US08491248B2
Provided are apparatuses and methods disclosed for wafer processing. Specific embodiments include dual wafer handling systems that transfer wafers from storage cassettes to processing modules and back and aspects thereof. Stacked independent loadlocks that allow venting and pumping operations to work in parallel and may be optimized for particle reduction are provided. Also provided are annular designs for radial top down flow during loadlock vent and pumpdown.
US08491244B2
A wedge-type anchor assembly, capable of meeting cracked concrete testing standards, comprises an anchor bolt component and a substantially C-shaped expansion sleeve component annularly disposed about the anchor bolt component. A plurality of annular grooves, threads, or teeth are disposed only about the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component, as opposed to throughout the entire axial length thereof, so that when the anchor bolt component is moved axially through the expansion sleeve component, the maximum interference area (M.I.A.) and maximum interference volume (M.I.V.) can be generated between the anchor bolt component and the expansion sleeve component in a controlled and predictable manner, as well as between the expansion sleeve component and the internal peripheral side wall portions of a concrete substrate or substructure can be generated so as to enhance pull-out resistance and reliability of the anchor assembly within the concrete substructure or substrate. The expansion sleeve component may be plated with a tin-zinc (Sn—Zn) composition, and the rear end portion of the expansion sleeve component may have a larger diametrical extent than the forward end portion of the expansion sleeve component so as to enhance pull-out resistance.
US08491238B2
A restraint device for securing approximately cylindrical objects to an apertured surface is presented. The restraint device generally includes a base, a support, an abutment and an activation system. The restraint device may further include a lateral restraint and a cover. The base, along with the activation system, secures the restraint device to an apertured surface. The abutment, which is placed adjacent the outer edge of the object, acts as a barrier to the object, thus reducing or preventing movement of the object in the direction of the restraint device. The abutment and the support may be moved relative to the base by the activation system. To engage and disengage the restraint device from an apertured surface and the generally cylindrical object, the activation system may include a rotational device such as a lever.
US08491234B2
A double-sided cutting insert with a plurality of indexable convex cutting edges can have a top face and a bottom face, at least three convex cutting edges on each face connected by at least three nose corners, at least three peripheral side surfaces extending from each face toward a virtual middle plane; and a common lateral seating surface on each peripheral side surface. Each convex cutting edge can have at least a curved cutting edge region, and can further have a primary substantially straight cutting edge region intermediate the curved cutting edge region and the nose corner. Each peripheral side surface can further have a primary planar facet associated with the primary substantially straight cutting edge, and each face may also be single-handed in same direction. Additionally, in various embodiments, the top and bottom faces of the cutting insert may be formed such that they are twisted or rotated with respect to each other. Further, additional cutting edges, edge regions, and/or surfaces may be included in a cutting insert in various embodiments. In such embodiments, the cutting insert or inserts may provide a powerful ramping function during milling operations.
US08491228B2
An apparatus and a method for controlling the velocity of a particulate material conveyed by a gas flow under negative pressure in a duct said device comprising means for separating the flow into first and second streams. The first stream has a relatively high particulate material content and the second stream has a relatively low particulate material content. The flow of the second stream is restricted for example by a flow restricting or constricting orifice or valve. The duct diameter may increase incrementally along its length.
US08491227B2
A pump for particulate material includes a pump chamber wherein material flows into the pump chamber under negative pressure and flows out of the pump chamber under positive pressure. A plurality of pinch valves are provided to control flow of material into and out of the pump chamber. The pinch valves are operated independent of each other and of the pump cycle rate. A modular design of the pump is provided. A pump control feature is provided for air flow rate control during positive and negative pressure conditions.
US08491226B2
Process and a device (2) for the pneumatic conveyance of powdered material (4), in which a cylindrical chamber (10, 12), which can be connected with a reservoir (6) by a sealable inlet (14, 16) and with a delivery line (28) by a sealable outlet (18, 20), is alternately filled with material from the reservoir (6) and emptied of this material by applying a negative pressure to the chamber with its outlet (18, 20) closed and its inlet (14, 16) open through a bordering wall formed by a gas-permeable filter element (50) to draw material into the chamber (10, 12) from the reservoir (6), and by then admitting a gas under pressure into the chamber (10, 12) with its inlet (14, 16) closed and its outlet (18, 20) open to force the material previously drawn into the chamber (10, 12) out of the chamber and into the delivery line (28).
US08491221B1
A screed extension is selectively connected to opposing sides of a paving screed used to lay a blacktop over large surfaces to create a wedge notch joint for merging with an adjacent swath of blacktop. The screed extension includes a positionable base plate that can be oriented at a selective depth relative to the screed. The base plate is connected to linear actuators through a gear box corresponding to opposing sides of the base plate to position the corresponding side of the base plate at a selected height to orient the base plate in a sloped configuration to form the wedge notch joint along a side of a course of blacktop. The base plate supports a vibration unit providing compaction to the wedge notch joint as the course of blacktop is being deposited, thus providing a dense joint between adjacent swaths of a course of blacktop.
US08491219B2
A road marking has multiple depressions introduced into the road surface, the depressions comprising two lateral longitudinal walls, extending in the longitudinal direction of the road, that transition, proceeding from the road surface, continuously into a bottom region; and the depression being delimited by two transverse walls extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the road. The road markings have improved utilization properties if provision is made that the longitudinal walls comprise a region convexly curved transversely to the longitudinal direction of the road. The invention further relates to a cutting unit for producing such road markings.
US08491212B2
A multifunctional multi-compartment applicator for the stable storage of solid ascorbic acid and topical application of ascorbic acid in solution to the skin, the applicator having an absorbent end and an abrasive end.
US08491211B2
A device for storing and applying a dental substance, with a container from which the substance can be removed through a first opening in a first direction with the aid of an applicator, and with a substance supply which can be introduced into the container through a second opening in the wall of the container and which is sealed off against this opening by a breakable foil, is characterized in that the second opening is arranged transversely with respect to the first direction and that the foil is applied over the opening in such a manner that it closes same.
US08491205B2
A camera stabilizing device is disclosed. The device consists of an essentially triangular stabilization platform to which the camera is attached, an inverted tripod created by straps attached to the three ends of the stabilization platform and connected to a connecting plate locate below the stabilization platform, a connecting lanyard connected to the connecting plate on one end and to a foot strap on the other end which the photographer can wear on a foot and in a shoe. When the photographer attaches the camera to the platform and lifts it to take a photograph, the lanyard creates tension on the straps, which minimizes movement and stabilizes the camera. The camera can be attached to the stabilization platform by means of a standard thumb screw, or by means of a mounting plate that can be mounted on the platform in either the horizontal or vertical camera orientation.
US08491202B2
A mirror retention structure to reduce rebounding of a sub-mirror and to prevent shifting of the mirror-down position. The mirror retention structure includes, a main mirror retention frame that retains a main mirror, a sub-mirror retention frame that retains a sub-mirror and is axially supported at the main mirror retention frame, and a receiving pin that abuts against the sub-mirror retention frame and sets an angle of the sub-mirror at a mirror-down position, wherein the sub-mirror retention frame is provided with a first abutting portion that touches against the receiving pin at the mirror-down position, and a second abutting portion, at a different position from the first abutting portion, that touches against the receiving pin at a position prior to the mirror-down position in a transition from a mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.
US08491200B2
An optical connector defining a receiving space for receiving a corresponding plug includes an insulative housing, an optical module mounted to the insulative housing, and a protecting mechanism assembled into the receiving space. The insulative housing has a front surface at a rear side of the receiving space. The optical module has a light receiving element located behind the front surface and forwardly exposed to the receiving space. The protecting mechanism has a door lying in a vertical plane in front of the front surface to shield the light receiving element along an insertion direction when the plug is not inserted into the receiving space, and moving downwardly out of the receiving space to unveil said light receiving element in said insertion direction when the plug is inserted into the receiving space.
US08491199B1
A fiber optic socket contact includes a socket contact body and a capped sleeve containing a spring and a retention clip that engages a socket contact body. A fiber optic pin contact includes a pin contact body. One optical fiber is gripped by the socket contact body and another optical fiber is gripped by the pin contact body. When connector housings holding the fiber optic socket contact and the fiber optic pin contact are connected together, the fiber optic pin contact enters the capped sleeve which aligns the fiber optic pin contact with the fiber optic socket contact. The spring applies a force to keep the optical fibers pressed together. In preferred arrangements the fiber optic socket contact and the fiber optic pin contact have outer dimensions that substantially match outer dimensions specified for electrical socket and pin contacts.
US08491196B2
A journal bearing assembly includes a journal shaft configured to be mounted in a pulverizer. The journal shaft has a lower bearing receiving surface proximate a lower end thereof, and an upper bearing receiving surface spaced apart from the lower bearing receiving surface axially. A lower journal bearing is mounted on the lower bearing receiving surface of the journal shaft. An upper journal bearing is mounted on the upper bearing receiving surface of the journal shaft. An upper journal housing is mounted on the upper journal bearing for rotational movement relative to the journal shaft. A lower journal housing is mounted on the lower journal bearing for rotational movement relative to the journal shaft. The lower journal housing is mounted to the upper journal housing for common rotation about the journal shaft. The journal bearing assembly has a loading point defined between the upper and lower journal bearings.
US08491194B2
In some embodiments, a bearing includes a substrate having a first portion and a second portion thicker than the first portion, the second portion having a curved outer contour. The bearing can further include a first layer on the outer contour of the substrate and/or a second layer on an inner contour of the substrate. The first layer can include a thermally conductive material, and the second layer can include a lubricious material.
US08491191B2
A pouch has a connection structure that includes a female connector and a male connector. The male connector of the pouch is configured to snap-fit with another female connector that has the same configuration as the female connector, and the female connector is configured to receive by snap-fit another male connector that has the same configuration as the male connector. A system of pouches can be provided by connecting the male and female connectors of a plurality of pouches. The connectors are also configured to allow the connected pouches to pivot relative to each other such that the pouches can be displayed in a fan-like arrangement, and accessories can be provided though passages in the connectors.
US08491185B2
A method for checking the quality of thermal coupling between a measuring cell and a thermostatted element of an analyzer, where the measuring cell can be exchangeably inserted into an analyzer to measure at least one parameter of a sample, and is provided with at least one sensor element in a measuring channel.
US08491175B2
A light guide plate includes an incident surface, an emergent surface substantially perpendicular to the incident surface, a bottom surface opposite to the emergent surface, and a number of micro-dots positioned on the bottom surface. The micro-dots have similar shape and size. A density of the micro-dots gradually increases from a near-end to a far-end of the incident surface.
