link (pairing) between two devices can be established using cleartext wireless transmissions between devices not joined to a network (“probes”). One device can broadcast a first probe indicating that it is seeking to establish a pairing. The other device can respond with a second probe, and the two devices can establish a shared secret, e.g., by exchanging further information using additional probes. Thereafter, either device can send a message to the other by encrypting the message using a cryptographic key derived from the shared secret; encrypted messages can also be sent within probes. The receiving device can extract an encrypted message from a probe and decrypt it using the cryptographic key. The encrypted message can include credentials usable by the receiving device to join a wireless network.
US08464053B2
Systems, methods, and media for retransmitting data using the SRTP are provided. In some embodiments, methods for retransmitting data using the SRTP are provided. The methods include: receiving at least one data unit associated with a media session; determining the index of the at least one data unit; determining the session key of the media session using the index; authenticating the at least one data unit using the session key; and retransmitting the at least one data unit.
US08464052B2
Methods and systems are provided that use smartcards, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to provide secure functions for a mobile client. One embodiment of the invention provides a mobile communication network system that includes a mobile network, a mobile terminal, a server coupled to the mobile terminal via the mobile network, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) card coupled to the mobile terminal. The SIM card includes a first key and a second key. The first key is used to authenticate an intended user of the mobile terminal to the mobile network. Upon successful authentication of the intended user to the mobile network, the mobile terminal downloads a function offered from the server through the mobile network. The second key is then used by the mobile terminal to authenticate the intended user to the downloaded function so that the intended user can utilize the function.
US08464042B2
A performance adjustment apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus includes a performance adjustment unit that controls operation processing performance of an operation processing apparatus of the information processing apparatus based on a specified performance adjustment value, a performance type list information management unit that manages performance type list information comprising a plurality of pairs of a performance type and a performance adjustment value, a performance type specification unit that specifies a performance type in the performance type list information managed by the performance type list information management unit and changes the performance type, a performance adjustment value setting unit that obtains a performance adjustment value corresponding to the performance type specified by the performance type specification unit from the performance type list information management unit, and sets the obtained performance adjustment value in the performance adjustment unit.
US08464037B2
A CPU, a computer system and a secure boot mechanism are provided in which a symmetric encryption key may be incorporated into a non-volatile memory area of the CPU core, thereby substantially avoiding any tampering of the encryption key by external sources. Moreover, pre-boot information may be internally stored in the CPU and may be retrieved upon a reset or power-on event in order to verify a signed boot information on the basis of the internal symmetric encryption key. Furthermore, the BIOS information may be efficiently updated by generating a signature using the internal encryption key.
US08464032B2
A microprocessor integrated circuit includes first and second processors. The first processor is configured to detect that the second processor has not retired an instruction for a predetermined amount of clock cycles and to responsively reset the second processor. The microprocessor integrated circuit also includes microcode. The second processor is configured to execute the microcode in response to a reset of the second processor. The microcode is configured to read debug information within the microprocessor integrated circuit and to output the debug information external to the microprocessor integrated circuit in response to determining that the reset was performed by the first processor.
US08464029B2
An out-of-order execution microprocessor for reducing load instruction replay likelihood due to store collisions. A register alias table (RAT) is coupled to first and second queues of entries and generates dependencies used to determine when instructions may execute out of order. The RAT allocates an entry of the first queue and populates the allocated entry with an instruction pointer of a load instruction, when it determines that the load instruction must be replayed. The RAT allocates an entry of the second queue when it encounters a store instruction and populates the allocated entry with a dependency that identifies an instruction upon which the store instruction depends for its data. The RAT causes a subsequent instance of the load instruction to share the dependency when it encounters the subsequent instance of the load instruction and determines that its instruction pointer matches the instruction pointer of an entry of the first queue.
US08464024B2
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for virtual address hashing. One embodiment evenly distributes page-table entries throughout a hash table so applications do not generate a same hash index for mapping virtual addresses to physical addresses.
US08464019B2
Apparatus for dynamically migrating LPARS with pass-through I/O devices, its method, and its program
A dynamic migration apparatus of a system logically divides hardware resources of a physical machine to configure a plurality of logical partitions using the pass-through I/O method and performs migration on the logical partitions. The apparatus makes a setting so that the same I/O device used in a migration source logical partition continues to be used in a migration destination logical partition when migration is performed.
US08464012B2
A method is for controlling access to a data file of an IC card and may include storing a plurality of access conditions to be evaluated for accessing the data file, and enabling access to the file if the access conditions are satisfied. The method may further include ordering the access conditions to be evaluated in a Reverse Polish Notation inside a memory queue of the IC card, and evaluating the access conditions starting from a head of the memory queue.
US08464008B1
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a command cancellation channel (CCC) including a plurality of stages, the CCC configured to receive a first memory address of a sequence of memory addresses and a corresponding first modification command, determine that at least a first stage of the plurality of stages includes the first memory address and a corresponding second modification command, and erase the first memory address or cancel the second modification command while shifting the first memory address and the second modification command from the first stage to a second stage. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08464006B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for efficiently transferring a massive amount of multimedia data between two processors. The apparatus includes a first local switch, which connects a virtual page of a first processor element to a shared memory page, a second local switch, which connects a virtual page of a second processor element to the shared memory page, a shared page switch, which connects a predetermined shared memory page of a shared physical memory to the first or second local switch, and a switch manager, which remaps a certain shared memory page of the shared physical memory that stores data of a task performed by the first processor element to the virtual page of the second processor element. Accordingly, since memory remapping is used, the massive amount of multimedia data can be transmitted by changing a method of mapping a memory, unlike a case when multimedia data is transmitted by using a memory bus.
US08464002B2
The present disclosure generally relates to cache memory systems and/or techniques to identify dead cache blocks in cache memory systems. Example systems may include a cache memory that is accessible by a cache client. The cache memory may include a plurality of storage locations for a first cache block, with a most recently used position location in the cache memory. A cache controller may be configured to predict whether the first cache block stored in the cache memory is identified as a dead cache block based on a cache burst of the first cache block. The cache burst may comprise a first access of the first cache block by a cache client and any subsequent contiguous accesses of the first cache block following the first access by the cache client while the first cache block is in a most recently used position of the cache set.
US08463994B2
Systems and methods are provided for improved identification of removable storage media. A scanner may be used to read an identifier, such as a barcode, on a removable storage media. In the event that the scanner reads the identifier incorrectly due to a defect in the barcode, such as a damaged label, misaligned identifier, or because the scanner is incapable of reading the identifier type or the scanner's field of view is incorrect, a media management component receives the scanned identifier data and matches it to a known set of media identifiers to create a subset of matching identifier data. A closest matching media identifier may be identified from the subset of matching identifier data. An index may be updated with information indicating the closest matching media identifier and a location of the removable storage media.
US08463993B2
A translating memory module is disclosed including a printed circuit board, at least one memory integrated circuit coupled to the printed board, and at least one support chip coupled to the printed circuit board and coupled between the edge connector and the at least one memory integrated circuit. The at least one support chip includes a bi-directional translator to translate between a first memory communication protocol for the at least one memory integrated circuit and a second memory communication protocol for a memory channel differing from the first memory communication protocol. The second memory communication protocol to communicate data, address, and control signals over the memory channel bus to read and write data into the memory of the translating memory module.
US08463991B2
A system and method for intra-device data protection in a RAID array. A computer system comprises client computers and data storage arrays coupled to one another via a network. A data storage array utilizes solid-state drives and Flash memory cells for data storage. A storage controller within a data storage array is configured to identify a unit of data stored in the data storage subsystem, wherein said unit of data is stored across at least a first storage device and a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices, each of the first storage device and the second storage device storing intra-device redundancy data corresponding to the unit of data; and change an amount of intra-device redundancy data corresponding to the unit of data on only the first storage device.
US08463990B2
A storage controller performs: evaluating the pool groups based on a preset rule in order to determine an evaluation result for each pool group; using the evaluation results among the pool groups to determine which pool group is to be selected for performing allocation against portions of the one storage volume in response to receiving an instruction for rearrangement of data in the tiered storage, the instruction including a requirement to be satisfied in selecting a plurality of tiers within a pool group based on access characteristics for performing allocation against portions of the one storage volume, analyzing the pool groups according to the requirement to determine whether any of the pool groups is appropriate to possess the one storage volume for storing the data; and selecting the tiers within the pool group based on the access characteristics.
US08463979B2
Non-volatile storage devices and methods capable of achieving large capacity solid state drives containing multiple banks of memory devices. The storage devices include a printed circuit board, at least two banks of non-volatile solid-state memory devices, bank switching circuitry, a connector, and a memory controller. The bank switching circuitry is integrated onto the memory controller and functionally interposed between the banks of memory devices and the front end of the memory controller. The bank switching circuitry operates to switch accesses by the memory controller among the at least two banks.
US08463967B2
The present invention discloses a method for scheduling queues based on a chained list. The method includes the following steps: setting the number of addresses in a queuing chained list not less than the number of queues, and partitioning the queuing chained list into different queuing sub-chained lists according to the priorities of the queues, wherein the number of the addresses in the queuing sub-chained list is not less than the total number of the queues whose priorities correspond to the queuing sub-chained list; setting for each queue a queuing chained list identifier identifying whether the each queue has queued in the queuing chained list; determining whether a queue satisfying queuing criteria has queued in the queuing chained list according to the queuing chained list identifier of the queue before the queue is added to the queuing chained list; if it has queued, adding is not processed, otherwise, the queue is added to the end of the queuing sub-chained list which corresponds to the priority of the queue, and the queuing chained list identifier of the queue is modified to an identifier identifying the queue has already queued in the queuing chained list. The present invention also discloses a device for scheduling queues based on a chained list. The present invention ensures impartiality when queues having the same priority are scheduled.
US08463959B2
A plurality of devices are operated by storing at a device a first ID number received at a first port of the device and a second ID number received at a second port of the device. The device receives a data command through at least one of the first and second ports. The data command has a command ID number. The device executes the data command when at least one of the command ID number is equal to the first ID number when the data command is received at the first port and the command ID number is equal to the second ID number when the data command is received at the second port.
US08463952B1
A first device port and a second device port are connected using a first cable and a second cable. The first device port and the second device port use a divisible number of lanes, X for communication. The first cable uses X′ lanes, where X′ is less than X. The second cable uses X-X′ lanes, where X-X′ is also less than X. If the first cable is disconnected or fails, then the second cable is used after a failover operation.
US08463942B2
A method and server for providing geo-targeted content delivery are provided. The method may include receiving, by a web server, a request for information from an Internet user; determining, by the web server, a geographic location of the Internet user; and tailoring information provided to the Internet user based at least in part on the geographic location of the Internet user. Determining the geographic location of the Internet user may involve obtaining a route through the Internet to a target host for an IP address associated with the Internet user, wherein the route may include one or more intermediate hosts; deriving a geographic location of one or more of the intermediate hosts within the route; and automatically determining the geographic location of the Internet user by analysis of the route and the geographic location of the one or more intermediate hosts.
US08463934B2
A network switch, based on the PCI EXPRESS protocol, is disclosed. The switch includes a processor, local memory and a plurality of non-transparent bridges. By configuring the non-transparent bridges appropriately, the network switch can facilitate a number of different communication mechanisms, including TCP/IP communication between servers, server clusters, and virtualized I/O device utilization. For example, the network switch may configure the non-transparent bridges so as to have access to the physical memory of every server attached to it. It can then move data from the memory of any server to the memory of any other server. In another embodiment, the network switch is connected to an I/O device, and multiple servers are given access to that I/O device via virtualized connections.
US08463918B2
In various embodiments, remote presentation encoding techniques may be modified in such a way that the data can be transmitted over transports without guaranteed packet delivery. In one embodiment, the desktop graphics data may be encoded in individual frames, each frame comprising self-contained graphics elements that fit in a small number of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) protocol data units (PDUs). The PDUs may then be sent to the client on a separate lossy link instead of the lossless link. On the client side, the client may detect which graphic elements within a frame were “lost” as a result of dropped UDP packets and request a refresh from the server through the lossless channel.
US08463905B2
A system for drift visualization of change data of a data center is disclosed. The data center includes a plurality of configuration items. The system includes a management server in communication with the data center. The management server includes an agent configured to collect the change data from one or more of the plurality of configuration items. A change datastore in communication with the management server is provided to store the change data. A data extractor in communication with the change datastore retrieves the change data and provides a filtered subset of the change data to a display. A policy datastore enables the data extractor to filter the change data based on data center policy violations. The visualization depicts multiple dimensions of change-related data for the items in the data center in a unique and concise manner.
US08463902B2
A method including receiving a work flow for the ingestion, transformation, and distribution of content, wherein the work flow includes one or more work unit tasks; retrieving work unit task information pertaining to the one or more work unit tasks; identifying one or more network elements to execute one of the one or more work unit tasks based on the work unit task information; translating the work unit task information from a format used by one or more devices to another format that is used by the one or more network elements based on one of an object adapter pattern or a class adapter pattern; and send the translated work unit task information to the one or more network elements.
US08463896B2
Methods, media and systems are provided for generating a dynamic web portal in a wireless network, and the portal is based on personal usage. An initialized portal contains no web content. Systems include one or more network elements configured to monitor requests for resource components, to generate web portals, and to dynamically update the portals based on the requests for resource components. Data structures embodied on a computer-readable media are included for storing numerical data regarding the requests and for storing a plurality of portals. The dynamic web portal is updated to contain component resources from visited web pages, each having a respective universal resource locator (URL) or portion of code with which it is associated. Requests for resources are monitored and added to a web portal when a specified threshold is surpassed so that an updated web portal can be presented.
US08463894B2
A computer-implemented system to support performance monitoring of distributed transaction service can comprise one or more distributive transaction monitoring infrastructures, wherein each distributive transaction monitoring infrastructure contains at least one local monitor server that receiving monitoring data from one or more distributive transaction monitoring processes; a central monitor server that accepts monitoring data from one or more distributive transaction monitoring infrastructures and stores monitoring data into a database; and a web application that communicates with the central monitor server and provides interaction with a user.