US08491172B2
The present invention provides a planar light guide film for a backlight unit having at least one point light source, the light guide film comprising a light input surface for receiving light from the point light source, a light redirecting surface for redirecting light received from the light input surface and a light output surface for outputting at least the light redirected from the light redirecting surface. The light input surface further comprises a composite lens structure having a circular tip segment with a first contact angle, and a first and second elliptical base segments with a second contact angle, the second contact angle being less than the first contact angle and the second contact angle being equal to each other andwherein the circular tip segment satisfies the following equation: y1=a1+√{square root over ((r12−x2))} and the elliptical base segments satisfies the following equations: y4=d4+b4×√{square root over ((1−((x+c4)/a4)2)} y5=d5+b5×√{square root over ((1−((x−c5)/a5)2)}.
US08491168B2
A clip for quickly hanging strings of decorative lights with magnetic base lamp sockets on a home or building. The clip has a ferrous metal base with a hole in the center and a plurality of spaced-apart retaining tabs around the perimeter of the base extending a predetermined distance away from the base. Each of the plurality of spaced-apart retaining tabs has a groove on each side of the tabs to reduce weight. The clip is attached to wood with a screw or a nail or attached to metal or glass with a glue, epoxy or double sided adhesive tape.
US08491167B2
An illumination device includes: a main body supported by a support member; an upper cover portion for covering an upper portion of the main body; and an LED light emitting part and a power supply unit, both of which are fixed to a lower side of the upper cover portion. The upper cover portion has a plurality of radiation fins provided on a top portion thereof and a plurality of grooves defined between the adjacent radiation fins, the grooves being inclined downward toward a peripheral edge of the upper cover portion.
US08491164B2
A light emitting device, method and lens, the device comprising an LED emitting a beam of light and a transparent light conditioning lens concentric with the beam of light and through which the beam of light travels. The lens comprises a light concentrating part and a light diffusing part. The concentrating part concentrates a first portion of the light to form a first beam of light having a narrow angle of dispersion, preferably of less than about 10 degrees and the light diffusing part diffuses a second portion of the light to form a second beam of light concentric with the first beam and having a wide angle of dispersion greater than the narrow angle of dispersion, preferably greater than about 70 degrees. An intensity of the first beam is greater than an intensity of the second beam.
US08491154B2
The invention provides an illumination system comprising a light-emitting device which excites a first luminescent element, which forms part of the light-emitting device. The light emitted from the first luminescent element and/or the light emitted by the light-emitting device excite a second luminescent element, physically separated from the light-emitting device. By employing two luminescent elements, the first element in the light-emitting device, and the second element physically separated from the light-emitting device, such as on a cover plate, the conversion of light produced by the light-emitting device is performed at both a “local” and a “remote” location, respectively, and the amount of luminescent material required at the remote location may be reduced compared to the situation of the prior art where the light conversion was only performed at a remote location.
US08491153B2
A method of generating light involves energizing one or more first light emitting elements thereby generating primary illumination of a first wavelength range over a target area, and energizing one or more second light emitting elements thereby generating secondary illumination of a second wavelength range toward the target area during a critical period. Both the primary illumination and the secondary illumination are combined within at least a portion of the target area thereby enhancing at least one visual property within the at least a portion of the target area.
US08491152B2
The present invention provides a lighting device having a battery housing to hold a battery, a light housing having a light source and a lens assembly into which said light source will emit light when activated, said battery and said light source being in circuit with a switch to open and close said circuit, said light housing being moveable relative to said battery housing to motivate said switch to open and/or close said circuit.
US08491147B1
A method of presenting a lighted decorative star as a holiday decoration is accomplished by forming holes in a plurality of rigid strips of a defined length and then arranging the rigid strips in a star pattern of substantially equal arced radials such that a first end of each rigid strip is proximate to a common center and a second end is radially distant from the common center. A light string having a plurality of interconnected decorative lights is placed proximate to one side of the star pattern. An empty light socket of one of the a decorative lights is placed at each hole and a decorative light bulb is affixed in each light socket such that the portion of the rigid strip defining the hole through which the decorative light bulb is inserted is held captive between the respective light socket and decorative light bulb.
US08491123B2
A method and an apparatus are presented for determining ocular motor function in a patient. The patient is instructed to wear a pair of test glasses comprising a first lens having a first color and a second lens having a second color, where the first color and the second color differ. (N) light-emitting devices disposed in a screen are then activated in seriatim, where the (N) light-emitting devices can emit a light comprising the first color and where (N) is greater than 1. (N) images of the screen are synchronously captured upon receiving a signal from the patient indicating an activated light-emitting device is illuminated by a light comprising the second color. Finally, the (N) images are transformed into an ocular motor functioning map.
US08491114B2
An inkjet ink composition includes a water-soluble alkali-metal silicate salt, urea, a colorant and water. An ink set includes the inkjet ink composition, and a treatment liquid capable of forming an aggregate when contacting the inkjet ink composition. An inkjet image forming method includes an ink ejection process of ejecting the inkjet ink composition from an inkjet head equipped with a silicone nozzle plate onto a recording medium, to form an image.
US08491110B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head that reciprocates, a liquid supplying flow channel supplies a ink to the liquid ejection head, a non-return valve in the liquid supplying flow channel that opens when ink flows from an upstream region to a downstream region where the liquid ejection head is located and closes when ink flows from the downstream region to the upstream region, a volume changing unit that changes a volume of an inner space, and a stirring unit that stirs ink stored therein in accordance with the volume change of the volume changing unit, the stirring unit being disposed separately from the volume changing unit and they are disposed in the liquid supplying flow channel between the non-return valve and the liquid ejection head.
US08491101B2
A piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which contains lead, zirconium, and titanium, and which is formed above the first electrode, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer. A groove which exists between grains in the second electrode side surface of the piezoelectric layer, satisfies 0≦d/ρ≦0.900 (where d: depth of groove, w: width of groove, ρ: radius of curvature (d2+w2/4)/2d).
US08491092B2
A rotary inkjet imaging apparatus includes a curved print zone having a longitudinal axis and in which a page of media is held in a curved configuration at a stationary position, a carrier movable bi-directionally along a linear path defined adjacent to the curved print zone and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, and at least one inkjet printhead supported by the carrier for undergoing movement within the curved print zone along a curved path winding about a central axis extending parallel to the guide path and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the curved print zone such that the inkjet printhead moves about the central axis multiple revolutions and prints on the page concurrently as the carrier unidirectionally moves along the linear path and the printhead moves within the curved print zone and through portions of the curved path in which the printhead faces toward the page.
US08491086B2
Hard imaging devices and methods are described. According to one arrangement, a hard imaging device includes a media transport system configured to move media along a media path and a print device adjacent to the media path and configured to eject a plurality of droplets of a liquid marking agent in a direction towards the media moving along the media path to form hard images using the media. The ejection of the droplets of the liquid marking agent by the print device creates satellites of the liquid marking agent suspended in air in a region adjacent to the print device and the media. The device also includes a satellite removal system in one arrangement to remove the satellites from the air in the region adjacent to the print device and the media.
US08491079B2
A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head having a nozzle, wherein the liquid ejection head can eject a liquid from the nozzle and is movable in a predetermined direction; a first controller that controls, based on input data, liquid ejection of the liquid ejection head from the nozzle and movement of the liquid ejection head in the predetermined direction to apply the liquid onto an ejection area of a medium; a second controller that controls a flushing operation by moving the liquid ejection head to a flushing area outside the ejection area in the predetermined direction and ejecting the liquid from the nozzle of the liquid ejection head to the flushing area; a third controller that controls a minute vibration operation by vibrating the liquid in the nozzle to such an extent as not to eject the liquid from the nozzle; and a fourth controller that obtains information regarding the ejection area in the predetermined direction and that selectively controls the second controller and the third controller based on the obtained information to execute one of the flushing operation and the minute vibration operation.
US08491075B2
A printer receives print jobs and identifies at least one parameter associated with a print job to select a pressure level for at least one ink reservoir and at least one firing signal waveform for operating a printhead in the printer. The selected pressure and waveform enable optimal image quality for existing conditions identified from the print jobs performed by the printer.
US08491064B2
A method for braking a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle includes a circuit adapted for transmitting a brake signal from an operator controlled braking element to brake devices arranged at a plurality of the vehicle's ground engaging elements via a brake fluid. The method includes detecting a fluid pressure in the circuit, using the detected fluid pressure level as an input for determining a brake power for at least one auxiliary brake in the vehicle, and controlling the auxiliary brake responsively.
US08491049B2
A frontal structure of a vehicle includes: a dashboard lower section comprising a longitudinal wall, a tilted wall, and a horizontal wall connected together; a floor frame provided below the tilted wall; a bead formed along the floor frame, wherein the longitudinal wall intersects with the bead at an upper side of the bead; the horizontal wall intersects with the bead at a lower side of the bead; and a ridge line or a plurality of ridge lines of the bead overlap with the floor frame in an upper-lower direction.
US08491047B1
An outer pillar panel is fixed to an inner pillar panel defining a vehicle pillar with a closed box cross section. A vertically extending cavity is defined between the inner and outer pillar panels. The outer pillar panel includes a first contact portion within the cavity. The roof side rail is rigidly fixed to the upper ends of the inner pillar panel and the outer pillar panel. The brace is fixed to the inner pillar panel within the cavity. The brace includes a second contact portion facing the first contact portion but is spaced apart therefrom by a predetermined gap with the inner and outer pillar panels in an undeformed state. The first contact portion contacts the second contact portion when an external force above a prescribed amount is applied to the vehicle body structure.
US08491046B2
A center pillar section formed of a high-tensile steel plate is fixed to a side panel frame section including a roof rail section formed of an ordinary-tensile steel plate. A reinforcing member formed of a high-tensile steel plate is provided inside the roof rail section, and the center pillar section is fixed at its upper end portion to the outer surface of the reinforcing member and at its lower end portion to the side sill section. A door beam provided within a front door overlaps the center pillar section and lower portion of a front pillar section. Front and rear end portions of the door beam are opposed to respective increased-width portions of the front pillar section and center pillar section.
US08491041B2
A vehicle with a cabin comprises a vehicle body supported by a plurality of wheels; a cabin bracket supported by the vehicle body; an elastic member for supporting the cabin, disposed between the cabin and the cabin bracket; and a weight member attached to a plate-shaped member of the cabin.
US08491040B2
A passenger car with a transverse element that is associated with a vehicle seat and that has a non-deformable center region and deformable outer regions, is supported on respective ends thereof on associated body regions in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The transverse element is supported on respective ends thereof on associated side skirts. The vehicle seat is arranged in a vehicle center and is movable along with the center region following a crash-induced length reduction of an outer region facing a side impact force which causes a length reduction of the outer region facing away from the side impact force.
US08491038B2
An automobile including a front cross-member, an attachment element arranged at the rear of the cross-member, a bonnet that closes off an engine compartment and including one free edge, and a front bumper mounted in front of the front cross-member and including a central portion that extends as far as the bonnet and includes a tab for attaching to the attachment element. The attachment tab includes a frangible area, located to the front of the attachment area and capable of breaking, and the frangible area is arranged next to an empty space formed in the compartment, with a view to having the central portion of the bumper bend into the empty space when the frangible area breaks.
US08491031B1
A partial cover and tailgate seal is added to the bed of a truck or trailer to prevent a slurry-type load from overflowing the tailgate of the bed when traversing steep terrain and to help seal the interface between the tailgate and the bed.
US08491030B2
A combination trailer is provided that includes a rear self-discharge trailer having a bottom surface, a front portion, a back portion, and two opposing side panels. The side panels of the combination trailer have a height that is less than the height of the front portion. An enclosure system is also included in the combination trailer and selectively covers an open top of the rear self-discharge trailer. One or more one locking pin assemblies are also included in the combination trailer and are attached to at least one of the side panels of the rear self-discharge trailer such that the locking pin assemblies can be used to secure the enclosure system in a desired position.
US08491027B2
The invention provides a removable device for securing and handling tarpaulins and other flexible sheet materials. The device can be attached to the tarpaulin anywhere along its edge but it is most conveniently employed at one or more available grommets. The device includes a base member a closure member and a hinge positioned there between to move the closure member from open to closed positions to secure the device to the tarpaulin. The base member includes a integral handle region for ease of carrying and securing the contents of the tarpaulin.
US08491025B2
A method for operating an electric crane, comprises the steps of activating a magnet controller to cause a current to flow through a magnet for creating a magnetic field about the magnet for securing a load to the magnet, receiving a feedback input value at a logic controller from a device associated with the electric crane, in response to the received feedback input value at the logic controller, receiving a command value at the magnet controller from the logic controller, and in response to the received command value at the magnet controller, modifying the current flow from the magnet controller to the magnet to change the magnetic field about the magnet. A system is also disclosed.
US08491024B2
A dual grip handled shovel for clearing a surface is disclosed. The shovel comprises a grip handle having a front grip attached to a rear grip by way of a central portion. A tool handle includes a front truss pair attached to a first end of the central portion and a rear truss pair attached to a second end of the central portion. A tool head includes a leading edge and a lagging edge which is operatively attached to the front truss pair and rear truss pair. The central portion, the tool handle and the lagging edge of the tool head are attached in a way to form a tetrahedron which distributes the load evenly to provide an ease of use to a user. The front truss pair and the rear truss pair distribute the load evenly between the grip handle and the tool head thereby balancing the load dynamically.
US08491018B2
Systems and methods are provided for tying material into a bow around an object. The system includes a tying assembly for tying the material around the object into the bow and a jig assembly moveable relative to the tying assembly for positioning the material relative to the tying assembly. The tying assembly includes a first loop gripper and a second loop gripper configured to grip respective first and second portions of the material. The first loop gripper is configured to pull the first portion of the material through the second portion of the material. The second loop gripper is configured to pull the second portion of the material through the first portion of the material. A first tail gripper and a second tail gripper are provided to grip respective first and second ends of the material. The jig assembly includes a first jig half and a second jig half that are each rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the first jig half and the second jig half. The jig assembly also includes a trolley assembly for moving said first jig half and said second jig half with respect to said tying assembly.
US08491010B2
A trailer frame including an axle section having two spaced longitudinal frame members connected by at least one cross member, the longitudinal frame members each having a first end and a second end; a rear section attachable to the axle section; and a dimple assemble joining the axle section to the rear section, the dimple assembly including a dimple pattern formed on each frame member of the axle assembly, the dimple pattern on the axle assembly defining a first dimple axis, and a dimple pattern formed on one end of the rear section and nestable within the dimple pattern formed on the axle section, the dimple pattern on the rear section defining a second dimple axis offset relative to the first dimple axis to create a camber between the axle section and the rear section when the first dimple is nested within the second dimple pattern.
US08491007B2
An airbag assembly has an airbag, a gas emitting inflator, and an airbag thickness limiting structure. The airbag thickness limiting structure limits a first body region engaging portion to having a lateral thickness within a first lateral thickness range when the gas emitting inflator delivers a first amount of inflation gas into the interior space of the airbag and allows the first body region engaging portion of the airbag to have a lateral thickness within a second lateral thickness range when the gas emitting inflator delivers a second amount of inflation gas greater than the first amount into the interior space of the airbag. A second body region engaging portion has a substantially fixed maximum attainable lateral thickness. Maximum attainable lateral thickness of the first body region engaging portion of the airbag can be dependent upon whether or not inflation of the airbag is implemented using pre-crash sensing technology.
US08491005B2
An inflator for producing inflation gas from a propellant has a housing for storing the propellant, a diffuser for attachment to the inflator housing and a sealing member. The diffuser has one or more open passages for passing inflation gas upon ignition of the propellant and a plurality of sealed passages oriented opposite to the one or more open passages. The sealing member covers the sealed passages. The sealing member is consumed when exposed to an open flame thereby opening the sealed passages to vent inflation gases opposite the opposed one or more open passages to create a thrust neutral exhaust upon an inadvertent ignition of the propellant due to exposure to fire.
US08491004B2
An airbag system for a vehicle includes an airbag having a vent and a vent cover configured to close the vent, an actuator, and a tether. The tether is connected between the actuator and the airbag. The vent cover is positioned outside the airbag and between the tether and the airbag. During inflation of the airbag but prior to activation of the actuator, the tether is in tension so as to apply a normal force against the vent cover to maintain the vent in a closed state. The actuator is configured to be activated to reduce or release tension in the tether to reduce the normal force applied by the tether to the vent cover and allow inflation gas to move the vent cover to place the vent in an open state.
US08490997B2
A supporter fastening to a hub axle of bicycle for supporting a fender or light is disclosed. The supporter includes a mount, two clipping pieces, a bolt and a connecting rod. The mount has a fixing hole for being penetrated by the hub axle and a first long hole for being penetrated by a screw to fasten to a rear fork end of the bicycle. The two clipping pieces are separately located on two opposite sides of the mount. The bolt is formed with a ring and a threaded rod. The bolt penetrates through the clipping pieces and the mount to fasten. One end of the connecting rod penetrates through and is fastened in the ring. The connecting rod is capable of being rotated at a desired angle by axially rotating the bolt.
US08490994B2
A wheelchair frame includes left and right first frame members, each having a first leg for supporting a seat. The first legs are arranged on opposite sides of a central axis of the wheelchair. At least one cross-brace is connected, by the ends, to the first legs of the left and right frame members. The cross-brace has a non-circular cross-section along a section between the ends. The wheelchair frame includes left and right second frame members that are pivotally connected to the left and right first frame members. The second frame members are foldable and may be fixed in a position in that is generally parallel to the first legs of the left and right first frame members. A cross-brace is connected, by the ends, to the left and right second frame members. The cross-brace has a non-circular cross-section along a section between the ends.
US08490993B2
A self-tracking cart is provided and includes a body defining an enclosure into and from which a secondary cart is receivable and removable, selectively rotatable first and second hitch assemblies, first and second motive elements, first and second steering assemblies to turn the first and second motive elements in opposite directions responsive to rotations of the first and second hitch assemblies and a linkage, which is coupled to the first and second hitch assemblies to cause the first and second hitch assemblies to rotate jointly in opposing directions, the linkage being disposed for non-interference with the secondary cart during reception and removal thereof into and from the enclosure.
US08490974B2
A three-dimensional puzzle or puzzle or display platform being substantially spherical and having a substantially tessellated surface defined by substantially square form areas (first playing piece) and substantially triangular form areas (second playing piece), and having at least two parallel planes of demarcation on each of the three Cartesian axes that define the areas of the surface, and wherein the chord length of both form areas and the triangular form areas are substantially similar. The puzzle or game platform may be in conjunction with a levitator.
US08490972B1
An automatic card shuffler includes a card input unit, card ejection unit, card separation and delivery unit and card collection unit. A card ejection unit ejects cards in a singular fashion from a stack of cards placed into the input unit. The cards are ejected to a stop arm maintaining the entrance to the card separation unit. Upon processor command, the stop aim raises to allow a plurality of cards to pass under to the card separation and delivery unit. A series of rotating belts and rollers act to separate the cards and propel them individually to the collection unit. A floating gate slightly forward of the stop arm dictates that a minimum number of cards are managed simultaneously. The shuffler is controlled by a processing unit in communication with multiple internal sensors, including a solenoid wear sensor.
US08490971B2
A wireless die (2) comprises an orientation detector (4) for determining an orientation of the die (2) and a transmitter (5) connected to the orientation detector (4) for transmitting die (2) orientation data to the receiver (3). The orientation detector (4) comprises at least two electromechanical detectors (6), the electromechanical detectors (6) being arranged for generating electrical power for the orientation detector (4) and transmitter (5), and for supplying gravity based orientation data.
US08490961B2
A co-mailing system uses an insert machine to merge different mail streams into one stream in the sequence of a master mail list. By using an insert machine with vertically oriented pockets traveling on a moving conveyor, the speed of merging the mail streams is high and efficiency is obtained.
US08490955B2
An apparatus may comprise a permanent magnet unit, an end effector, and an electromagnetic clamping device. The end effector may be capable of performing workpiece operations. The electromagnetic clamping device may have an activated state and a deactivated state.
US08490954B2
To form a relief valve for preventing the generation of the cavitation phenomenon into a simple and accurately operable structure, there are provided a central thin wall portion and a fixing portion in an elastic diaphragm provided in the partition member to have the fixing portion fixed in position. A relief valve is integrally formed with an outer peripheral portion of the fixing portion. The relief valve is provided with an inclined surface formed on the side of a secondary liquid chamber and a recessed portion opened on the side of a primary liquid chamber and has a difference in rigidity in the circumferential direction. When the primary liquid chamber turns negative pressure, a hydraulic liquid in the secondary liquid chamber opens the relief valve and leaks to the primary liquid chamber so as to prevent the generation of the cavitation phenomenon.