US08463893B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for content providers, such as musicians, to register upcoming events, such as concert events, upload songs, etc. Users of a social network service may then browse venues and content providers. Upon selecting one of the providers, the social network service retrieves the songs registered by the content providers into a playlist for the user. In some embodiments, users may search an area to find and create a playlists of multiple content providers. The user could thus create a playlist by venue, by day, etc. In addition, each of these created playlists can be shared with others on the social network service. The social network service may also auto-generate playlists based on genre, date, artist, etc. A stream of the songs may then be delivered to the user according to the playlist they choose and the various music services that they subscribe.
US08463886B2
A network-segment-determining unit determines network segments including servers to be involved in a distributed processing, based on configuration information stored in a configuration information database (DB). A data dividing unit divides data based on information on the network segments determined by the network-segment-determining unit. A data transfer unit transfers the data divided by the data dividing unit to each of the network segments.
US08463885B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for installation of management agents on target machines. In embodiments, a central management server can scan a managed network to identify different types and configurations of target machines. Different types of target machines may require different types of management agent software in order to invoke different types of management services, such as configuration management or performance monitoring services. The necessary types of management agent may depend, for instance, on the operating system and/or applications installed on individual targets. In embodiments, different types or classes of management agents can register or communicate with different types of remote management servers. The management agent(s) on individual targets can thereby initiate and manage the installation of agents or other resources that may be needed to register to the remote network services, without a requirement to install or use specific package management tools for specific products.
US08463879B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for automatic verification of a machine-readable map of networked devices. In one method embodiment, the present invention accesses a machine-readable map. Additionally, validation rules are accessed in a machine-readable format. A validation step is performed, wherein the validation step comprises comparing the validation rules in machine-readable format with the machine-readable map. A report of a result of the validation step is then generated. In so doing, a verification of a machine-readable map of networked devices occurs automatically.
US08463873B2
Embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatuses and computer program products configured to provide alternative desktop computing solutions. Embodiments generally provide client devices configured to utilize one of a local base image and a base image stored remotely, with a user-specific overlay image remotely storing user specific data. The clients are configured to download and store the base image locally.
US08463860B1
Various example embodiments are directed to scale testing based on scenarios. A computer system may receive a scenario, which may comprise a plurality of scenario objects including, a first host, a second host, a plurality of transports, a plurality of variables and a plurality of steps. The computer system may also receive a pattern. The scenario may be processed to generate a processed scenario. The computer system may execute a first track including executing a plurality of concurrencies of the processed scenario according to the pattern.
US08463857B2
Disclosed is a notification system and method using messenger. The system includes a messenger system for controlling instant message transmission, monitoring messenger user state change, and transmitting user state change information; an external service system for monitoring occurrence of events and generating notification message indicating occurrence of the events; and a synchronization server for receiving the user state change information from the messenger system, providing the received user state change information to the at least one external service system, receiving the notification message from the at least one external service system, and transmitting the notification message to the messenger system. The external service system receives the user state change information from the synchronization server and manages messenger user online information, in case of the event occurrence.
US08463848B2
A system and method of transmitting data via a computer network to a plurality of end-users. Transmission of successive data units may be prompted by human-operated and/or automated central control. Successive arrays of data units may be transmitted over a plurality of channels, in parallel. Each end-user chooses which channel or channels to receive and may change channels at will. Transmission of successive arrays may coincide with successive occurrences during the course of a live event. Data units also may be transmitted over one or more channels asynchronously with transmissions over other channels. Controller-prompted transmissions, received passively by end-users, also may be integrated with a facility for end-users to browse data sources in a self-directed sequence and pace.
US08463846B2
Data access time in content delivery networks is improved by storing files in cache servers as file bundles. A cache server determines that multiple files are requested by the same client based on information available in the request including the IP address of the client, a URL of a webpage referring to the file, and/or a cookie stored at a client. The cache server stores multiple files requested by the same client on the hard drive as a file bundle with meta data associating the files with one another, such that they can be accessed together. A future request from the client for a file in a file bundle results in multiple files from the file bundle being loaded in the memory. If the client requests another file from the file bundle, the file is accessed directly from the memory instead of the hard drive, resulting in improved performance.
US08463844B2
Provided herein are systems, and methods for use therewith, for creating a portlet that can be inserted into an external web page that is outside a portal framework. A portal product is adapted to create one or more portlets that are made available to consumers by a producer. The portal product automatically assigns a URL to the one or more portlets to be inserted into an external page separate from the portal product.
US08463842B2
The present invention provides a music purchasing/transfer system allowing contents to be acquired in a remarkably efficient manner. In the system, a content acquisition apparatus, and method and program thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a content storage section used for storing contents; an output section for outputting the identification of every content that can be presented by a Content providing apparatus for presenting contents; and a content acquisition section for acquiring a content, which is identified by a content identification selected by carrying out an operation to select one of identifications output by the output section, from the content providing apparatus, wherein the output section outputs identifications of contents not stored yet in the content storage section as identifications different from other identifications output as identifications of other contents already stored in the content storage section.
US08463836B1
Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable IC. This IC includes a set of reconfigurable circuits for performing a mathematical operation in more than one reconfiguration cycle. To perform the mathematical operation when at least one operand has n bits, the reconfigurable circuits performs a first sub-operation on m of n bits in a first reconfiguration cycle, and a second sub-operation on p of n bits in a second reconfiguration cycle. The reconfigurable IC also includes at least one storage element for storing at least a portion of the results of the first sub-operation for use during the second reconfiguration cycle in the second sub-operation.
US08463834B2
A floating point multiplier includes a data path in which a plurality of partial products are calculated and then reduced to a first partial product and a second partial product. Shift amount determining circuitry 100 analyzes the exponents of the input operands A and B as well as counting the leading zeros in the fractional portions of these operands to determine an amount of left shift or right shift to be applied by shifting circuitry 200, 202 within the multiplier data path. This shift amount is applied so as to align the partial products so that when they are added they will produce the result C without requiring this to be further shifted. Furthermore, shifting the partial products to the correct alignment in this way in advance of adding these partial products permits injection rounding combined with the adding of the partial products to be employed for cases including subnormal values.
US08463833B2
A filter method and an apparatus of a low complexity Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter, and a recording medium thereof are provided. A filtering method of the low complexity FIR filter includes filtering input signals using 2N-ary filters by dividing 2N-ary filter coefficients into even filter coefficients and odd filter coefficients; filtering using a (2N+1)-th filter and the input signals; and adding up a filtering result of the 2N-ary filters and a filtering result of the (2N+1)-th filter. Hence, by reducing the computations of the FIR filter, the FIR filter with the optimal performance can be realized.
US08463831B2
Methods and systems may be provided for user association of a computing application with a contact in a contact list. A view of one or more contacts of the user may be transmitted to a user, the view including a first contact. A request may be received from the user to associate an application with the first contact. A revised view may be transmitted to the user responsive to the received request, the revised view including a user-selectable mechanism for invoking the application on the first contact. The user may be redirected to a user interface of the application subsequent to the user selecting the user-selectable mechanism associated with the contact in the revised view, and the redirection may include transmission of information associated with the user and information associated with the first contact.
US08463822B2
A data merging method for distributed computing uses a configuration file to guide the insertion of computational results obtained by distributed nodes into a database table, and to merge the computational results inserted in the database table. The configuration file is established according to the task splitting conditions of distributed computing. The method uses a data merging server to import and host the configuration file and create a database table corresponding to the configuration file. Each distributed node inserting its distributed computational result into the database table after completing the respective distributed computing task, while the data merging server merges the data in the database table. An interface standard applicable to various uses and various distributed computing tasks may be used such that the user only needs to establish a job-specific configuration file based on the interface standard.
US08463817B2
A system and method for creating and classifying listings within user-defined marketplaces. An information database in communication with an information application comprises a plurality of marketplaces and a plurality of listings respectively classified within the plurality of marketplaces. The marketplaces stored in the information database may be either pre-defined or user-defined. User-defined marketplaces are created based at least in part on information supplied by an access device in communication with the information database.
US08463816B2
The method of administering a knowledge repository described herein establishes combining data input with concurrent data analytics in order to improve the quality and relevance of data entries.
US08463799B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to query processing and consolidation of query results. Multiple queries may be submitted to one or more search engines, with each query having the same or different returned query items with the same or different sorting arrangement of the returned query items. The returned query items are consolidated into a single sorted set, with the sort being based upon a logical assessment and comparison of the multiple returned query items.
US08463792B2
Software installed on a computer network is often inconsistently, or even incorrectly, identified. The same software may be identified in different ways. A catalogue of standardized identifiers is provided. The actual identifiers of software installed on the network are accessed and they are mapped to the standardized identifiers of the catalogue. The standardized identifiers are used to manage the installed software, monitor license compliance and/or, monitor maintenance agreements amongst other uses. Data relating to the use of the software may also be obtained and associated with the identification data. The usage data together with the standardized identifiers allows managers to more reliably manage software on the network. For example un-used software may be un-installed and licenses cancelled or reallocated.
US08463791B1
Embodiments of the present invention further provide systems and methods for creating question and document titles representing the relevant content of the question or document and optimized for a search engine where the title is of the appropriate character length such that search engines will view and index the entire title.
US08463789B1
Some embodiments provide a method for identifying an event for a particular category. The method classifies several documents as relevant to several different categories. The method identifies a number of documents relevant to the particular category for a current time period and a background time period. Based on a comparison of the number of documents from the current time period relevant to the particular category and the number of documents from the background time period relevant to the particular category, the method identifies an event for the category for the current time period. Some embodiments calculated a score for the event, and normalize the score based on an average number of documents relevant to each of a set of related categories including the particular category.
US08463787B2
To provide a data store, nodes representing respective chunks of files are stored in a predefined structure that defines relationships among the nodes, where the files are divided into the chunks. The nodes are collected into plural groups stored in persistent storage, where some of the nodes are collected into a particular one of the groups according to a locality relationship of the some of the nodes.
US08463780B1
A system and method for providing a personalized media service. In one aspect, the system includes an on-demand system, a plurality of subscriber devices, and a network to which the on-demand system and the subscriber devices are coupled so that the on-demand system and the subscriber devices can communicate with each other. The on-demand system enables a user to create one or more personalized media channels by enabling the user to specify his/her media preferences for each channel. The on-demand system includes a media server for streaming media to the plurality of subscriber devices. The media is preferably implemented using a video-on-demand to server.
US08463773B2
A social media organizer for instructional or educational content may maintain one or more media clips relating to used-defined educational or instructional topics. In one implementation, a device may maintain user-created sets of media clips, where the media clips in a set of media clips include instructional media clips that relate to a particular subject. The device may further receive rankings from users relating to a quality of the sets of media clips and determine one or more of the sets of media clips that match a user search request. Additionally, the device may provide an interface that provides commands for the user to control playback of the media clips.
US08463765B2
A method and system for creating vertical search engines with cloud computing networks. The cloud computing networks include a cloud communications network using public networks, private networks, community networks and hybrid networks. The cloud communications network provides on-demand vertical search services, broadband network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured electronic services for vertical search engines. The method and system dramatically improve a vertical search engine infrastructure used by searchers by providing vertical electronic information using less bandwidth and less processing cycles via the cloud communications network than via a non-cloud communications network. Custom vertical search engines can be created by a user with QR bar codes and other types of bar codes and other types of custom information.
US08463758B2
A cleaning application that can clean at least one of one or more files and a registry of a computer is provided. The cleaning application can be remotely deployed over a network to one or more computers. The cleaning application can include an administrator cleaning module and a user cleaning module. The administrator cleaning module can automatically scan a network and detect one or more computers. The administrator cleaning module can then remotely deploy the user cleaning module to one or more selected computers of the network. Once the user cleaning module is deployed on a computer, the administrator cleaning module can remotely manage the user cleaning module over the network. In particular, the administrator cleaning module can instruct the user cleaning module to clean at least one of one or more files and a registry of the computer.
US08463753B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for extending media retention. Methods are provided in which a set of aging preferences are obtained. Data elements of a data set stored on storage media are evaluated against the aging preferences to determine whether each of the data elements satisfy the aging preferences. Each of the data elements that is determined to satisfy the aging preferences is aged. Aging can include freeing a portion of storage media, previously used to store a data element, for other storage usage.
US08463750B2
A system and method for matching and assembling records is provided. One embodiment of the invention assembles records by applying a method for grouping records based on matching fields, assembling a new record as a composite of the matched records, and then repeating the grouping, matching and assembly steps in a cascade where the matching, grouping and assembly steps are modified as a function of the cascade step and the assembled records created in earlier steps.
US08463749B2
A method for transmitting records of changes to data from a production location to a storage location is provided. The method stores in a log, records of changes to data stored at a production location. Those records are transmitted and a transmitted records checkpoint is generated that is transmitted at the end of the transmitted records. A records checkpoint confirmation is received and the plurality of transmitted records are purged from the log.
US08463746B2
Methods, computing environments, and computer program products are provided for replicating data. Point-in-time copy parameters are generated at a primary host site. A side file entry having the point-in-time copy parameters and a track information field (TIF) associated with the point-in-time copy parameters is generated. The side file entry is transferred to a secondary host site. A point-in-time copy process is performed at the secondary host site based on the point-in-time copy parameters and the TIF.
US08463745B2
Provided are techniques for processing a multidimensional query. For each multidimensional expression in the multidimensional query, the multidimensional expression is evaluated to generate a representation that includes an evaluation context, a degeneration status, and condensed value storage that does not store data that would be replicated due to degeneration, and the representation is stored.