US08490947B2
A presettable gas valve is disclosed herein. The gas valve may have a maximum gas flow that can be adjusted to the particular requirements of the fireplace in which the gas valve is used. By way of example and not limitation, for real biomass/fuel burning fireplaces, the gas valve may be opened to its maximum level with a quarter turn of a handle. In contrast, for fake fireplaces, which require more gas flow compared to real fireplaces, the gas valve may be opened to its maximum level with a half turn of the handle. The maximum gas flow through the gas valve may be set during installation such that the user does not need to manually determine the appropriate amount of gas during use.
US08490946B2
A stemless ball valve comprising a first flange, second flange, ball, inner magnetic cartridge, outer magnetic cartridge, and planetary gear assembly. The inner magnetic cartridge is situated inside of the outer magnetic cartridge, and the inner and outer magnetic cartridges actuate the valve. The planetary gear assembly is situated between the inner magnetic cartridge and the ball. The planetary gear assembly comprises one or more planetary gear phases, each planetary gear phase comprising a step-down gear. Each planetary gear phase comprises one or more planetary gears that engage with the inner teeth of the outer ring of the planetary gear assembly and with a step-down gear.
US08490936B2
The present invention provides a decorative light hanging system for presenting a lighted outline of a building structure, and includes a decorative lighting strand, a plurality of releasable magnetic alignment holder pairs each pair comprising oppositely charged magnetic disks including a first disk attached to the building structure and a second disk with a conduit mount attached thereon for receiving the decorative lighting strand therein, and a hanger for positioning and aligning the second disks upon the corresponding first disks.
US08490934B2
A self-balanced adjustable mounting system for a flat panel display. When a flat panel display is attached to the mounting system, the display is adapted to revolve about a substantially horizontal axis extending proximate a center of gravity of the display. The system may be self-balancing at a plurality of locations about the axis.
US08490933B2
The present invention relates to adjustable mounts, and in particular to an adjustable mount that can be selectively locked in position by way of a position locking mechanism. The mount assembly generally comprises a base coupleable to a structure, a tilt plate coupleable to the device and pivotally connected to the base, and a position locking mechanism. The position locking mechanism generally comprises a linkage member extending between the base and the tilt plate, and a lock that is selectively adjustable between an unlocked state in which the linkage member is free to move relative the base thereby allowing the tilt plate to pivot about the base, and a locked state in which the linkage member is retained in position by the lock relative the base thereby preventing the tilt plate from pivoting about the base.
US08490932B2
A mounting apparatus for a disk drive includes a mounting bracket, a securing element, and an elastic element. The mounting bracket is configured to receive a disk drive. The securing element is slidably mounted to the mounting bracket. The securing element is configured to move between a first position and a second position. Wherein the securing element engages the disk drive in the first position to prevent the disk drive from moving along a first direction. The securing element is disengaged the disk drive in the second position. The elastic element biases the mounting bracket away from the securing element to prevent the securing element from disengaging the disk drive when the securing element is in the first position.
US08490929B2
A universal beam clamp connector accommodates either a fixed attachment or a swivel attachment of a threaded rod to a support beam clamp. The beam clamp connector includes a connector portion and a threaded rod extender. A threaded rod extender has a cylindrical shape and an exterior surface with threading thereon. The connector portion includes a topside, a tool engaging portion and a central body extending therebetween. The threaded rod extender protrudes from the top side and the tool engaging portion protrudes from the central body. The central body includes an opening therethrough. The opening is defined by a top inner surface, a bottom inner surface and two opposing side inner surfaces. A nut is used to secure a threaded rod of a device to the beam clamp connector.
US08490920B2
Aircraft fuselage structures have fuselage bulkheads in which the bulkhead outer caps are integrated with the skin, thereby reducing fastener count and weight. These outer caps and skin are preferably co-cured to form a strong structure. The outer caps can be advantageously constructed as continuous hoops of pultruded elements. The outer cap need not be interrupted by contours or cutouts for stringers, saving weight and reducing complexity. It is contemplated that by integrating the bulkhead outer caps into the skin, a bulkhead can still maintain equivalent stiffness and strength, while saving a significant number of rivets as compared to a comparable design without the outer cap.
US08490917B2
A high-altitude aircraft powerplant including an engine, a two-stage turbocharger having an intercooler and an aftercooler, a cryogenic hydrogen fuel source, and a cooling system including a hydrogen heat exchanger. Aided by a ram-air cooler that cools a coolant to a near-ambient temperature, the heat exchanger is configured to heat the hydrogen using the coolant, and to cool the coolant to a temperature well below the ambient temperature during high-altitude flight. The intercooler and aftercooler use the sub-ambient temperature coolant, as does a separate sensor. The ram-air cooler includes a front portion and a rear portion. The cooling system includes three cooling loops which respectively incorporate only the front portion, only the rear portion, and both portions of the ram-air cooler.
US08490916B2
The present invention broadly comprises an aircraft motion control auxiliary power unit suspension system device, the aircraft motion control auxiliary power unit suspension system device comprising a first motion control nonelastomeric member and a second motion control nonelastomeric member, a first motion control elastomer member disposed to operatively interconnect the first motion control nonelastomeric member and the second motion control nonelastomeric member. The first motion control elastomer member includes an exterior surface coating formed from an elastomeric polymer dissolved in an organic solvent and the elastomeric polymer dissolved in the solvent is applied to an exterior surface of the first motion control elastomer member, the solvent evaporates, and the elastomeric polymer crosslinks.
US08490915B2
The present invention is a ram air rigid structure glider, which uses both ram air inflation and a rigid structure in order to produce the necessary aerodynamic lift to glide through the air. The frame uses two main structural beams, the spar and the keel, to form the general shape of the wings and the tail. The hubs and the network of lines expand the structure laid out by the spur and the keel. The hubs are evenly placed along the spur, and the network of lines are connected and crisscrossed in between the hubs. The sail is a piece fabric wrapped around the frame and has a plurality of cells, which are evenly spaces throughout the sail. The plurality of cells allows the sails to be inflated by ram air pressure. The pilot pod carries the user in the supine position and is attached to the frame.
US08490913B2
A retention mechanism (40) for a dispenser for retaining an end plug (10) of an exchangeable roll of material includes an insertion slot extending between a receiving end (54) and a seating region (50) for inserting a bearing pin (22) of the end plug. The bearing pin has at least a first portion (26) with a first diameter, and a second portion (28) with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. A pin discriminator (46) is at least at the receiving end and narrows the receiving end so only bearing pins can enter the receiving slot which have a maximum outer diameter in the second portion which equals the second diameter. A rejecting slot (48) extends from the seating region and is dimensioned so only bearing pins with a predetermined maximum diameter in the first portion which is smaller than the first diameter will enter the rejecting slot.
US08490900B2
An unbonded loosefill insulation system configured to provide blown loosefill insulation material is provided. The system includes a blowing insulation machine configured to condition and distribute loosefill insulation from a package of compressed loosefill insulation. The blowing insulation machine is further configured to have pre-set and fixed operating parameters. An unbonded loosefill insulation material is configured for use with the blowing insulation machine. The pre-set and fixed operating parameters of the blowing insulation machine are tuned to combine with the unbonded loosefill insulation materials to provide blown loosefill insulation material having specific insulative values.
US08490899B2
A track assembly for a mobile tower of an irrigation system includes: a mounting bracket configured to be attached to the mobile tower; a gearbox assembly and rotatable drive wheel hub attached to the mounting bracket; a drive wheel attached to the drive hub; rotatable tension wheel hub attached to the mounting bracket and spaced from the drive hub; a tension wheel attached to the tension wheel hub; and a track trained over the drive wheel and the tension wheel and driven by the drive wheel to propel the mobile tower.
US08490897B1
A granular spreader having a V-shaped hopper for distribution of oil absorbing granules can be used on race track spills. The granular spreader is towed by a vehicle such as a pickup truck during racing intervals. A rotatable scrubber is affixed to the hopper which can be lowered by an electric winch to contact the race track to urge the deposited granules into the spilled liquid. A pair of flexible flaps are affixed to the bottom of the hopper to assist in distribution and to prevent the fine granule particles from being blown away before contacting the spilled liquids. A cart is also provided for storing the granular spreader during periods of non-use.
US08490892B2
A liquid supply assembly is disclosed. The liquid supply assembly may be used in combination with a spraying device or spray gun to apply liquid to a substrate. The liquid supply assembly is particularly suitable for use in systems utilizing pressurized liquid containers.
US08490887B2
A railroad rail having superior thermal expansion characteristics. Such railroad rail comprising a rail having a predetermined weight and a predetermined length and a ceramic based insulating type paint having a predetermined capability of resisting heat buildup in such rail adhered to predetermined areas of such rail.
US08490885B2
A thermally actuated valve employs a plunger and bore valve configuration. A thermally expansible wax actuator has an axial length that changes in response to the temperature in a cavity of the valve. At temperatures above a predetermined set point, the actuator produces axial force sufficient to extend the length of the actuator against a return bias and project the plunger and seal into the bore, closing the valve. The plunger defines a pressure relief fluid flow path from the valve cavity to the valve outlet. A pressure relief valve is arranged in the plunger and is responsive to pressure in the valve. The pressure relief valve opens to relieve pressure above a pre-determined level. The thermally actuated valve and the pressure relief valve are coaxial and employ a common outlet.
US08490884B2
Method for controlling the temperature of feed air injected into at least one cabin zone of a passenger aircraft, the temperature of injected feed air being controlled for each cabin zone dependent on the deviation of the injection temperature actual value of the feed air from an injection temperature target value, the injection temperature target value being established using an external ambient temperature actual value and not using a temperature sensor in the at least one cabin zone.
US08490869B2
Methods and systems are provided for processing a transaction. An authorization request for the transaction is received over a financial network. The authorization request includes account information and transaction information specifying at least a transaction amount. A financial account is identified from the account information. A history of the financial account is analyzed to generate a prediction of a balance of the financial account at a specified future time. It is determined that the balance of the financial account at the specified future time will support the transaction for the transaction amount. An approval response is accordingly generated for the transaction.
US08490850B2
There are provided torque limiting mechanisms for use in tissue clamping surgical instruments. The torque limiting mechanisms generally include a driven member, engageable with an approximating mechanism of the surgical instruments, and having a driven surface and a driving member having a driving surface engageable with the driven surface of the driven member. The driving member is rotatable relative to the driven member such that the driving surface of the driving member slips relative to or disengages from the driven surface of the driven member at a predetermined engagement pressure.
US08490848B2
A device for breaking separation of at least one bearing cap of a corresponding thrust block in the bearing assembly of engine cases provided with bearing bores which are arranged in-line, in particular crankshaft cases for alternative piston engines is provided. The device includes an extension mandrel comprising two half-mandrels insertable into at least one of the bearing bores. The half-mandrels being distant from each other in order to produce breaking separation force between the thrust block and the bearing cap. The bearing cap is clamped in such a way that it is non-rotatable except in a limited manner in the direction of breaking separation between a corresponding half-mandrel and a fixing device.
US08490844B2
A front infant carrier having a front support pouch with dual side support flaps secured to a back support member, a lower portion of the front support pouch secured to a waist band, the waist band secured to continuous dual straps that are linked to the back support member.
US08490843B1
A ski boot spreader has a substantially triangular block and a handle coupled to the block. The block has first and second side surfaces angled relative to each other and forming a leading nose area, a rear side surface extending from the first to the second side surface, top and bottom surfaces, and a flange extending beyond the first and second side surfaces and around the nose area and located toward the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the first and second side surfaces define first and second undercuts extending from a location at or behind the nose area to the rear side surface. In one embodiment, the bottom surface defines a third undercut extending from a location at or behind the nose area to the rear side surface.
US08490840B2
A resealable closure and valve assembly adapted to be coupled to a container to selectively control the dispensing of liquid from the container. The resealable closure and valve assembly includes a non-mechanically biased stop selectively engageable with a passageway to selectively seal the passageway from a dispensable product, such as a liquid contained within a container. In some embodiments, the stop is adapted to reseal the passageway by the force of weight applied to the stop by fluid in the container. In some embodiments, the stop is adapted to reseal the passageway via a suction force.
US08490838B2
A cocktail ingredient dispenser can include engaging devices for creating a seal around an opening of a carbonated liquid container and for providing an openable and closeable opening which can retain the carbonation within the carbonated liquid when closed. Some embodiments of the dispenser are configured to maintain a gas tight seal with a top portion of the container. Certain embodiments of the dispenser are configured to allow a cooled fluid to flow into thermal communication with the container.
US08490828B2
A package for product pieces includes a housing having a plurality of walls forming an interior adapter to hold a plurality of product pieces. The housing has a dispensing opening in communication with the interior. A resilient member is disposed in the housing interior and is adapted to urge the product pieces toward the dispensing opening. The housing has an aperture formed in one of the plurality of walls disposed adjacent the dispensing opening to permit the product piece to be engaged and moved out of the interior through the dispensing opening.
US08490821B2
An apparatus for separately containing fuel and an exhaust gas treatment fluid on a vehicle, such as an SCR reductant, includes a fuel tank having a perimeter wall and at least one end wall defining an internal space for containing fuel, a portion of the perimeter wall extending beyond the at least one end wall to form a rim defining with the at least one end wall a recess, and, a second vessel for containing the reductant or other treatment fluid having a shape conforming to the recess, the second vessel being supported in the recess.
US08490818B2
A cover assembly for allowing a drinking opening in beverage container assembly to be selectively covered. The beverage container assembly comprises a cup and a lid and the drinking opening is formed in an upper wall of the raised portion of the lid. The cover assembly comprises a substantially planar cover member and a substrate. The cover member comprises first and second layers and defines a cover portion, a surrounding cover portion, and a perimeter edge. The first layer is a structural layer having flexural characteristics that allow the cover member to be transported by engaging opposing portions of the perimeter edge of the cover member without substantially deforming the cover member. The second layer defines an adhesive surface adapted to detachably attach the cover member to the substrate and the lid.
US08490809B2
A produce packaging system incorporates a container having ample top ventilation enabling efficient ingress of cooling water into container to cool produce contained inside. The container also having a sloped bottom for draining water toward a bottom vent and out of the container during hydrocooling. The system also includes a cooling box configured for holding the containers in an upright orientation enabling inflow of cooling water into the containers and out of the box.
US08490806B2
In combination: a) a chassis with a first frame and a first twist lock assembly, with an enlarged head, on the first frame; and b) a cargo carrying container mounted in an operative position upon the chassis. The cargo carrying container has a second frame and a second twist lock assembly on the second frame that cooperates with the first twist lock assembly. The second twist lock assembly has a slide plate with an aperture through which the enlarged head is passed in an axial direction with the enlarged head in an assembly/disassembly orientation. The enlarged head in the assembly/disassembly orientation, moving relative to the slide plate in the first axial direction, deflects the slide plate from a first position to allow the enlarged head to pass through the slide plate aperture.
US08490802B2
An overhead conveying vehicle is arranged to contain and convey a suspended FOUP including a lid that is removably provided on a side surface thereof. The overhead conveying vehicle includes a conveying vehicle body, a hoist mechanism, a lid drop preventing member, and a power transmitting mechanism. The hoist mechanism is provided at the conveying vehicle body and is arranged to raise and lower the FOUP. The lid drop preventing member is arranged in close proximity to a front surface of the lid. The power transmitting mechanism retracts the lid drop preventing member away from the front surface of the lid when the FOUP is being raised or lowered.
US08490800B2
A gravity feed product display rack. In one embodiment the display rack has a support frame and at least one shelf. The at least one shelf has a floor, a front side, and at least one edge side, all integrally made. The shelf further has a hinge coupled to at least one edge side of the shelf via an affixing device. The hinge has a first stable position corresponding to a loading position and a second stable position corresponding to a displaying position. The shelf can be adjusted between the loading and displaying positions by adjusting the shelf relative to the affixing member.
US08490799B2
Telecommunications equipment racks are described which are configured to occupy a minimum surface area, offer substantial strength while allowing substantial access to the interior of the rack. In one embodiment, a rack features a plurality of secondary and primary load bearing posts which are configured to allow substantial access to the interior of the rack. The rack may be further configured with a plurality of mountings to engage a plurality of telecommunications equipment within the interior of the rack.
US08490797B2
An arrangement for separating cylindrical bodies, such as parisons for hollow bodies, which have at least one protuberance at a first end, has a pair of parallel guide elements between which the cylindrical bodies can be erected in that the cylindrical bodies hang on the guide elements in each case by way of the protuberance. The separation arrangement here has a height guide, wherein a spacing between the height guide and the cylindrical bodies, as seen in the conveying direction, decreases to a predetermined spacing in relation to the guide elements, as a result of which vertically projecting cylindrical bodies, as they are being conveyed in the conveying direction, are forced downwards by the height guide and wherein the height guide can be raised briefly by means of a lifting device in accordance with a triggering signal.
US08490791B2
The invention concerns a kit for protecting dressings and/or traumatized skin regions of the body. The kit includes a case containing at least one non-dedicated flexible and water-impermeable base sheet or global sheet with dimensions enabling a plurality of single or individual adapted covering parts to be cut out. The base sheet is preferably made of a non-allergenic material and easily divisible into pieces or fractions of smaller dimensions, for example with a pair of scissors. The kit also includes a package containing a water-impermeable and non-allergenic pasty adhesive, having properties enabling adherence both to the skin and to the protective sheet.
US08490787B2
The invention relates to a case for receiving, in a fixed position, an article secured to a support (5). This case (1) includes a bottom part (3) forming the base and a top part (2) forming the cover. The bottom part (3) and top part (2) cooperate with each other to define a closed space in a closed position. The support (4) includes holding means (6) so that the article does not rest on the base, or against the cover.
US08490777B2
Embodiments provide systems, methods and apparatuses for positioning boards and other wood pieces in preparation for sawing/trimming. In embodiments, a continuous track loop conveys board stops slideably mounted to board stop guides positioned perpendicular to the direction of flow. A horizontal frame member provides a series of positioning guides through which a cam follower coupled to a board stop is diverted, thus adjusting the position of board stops in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow without the use of braking devices or other added sources of mass, friction or vibration.
US08490773B2
Tablet flow for the conveying away of tablets pressed in a tablet press, with a main flow channel, which has at least one branching into at least one first flow channel and at least one second flow channel separated from the first flow channel by at least one separating wall, wherein a separator is provided at the branching, which can be actuated such that tablets are directed out of the main flow channel alternatively into the first flow channel or into the second flow channel, characterized in that the separator has a guide channel for the tablets and in that a guide gear drive is provided, with which the guide channel is moveable between a first position connecting the main flow channel with the first flow channel and a second position connecting the main flow channel with the second flow channel.
US08490763B2
A delay return gas spring including a piston at least partially received in a cylinder for reciprocation between extended and compressed positions over a cycle including a compression stroke and a return stroke. A seal disposed between the cylinder and the piston separates a primary chamber on one side of the seal from a secondary chamber on another side of the seal during a portion of the cycle. A passage communicates with the secondary chamber and with the primary chamber. The seal is relatively movable between an open position permitting free flow of gas through the passage to a closed position at least partially restricting gas flow through the passage so as to permit gas in the secondary chamber to be compressed in response to movement of the piston toward its extended position, thereby reducing a net return force on the piston and decreasing a velocity of the piston.
US08490760B2
The disclosure relates, in one aspect, to a friction brake cooling system for a machine. The cooling system includes at least one pump connected to at least one reservoir containing cooling fluid. A controller is configured to divert a cooling fluid flow through a valve to a first friction brake system and to a second friction brake system based on the use of the systems. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of cooling a first friction brake system and a second friction brake system including diverting a flow of brake cooling fluid to the systems based on the use of the systems.
US08490728B2
A work machine includes a front section with a front frame and a first set of ground engaging members, a rear section with a rear frame and a second set of ground engaging members, and at least one pivot joint between the front section and the rear section allowing the front section to pivot with regard to the rear section. One of the front section and the rear section includes a power source, and the other of the front section and the rear section includes at least one electric motor adapted for driving at least one of the ground engaging members.
US08490727B2
A hybrid drive train for a motor vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, and electric machine, with a stator and rotor, and a transmission. A disk clutch is located in the force flow, between the combustion engine and the transmission input shaft, and an outer disk carrier of the disk clutch is fixed to a transmission input stage and an inner disk carrier of the disk clutch is connected to the combustion engine. The rotor of the electric machine drives another element of the transmission input stage, and the disk carriers of the clutch are mounted and centered by two roller bearings which center the inner and outer disk carriers relative to one another and bring them into axial alignment, and axial tolerances within the unit which comprises the electric machine, the separator clutch and the transmission input stage are compensated by displacing and aligning the disk packet of the clutch in the drive gearing of the inner disk carrier.