US08463743B2
Embodiments described herein provide information management features and functionality that can be used to manage information of distinct information sources, but are not so limited. In an embodiment, a computing environment includes a client that can be used to access data from distinct sources and generate a data composition representing aspects of accessed and other data and/or relationships of the distinct sources. In one embodiment, a client can include data composition and conflict resolution presentation features that can be used to manage one or more data compositions and/or source interrelationships. Other embodiments are available.
US08463742B1
Managing data in a data storage system includes: receiving data to be stored in the data storage system; computing values corresponding to different respective portions of the received data; generating identifiers corresponding to different respective portions of the received data, with an identifier corresponding to a particular portion of data including the computed value corresponding to the particular portion of data and metadata indicating a location where the particular portion of data is being stored in the data storage system; storing at least some of the identifiers in an index until the index reaches a predetermined size; and in response to determining that a first identifier corresponding to a first portion of data, received after the index reached the predetermined size, was not already stored in the index before the first portion of data was received, storing the first identifier in the index and designating for removal at least a second identifier corresponding to a second portion of data to be removed from the index such that the index does not exceed the predetermined size.
US08463739B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for analyzing data extracted from a set of data sources. A set of applications such as online analytical processing (OLAP) applications can access the combined data of a set of data sources via an aggregation engine. The set of data sources can be configured with diverse dimensions and associated data. In general the data sources may not be expected to reflect a strictly consistent structure. In embodiments, the aggregation engine can combine or aggregate the set of data sources using common dimensions or data points, and build an index into a transform table reflecting a combined mapping. An OLAP or other application can then perform statistical computations, searches, sorts, and/or other operations on the combined mapping, even when the original data sources do not contain identical dimensions or other formats.
US08463735B2
Generally, decisions are based on information. To be useful, information must be reliable. Basically, the concept of a Z-number relates to the issue of reliability of information. A Z-number, Z, has two components, Z=(A,B). The first component, A, is a restriction (constraint) on the values which a real-valued uncertain variable, X, is allowed to take. The second component, B, is a measure of reliability (certainty) of the first component. Typically, A and B are described in a natural language, for example: (about 45 minutes, very sure). Z-number has many applications, especially in the realms of economics, decision analysis, risk assessment, prediction, anticipation, rule-based characterization of imprecise functions and relations, and biomedicine. Different methods, applications, and systems are discussed. Other Fuzzy concepts are also discussed.
US08463734B2
The invention relates to a system for the inductive determination of pattern probabilities of 16 dyadic logical connectors. Said system is especially useful for technically predicting human behavior, e.g. inclusion fallacies, and is therefore useful for controlling of technical systems and for data mining, search engines or human-machine interfaces. The system can be implemented in software with a processor controlled machine.
US08463728B2
A system and method for a reactive and personalized exposure of user context to a third party comprises information sources, a context discovery module providing the user context based on the information sources, an identification module obtaining an identity of the third party, a personalization engine, and a rendering system rendering and forwarding a reply to the third party, wherein if the identification module obtains the identity, the personalization engine creates a personalized message in accordance with the user context and the identity and the reply is the personalized message, and if the identification module does not find the identity, the reply is a generic message. The context discovery module and the identification module can each comprise an inferencing engine. The inferencing engine can be associated with a policy engine. Policy engines can be associated with each module and/or engine. The personalization engine can comprise a database of special messages.
US08463719B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, are provided for using audio features to classify audio for information retrieval. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of generating a collection of auditory images, each auditory image being generated from respective audio files according to an auditory model; extracting sparse features from each auditory image in the collection to generate a sparse feature vector representing the corresponding audio file; and ranking the audio files in response to a query including one or more words using the sparse feature vectors and a matching function relating sparse feature vectors to words in the query.
US08463718B2
Support vector machines are used to classify data contained within a structured dataset such as a plurality of signals generated by a spectral analyzer. The signals are pre-processed to ensure alignment of peaks across the spectra. Similarity measures are constructed to provide a basis for comparison of pairs of samples of the signal. A support vector machine is trained to discriminate between different classes of the samples. to identify the most predictive features within the spectra. In a preferred embodiment feature selection is performed to reduce the number of features that must be considered.
US08463707B2
Voice and/or image data packets are transferred by a packet handler between user stations in a GSM-type mobile communications system using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data link. Control data for controlling a call is stored in a data store accessible by the packet handler. The control data identifies call participants and the identity of a participant who has currently seized the call. A mobile station capable of video conferencing is operable in a half-duplex video conferencing mode, in which intermittent transmission of video data is controlled by depression of a transmit button.
US08463694B2
A method includes presenting to a buyer a multi-unit auction, permitting the buyer to bid one or more of a price and a number of units in the auction, and permitting the buyer to re-bid in the auction. The auction includes a rule that prevents the buyer from reducing the price in the re-bid, and the auction further includes a rule that prevents the buyer from reducing the number of units in the re-bid.
US08463686B2
A real time continuous data inputting, processing, scanning and displaying system for financial data and inputting variable boundaries of data for a variety of desired data characteristics. The process displays when the data characteristics fall outside their respective variable boundaries. Real time financial markets data and conventional data inputs are input into the system which is comprised of conventional and new computer processor enabled processes, clusters of central processing units, a report writer, terminal device, data disk, and interface. The data disks and real time financial market data and conventional data inputs and outputs are continuously referenced during the scanning process for exceptions to the boundaries of desired data characteristics.
US08463685B2
A stock price chart generation and display apparatus is provided to make future predictions, easily represent prediction results in chart form, provide users with information needed to grasp buy/sell timing using the resulting chart, and make predictions without depending on data on price changes and the like. The stock price chart generation and display apparatus includes Masuda stick curve generating and drawing unit which generates and draws short-term, medium-term, and long-term Masuda stick curves related to daily sticks, weekly sticks, or monthly sticks; and Masuda future stick curve generating and drawing unit which generates and draws short-term, medium-term, and long-term Masuda future stick curves related to the daily sticks or weekly sticks, in which the Masuda future stick curve generating and drawing unit includes medium-term Masuda future daily stick curve generating and drawing unit which generates and draws a medium-term Masuda future daily stick string of a predetermined number of days after today.
US08463675B1
A system and method manages an ETF having shares traded on an exchange, having been provided by the ETF via an authorized participant. The ETF provides a distribution to such shareholders according to a set of distribution rules, which are published in advance. The distribution is paid using income derived from the capital assets of the ETF. If such income is insufficient to pay the distribution according to the rules, the capital assets of the ETF are used to pay the distribution to the shareholders to the extent that income is insufficient to pay the distribution according to the distribution rules.
US08463674B2
A system and method for distributing mobile gift cards is described. One embodiment, a computer-server-based method, receives a selection of a merchant with which to associate a mobile gift card, receives an indication of a monetary amount for the mobile gift card, receives an electronic payment for the monetary amount, applies the monetary amount to the mobile gift card, associates the mobile gift card with a recipient's phone number, and transmits a notification of the mobile gift card to a mobile device associated with the recipient's phone number, the computer server acting as a server-side wallet for the mobile gift card, the mobile gift card being usable, through interaction with the computer server, by the recipient for the purchase of goods from the merchant associated with the mobile gift card.
US08463673B2
A system applies rules to a set of documents to generate codes, such as billing codes for use in medical billing. A human operator provides input specifying whether the generated codes are correct. Based on the input from the human operator, the system attempts to identify which clause(s) in the rules which were relied on to generate the particular code are correct and which such clause(s) are incorrect. The system then assigns praise to components of the system responsible for generating codes in the correct clauses, and assigns blame to components of the system responsible for generating codes in the incorrect clauses. Such blame and praise may then be used to determine whether particular code-generating components are insufficiently reliable. The system may disable, or take other remedial action in response to, insufficiently reliable code-generating components.
US08463672B2
A method and charging system for facilitating interim billing for an IMS session is provided. The method may include receiving time-based interim accounting messages at CDFs from NEs (i.e., CTFs) of an IMS network serving an IMS session, opening or updating interim CDRs for each NE serving the IMS session based on the time-based interim accounting messages, extracting accounting record numbers from the time-based interim accounting messages, the accounting record numbers uniquely identifying the time-based interim accounting message in relation to other interim accounting messages from the corresponding NE for the IMS session, and determining if a partial record closing trigger has been reached for the IMS session, wherein the interim processing trigger is a function of the accounting record number extracted from the time-based interim accounting message for the corresponding NE, an AII value, and a partial record closing threshold.
US08463671B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided for billing purposes. Initially, a customer is associated with a policy. In use, an event is received that is associated with a customer and a category. It is then determined whether to process the event using an online charging platform or an offline charging platform based on the policy and the category. If it is determined that the event is to be processed using the online charging platform, the event is processed using the online charging platform for authorizing and/or charging the event immediately. On the other hand, if it is determined that the event is to be processed using the offline charging platform, the event is processed using the offline charging platform for billing the user at the end of a billing period.
US08463669B2
A system for interfacing predetermined services to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system. Also included are a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources. The physical system resources allow a user to gain access to the predetermined desired services. The system further includes a data store for storing configuration information for enabling the operating system to interface with the available physical system resources through the physical system resource interface associated therewith. A communication resource for interfacing with the operating system allows communication of the operating system with a central office for downloading configuration information to selectively enable ones of the available physical system resources to interface with the operating system through associated ones of the physical system resource interfaces in accordance with the configuration information and the predetermined service selected by a user. A plurality of configurations are stored in the data store, and each is associated with a predetermined service and one or more of the available physical system resources. Each physical system resource interface is uniquely associated with a defined one of the physical system resources.
US08463666B2
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to an assortment plan, a merchandise and assortment planning assortment, a merchandise and assortment planning material, a merchandise and assortment planning product procurement arrangement, a merchandise and assortment planning sales price specification calculation, and/or a merchandise and assortment planning store layout element business object.
US08463665B1
A method and system for event-driven inventory disposition are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method may include detecting a disposition event associated with a given one of a number of inventory items. The method may further include evaluating each of a number of disposition channels with respect to the given item in response to detecting the disposition event, and dependent upon the evaluation, selecting a particular disposition channel through which to dispose of the given item. In one particular implementation of the method, detecting the disposition event may include detecting an indication that an expected profitability of the given item is less than a threshold value.
US08463662B2
Systems and techniques for generating item ratings for a user in order to allow for recommendations of selected items for that user. A set of known ratings of different items for a plurality of users is collected and maintained, and these known ratings are used to estimate rating factors influencing ratings, including user and item factors. Initial user and item factors are estimated and new user and item factors are successively added, with the original rating factors being progressively shrunk so as to reduce their magnitude and their contribution to the rating estimation as successive factors are added. When an appropriate number of user and item factors has been estimated, the rating factors are used to estimate ratings of items for a user, and the estimated ratings are employed to generate recommendations for that user.
US08463659B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for enhancing protection of privacy of purchaser contact details in connection with shipment of parcels. A shipping label can be generated that includes at least one contact detail that hides an actual contact detail associated with a purchaser. A carrier tasked to ship and/or deliver the product to an address designated by the purchaser can use the at least one contact detail to contact the purchaser. The attempts to contact the purchaser can be logged, and the contact details expired when no longer needed.
US08463654B1
The present invention in one aspect is directed to a system and method for capturing a digital image, and preferably a collection of digital images, of a customer in a defined location, such as a museum, a garden, a zoo, a religious institution, a theme park, or any such site known in the art. The system and method provide a customer with a customized pictorial souvenir of a visit to the site. The souvenir can include other elements, such as “stock” images, alone or having had an image of the customer digitally inserted thereinto, and informational material. Embodiments are also provided that employ devices such as “smart,” interactive devices and read only or read/write devices.
US08463651B2
There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for tracking an inventory distribution of a perishable product in a supply chain. The system receives shipment data and point of sale data for the product from every location in the supply chain. The system creates, based on the obtained shipment data and the point of sale data, a network graph that represents a flow of the product in the supply chain. The system identifies an age of unsold inventory of the product at each node of the graph based on the created graph. The system provides a notification to a user at each location that informs the age of the unsold inventory of the product at that location.
US08463649B2
Methods and corresponding system are provided herewith that, in at least one embodiment, include the act or acts of: determining that a service provided by a restaurant is available for bidding. The service is provided for a particular time and a particular date. The methods and system also include receiving a bid for the service provided by the restaurant, in which the bid is associated with a first amount; storing the bid with a plurality of other bids in a storage device; and comparing the bid with at least one other bid that is submitted for reserving the service. The at least one other bid is associated with a second amount. The methods and system also include determining that the first amount is greater than the second amount; and outputting an indicia that grants the request to reserve the service provided by the restaurant to a highest bidder, in which the first amount submitted by the highest bidder is greater than the second amount.
US08463647B2
An electronic shelf label system according to an embodiment includes a shelf label terminal, an advertisement terminal, and a management server. The shelf label terminal displays shelf label information based on received shelf label data. The advertisement terminal displays advertisement information based on received advertisement data. The management server transmits the shelf label data to the shelf label terminal and transmits the advertisement data to the advertisement terminal.
US08463644B2
A system and method for automatically enrolling users of a website or other network-based service in sweepstakes. A user of 4 user computer system connects to a host computer system hosting a website or other network-based service and is awarded points for accessing features of the website or service. The points are displayed in real-time on the user's computer and transmitted to a database server, which maintains the user's point totals. The user is then automatically given a number of entries in a sweepstakes based on the number of points he or she has been awarded. Users may also be awarded points for accessing features of websites or services of third-party host computer systems.
US08463642B2
Identifying a vehicle in a toll system includes accessing image data for a first vehicle and obtaining license plate data from the accessed image data for the first vehicle. A set of records is accessed. The license plate data for the first vehicle is compared with the license plate data for vehicles in the set of records. Based on the comparison of the license plate data, a set of vehicles is identified from the vehicles having records in the set of records. Second vehicle identifier data is accessed for the first vehicle and for a vehicle in the set of vehicles. Using a processing device, the second vehicle identifier data for the first vehicle is compared with the second vehicle identifier data for the vehicle in the set of vehicles. The vehicle in the set of vehicles is identified as the first vehicle based on results of the comparison.
US08463638B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling overtime and time-off for a workforce. In one embodiment, a method of workforce scheduling to handle an expected workload comprises, in an instruction execution system, receiving a first workforce schedule describing existing assignments of a plurality of workers to a plurality of shifts, each of the shifts being associated with a time range and a day; in response to a variance in the expected workload, selecting a modification to the first workforce schedule required to handle the variance in the expected workload during the day; and producing a second workforce schedule that modifies the length of at least one of the plurality of shifts to accommodate the modification to the first workforce schedule.
US08463633B2
A service workflow including ordered services is received, and a heuristic utility value is calculated for each service. A best node having a smallest heuristic utility value for a service is selected, and a best node identifier is placed in a node list. If the best node includes a parallel sub-workflow, potential next nodes are identified by generating potential next nodes from a data center that can perform a service associated with the best node with a minimum run-time value. Otherwise, potential next nodes are generated based on a data center associated with the service. A heuristic utility value is determined for each potential next node, and a new best node is selected based on the heuristic utility values. The identifying, determining, and selecting operations are repeated until the best node contains only the last ordered service. Data centers for each ordered service are identified based on the best node.
US08463619B2
Location tracking systems and techniques are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a memory device and a processor configured to execute a plurality of routines stored in the memory device. The plurality of routines includes receiving of a plurality of patient locations as provided by a respective plurality of location-providing systems from one or more data sources, determination of a resolved patient location by selecting one of the plurality of patient locations based at least in part on a hierarchy of patient locations, and outputting of the resolved patient location. In some embodiments, the location-providing systems may include a real-time location system and a static location system, which may provide a current location and an assigned location, respectively.
US08463600B2
A system and method for automatically adjusting floor controls based on conversational characteristics is provided. Audio streams are received, which each originate from an audio source. Floor controls for a current configuration including at least a portion of the audio streams are maintained. Conversational characteristics shared by two or more of the audio sources are determined. Possible configurations for the audio streams are identified based on the conversational characteristics. An analysis of the current configuration and the possible configurations is performed. A change threshold comprising a minimum number of timeslices for at least one of the current configuration and one of the possible configurations is applied to the analysis. When the analysis satisfies the change threshold, the floor controls are automatically adjusted. The audio streams are mixed into one or more outputs based on the adjusted floor controls.
US08463599B2
A method includes defining a transition band for a signal having a spectrum within a first frequency band, where the transition band is defined as a portion of the first frequency band, and is located near an adjacent frequency band that is adjacent to the first frequency band. The method analyzes the transition band to obtain a transition band spectral envelope and a transition band excitation spectrum; estimates an adjacent frequency band spectral envelope; generates an adjacent frequency band excitation spectrum by periodic repetition of at least a part of the transition band excitation spectrum with a repetition period determined by a pitch frequency of the signal; and combines the adjacent frequency band spectral envelope and the adjacent frequency band excitation spectrum to obtain an adjacent frequency band signal spectrum. A signal processing logic for performing the method is also disclosed.
US08463597B2
A mobile electronic device and associated method enable the identification of previously-entered textual objects in one or more custom wordlists to identify possible transliterations of textual inputs. Such textual objects can be stored as data in a Pinyin custom wordlist if it is in the nature of Standard Mandarin characters or it can be stored in a BoPoMoFo custom wordlist if it is in the nature of Traditional Chinese characters, or it can be stored in both if it is in the nature of both Standard Mandarin characters and Traditional Chinese characters.
US08463591B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for polynomial mapping of data for linear SVMs. In one aspect, a method includes training a linear classifier by receiving feature vectors and generating a condensed representation of a mapped vector corresponding to a polynomial mapping of each feature vector, the condensed representation including an index into a weight vector for each non-zero component of the mapped vector. A linear classifier is trained on the condensed representations. In another aspect, a method includes receiving a feature vector, identifying non-zero components resulting from a polynomial mapping of the feature vector, and mapping the combination of one or more elements of each non-zero component to a weight in a weight vector to determine a set of weights. The feature vector is classified according to a classification score derived by summing the set of weights.
US08463590B2
Methods for generating a normalized expression signal for microarray data based on a theoretical distribution at the unit level to produce a normalized expression signal for the single microarray that is independent of other microarrays. The method typically includes receiving microarray data representing a plurality of probe pairs for a single microarray, determining, for each probe pair, differences between intensities of perfect match (PM) probes and intensities of mismatched (MM) probes, determining a difference signal, D, based on the determined differences, and scaling the difference signal, D, to produce an expression signal, DS. The method also typically includes normalizing the expression signal based on a theoretical distribution at the unit level to produce a normalized expression signal for the single microarray that is independent of other microarrays.
US08463589B2
A method of transforming a provided virtual processor model to a user virtual processor model. Also a tool, e.g., provided as instructions for operating in a host computer system for converting a provided virtual processor model to a user virtual processor model. Also a method of specifying one or more characteristics of a target processor to transform a provided virtual processor model to a user virtual processor model that when operating in a c-simulation system, simulates the operation of the target processor. For example, a method of specifying one or more characteristics of instructions to transform a provided virtual processor model to a user virtual processor model.
US08463585B2
In one aspect, a method of estimating fluid flow contribution from each producing zone of multi-zone production well is provided, which method may include: defining a wellhead pressure; determining a first inflow performance relation (IPR1) between pressure and fluid inflow rate at a first producing zone and a second inflow performance relation (IPR2) between pressure and fluid inflow rate at a second producing zone; determining a combined performance relation (IPRc) between pressure and fluid inflow rate at a commingle point; defining an initial fluid flow rate into the well from the first zone and an initial fluid flow rate from the second zone; generating a first fluid lift performance relation (TPR1) between pressure and total fluid flow corresponding to the commingle point using the initial fluid flow rates from the first and second production zones and at least one fluid property; and determining contribution of the fluid from the first zone and the second zone at the commingle point using IPRc and TPR1.
US08463581B2
Presently disclosed is a process and system for assembly-based parametric modeling having a single design environment in which the parts, components, and assemblies thereof may be designed concurrently. In embodiments of the present invention, every assembly has a deterministic parametric history supporting both top-down and bottom-up assembly design methodologies. Top-down components may be built in place, reducing the user interaction required to define the attachment and movement characteristics of the assembly. Bottom-up components may be inserted into an assembly using a parametric Insert Component Feature. The process and system also provides the ability to parametrically define the shape of an assembly in multiple orientations that still regenerate deterministically.
US08463576B2
The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to a portable activity monitoring device adapted to couple to a body of a user, comprising a housing having a physical size/shape that is adapted to couple to the user's body, an altitude sensor to detect a change in altitude of the user and to generate data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user, and processing circuitry to calculate: (i) a number or flights of stairs traversed by the user using the data which is representative of a change in altitude of the user, and (ii) a state of an avatar using the data which is representative of the number or flights of stairs traversed by the user. The device also includes a display to output data which is representative of the state of the avatar.
US08463573B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor movement of a person, or of a vehicle ridden by the person, to determine speed, distance traveled and/or airtime of the person or vehicle. Accelerometer-based sensors, pressure sensors or Doppler sensors may be employed in these systems and methods. A liquid crystal display may attach to the person to display speed, distance traveled and/or airtime.
US08463571B2
A computer-implemented system, method, and storage device simulate a periodic voltage waveform in a network model of the integrated circuit design. The method then determines resultant current values in each segment of nets of the integrated circuit design resulting from the periodic voltage waveform and performs a Fourier transform of the periodic voltage waveform to generate a frequency domain representation of the periodic voltage waveform. The frequency domain representation comprises multiple Fourier terms, each of the Fourier terms is a frequency that is a multiple of the base frequency. Next, the method performs an AC analysis of the resultant voltage at each frequency of the multiple Fourier terms. The AC analysis provides an electrical current value for each of the frequencies of the Fourier terms for each of the nets. This allows the method to compute a root mean square current through each of the nets based on the AC analysis. Then, the method determines whether the root mean square current for any of the segments of the nets exceeds a current limit, and reports any segment of the nets for which the root mean square current exceeds the current limit.
US08463561B2
A stand-alone renewable-energy generating device which generates electric energy from renewable energy sources, such as the sun or wind, in a stand-alone context. To allow users to asses their contribution to carbon dioxide emission savings, a sensor element that is configured to generate emission savings data representative of electric energy units generated by using a renewable energy device. Further, a clock device is configured to generate a time data representative of at least one of a time and a date specification and unique sensor-ID data are stored in a memory. A processor unit is configured to time-stamp the emission savings data by combining it with the time data. The processor unit retrieves the sensor-ID data to combine them with the emission savings data to form savings profile data. A communication interface is configured to communicate the savings profile data directly or indirectly via a network system.
US08463560B2
An apparatus and method device for measuring at least one property of a board product, such as a paperboard product which includes a transmitter for applying a vibrational excitation to at least one region of the board product. The excitation includes a plurality of frequencies lying within a predetermined frequency range. The apparatus further includes a receiver for measuring a vibrational response of the board product to the vibrational excitation. A processor processes the measured vibrational response to obtain a frequency response of the region of the board product to the excitation, and analyzes the frequency response to determine a measure of at least one property of the board product.
US08463553B2
The present invention provides methods, systems, and code for accurately classifying whether a sample from an individual is associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In particular, the present invention is useful for classifying a sample from an individual as an IBS sample using a statistical algorithm and/or empirical data. The present invention is also useful for ruling out one or more diseases or disorders that present with IBS-like symptoms and ruling in IBS using a combination of statistical algorithms and/or empirical data. Thus, the present invention provides an accurate diagnostic prediction of IBS and prognostic information useful for guiding treatment decisions.
US08463547B2
A method for imaging a subsurface formation using at least two seismic sources and receivers includes: a) creating a wave field in the formation, b) obtaining a set of responses for each receiver and performing wave field separation on them, c) obtaining a virtual source signal for at least a first receiver k by cross-correlating at least part of the response of a second receiver m with at least part of the response of the first receiver k and summing the cross-correlated responses from the sources, making receiver k a virtual source, d) for each virtual source, estimating an amplitude radiation pattern by performing a transform of the response data, e) deconvolving at least one virtual source signal with at least part of the estimated radiation pattern for that receiver to produce an amplitude-corrected virtual source signal, and f) using that signal to create an image of the subsurface formation.
US08463546B2
Techniques for providing navigation support for private premises are described. In an aspect, a composite map may be generated by combining a geo-coded map for public areas with another geo-coded map for a private premise. The composite map may be generated in real time and may be provided as an aid for navigation in both the public areas and the private premise. In another aspect, a geo-coded map may be dynamically determined based on the current configuration of a private premise, which may be reconfigurable over time. The geo-coded map may include improvised roadways and/or other improvised features and may be provided as an aid for navigation within the private premise. In one design, a navigation path for a destination of a vehicle may be dynamically determined based on the current configuration of the private premise and may be provided to aid navigation.
US08463545B2
A navigation system, device and method for assisting a mobile user in navigation. In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a processing unit configured to execute a navigation program, output peripherals, to provide navigation instructions to the mobile user, the device having access to a satellite radiolocalization module, arranged to acquire the current location, to a map database, containing cartographic information, and to a sensor peripheral; the navigation program being further arranged to generate navigation instructions according to a computed route based on the acquired current location, the cartographic information and a desired destination; the device having a normal operation mode and at least one low-power mode, wherein the navigation device is configured to change mode according to the one or more of the following data: the current location; the computed route; data provided from the sensor peripheral; and by the corresponding method.
US08463540B2
A vehicle tracking system includes a wheel containing sensor circuitry capable of sensing various types of conditions, such as wheel rotation, wheel vibration caused by skidding, and specific electromagnetic and/or magnetic signals indicative of particular wheel locations. The sensor circuitry is coupled to an RF transceiver, which may but need not be included within the wheel. The wheel may also include a brake mechanism. In one embodiment, the wheels are placed on shopping carts and are used to collect and monitor shopping cart status and location data via a wireless network. The collected data may be used for various purposes, such as locking the wheel of an exiting cart if the customer has not paid, estimating numbers of queued carts, stopping wheel skid events that occur during mechanized cart retrieval, store planning, and providing location-based messaging to customers.
US08463537B2
A method of navigating to a destination is provided. The method includes but is not limited to determining a target course for a moving target device using target positioning data and generating an intercept course using the target course and intercept positioning data received from an intercept device. The intercept course intersects the target course at a destination.
US08463533B2
Methods and systems are provided for mitigating engine pre-ignition based on a feed-forward likelihood of pre-ignition and feedback from a pre-ignition event. In response to an indication of pre-ignition, a cylinder may be enriched while an engine load is limited. The enrichment may be followed by an enleanment to restore exhaust catalyst feed-gas oxygen levels. The mitigating steps may be adjusted based on engine operating conditions, a pre-ignition count, as well as the nature of the pre-ignition.
US08463514B2
A method and control system for an actuator of a clutch of a motor vehicle includes a main control unit determining a desired value for a torque to be transmitted in dependence on predetermined first parameters. A setting signal for the actuator corresponding to the desired value is generated by an additional control unit on the basis of the determined desired value. A desired value tolerance range for the determined desired value of the torque is determined by the main control unit in dependence on predetermined second parameters. The additional control unit determines an actual value of the torque transmissible by the clutch unit and generates a new setting signal for the actuator when the actual value is outside the desired value tolerance range.
US08463513B2
A transmission control apparatus for an automatic transmission to change a shift position automatically includes a cornering-state judging device, a modified shift-up table generator, and a gear-shift controller. The cornering-state judging device is configured to judge whether a vehicle has transitioned to a cornering state from a normal running state. The modified shift-up table generator is configured to generate a modified shift-up table when the vehicle is judged to have transitioned to the cornering state. The modified shift-up table makes a shift-up more difficult to occur than a reference shift-up table does. The gear-shift controller is configured to perform gear-shift control by using the reference shift-up table during the normal running state. The gear-shift controller is configured to suppress a gear shift by using the modified shift-up table instead of the reference shift-up table when the vehicle is judged to have transitioned to the cornering state.