US08490719B2
A method for maintaining pressure in a wellbore during drilling operations includes the steps of providing fluid from a reservoir through a drill string, circulating the fluid from the drill string to an annulus between the drill string and the wellbore, isolating pressure in the annulus, measuring pressure in the annulus, calculating a set point backpressure, applying back pressure to the annulus based on the set point back pressure, diverting fluid from the annulus to a controllable choke, controllably bleeding off pressurized fluid from the annulus, separating solids from the fluid, and directing the fluid back to the reservoir. An apparatus for maintaining pressure in a wellbore during drilling operations includes an adjustable choke for controllably bleeding off pressurized fluid from the wellbore annulus, a backpressure pump for applying a calculated set point backpressure, and a processor for controlling the adjustable choke and backpressure pump.
US08490715B2
The invention relates to a hand-held machine tool, in particular a hammer drill and/or chipping hammer. The tool according to the invention has a transmission device with a drive bearing that has at least one torque-transmitting means with a transmitting contour for transmitting a torque onto the drive bearing. According to the invention, the transmitting contour of the torque-transmitting means is produced by axial machining and/or a stamping and/or planning process.
US08490702B2
A tool assembly and method for completing a well are provided. The tool includes debris relief features that enable use in solids-laden environments, for example in the presence of sand. Forward and reverse circulation pathways to the isolated interval are present to allow clearing of debris from the wellbore annulus while the sealing device remains set against the wellbore.
US08490700B2
A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant and a channelant through a wellbore into the fracture, heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands spaced apart by the channelant, and removing the channelant filler material to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore. The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include fibers to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and/or to inhibit settling of the proppant in the treatment fluid.
US08490693B2
A method for performing field operations is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a first set of acoustic radial profiles of a subterranean formation prior to induction of a fracture disposed about the wellbore, obtaining a second set of acoustic radial profiles of the subterranean formation subsequent to the induction of the fracture, comparing the first set of acoustic radial profiles and the second set of acoustic radial profiles based on a pre-determined criterion to generate a comparison result, determining, based on the comparison result, an orientation of one or more portions of the fracture, and adjusting the operations of the oilfield based on the orientation.
US08490692B2
A device comprises: a torsion lock sleeve, wherein the torsion lock sleeve comprises a crenellated second end, wherein the torsion lock sleeve is tubular in shape, and wherein at least a portion of the inner circumference of the torsion lock sleeve engages at least one ridge, wherein the ridge inhibits or prohibits rotational movement of the torsion lock sleeve; and a release nut, wherein the release nut comprises a crenellated first end, and wherein the first end of the release nut is capable of engaging the second end of the torsion lock sleeve.
US08490691B2
A plug for sealing a conduit comprises a body having a first section and a second section, and at least one seal element for creating a seal between the plug and the conduit. The at least one seal element is adapted to be energized by movement in a setting direction of the first body section relative to the second body section. The plug further comprises seal locking means comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein as the at least one seal is energized, the seal locking means first portion is rotatable unidirectionally relative to the seal locking means second portion to take up the movement of the first body section relative to the second body section in the setting direction and prevent movement of the first body section relative to the second body section in a releasing direction, opposite the setting direction. In one embodiment the seal locking means first portion is a locking nut.
US08490688B2
A seal includes a mandrel; an element disposed radially adjacent the mandrel; a chamber defined between the mandrel and the element; and a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the chamber, the regulator configured to resist fluid flow to a selected threshold pressure related to element expansion and method.
US08490667B2
Driving stability and durability is efficiently improved.Since a protecting layer 43 embedded with reinforcing cords 41 is disposed between a tread 35 and a belt reinforcing layer 31, both of the protecting layer 43 and the belt reinforcing layer 31 decentrally bear a large bending force generated when a pneumatic tire 11 runs on a sharp projection or a difference in level. As a result, even if reinforcing elements 33 in the belt reinforcing layer 31 are extended by large tension due to fill internal pressure, increase of strain generated in the reinforcing elements 33 can be effectively suppressed.
US08490659B2
A filling apparatus of flexible containers with a dense fluid, such as cream, yoghurt, honey, fruit juice, medicines and similar comprises vacuum devices, gas supply devices, filling devices and a valve. The valve comprises a main body, an obturator, a needle and a needle operating mechanism able to move the needle in translation. The obturator duct is connected to the vacuum and gas supply devices, to remove any residues of fluid aspirated.
US08490658B2
Automatic winding of a wire field in a wire slicing machine is disclosed. In one embodiment, a wire field is automatically generated in a wire slicing machine by unloading wire from at least one wire spool and winding the wire about one or more wire guides to form the wire field.
US08490649B2
Torque indicator markings incorporated with handwheel devices connected to actuators or valve assemblies provide visual indication of the amount of torque being applied to an actuator or valve assembly by the handwheel device. Tattletale torque indicators incorporated with a handwheel device further provide a persistent indication of the maximum amount of torque applied to an actuator or valve assembly connected to the handwheel device.
US08490642B2
A fuel-outflow check valve includes: a casing, at least one portion of which is located in a fuel tank, the casing having a ventilation hole via which the interior of the casing and the interior of the fuel tank communicate with each other and an upper wall portion protruding inward from the inner peripheral face of the casing; a float that is disposed in the interior of the casing and is vertically movable; and a valve element that is provided on the float and can contact a valve seat formed at the casing.
US08490641B2
A compressed air supply system for a utility vehicle includes a compressed air inlet that can be coupled to a compressor, a filter unit that can be coupled to the compressed air inlet via a supply line, a discharge valve element that is coupled to a discharge outlet and the supply line, an energy-saving control outlet that can be coupled to a control inlet of the compressor, a supply line locking valve element interposed between the compressor and the filter unit and a first valve element and a second valve element, the discharge valve element, the energy saving control outlet, the regeneration of the filter unit and the supply line locking valve element being controllable by the valve elements. The energy saving control outlet can be controlled by the first valve element and the discharge valve element and the regeneration of the filter unit can be controlled by the second valve element. The supply line locking valve element is closed during the regeneration phase of the filter unit and can be transferred into an opened switching state when not in the regeneration state and when the discharge valve element is closed and the energy saving control outlet is aerated.
US08490632B2
An ultrasonic wave energy artificial nail remover in one aspect includes a handle, a body attached to the handle, an ultrasonic sound wave generator attached to the body, and a tip having the shape of a natural nail. The tip is made to vibrate by the ultrasonic sound wave generator. The shape of the tip allows for a quicker removal of the artificial nail and requires less skill to successfully remove an artificial nail without damaging the natural nail than removal with a narrow flat tip allows and requires. Ultrasonic energy is channeled through the natural nail shaped tip to facilitate removal of an artificial nail in a quick manner with little cleanup involved.
US08490625B2
An intrauterine device string is provided. The intrauterine device string has an elongated member with an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a lower portion. The upper portion is configured to attach the elongated member to an intrauterine device. The intermediate portion is configured to extend through the endocervical canal of a female. The lower portion has a first curved portion configured to follow a contour of the external orifice of the cervix of a female. A second curved portion at an end of the lower portion has a memory-retaining material to prevent the second curved portion from passing through the external orifice of the cervix and to constrain the second curved portion to follow the contour of the outer portion of the cervix. The intermediate portion is configured to pass through a plane defined by three points on said second curved portion when in use.
US08490621B2
A device is provided for increasing humidity for respirating patients, especially for a respiration humidifier or an anesthesia reflector. The device includes a gas channel for passing through breathing air, a control and/or regulating device, a temperature sensor and a dew sensor for measuring the humidity present in the breathing air by electromagnetic radiation with a generating device and with a detection device for electromagnetic radiation. The humidity of the breathing air is determined at a low cost and in a reliable manner and condensation is avoided in the respiration system without any additional effort for sterilization. Humidity in the breathing air is determined by the a dew sensor by the change in the reflection of the electromagnetic radiation as a function of dew formation at a condensation-fogged and condensation-free boundary surface between breathing air and a medium having an optical density higher than that of breathing air.
US08490617B2
The present invention is a method of delivering vaporized alcohol fuel through a thermally conductive porous nozzle to a catalytic burner with a plasma cavity and a surrounding porous catalytic cavity with fuel vapor and air supplied separately and inter diffusing into each other from different routes to the catalyst to achieve an efficient, steady, and complete combustion of the hydrogen bearing fuels. This heating system with passive auto thermostatic behavior, coupled to thermopiles, heat pipes and fluid heating systems may provide useful heat and electricity to applications of floors, roadways, runways, electronics, refrigerators, machinery, automobiles, structures, and fuel cells.
US08490616B2
A built-in oven comprises a door and a ventilation system. The door structure comprises two vertical frame elements and an upper hollow frame element mounted on the vertical elements and on upper edges of two or more glass plates and having a front aperture adapted to be used as an handle of the door flush with the front surface thereof, the upper hollow frame element being used as part of the ventilation system of the oven.
US08490615B2
A field ration packaging assembly includes a ration housing and a food tray. The ration housing includes a lid panel having at least one air exhaust vent and a wall panel having at least one intake vent. The food tray may be positioned above a heat source. The at least one air exhaust vent and at least one air intake vent may be in fluid communication such that upon activation of the heat source, air enters the ration housing through the at least one air intake vent, passes over the heat source and exits the ration housing at the at least one exhaust vent by natural convection.
US08490613B2
Disclosed herein is an oven range with a filter member improving the purification efficiency of toxic gas in a cavity. The filter member includes a plurality of sections inclined upward or downward with respect to one another and interconnected, with curves irregularly formed along the sections. Accordingly, since the toxic gas being discharged through the filter member is dispersed, entangled and mixed by the irregular curves of the filter member, a reaction time between the toxic gas and a catalyst coating the filter member is increased, thereby improving the purification efficiency.
US08490611B2
A sight device for aiming an archery bow includes a body, and a fluid conduit assembly coupled to the body and containing a liquid, the level of the liquid in at least a portion of the fluid conduit assembly providing a sight indication for the archery bow.
US08490607B2
A PCV circuit for an internal combustion engine is modified to deliver the PCV fluid to an atomization chamber which also receives fuel from an electronic fuel injector tapped into the main vehicle fuel supply. The fuel from the injector is thoroughly vaporized in and/or immediately downstream of the chamber and conveyed to the vehicle intake manifold. A switch cuts off operation of the fuel injector at high load/high throttle setting conditions. The injector operates at a constant frequency with a selected ON time.
US08490598B2
Systems and methods for controlling an internal combustion engine include an ignition coil that generates a pre-discharge ionization signal during charging of the ignition coil after reaching a first threshold charge level and prior to spark discharge and a controller that determines an engine operating condition, such as pre-ignition or plug fouling, in response to the pre-discharge ionization signal. The ignition coil may also generate digital feedback and ionization signals used to by the controller for to control ignition coil dwell and repetitive sparking, as well as providing various combustion diagnostics.
US08490584B2
The air hybrid engine with dual chamber cylinder with an air storage tank is an energy recovery unit from deceleration and breaking the vehicle and will perform as power management. During deceleration mode of a vehicle where the compressor chamber in the engine will recover energy by compressing the air and storing the compressed in a storage tank. During acceleration mode the engine will run in a mixed mode, conventional mode and air motor mode. The compressed air can also be used for starting the engine. The engine will operate in the “sweet spot” to optimize fuel consumption by using the lower chamber and or upper chamber in compression mode or an idle mode. The compressed air from the air storage tank can be used for other purposes such as air suspension and or to power pneumatic tools.
US08490583B1
An internal combustion engine enhancement system for increasing vehicle fuel mileage over a duration of a plurality of tanks of fuel used in a vehicle. The internal combustion engine enhancement system generally includes a fuel additive which includes a volume of carrier fluid and a plurality of fine particles within the carrier fluid. The carrier fluid with the fine particles is added to the fuel in the fuel tank of a vehicle. The fine particles are reduced in size to nanoparticles by dissolving and abrading to less than 1,000 nanometers where after they are transferred to the engine during normal operation of the engine. The nanoparticles lubricate the engine components and fill in voids within the sleeve to increase engine lubricity. Alternatively, larger particles (e.g. 0.25 inches in size) may be added to the fuel where fine particles and nanoparticles are created via abrading and dissolving.
US08490580B2
A water heater door assembly includes a base plate sized and shaped to substantially sealingly cover an access opening in a water heater combustion chamber and has at least one opening through which a fuel supply line extends at least partly between a burner in the combustion chamber and a gas control valve, and a flexible seal positioned at least partly within the opening including an engaging portion substantially sealed to an edge portion of the opening, and a through hole that is shaped to receive the fuel supply and has a size slightly smaller than the size of an outer dimension of the fuel supply line such that the flexible seal and the fuel supply line are friction fit together to form a seal.
US08490575B2
A metering valve has a closable discharge opening from which liquid drops can be discharged, wherein a beam device is provided which generates electromagnetic radiation.
US08490574B2
A film coating holder includes a top cover, a plurality of annular parts, and a plurality of connecting pieces. The top cover defines a plurality of first holes for receiving workpieces therein. The plurality of annular parts is stacked on each other with progressively increasing radiuses. Each of the plurality of annular parts defines a plurality of second holes for receiving the workpieces, and the top cover is positioned on the annular part with a minimum radius. The plurality of connecting pieces connects the annular part with the minimum radius to the top cover and connects each two adjacent annular parts together.
US08490570B2
A low temperature history indication plate 31 made of a low thermal expansion material used within an apparatus is provided on the outer surface of the apparatus. A surface of the low temperature history indication plate 31 is mirror polished. Simply by observing the low temperature history indication plate 31, it can be determined whether or not martensitic transformation has occurred.
US08490569B2
Designs and techniques for fluid thrusters and vehicles that are powered by propelling fluids with fluid thrusters. Multiplex-thruster (MT) systems are disclosed that include a single thruster and a flow multiplexer with multiple channels to deliver thrusting flow in various directions.
US08490567B2
Apparatus for coupling a pushboat to a barge having a notch in its stern for receiving the bow of pushboat. The pushboat has three coupler units, two on the opposite sides and one at the bow end, each of which has an extensible and retractable connecting pin. The side connecting pin has hemi-spherical part at its outer end part which comes into tight contact with the similar hemi-spherical part of the holes in side socket on the side wall of the notch when it is extended out and inserted into the hole for connection. The bow connecting pin has wedge-shaped end which engages with the teeth of the center rack located in the barge's centerline at the deepest point of the notch when it is extended out for connection. The motions of connecting pins are remotely controlled from a control panel located in the navigation bridge.
US08490562B1
A floating liquefaction vessel and transport system for receiving, storing, and transporting a liquefied natural gas, wherein the system can include a transport vessel for monitoring, receiving, storing, and transporting the liquefied natural gas. A transport vessel controller can dynamically position the transport vessel in proximity to a floating liquefaction vessel using motion sensors, fan beams, and dynamic global positioning systems. The floating liquefaction vessel can include receive a dry gas, and cool the dry gas to form liquefied natural gas for transfer to the transport vessel across a connecting device. The connecting device can connect the transport vessel to the floating liquefaction vessel, and can include: an inner walkway telescopically contained within an outer walkway. The inner walkway can extend and retract from the outer walkway in response to motions.
US08490554B2
A foldable table includes a table top having a top surface and a bottom surface; a frame assembly disposed on a bottom surface of the table top; at least two leg assemblies pivotally coupled to the frame assembly for movement between an extended position and a folded position; at least two support members, each support member pivotally coupled to the frame assembly and to the at least two leg assemblies; and at least one locking assembly coupled to the at least two support members, each of the at least one locking assembly comprising a ramp portion integrally formed with a locking portion, a channel formed under the ramp portion for guiding and receiving a locking pin, the locking portion having an opening for receiving a pushbutton and the locking pin.
US08490552B2
A cargo rack for transferring loads between a marine vessel and an offshore marine platform (for example, oil and gas well drilling or production platform) provides a frame having a front, a rear, and upper and lower end portions. The lower end of the frame has a perimeter beam base, a raised floor and a pair of open-ended parallel fork tine tubes or sockets that communicate with the perimeter beam at the front and rear of the frame, preferably being structurally connected (e.g., welded) thereto. Openings in the perimeter beam base align with the forklift tine tubes or sockets. The frame includes a plurality of fixed side walls extending upwardly from the perimeter beam that include at least left and right side walls. A plurality of gates are movably mounted on the frame including a gate at least at the front and at least at the rear of the frame, each gate being movable between open and closed positions, the gates enabling a forklift to place loads on the floor by accessing either the front of the frame or the rear of the frame. Each gate can be pivotally attached to a fixed side wall. The frame has vertically extending positioning beams or lugs that segment the raised floor into a plurality of load-holding positions. Each load holding position has a plurality of positioning beams or lugs that laterally hold a load module (e.g., palletized load) in position once a load is placed on the raised floor.
US08490551B1
A portable convertible ice cooled serving table comprised of two sections is foldable for carrying by a handle. The legs may be folded against the sections. Transparent covers to protect the food from insects and to keep atmospheric heat away from the food and cooling medium are removeably pivotally mountable to the sections when erected and are storable within the folded table, including handles thereon, for transport and storage. The two sections are pivotally openable to form a table and conveniently secured in table position wherein the bases of the two sections are in the same plane. The legs are also provided with easily insertable and releasable braces which are pivotally mounted to the bases of the sections. The sections may be preferably made of insulative material.
US08490547B1
A device for enabling safe/arm functionality in a gravity dropped weapon. The device including: a rack for attaching the weapon to an airframe; an elastic element disposed in the weapon; a releasable connection between the weapon and the airframe to release a stored energy in the elastic element; and a piezoelectric member connected to one end of the elastic member for converting the stored energy to an electrical energy.
US08490546B2
A method of printing an image that diffracts radiation is disclosed. The method includes assembling an ordered periodic array of particles on a substrate, wherein the array of particles diffracts radiation in a wavelength band dependent on viewing angle; printing an imaging composition onto a portion of the array in a configuration of an image; shifting the wavelength band of radiation diffracted and changing the refractive index by the printed portion of the array so that the printed portion diffracts radiation at a different wavelength band and reflectivity intensity from a remaining portion of the array; and fixing the printed portion of the array, such that the printed portion of the array diffracts radiation and exhibits the image.
US08490543B2
A space-saving in-flight trash compactor, comprising a trash chute, a compactor mechanism, and a storage chamber that includes an interface for the trash chute. Trash deposited in the trash chute is channeled into the storage chamber. Either or both of the compactor mechanism and the storage chamber are rotatably attached to one or two axles. During maintenance or trash removal, the compactor mechanism or storage chamber may swivel around an axle to permit ease of access.
US08490538B2
A system for mitigating the effects of an unexpected explosion against a surface is described and claimed. This invention comprises at least one containment vessel containing explosive material fitted with a detonator; and at least one sensing device that can ignite the detonator; or, in another embodiment, a computer interposed between sensing devices and a plurality of detonators to optimize the response. Because transient voltages from a high-voltage firing system can accidentally ignite the detonators, a safety switch driven by an EBW detonator is interposed between the firing system and the counter-explosive devices. The explosive force generated by the current invention attenuates the shockwave and deflects the shrapnel from the unexpected explosion. In various embodiments, this counter-explosive device can be adapted to protect a multiplicity of surface types including exterior vehicle surfaces, building facades, bridges, embassies and military checkpoints and guard stations.
US08490529B2
A compression punch for a rotary press, with a punch shaft that has a punch head at its one end and means for accommodating a separate punch insert at the other end, and with fastening means for detachably fastening the punch insert on the punch shaft, wherein the punch head and the punch shaft have an axial through bore, the axial through bore accommodates a drawbar that has a tensioning head at the end turned away from the punch head, said tensioning head having at least one connection portion, the punch insert has a recess at the end facing the punch shaft which is realized to be detachably connectable with the connection portion, and that tensioning means are arranged in the axial through bore, by which the drawbar can be tensioned in the direction of the punch head.
US08490522B1
A wheel bearing removal tool system comprising a dome structure, comprising a round bowl portion and a flat lip; a protrusion affixing the dome structure to a power drill, a plurality of recesses on the flat lip, a plurality of tool post, wherein the first post end comprises a complementary screw thread for screwing the tool posts into the plurality of recesses and affixing them to the flat lip.
US08490520B2
Spin-in and spin-out apparatus and methods are presented wherein an oilfield tubular spinner used in combination with a wrench detects the shouldering-up of tubulars during make-up and tubular thread disengagement during break-out. Sensors are employed to quantify measurables indicative of shouldering-up and thread disengagement, the measurables being used to shutdown spin-in and spin-out operations. Thresholds are employed to detect measurable values of interest. Timers may be employed to monitor and control the spin-in and spin-out operations.