US08463512B2
A bulldozer of the present invention includes a GPS receiver which is fixed to a vehicle body of the bulldozer, and angle obtaining part which stores a conversion table in which a combination of an angling cylinder length and a tilt cylinder length are matched with a combination of a blade angling angle and a blade tilting angle.
US08463510B2
A positioning sensor (e.g., GPS) allows a controller to determine the present location and orientation of the harvester on a map and to record the presently and previously harvested portions of a field. The controller uses the map and positional information to determine if the crop residue spray pattern from an adjustable spreader is returns substantially all the crop residue to the currently harvest portion and automatically adjusts the adjustable spreader to achieve an ideal residue spray pattern.
US08463509B2
A working vehicle in which an output from an engine is distributed to a traveling system and a hydraulic device system includes a loading operation detection unit that detects whether a loading operation using a work equipment is being performed, a clutch contained in the traveling system and connected to a distributor, a maximum output characteristic control unit that selects a second engine maximum output characteristic from among first and second maximum output characteristics when it is detected that the loading operation is being performed, and a hydraulic oil amount control unit that decreases a clutch pressure of the clutch when it is detected that the loading operation is being performed. In the first engine maximum output characteristic, a maximum output torque in a predetermined engine revolution speed range is lower than that in the second engine maximum output characteristic.
US08463508B2
A system for correcting an angle of an implement coupled to a loader is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of the speed of an engine on a loader and to receive a signal indicative of an actuation of an operator interface on the loader. The operator interface actuation signal commands movement of a lift arm on the loader. The controller is further configured to calculate an angle correction signal based at least upon the engine speed signal and the operator interface actuation signal and to transmit the angle correction signal to change an angle of a coupler configured to couple an implement to the lift arm.
US08463497B2
A method for determining a characteristic quantity representative of grip conditions of a vehicle wheel running on a ground surface involves imposing a given simultaneous steering angle variation on two wheels mounted on the same axle of the vehicle, the steering angle variation being of the same amplitude for the two wheels but in opposite directions, and measuring the characteristic quantity for at least one of the two wheels.
US08463464B2
A method for generating a voted trajectory of a vehicle in a first vehicle. First trajectory data is received from at least one second vehicle in a receiver in the first vehicle. Trajectory data is calculated in a trajectory calculator in the first vehicle. The calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data concern a determined vehicle. The determined vehicle is determined from a group including the first and the second vehicles. The voted trajectory of the determined vehicle by a voting process based on the calculated trajectory data and the received first trajectory data.
US08463463B1
Methods for flying multiple aircraft in a predetermined formation in which a relative navigation grid is emitted from at least one of the aircraft, a spatial relationship is calculated based on the emitted relative navigation grid, and a relative position of at least one aircraft is altered to position the aircraft in the predetermined formation when the spatial relationship does not conform with the predetermined formation.
US08463458B2
A digital mapping display and related system for fishing, and other applications.
US08463451B2
Systems and methods for monitoring power generation are provided. For example, such a system may include a gas turbine, an electrical generator coupled to the drive, a controller coupled to the gas turbine, and a compliance monitor. The gas turbine may generate a torque, and the electrical generator may provide power to a power grid based on the torque. The controller may cause the gas turbine to vary the torque in response to a frequency disturbance occurring on the power grid. The compliance monitor may determine whether the response to the frequency disturbance complies with a specification for the response.
US08463448B2
An energy consuming device comprises a power consuming feature/function and a controller operatively connected to the power consuming feature/function. The controller is configured to operate the device including the power consuming feature/function in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode during an associated off-peak demand period of an associated energy supplying utility and an energy savings mode during an associated peak demand period of the associated energy supplying utility. The controller is configured to provide a user a grace period during the associated peak demand period to allow the user to change the operating mode of the power consuming feature/function from the energy savings mode to another operating mode including the normal operating mode thereby allowing additional use of the power consuming feature/function during the associated peak demand period.
US08463447B2
Systems and methods for dispensing a product are provided. A plurality of product ingredients are associated with a product dispenser that is operable to form a plurality of selectable products from the plurality of products ingredients. Input for a selected product is received and a recipe that defines the ratio of product ingredients for forming the selected product is identified. The dispense of each of the respective product ingredients is commenced based at least in part on the identified recipe, and the dispense of each of the respective product ingredients is independently monitored during the dispense of the selected product.
US08463444B2
A control system for governing temperature and humidity levels within a confined space including a controller communicatively coupled to a cooling system, a heating system, a duct system, a plurality of environmental sensors for detecting temperature and humidity levels within the confined space and external to the confined space, and an external air intake for introducing air external to the confined space to within the confined space. The control system may further include predictive heating and predictive cooling configurations having a computing device communicatively connected to the controller and to an environmental forecast source.
US08463443B2
The disclosure provides systems and methods for conveying information between a communicating first device and a second coupled device of a HVAC network. In various embodiments, the method comprises checking a subnet of the HVAC network for both communicating device and a non-communicating device by the communicating first device. The method also comprises determining whether the second coupled device in a non-communicating device. The method further comprises allowing an installer to set parameters of the non-communicating device through employment of a manifest list of features used by the non-communicating device that is accessible by the communicating device.
US08463430B2
Vending machines, automated retail stores, and retail displays with a computer controlled, activation system that senses either the gesture of a customer proximate product display tubes or a touch-screen selection on a computer screen. Item-based lighting produces variable visual effects in conjunction with actual or potential vends to provide an enhanced vending experience. Offered products are stored within display tubes that are arranged in orderly geometric arrays. RGB lighting through a plurality of LED banks associated with each display tube are controlled by the activation system Combinations of differently colored LED's are computer controlled on a per product basis to artistically illuminate available products and assist customers. Pre-programmed lighting sequences can switch LEDs off and on, vary their intensity, and alter resultant colors.
US08463420B2
A sewing machine includes a creating portion that creates a projection image being an image that includes a characteristic point and that is to be projected onto a sewing object, a projecting portion that projects onto the sewing object the projection image created by the creating portion, an image capture portion that is mounted in a position being different from a position of the projecting portion and that creates a captured image by image capture of the characteristic point projected by the projecting portion, and a computing portion that computes a thickness of the sewing object based on the projection image created by the creating portion and the captured image created by the image capture portion.
US08463409B2
An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.
US08463406B2
The present invention is directed to a unique, user-friendly, disposable electrode to be used on metallic probes which are used in electromedical devices, such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS) and microcurrent electrical therapy (MET) devices and other electrical simulators for applying electricity through the skin to the human or animal body. Additionally, the present invention describes a box for the storage and retrieval of the probe.
US08463402B2
A method and neurostimulation control system for operating two leads disposed adjacent tissue of a patient are provided. A plurality of cross-lead electrical parameters are measured to generate a measured electrical profile of the electrode leads. A plurality of cross-lead electrical parameters are estimated to generate a first reference electrical profile for the electrode leads in a first known staggered configuration. The first reference electrical profile is spatially shifted to generate a second reference electrical profile for the electrode leads in a second known staggered configuration. The measured electrical profile is compared to the first and second reference electrical profiles, and a longitudinal stagger between the electrode leads is quantified based on the comparison.
US08463400B2
In one embodiment, a method for facilitating programming of an implantable pulse generator (IPG) by an external programming device, the method comprises: receiving input from a user by the external programming device to calibrate electrode combinations at a plurality of locations along one or more stimulation leads implanted within the epidural space of a patient; controlling the IPG by the external programmer to apply stimulation to the patient via the electrode combinations; receiving input from a user by the external programming device that indicates values of a respective perception stimulation threshold at each location of the plurality of locations; receiving input from a user by the external programming device that indicates values of a respective bilateral stimulation threshold at each location of the plurality of locations; calculating positions by the external programming device of each of the plurality of locations using the perception stimulation thresholds and the bilateral stimulation thresholds; and displaying calculated positions of the plurality of locations relative to a physiological midline of the patient by the external programming device.
US08463398B2
An implantable medical lead having a modified electrode surface for imparting current density directionality within an electrode is disclosed. An implantable medical lead includes a lead body having a proximal section and a distal section having a pre-biased shape configured to secure the lead to an inner wall of a blood vessel. An electrode coupled to the distal section of the lead body includes a number of surface features on an inactive portion of the electrode that impart a current density directionality towards an active portion of the electrode that contacts the inner wall of the vessel. Methods for imparting current density directionality within an implantable lead electrode are also disclosed.
US08463392B2
An external controller/charger system for an implantable medical device is disclosed, in which the external controller/charger system provides automatic switching between telemetry and charging without any manual intervention by the patient. The external controller/charger system includes an external controller which houses a telemetry coil and an external charging coil coupled to the external controller. Normally, a charging session is carried out using the external charging coil, and a telemetry session is carried out using the telemetry coil. However, when a patient requests to carry out telemetry during a charging session, the external charging coil is used instead of the internal telemetry coil.
US08463384B2
This disclosure relates to a medical electrical lead having fault detection and fault isolation. The lead may include a first conductor coupled to a first electrode and a second conductor coupled to a second electrode. A capacitor is disposed within the lead and selectively coupled to the first and second conductors of the lead. The capacitor is charged in a test mode of operation after the first and second electrodes have been isolated from the conductors via an isolation mechanism and the capacitor will discharge through the first and second conductors. The capacitor discharge morphology is processed to detect lead-related conditions.
US08463370B2
The invention relates to a method for monitoring a condition of a patient under anesthesia or sedation, whereupon one, two, three or more signals are acquired, and the signal(s) represent(s) cardiovascular and/or combined electrical biopotential on skull activity of the patient. From said signal or signals are derived or calculated at least two parameter values related to a quantity like waveform amplitude, waveform periodicity, waveform morphology, waveform variability, energy, power, signal complexity and frequency content. A predetermined mathematical index for probability of patient comfort is used, in which function said parameters are variables, and successively changing probability index values of said mathematical index is calculated.
US08463355B2
In a system or method to enable display of real-time graphical or numeric information within an MR image, at least one display segment having an MR visible substance therein is placed at least partially inside an imaging volume of the MR image.
US08463351B2
An electrochemical analyte sensor formed using conductive traces on a substrate can be used for determining and/or monitoring a level of analyte in in vitro or in vivo analyte-containing fluids. For example, an implantable sensor may be used for the continuous or automatic monitoring of a level of an analyte, such as glucose, lactate, or oxygen, in a patient. The electrochemical analyte sensor includes a substrate and conductive material disposed on the substrate, the conductive material forming a working electrode. In some sensors, the conductive material is disposed in recessed channels formed in a surface of the sensor. An electron transfer agent and/or catalyst may be provided to facilitate the electrolysis of the analyte or of a second compound whose level depends on the level of the analyte. A potential is formed between the working electrode and a reference electrode or counter/reference electrode and the resulting current is a function of the concentration of the analyte in the body fluid.
US08463349B2
The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of oxygen saturation and respiration rate in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to oximetry-based measurements but extends to other types of measurements.
US08463348B2
A method and system are provided which are useful for the non-invasive determination and monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygenation. The method comprises the steps of generating at least first and second jugular venous output signals against time based on the reflection of at least first and second wavelengths of light, respectively, from an external tissue site on the patient in the proximity of the internal jugular vein; obtaining corresponding first and second cardiac arterial output signals for the first and second wavelengths of light, respectively, from the patient, and separating the first and second cardiac arterial output signals from the first and second jugular venous output signals, respectively, to generate first and second cerebral venous output signals; and determining cerebral tissue oxygenation based on the first and second cerebral venous output signals. A system useful to monitor cerebral tissue oxygenation may comprise a first module for optically generating at least first and second jugular venous output signals against time at at least first and second wavelengths of light, respectively, from the patient; a second module for generating first and second cardiac arterial output signals at the first and second wavelengths of light, respectively, from the patient; and a signal processing means adapted to separate the first and second cardiac arterial output signals from the first and second jugular venous output signals, respectively, to yield first and second cerebral venous output signals, for the determination of cerebral tissue oxygenation.
US08463346B2
A medical device for monitoring a patient condition includes a sensor capable of being advanced transvascularly to be positioned along a volume of tissue, the sensor including a first combination of a light source and a light detector to emit light into a volume of tissue and to detect light scattered by the volume of tissue and to generate a first output signal corresponding to an intensity of the detected light. A control module is coupled to the light source to control the light source to emit light at least four spaced-apart light wavelengths, and a monitoring module is coupled to the light detector to receive the output signal and compute a measure of tissue oxygenation using the light detector output signal.
US08463343B2
An optical sensor for a medical device includes a fixed lens spacing between emit and receive modules to achieve target sensor sensitivity, while varying other sensor parameters in order to increase signal amplitude without increasing power demand. An optical sensor connected to a housing of a medical device includes a circuit board, an opto-electronic component, a wall, a lens, and a ferrule. The circuit board is arranged within the housing. The opto-electronic component is mounted on a surface of the circuit board. The wall protrudes from the surface of the circuit board and surrounds the opto-electronic component. The lens is offset from the surface of the circuit board. The ferrule is connected to the housing, the lens and the wall. An inner surface of the wall mates with an outer surface of the ferrule.
US08463336B1
A mobile communication terminal is provided including an audio processing unit, a speaker, a connecting unit that connects to an external audio output device and indicates whether the external audio output device is connected, and a control unit configured to, while in a silent mode, control the audio processing unit to reproduce a music file and to output audio signals, corresponding to the reproduced music file, through the speaker, the silent mode being a mode wherein a vibration signal is generated upon receiving an incoming call, if the external audio output device is connected to the connecting unit, output the audio signals to the external audio output device, and if the external audio output device is disconnected from the connecting unit while the audio signals are being output to the external audio output device, control the display unit to display a user interface for continuing reproduction of the music file.
US08463315B2
A handheld wireless communication device cradleable in one hand by an operator during text entry. A display, key field and trackball are all located on a front face of the device. Alphanumeric input keys include several alphabetic keys with letters arranged in a traditional (QWERTY), but non-ITU Standard E.161 telephone letter layout. A microprocessor is provided that receives operator commands from the keys and the trackball navigation tool and which affects corresponding changes to the display based on user input. The keys of the key field are arranged in rows and columns and at least one of the rows and columns is arranged with a long axis thereof radially oriented relative to the trackball navigation tool.
US08463314B2
A wireless communication entity schedulable in a wireless communication network includes a radio receiver that receives radio resource assignment information including a bandwidth allocation, and a controller communicably coupled to the power amplifier, wherein the controller varies an operational maximum power level of the schedulable wireless communication entity in accordance with a protocol state governing the schedulable wireless communication entity, wherein the operational maximum power level limits an instantaneous power at which the schedulable wireless communication entity may transmit on the radio resource assigned.
US08463313B2
A communication system supports H-ARQ, AMC, active set handoff, and scheduling functions in a distributed fashion by allowing a mobile station (MS) to signal control information corresponding to an enhanced reverse link transmission to Active Set base transceiver stations (BTSs) and by allowing the BTSs to perform control functions that were supported by an RNC in the prior art. The communication system allows time and SIR-based H-ARQ flush functions at the BTSs during soft handoff (SHO), provides an efficient control channel structure to support scheduling, H-ARQ, AMC functions for an enhanced reverse link, or uplink, channel in order to maximize throughput, and enables an MS in a SHO region to choose a scheduling assignment corresponding to a best TFRI out of multiple assignments it receives from multiple active set BTS. As a result, the enhanced uplink channel can be scheduled during SHO without any explicit communication between the BTSs.
US08463311B2
A mobile terminal includes a receiving part configured to receive from a base station a reception signal including a control signal used for controlling transmission power; a comparing part configured to compare a correlation value, which is obtained from the control signal included in the reception signal and a first unique signal, with a threshold; a control part configured to control the transmission power based on a comparison result of the comparing part; and a threshold generating part configured to change the threshold according to a reception environment.
US08463306B1
A method and system for testing a SMS text messaging network is disclosed herein. The method and system allows for real-time testing of the mobile terminated (“MT”) and mobile originated (“MO”) delivery delays across the major American mobile phone carriers, and accurately measures the progress on SMS broadcasts and records when a broadcast has been completed.
US08463304B2
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to designate a selected thread identification value from a collection of thread identification values based upon recognition criteria. The selected thread identification value is utilized during bidirectional text messaging between a first user and a second user.
US08463301B2
Paging congestion control in a wireless communications system is described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in a peer to peer wireless communications system, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer wireless network in which decisions are made in a decentralized manner. Wireless terminals, e.g., mobile nodes, monitor other paging activities going on and make back-off, e.g., yielding, decisions with regard to paging based on the results of the monitoring. During a first time interval paging indicator signals are transmitted on paging indicator resources by devices intending to transmit paging signals. During a second time interval paging signals are transmitted on paging signaling resources. Monitored and processed detected paging indicator signals are used by a wireless terminal in deciding whether or not to transmit a paging indicator signal and/or a paging signal.
US08463286B2
This is directed to systems and methods for integrating travel services in a single application available to a portable electronic device. Using the single application, a user can access and control travel services before arriving at the initial location of travel, on arriving at the initial location of travel, during travel, and after travel. Such services can include, for example, reserving a travel itinerary, checking-in remotely for a reservation, providing airport information, providing for social networking, obtaining dining or entertainment during travel, controlling and requesting cabin services, providing arrival notifications to third parties, providing destination location information, and the like.
US08463275B2
In a mobile communication system, definite resources in radio sectors are allocated to more users in an aspect that the users hardly feel stress during communication. When a call corresponds to an active call based on an active connection request that has been generated by a user's operation (that is, transmitting and obtaining delivery information of pull-type by means of arrows AC, DL or the like), as a trigger, more resources (communication rate is higher) are allocated to the call. When the call corresponds to a non-active call (that is, receiving and obtaining delivery information of push-type by means of an arrow SU or the like), fewer resources (communication rate is lower) are allocated to the call.
US08463267B2
A mobile terminal includes a wireless communication unit configured to search for at least one broadcast service provider based upon frequencies assigned to the at least one broadcast service provider and a controller configured to automatically select a first broadcast service provider from the at least one broadcast service provider and to output broadcast content provided by the selected first broadcast service provider.
US08463264B2
A method for providing Early IMS Security in a network. In registering a terminal on a telecommunications network, a plurality of private user identities (IMPIs) are derived from the IMSI of the terminal. Some or all of these IMPIs are registered with the network. Each IMPI has its own IRS containing its own IMPUs, enabling different identities of the user to be registered with the network.
US08463262B2
A method of receiving a control signal by a user equipment in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving control regions including the control channel relevant to each of a plurality of component carriers via a plurality of component carriers and detecting the control channel for the user equipment by performing blind decoding by a unit of CCE (control channel element) aggregated at a preset level in a search space included in the control regions. And, start positions of the search spaces in the plurality of component carriers is in a certain relationship. Moreover, the preset level is identically set for each of the plurality of component carriers.
US08463261B2
Systems and methods provide a method for accessing a radiocommunication system. The method includes: selecting one of a plurality of access configurations, wherein each access configuration includes a plurality of software modules; executing the selected one of the plurality of access configurations on a processor of a user equipment (UE); determining a result of the execution of the selected one of the plurality of access configurations; and associating the result of the execution of the selected one of the plurality of access configurations with the selected one of the plurality of access configurations.
US08463255B2
A system for wireless data transmission that uses a channel bandwidth, channel separation, and radio frequency power spectrum which is compatible with existing deployments of wireless voice services. The transmitted waveforms are thus compatible with existing cellular networks. However, the time domain digital coding, modulation, and power control schemes are optimized for data transmission. Existing cellular network sites can thus be used to provide a high speed service optimized for wireless data traffic without the need for new radio frequency planning, and without interfering with existing voice service deployments.
US08463253B2
A method may include receiving a call at a portable communication device, entering a first mode when the call is directed to a first device identifier associated with the portable communication device; and entering a second mode when the call is directed to a second device identifier associated with the portable communication device, wherein the first mode provides access to a first set of applications and a first set of user data and the second mode provides a second set of applications and a second set of user data.
US08463250B2
Systems and methods for systems and methods for reliably broadcasting content to a plurality of users and facilitating distribution of portions of the broadcast content that either were not received by particular users, or were received with errors. In one embodiment, a wireless communication system is configured to broadcast content from a content source to a plurality of user devices. The content source is configured to provide the content to a base station. The base station parses the content into a plurality of segments and associates sequential identifiers with each of the segments. The content is then broadcast to each of the user devices. An identifier of an alternative data source is also provided to the user devices. When a mobile station receives the segments, it examines the segment identifiers to identify missing segments. The segments are then retrieved from the alternative data source identified by the base station.
US08463246B2
A contact management system including: a computer in communication with a central database and a mobile device configured to communicate with the central database, wherein the mobile device includes a contact management module that interfaces with a wireless network to allow a user of the mobile device to access contact information in the central database, the contact management module configured to provide synching of contact information within the mobile device with the contact information in the central database.
US08463241B2
A system for reporting a reception ratio of a broadcast service in a broadcasting system. A network entity sends a reception ratio report indication message indicating at least one measurement type of a reception ratio for a broadcast streaming service. A terminal receives the reception ratio report indication message, and sends a reception ratio report message including the reception ratio indicative of a ratio of an expectedTotalPackets indicating a total number of packets that the terminal expects to receive for a reception ratio measurement interval according to a measurement type indicated by the reception ratio report indication message, to a receivedTotalPackets indicating a total number of packets that the terminal has received for the reception ratio measurement interval.
US08463239B1
What is disclosed is a method of operating a communication system to reconfigure a wireless communication device. The method includes, in the wireless communication device, optically receiving image data. The method also includes processing the image data to display a configuration interface, and receiving an instruction into the configuration interface to reconfigure the wireless communication device.
US08463237B1
Subject matter described herein is directed to detecting fraud in a telecommunications environment. Communication records of a mobile device include attributes that describe communication instances of the device. For example, communication records might include a start time or end time of voice calls initiated by a mobile device. The attributes are analyzed, such as by calculating call-gap durations, to determine if any thresholds are violated. Threshold violations suggest fraudulent use and prompt an unauthorized-use response.
US08463236B2
A paging signal transmitting method includes a step of allowing each of mobile stations (UE) to receive security data from a network node (1) via a channel specified by a paging signal, a step of allowing each mobile station (UE) to calculate a third set of security information by using an open first set of security information and a second set of security information managed by each mobile station, a step of allowing each mobile station (UE) to compare the third set of security information with a fourth set of security information included in the received security data to verify the validity of the paging signal, and a step of allowing each mobile station (UE) to output a signal corresponding to the paging signal when the validity of the paging signal is verified.
US08463232B2
A method, wireless service node, and wireless communication system, are provided to manage wireless service usage and service node migration in the wireless communication system. A registration request from a wireless device (108) is received. A charging session associated with the wireless device (108) is established with a billing server (124). Wireless service usage is associated with the wireless device (108). The wireless device (108) is determined to be migrating to a new wireless service node (114). Information associated with the current charging session is transferred to the new wireless service node (114). Following the transfer, the service usage information pertaining to the same session is maintained and transferred by the new wireless service node to the billing server at appropriate time intervals and as per dynamic rules set in the billing server.
US08463224B2
An apparatus and method for splitting a wide band input signal and overlaying multiple frequency bands on each path associated with one or more digitizers. All frequencies from the split signal on each path can be fed to a mixer. The local oscillator of each mixer receives a sum of signals, which can each be set to any arbitrary frequency, as long as an associated matrix determinant of coefficients is non-zero. Each oscillator signal is multiplied by a coefficient, which can represent phase and magnitude, prior to summing the oscillator signals together. Each mixer mixes a combined signal with the input, thereby generating a set of multiple overlaid frequency bands. The digitized signals are processed to substantially reconstruct the original input signal. Thus, the wide band input signal is digitized using multiple individual digitizers. In particular, a system can support two wide band signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth.
US08463198B2
A communication apparatus is provided. A processor receives a measurement control message carrying information about a filtering coefficient via a radio transceiver module, periodically measures signal quality of at least one cell to obtain a plurality of measurement results, periodically filters the measurement results according to a first measurement period to obtain a plurality of filtered results, and determines whether to transmit a measurement report to a system controller in the wireless communication network according to the filtered results. The filtering coefficient is assigned by the system controller to filter the measurement results according to a second measurement period. The second measurement period is longer than the first measurement period
US08463190B2
A method for interference management in a self optimizing network includes determining quality of service constraints for a call; mapping the quality of service constraints for the call to a target signal-to-interference noise ratio; and transmitting power control signals for the call based on the target signal-to-interference noise ratio. The utility function can be optimized for each class of calls over the network so as to maximize the total number of calls that can be handled.
US08463189B2
A novel and useful apparatus for and method of predistortion calibration and built-in self testing (BIST) of a nonlinear digitally-controlled radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (DPA) using subharmonic mixing. The RF power amplifier output is temporarily coupled into the frequency reference (FREF) input and the phase error samples generated in the phase locked loop (PLL) are then observed and analyzed. The digital predistortion and BIST mechanisms process the phase error samples to calibrate and test the DPA in the transmitter of the Digital RF Processor (DRP). The invention enables the characterization of nonlinearities, the configuration of internal predistortion, as well as the testing of the transmitter's analogRF circuitry, thereby eliminating commonly employed RF performance testing using high-cost test equipment and associated extended test times.
US08463188B2
A method and apparatus for spectrum access of secondary users in a cognitive radio system are provided. The method includes: estimating parameters of a primary channel according to the Markov model used by the primary channel; selecting a primary channel that has the largest available bandwidth according to the estimated channel parameters when multiple primary channels exist; detecting the selected primary channel; and accessing the primary channel to transmit data when the channel is idle. Therefore, an optimum primary channel can be selected from multiple primary channels by estimating channel parameters to satisfy high data transmission requirements and improve system performance.
US08463183B2
Embodiments of the present invention enable energy transfer via short-range RF communication between a main device and an associated device, thereby allowing the main device to energy charge the associated device. Accordingly, the need for a separate charger for the associated device can be eliminated. Embodiments of the present invention are suitable for applications in which the main device and the associated device operate in close proximity to each other. Further, embodiments of the present invention are suitable for applications in which the associated device is more energy-constrained than the main device. According to embodiments, energy transfer applications can be supported using near field communication (NFC). In an embodiment, energy transfer via NFC is enabled between a Bluetooth enabled cellular phone and a Bluetooth headset. In another embodiment, energy transfer via NFC is enabled between a Bluetooth enabled digital camera and a Bluetooth enabled digital frame.
US08463176B2
A method for monitoring feedback loop stability in a wireless repeater includes measuring a gain control metric in the feedback loop of the repeater periodically for a given time period where the gain control metric is indicative of a loop gain of the feedback loop of the repeater; and monitoring the magnitude of the gain control metric to determine the stability of the feedback loop of the repeater. In operation, a large magnitude of the gain control metric indicates instability in the feedback loop of the repeater.
US08463170B2
A fixing device of an image forming apparatus includes a magnetic core forming a magnetic path composed of a first path for induction-heating a specified area of a heating member and a second path for induction-heating only a smaller area as a reduction of the specified area and the magnetic field being composed of a common magnetic field region where both the first and the second paths pass and an uncommon magnetic field region where only the first path passes; and a magnetism adjusting member arranged at least over the uncommon magnetic field region and permitting the passage of magnetic fluxes propagating toward the heating member from the magnetic core in the uncommon magnetic field region when the magnetic path is switched to the first path while suppressing the passage of the magnetic fluxes in the uncommon magnetic field region when the magnetic path is switched to the second path.
US08463166B2
A fixing device includes an image surface side separating member that separates a recording medium from a fixing member; an image surface side conveyance guiding member arranged downstream of the image surface side separating member; a non-image surface side separating member that separates the recording medium from a pressing member; and a non-image surface side conveyance guiding member arranged downstream of the non-image surface side separating member. When the image surface side conveyance guiding member is rotated about its rotation axis so as to be opened or closed, the image surface side separating member is also rotated or slid so as to be opened or closed simultaneously. When the non-image surface side conveyance guiding member is rotated about its rotation axis so as to be opened or closed, the non-image surface side separating member is also rotated or slid so as to be opened or closed simultaneously.
US08463163B2
A developing device includes: a developer carrier configured to form a developer image on an image carrier by developing an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developer supplier being in contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply a developer to an outer circumferential surface of the developer carrier; and an agitating member configured to agitate the developer around the developer carrier or the developer supplier, wherein a tip of the agitating member, upon a rotation of the agitating member, moves in a noncircular path.
US08463162B2
The present invention is capable of changing the system speed quickly and highly accurately while using a CVT device with an advantage in its quietness to transmit a driving force to rotative parts.Specifically, in the case of using a sheet of thick paper as a recording sheet, the controller changes, for each of the pulleys, the distance between the pulley segments (S204) while starting up the DC motor as the driving source (S202). After that, the controller performs the feedback control on the rotation of the DC motor, based on a detection signal received from the encoder of the load shaft of the driven pulley, to achieve the target rotation speed of the load shaft (S206: NO, S207).
US08463155B2
Methods and devices for remanufacturing printer cartridges are provided where the printer cartridges comprise a photoconductive drum, the photoconductive drum comprises a drum gear end, and the drum gear end of the photoconductive drum is configured to be attached to a laser printer via a rotational force transmitting assembly. In an embodiment, the method comprises removing the rotational force transmitting assembly from the photoconductive drum, providing a replacement photoconductive drum, and attaching the rotational force transmitting assembly to the replacement photoconductive drum.
US08463148B2
A developing apparatus including a developing container for containing developer, the developing container having an opening portion, a developer carrying member for carrying the developer at the opening portion, a detecting member for detecting a developer amount, the detecting member detecting a capacitance between the developer carrying member and the detecting member, and a force receiving portion for receiving a force and moving the developing container between a first position in which a developing operation is performed by the developer carrying member and a second position in which the developing operation is not performed, wherein the capacitance can be detected in the second position, and the detecting member is a rotatable developer supplying member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, the developer supplying member including a foam layer in which the developer can enter.
US08463146B2
Developer density in an electrophotographic system is measured. The developer includes toner particles and magnetic carrier particles. First and second mutually-insulated electrodes define a working volume between them through which developer passes without contacting the first electrode. An AC voltage or current source is connected to the electrodes. An inductor is connected in series with a voltage source, or an inductor is provided in parallel with a current source. The voltage or current is applied and corresponding current or voltage across the electrodes is measured. The density of the developer in the working volume is automatically determined using a processor responsive to the measured current or voltage and the applied bias.
US08463145B2
A cartridge detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus which includes a main body, a driving unit and a detecting unit, includes: a housing that is configured to accommodate a developer therein, and includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposed to the first side wall in a longitudinal direction; a passive unit that is configured to receive a driving force from the driving unit, is mounted on the first side wall, and is rotatable around a first axis line parallel to the longitudinal direction; and a detected body mounted on the first side wall and including a detected part which is detected by the detecting unit. The detected body advances outwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the first side wall and retracts inwards in the longitudinal direction with respect to the first side wall by the driving force received by the passive unit.
US08463144B2
In an image forming device, a plurality of objects are detachably disposed, each of the objects having a storage area to store object-related information of the object, and configured to return, in response to an acquisition request, a signal with a voltage in a predetermined range which is distinctly different among the objects, the signal carrying the object-related information of the object. The image forming device includes a transmitting unit that transmits acquisition requests of object-related information to the objects respectively, a receiving unit that receives signals from the objects respectively, a voltage detection unit that detects a range of voltage of each of the signals received, and an identifying unit that identifies each of the objects respectively based on the ranges of voltage detected.
US08463140B2
A reception device includes at least a light receiving unit, a phase calculation unit, and a demodulation unit. The light receiving unit receives intensity-modulated light from a transmission device. The transmission device executes phase modulation to a bit stream as an object to be transmitted and emits the intensity-modulated light which has an intensity changing at a preset time cycle and a phase changing in response to the phase modulation, and the phase is maintained during M cycles. The phase calculation unit detects the intensity of the intensity-modulated light p times per cycle of the intensity-modulated light and repeatedly calculates the phase of the intensity-modulated light on the basis of a result of the detection. The demodulation unit executes demodulation, which corresponds to the phase modulation, to the phase calculated by the phase calculation unit, and generates transmitted bit stream.
US08463136B2
A burst mode optical repeater is provided. The burst mode optical repeater receives optical signals, which are transmitted from a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) in a passive optical network (PON) to a central office using a time division multiplexing access (TDMA) method, and relays the received optical signals using an optical-electrical-optical (OEO) method. Since the burst mode optical repeater can be installed anywhere between an optical line terminal (OLT) and the ONUs, the number of subscribers and transmission range that can be supported by a corresponding network can be increased.
US08463135B2
A relay apparatus including: a first interface 11 that branches an optical signal that is input in a first direction from one side of the optical transmission line, and directs the optical signal to a first path and a second path, the first path being a processing path of an optical signal having a first transmission speed, the second path being a processing path of an optical signal having a second transmission speed that is different from the first transmission speed; a processing section 12 that executes processing on an optical signal propagating through each of the paths in accordance with a corresponding transmission speed; and a second interface 13 that binds the first path and the second path of the optical signal on which the processing is executed by the processing section, by means of wavelength multiplexing and directs to the other end of the optical transmission line.
US08463118B2
An imaging system includes an interchangeable lens and a camera body. The camera body includes a main body controller operable to transmit a reference signal for providing a reference of a driving start timing of the focus lens and delay time information indicating delay time with respect to the reference signal, to the interchangeable lens. The interchangeable lens includes a lens controller operable to control the focus lens to be driven at a timing obtained by delaying the timing provided by the reference signal by the delay time based on the reference signal and the delay time information received from the main body controller. The delay time is set so that, for example, an exposure timing of a predetermined area in the imaging element is substantially coincident with a stop period of the wobbling operation of the focus lens.
US08463112B2
When a skip operation is carried out and then another skip operation is carried out next, it is determined whether or not a direction of a first skip operation and a direction of a skip operation carried out next are opposite directions. If the direction of the skip operation carried out next is the opposite to the direction up to that point in time and there is a change point between scenes in a skip segment of the skip operation carried out next, skip processing is carried out such that the playback position is placed to the change point of this scene. Thereby, for example, when the content is played back after jumping past a CM, the boundary between the CM and program can be easily found, and the replay can be started.
US08463108B2
A device plays back programming content in a trick mode while an advertising segment record is monitored. When an advertising segment beginning identified by the advertising segment record is encountered, playback of the programming content temporarily ceases. One or more advertisements are played back during the advertising segment, and then playback of the programming content in the trick mode resumes after an ending of the advertising segment is encountered.
US08463096B2
Described are track-resistant all dielectric self-supporting (TR-ADSS) cables with improved cable jackets. A typical TR-ADSS optical fiber cable comprises an optical fiber sub-assembly, and a cable jacket system. The cable jacket system comprises an inner jacket, an aramid strength layer and an outer jacket. The improvement in the cable jacket system results from the addition of a friction layer between the aramid strength layer and the outer jacket. The friction layer prevents unwanted slippage of the outer jacket with respect to the inner portions of the cable.
US08463087B2
A beat signal generating device including first and second monomode lasers for generating radiation of a first and second wavelengths respectively; a first and a second output port; a phase modulating unit for modifying both the phase of radiation generated by both the first laser and second laser, wherein radiation generated by the first laser is transmitted through the second laser and superposed with the radiation generated by the second laser at the second output port, and the radiation generated by the second laser is transmitted through the first laser and superposed with the radiation generated by the first laser at the first output port, such that a first beat signal will be emitted at the first output port and a second beat signal will be emitted at the second output port, wherein the phase between the beat signals can be adjusted by means of the phase modulating unit.
US08463081B1
An optical phase modulator having a reduced time drift of an electro-optical response is disclosed. An optical waveguide exhibiting the electro-optic effect includes two serially coupled portions having opposite time drifts of magnitudes of their respective electro-optical responses. As a result, a time drift of an overall electro-optical response of the optical phase modulator is lessened.
US08463079B2
A system and method are described for determining the dimensions of items using an optical device, such as a barcode and/or RFID tag reader, for example. The dimensions of the field of view of the optical device are established, indexed by distance, and the dimensions of items in the field of view of the optical device are determined as a percentage of the full field of view of the optical device at the appropriate distance.
US08463077B1
A method to generate an unwrapped phase map free from noise error, shifting error and hole error in image reconstruction. The method includes application of an unwrapping rotation phase unwrapping algorithm for obtaining image reconstruction.
US08463076B2
An image processing apparatus for processing and outputting image data includes a image processing content storage unit for storing contents of an image processing; a thumbnail magnification ratio determining unit for determining a magnification ratio of a thumbnail image according to the contents of the image processing thus stored; a thumbnail image creation unit for creating the thumbnail image from the image data according to the magnification ratio; and an image processing unit for applying the image processing to the thumbnail image thus created according to the contents of the image processing.
US08463072B2
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for determining characteristics of light sources. In one embodiment, an image comprising pixels may be received. The image may be affected by a plurality of light sources including a first light source and a second light source. The first light source and the second light source may overlap. The intensity and direction of each of the plurality of light sources in the image may be determined. In one embodiment, the color of each light source may also be determined.
US08463070B2
Provided are a rasterizer configured to convert a triangle TA formed with vertices VT to a group of pixels PX and then to divide the group of pixels PX into tiles TL; and a sorting buffer configured to store the group of pixels PX for each of the tiles TL.
US08463067B2
An apparatus and method for improving visibility of an image. The apparatus includes: an image input module receiving an image; an illuminance sensing module sensing external illuminance; a visibility compensating module compensating the input image by mapping the input image from a first color gamut to a second color gamut on the basis of the sensed external illuminance; and an image output module outputting the compensated image.
US08463066B2
A display device and a method for driving the display device are provided. A pre-gain correction value that can emphasize a contour portion of an image is set by using luminance data detected from an input video signal. The pre-grain correction value is differently amplified in accordance with different light emitting materials that emit light of different colors red, green and blue. The contour portion is thus emphasized, and the contour can be stably emphasized regardless of different life-spans of different light emitting materials emitting lights of colors red, green and blue.
US08463057B2
An encoding unit separates converted coefficients obtained by frequency conversion into the upper-bit portion that is higher than a bit position specified by a boundary bit position determined when the previous macro block is encoded and the lower-bit portion, performs encoding on the upper-bit portion and outputs the encoded data and the lower-bit portion. When a maximum difference in the number of valid bits of the converted coefficients represented by the lower-bit portion remaining after deletion and the upper-bit portion of each pixel block when it is assumed that the number of bits i to be deleted is changed to 1, 2, . . . and so on in the range of the finite number of bits representing converted coefficients is represented as max_diff(i), a stream generating unit creates a histogram constituted by the bit number i and the frequency for max_diff(i) to determine the number of bits N to be deleted.
US08463053B1
Multimodal data mining in a multimedia database is addressed as a structured prediction problem, wherein mapping from input to the structured and interdependent output variables is learned. A system and method for multimodal data mining is provided, comprising defining a multimodal data set comprising image information; representing image information of a data object as a set of feature vectors in a feature space; clustering in the feature space to group similar features; associating a non-image representation with a respective image data object based on the clustering; determining a joint feature representation of a respective data object as a mathematical weighted combination of a set of components of the joint feature representation; optimizing a weighting for a plurality of components of the mathematical weighted combination with respect to a prediction error between a predicted classification and a training classification; and employing the mathematical weighted combination for automatically classifying a new data object.
US08463049B2
An image processing apparatus for processing an image including an image of a face includes: a normalization unit configured to normalize the image including the image of a face so that the size of the face becomes a predetermined face size; a detection area setting unit configured to set an area smaller than the image normalized by the normalization unit as a detection area in which a position of a face part of the face is detected; and a detection unit configured to detect the position of the face part in the detection area set by the detection area setting unit.
US08463031B2
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.
US08463019B2
A pseudo 3D image generation device includes frame memories that store a plurality of basic depth models used for estimating depth data based on a non-3D image signal and generating a pseudo 3D image signal; a depth model combination unit that combines the plurality of basic depth models for generating a composite depth model based on a control signal indicating composite percentages for combining the plurality of basic depth models; an addition unit that generates depth estimation data from the non-3D image signal and the composite depth models; and a texture shift unit that shifts the texture of the non-3D image for generating the pseudo 3D image signal.
US08463018B2
A method of classifying and collecting feature information of an area according to a robot's moving path, a robot controlled by area features, and a method and apparatus for composing a user interface using the area features are disclosed. The robot includes a plurality of sensor modules to collect feature information of a predetermined area along a moving path of the robot, and an analyzer to analyze the collected feature information of the predetermined area according to a predetermined reference range and to classify the collected feature information into a plurality of groups.
US08463017B2
The present invention discloses a method for mapping and controlling the three-dimensional shrinkage and warpage occurring in rotomoulding applications.
US08463011B2
A method for extracting a colonic centerline includes segmenting a colon from a digital image of a patient's abdomen, selecting one extreme point of the colon as a source point, calculating a first distance transform of every point in the colon that is a distance of a point to the source point, and calculating a second distance transform of every point in the colon, that is a shortest distance of a point to a wall point of the colon. A centerline path is generated through the colon using the first and second distance transforms, starting from a point with a greatest distance to the source point as determined by the first distance transform, and adding points to the centerline path by selecting points with a greatest distance to the source point that are farthest from the wall of the colon using the second distance transform.
US08463010B2
A system and method of labeling orthogonal or otherwise spatially related image views and related images is provided. The present invention provides automated progression for the labeling of vertebral and inter-vertebral regions, propagation of labels between views and images within a series, centering of label regions relative to the spine, circular lists of predefined labels, and label displays for individual slices of an orthogonal or axial view as a user scrolls through the plurality of image slices of the given view. In a further aspect, the present invention provides automated labeling of vertebral and inter-vertebral regions when a user provides labels for the adjacent two inter-vertebral or vertebral regions.
US08463003B2
A biometric information acquisition apparatus includes: a light guide that guides a light beam through a plurality of light reflective surfaces; and an image pickup unit that receives the light beam output from the light guide and captures a subject image. The light guide includes an input surface that receives the subject image and is provided at a front surface side; a first light reflective surface that is opposed to the input surface and is provided at a back surface side; and a second light reflective surface that extends in a thickness direction of the light guide. A subject image can be acquired within a desired range by employing the light guide, while suppressing an increase in size of the biometric information acquisition apparatus.
US08462996B2
The present invention is a method and system for measuring human emotional response to visual stimulus, based on the person's facial expressions. Given a detected and tracked human face, it is accurately localized so that the facial features are correctly identified and localized. Face and facial features are localized using the geometrically specialized learning machines. Then the emotion-sensitive features, such as the shapes of the facial features or facial wrinkles, are extracted. The facial muscle actions are estimated using a learning machine trained on the emotion-sensitive features. The instantaneous facial muscle actions are projected to a point in affect space, using the relation between the facial muscle actions and the affective state (arousal, valence, and stance). The series of estimated emotional changes renders a trajectory in affect space, which is further analyzed in relation to the temporal changes in visual stimulus, to determine the response.
US08462993B2
A map information display apparatus for displaying map information on the basis of information on image-capturing times and image-capturing positions that are respectively associated with a plurality of captured images includes a captured image extraction unit configured to extract images captured within a predetermined time period that includes the image-capturing time of a predetermined captured image from among the plurality of captured images; a map area selection unit configured to select an area of a map so as to include the image-capturing positions of the captured images extracted by the captured image extraction unit by using as a reference the image-capturing position of the predetermined captured image; and a map information display unit configured to display map information in such a manner that the area of the map, which is selected by the map area selection unit, is displayed.
US08462991B1
The present invention relates generally to identifying incorrect or fraudulent business listings. More specifically, business listings may be validated by comparing the listing information to information identified from images at or near the location of the business. For example, a plurality of geolocated street level images of various locations may be categorized using computer vision techniques. A particular business listing may include, among other information, a location (address, etc.) as well as a business category. The pre-categorized images are then selected based on the location of the particular business listing. The categories of the selected images are then compared to the category of the particular business listing to validate the business listing.
US08462986B2
A printed medium comprises an encoded image, the encoded image including a value encoded therein, wherein the value is referenced to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment and wherein the value further enables communication through the social networking environment.
US08462978B2
A loudspeaker diaphragm made by preparing a fabric from a hybrid yarn, wherein the hybrid yarn includes a matrix component and a reinforcement component. The matrix component may include a first material selected from a group consisting of a polyamide, a polyphenylene sulfide, and a polyetheretherketone, and the reinforcement component may include a second material selected from a group consisting of carbon and a para-aramid. The fabric may be introduced into a mold and molded to form a loudspeaker diaphragm. The fabric may then be heated to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the polyamide or polyphenylene sulfide or polyetheretherketone, so that the polyamide or polyphenylene sulfide or polyetheretherketone melts.
US08462974B2
The apparatus for transmitting and receiving sound is disclosed, wherein a directional microphone for detecting sound for transmission is applied and a sound output unit for outputting the received sound is arranged at a side of the directional microphone where sensitivity is low, thereby preventing sound coupling for received sound and sound for transmission without recourse to complicated signal processing to attenuate the echo and howling.
US08462970B2
Audio encoding and decoding method and associated audio encoder, audio decoder and computer programs
The invention relates to a method for ordering spectral parameters of ambisonic components to be encoded (A1, . . . , AQ) originating from an audio scene comprising N signals (Sii=1 to N), in which N>1, comprising the following steps: calculation of the respective influence of at least some spectral parameters, taken from a set of spectral parameters to be ordered, on an angle vector defined as a function of energy and velocity vectors associated with Gerzon's criteria and calculated as a function of a reverse ambisonic transformation in relation to said quantified ambisonic components; and allocation of a precedence order to at least one spectral parameter as a function of the influence calculated for said spectral parameter compared to the other calculated influences.
US08462966B2
An apparatus for calculating filter coefficients for a predefined loudspeaker arrangement has a multi-channel renderer. The multi-channel renderer calculates a filter coefficient for each loudspeaker of a virtual loudspeaker arrangement, being different from the predefined loudspeaker arrangement, based on a property (e.g. position or type) of a virtual source of an audio object to be reproduced by the predefined loudspeaker arrangement. Further, the multi-channel renderer determines an adapted filter coefficient for a loudspeaker of the predefined loudspeaker arrangement based on one or more calculated filter coefficients of one or more loudspeakers of the different virtual loudspeaker arrangement.
US08462959B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that manages the acoustic noise produced by a device. During operation, the system receives a set of acoustic characteristics for the device. The system then uses these acoustic characteristics to estimate the acoustic noise being generated by the device. Next, the system uses the estimated acoustic noise to adjust a setting in the device to manage the acoustic noise produced by the device.
US08462957B2
A hearing aid (101) comprises a microphone (121) converting sound into an electrical signal, a processor (105) disposed inside a main body case (102), a first volume adjuster (104) having a variable resistor, and a receiver (123) converting an electrical signal into sound. The processor (105) has an amplifier (135) amplifying an electrical signal from the microphone (121), a second volume adjuster (105b) setting a degree of amplification by the amplifier (135), and a controller (130) controlling the second volume adjuster (105b) and the amplifier (135). The controller (130) detects the resistance value of the variable resistor, determines whether or not the resistance value has exceeded a specific threshold, acquires a specific value for the degree of amplification by the amplifier (135), and sets the degree of amplification by the amplifier (135) to this specific value when the controller determines that the resistance value has exceeded the specific threshold.
US08462954B2
In a method for encrypting content, the content is received in a device and at least a portion of the content is stored to thereby associate the content with one of a first copy control state and a second copy control state. The method includes creating at least one of a first content pre-key using a local storage key unique to the device as a key to encrypt the content ID of the content and a second content pre-key using the first content pre-key as a key to encrypt the first copy control state, creating a content encryption key using one of the first content pre-key as a key to encrypt the first copy control state and the second content pre-key as a key to encrypt the second copy control state, and encrypting the content using the content encryption key.
US08462950B2
A system and method for enabling a user to retrieve, decode, and utilize hidden data embedded in audio signals. An exemplary implementation includes a microphone structured to receive sound waves representative of an audio signal and hidden data embedded in the audio signal. The then microphone converts the received sound waves into an electrical output signal. The system also includes a processor electrically coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the electrical output signal in order to extract the hidden data and provide information represented by the hidden data as an output thereof. A user interface is also provided and is electrically coupled to the processor and configured to receive a first input from the user and activate the processor to selectively initiate extraction of the hidden data. The processor produces as an output the information represented by the hidden data. Finally, the system includes a user presentation mechanism configured to present the information to the user.
US08462942B2
An approach is provided for providing secure packetized voice transmissions. A public/private key pair is generated at a call device (or endpoint). An encrypted voice stream is received from another call device, where the encrypted voice stream was encrypted using a public key of the public/private key pair. This encrypted voice stream when received at the call device is decrypted using a private key of the public/private key pair.
US08462940B2
A public key cryptosystem utilizes a hard lattice with O(n log n) random bits for security. The system comprises a public-key cryptosystem whose hardness assumption is a clearly stated mathematical problem with a long history and comprises a short key, reaching a balance between the favorable properties of the hardness assumption and the key size. This balance has not been achieved by previously known public-key cryptosystems. The improved efficiency of the present system is achieved by reducing the size of the public key from O(n2 log n) to O(n log n). The improved security of the system is achieved by reducing the security to the hardness of a clearly stated computational problem, the dipohantine approximation problem of Dirichlet.
US08462939B2
The RNS-based cryptographic system and method uses a symmetric residue number system (RNS) for encryption and decryption of messages, i.e., the sender and receiver agree upon a set of relatively prime numbers, referred to as the basis, whose product is an integer, and both the RNS and the integer are kept secret. To break the cipher, an attacker must factor the secret integer, which is unknown to the attacker, given only the upper bound of the unknown integer, a problem referred to as blind factorization of the unknown integer, which is a computationally hard problem. The method may be combined with a discrete logarithm problem, and the ciphertext may be padded with random values to hide the upper bound of the unknown integer. When the ciphertext requires multiple blocks, subsets of the basis and/or the random number padding may be used to prevent collision attacks.
US08462933B2
A workforce requirement calculation device 10 accepts at least call volume in a particular period of time, an average handle time for a call by the operator, and a maximum queuing time before abandoning queuing of a call, as input parameters, initializes a number of the operators, calculates a probability of queuing of the call using the Erlang C formula based upon at least the call volume and the number of the operators, calculates a call abandonment rate as a service objective based upon at least the probability of queuing of the call and the input parameters, and calculates the workforce requirement for operators in order to meet a predetermined service objective by recurrently repeating the calculation of the probability of queuing of the call and the calculation of the call abandonment rate, with respect to an increase and a decrease in the number of the operators.
US08462925B2
Methods and systems for mapping user-defined identities in data communication networks. By mapping and translating identities based on a calling party identifier, a called party identifier, and the carrier instance, enhanced communication services are enabled. Enhanced communication services offer virtual private phone numbers, shared group numbers, and interconnection between different voice and messaging services and applications.
US08462924B2
The present invention discloses a method and a device for generating a phone bill, which is applied to a charging system in the communication field, wherein the method comprises a preprocessing process and a process of combining phone bills, wherein in the preprocessing process, the charging system uses multiple threads for preprocessing a plurality of service logs simultaneously, and each service log is preprocessed to generate one or more intermediate phone bills, wherein information in the service log is converted into information required for the intermediate phone bills when performing preprocessing, and a single thread is used for processing in the process of combining phone bills to generate required phone bills one by one, and during each process of generating a phone bill, the charging system collects and combines the intermediate phone bills required for generating present phone bill, accomplishes encoding record serial numbers and file serial numbers, and generates one phone bill. The present invention reduces the processing complexity while guaranteeing the processing capacity of the system.
US08462923B2
A revenue management system for telecommunication systems is disclosed. The revenue management system can have multiple integrated modules. The modules can include a revenue generation module, a revenue capture module, a revenue collection module, a revenue intelligence module, and others. The revenue management system can also be configured to simultaneously manage revenue for prepaid, postpaid, now-paid payment models.
US08462922B2
An architecture for the storage, processing, and display of service desk performance metrics data for a service desk department may include a call management system (CMS), an issue tracking system, a performance metrics (PM) database, a PM database module, a PM display data module, and a PM client module. The PM database module may retrieve call statistics data from the call management system database and issue tracking data from the issue tracking system database, and store the data in the PM database. The PM client module may obtain call statistics data and issue tracking data from the PM database via the PM display data module. The PM client module may display the obtained call statistics data and issue tracking data in one or more user interface elements.
US08462921B2
Systems and methods for generating an efficiency report, which in one embodiment among many, can be broadly summarized by a representative method of obtaining a set of switching statistics from a database of a communication switch and integrating this set of switching statistics with a set of work statistics of an operator to generate an efficiency report. Another embodiment can be described as an efficiency report generator that has logic configured to receive an operator work statistic that has been generated in a first computing element using a first entry code, to translate the first entry code into a second entry code, to use this second entry code to store the operator work statistic together with a call statistic received from a communication switch, in a database of the efficiency report generator, and to process these statistics to generate an efficiency report.
US08462919B2
A system and method for call logging and retrieval includes receiving a call log of a first call made by a user. The call log of the first call may include, for example, the start and end time of the call, and/or the like. The context for the call is provided by the user. A call record is stored for each call of a number of calls made to and from the user. The record for the first call includes the call log of the first call and the context for the first call.
US08462914B2
A method and system for automated incident response that includes receiving a call from a caller about an incident, such as an emergency, obtaining information from the caller about the incident, selecting one or more appropriate screens in sequence via a presentation device based on the information provided from the caller, wherein the sequence of appropriate presentations corresponds to an appropriate response to the emergency, and providing response instructions to the caller or other parties based on information presented, wherein the one or more presentations are stored in an accessible data repository.
US08462909B2
The output of a nuclear reactor is increased by a predetermined magnitude, and the neutron beam is measured as time-series data. The temperature of the moderator in the reactor is acquired as time-series data. Time-series data on the reactivity is acquired from the time-series data on the neutron beam by the reverse dynamic characteristic method with respect to a one-point reactor kinetics equation. Time-series data on the fuel temperature of a predetermined average acquired by using the time-series data on the reactor output and a predetermined dynamic characteristic model is acquired. The reactivity feedback contribution component is determined by using the time-series data on the reactivity and the applied reactivity. The Doppler reactivity coefficient is determined by using the time-series data on the average temperature of the moderator in the reactor, the time-series data on the fuel temperature of the predetermined average, the isothermal temperature reactivity coefficient, and the reactivity feedback contribution component.