US08490518B2
According to the present invention, the oil filter replacement device has a number of pins for clamping an oil filter, and the pins are extended eccentrically from corresponding secondary gear members. The secondary gear members are engaged to spin simultaneously by a main gear member. As such, the pins could be adjusted to fit on oil filters of various sizes. Additionally, each pin is rotatable and has at least a flat face. As the pins rolls along the circumference of the oil filter, their flat faces are turned to interface the flat faces around the oil filter. As such, the oil filter is tightly and reliably clamped by the oil filter replacement device, thereby preventing the problem of uneven exertion of force and deforming the oil filter.
US08490511B2
A manipulator mechanism according to the present invention comprises an arm 1 having a tip mechanism 3 attached to its tip part, and an arm paying out device 2 to which the base end part of the arm 1 is coupled for winding and paying out the arm 1. The arm 1 comprises a tape aggregate 4 formed by bundling a plurality of elastic tapes 41, and a plurality of bundling members 5 attached to the tape aggregate 4 with spaces therebetween in a longitudinal direction of the tape aggregate 4. The bundling member 5 is provided with a guiding groove 51, through which the plurality of tapes 41 pass, to keep the relative position of the plurality of tapes 41 constant.
US08490499B2
A torque sensor system having an index function and ascertaining a torque between an input shaft and an output shaft connected to each other via a torsion bar, includes: a magnetic unit having a magnetic pole wheel for generating a magnetic field, the magnetic unit being rigidly connected to one of the two shafts; a flux ring unit having a flux ring system for converting and conducting the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic unit, the flux ring unit being rigidly connected to the other shaft; and a sensor unit having at least one first magnetic field-sensitive sensor element for sensing changes in the magnetic flux through the flux ring system, the sensor unit being mounted in a stationary manner relative to the flux ring unit. The index function is implemented with the aid of an index magnet and a further magnetic field-sensitive sensor element.
US08490472B2
A technique facilitates the detection of moisture. The technique utilizes distributed sensor lines deployed along an insulated vessel, such as an insulated pipe. The sensor lines are used to measure temperature and to determine a differential temperature across the insulation between the sensor lines. Changes in the differential temperature can be detected, and those changes are used to determine whether moisture has intruded into a specific region of the insulation.
US08490463B2
A method is provided for calibrating ultrasonic signals passed through a crimp formed with respect to a deformable body via an ultrasonically-equipped crimp tool (UECT). The UECT verifies a crimp quality using the ultrasonic signals. The method includes forming the crimp, transmitting a first signal, e.g., a pulse, to a first transducer of the UECT, and converting the first signal, using the first transducer, into a second signal which defines an ultrasonic pulse. This pulse is transmitted through the UECT into the crimp. A second transducer converts the second signal into a third signal, which may be further conditioned, and the ultrasonic signals are calibrated using the third signal or its conditioned variant. An apparatus for calibrating the ultrasonic signals includes a pulse module (PM) electrically connected to the first and second transducers, and an oscilloscope or display electrically connected to the PM for analyzing an electrical output signal therefrom.
US08490447B2
In a method and a control device for adjusting a state of a rolling stock, particularly a near-net strip, defined at least by an out-of-parallel condition and/or a curvature of the rolling stock, the rolling stock is transitioned from an initial into an intermediate state by a roll stand and by impressing a stress onto the rolling stock by an additional processing device, and the rolling stock is transitioned from the intermediate into a final state by at least one processing aggregate. By determining whether rolling stock should be fed into the at least one processing aggregate, the intermediate state requiring a non-zero out-of-parallel condition and/or curvature in order to achieve a predetermined final state, and the roll stand and/or the processing device are controlled and/or regulated as a function thereof to adjust the required intermediate state, the shape reliability of an ultimately parallel, non-curved rolling stock can be increased.
US08490446B2
A programmable lock cylinder assembly including a lock housing and a cylinder plug including a keyway extending therein. At least one locking member is moveable in the cylinder plug between a locked position wherein the cylinder plug is rotationally locked relative to the housing and an unlocked position wherein the cylinder plug is rotational relative to the housing. A plurality of pin sets are positioned in the cylinder plug. Each pin set includes a keyway pin component and a locking pin component and is positioned such that a portion of each keyway pin component extends across the keyway. The pin components are selectively engagable. A re-combinating member is engaged with one of the components of each pin set and is moveable between a first position wherein the keyway pin components are engaged with the locking pin components and a second position wherein the keyway pin components are disengaged from the locking pin components. A reset actuator is moveable between an engaged position wherein the re-combinating member position is locked relative to the cylinder plug and a non-engaged position wherein the re-combinating member position is moveable relative to the cylinder plug.
US08490444B2
The invention relates to a wirelessly controlled electric lock, comprising a lock body (2a), a key cylinder (2b), a turn spindle (3) rotatable by a handle element (3a) internal of the door, the turning of which enables opening of the lock, an opening spindle (4) rotatable by an opening element (5) external of the door, a drive link mechanism (41, 20, 21, 22) enabling the turn spindle (3) and the opening spindle (4) to be coupled with each other for a drive link engagement, such that turning of the opening spindle translates also into a turning motion of the turn spindle. The lock also comprises electrically controlled coupling elements (10, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26), including a piezoelectric actuator (10) which, in a mode activated by an electrical control (12, 31, 33) transmitted (32) wirelessly to the electrical lock, is adapted to fixedly lock a bolt or plunger (10a) which, in its fixedly locked condition, activates said drive link engagement as the opening spindle (4) is turned. Without electrical control of the actuator (10), said bolt or plunger (10a), upon yielding to the weak returning force of a spring, is adapted to disable or not to activate the coupling of the drive link engagement as the opening spindle (4) is rotated.
US08490437B2
A drum type washing-drying machine includes an air supply opening and an air discharge opening both located in a water tub, a circulation path having both ends connected to the air supply opening and the air discharge opening respectively, and branch paths located between a part of the circulation path where the condenser is located and the air supply opening and/or extending in another part of the circulation path between the evaporator and the air discharge opening. Either air supply or discharge opening is located in an upper part of the water tub front. The circulation path includes a heat exchange section where a condenser and an evaporator are disposed so as to be located below the water tub. The branch paths extend from either air supply or air discharge opening, through a periphery of the opening of the water tub front to the heat exchange section.
US08490434B2
To provide a process for producing a glass member provided with a sealing material layer, capable of favorably forming a sealing material layer even in a case where the entire glass substrate cannot be heated.A sealing material paste prepared by mixing a sealing material containing a sealing glass and a laser absorbent with an organic binder is applied to a sealing region of a glass substrate 2 in the form of a frame. The frame-form coating layer 8 of the sealing material paste is selectively heated by irradiation with a laser light 9 along the coating layer 8 to fire the sealing material while the organic binder in the coating layer 8 is burnt out to form a sealing material layer 7. Using such a sealing material layer 7, a space between two glass substrates is sealed.
US08490428B2
The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with one or more storage trays for accommodating refrigerated and/or frozen goods, wherein the appliance includes one or more extensions which are connected with the storage trays and by means of which the storage trays can be pulled out of the appliance and be pushed into the same, wherein the extensions include first and second housing parts and a pull-out rail, wherein the pull-out rail comprises first and second parts which are movable relative to each other, wherein the first housing part is directly or indirectly connected with the first part of the pull-out rail and the second housing part is directly or indirectly connected with the second part of the pull-out rail, and wherein the first housing part is directly or indirectly connected with the storage tray and the second housing part is directly or indirectly connected with the refrigerator and/or freezer.
US08490418B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for cooling heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure. The heat-generating structure includes electronics. The method includes providing a coolant, reducing a pressure of the coolant to a subambient pressure at which the coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure, and bringing the heat-generating structure and the coolant at the subambient pressure into contact with one another, so that the coolant boils and vaporizes to thereby absorb heat from the heat-generating structure. In a more particular embodiment the coolant is either pure water or pure methanol with an electrical resistivity level of greater than one million Ohms-cm. Further, in another particular embodiment the method includes filtering the coolant to maintain its purity above a particular level.
US08490402B2
An afterburner chamber includes a burner ring having housed therein an annular fuel strip that is pierced by orifices and that is mounted inside an annular thermal protection tube, and an ignition spark plug penetrating into the inside of the burner ring. The protection tube and the burner ring have orifices for passing air. The chamber also includes a device for ventilating the orifices of the fuel strip that are situated in the immediate vicinity of the spark plug.
US08490397B2
A waste heat recovery system includes a Brayton cycle system having an heater configured to circulate carbon dioxide vapor in heat exchange relationship with a hot fluid to heat carbon dioxide vapor. A Rankine cycle system is coupled to the Brayton cycle system and configured to circulate a working fluid in heat exchange relationship with the carbon dioxide vapor to heat the working fluid.
US08490396B2
A system and method of collecting solar energy from sunlight, employing a thermal generation apparatus having a solar collector module including a receiver in optical communication with an array of mirrors. The method comprises reflecting energy impinging upon the reflector assembly with a plurality of reflective elements. The plurality of reflective elements is configured to direct energy reflected therefrom onto the receiver. The solar collector module is configured to rotate about an axis; and an angular position of the plurality of reflective elements is changed in relation to relative movement of the sun with respect to earth.
US08490384B2
The invention relates to a method for correcting a model for determining the amount of reducing agent to inject for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gases, which includes the following steps: determining an amount of reducing agent to inject based on the amount of nitrogen oxides emitted and an initial mathematical model; determining, by taking a measurement from the catalyst of the amount and/or nature of the gas, whether or not the reducing reaction is carried out under correct conditions; if an anomaly is detected, adjusting the amount of reducing agent to inject; and if the use of said method leads to a number of repeated adjustments of the same nature greater than a predetermined value N: the mathematical model is corrected, and the initial mathematical model is replaced by the corrected model.
US08490367B2
A bagging assembly for bagging bales of fibrous material is disclosed. The bagging assembly incorporates a chute defining a channel for receiving a bale, which is pushed there between by a stuffing assembly. Aspects of the bagging assembly include raising a bale using a bale elevator to a higher elevation position so that the bale could be stuffed by the stuffing assembly and using a bag retrieving mechanism for retrieving a bag from a bag location for use in bagging the bale.
US08490366B1
A bale wrapping system for wrapping a bale while maintaining independent control over both the sensor and brake assemblies. The bale wrapping system generally includes a support frame to secure a roll of wrapping material to a baler, a brake assembly secured to the support frame, wherein the brake assembly is adapted to brake a rotation of the roll of wrapping material, and a sensor assembly secured to the support frame, wherein the sensor assembly includes a sensor wheel adapted to measure an amount of outputted wrapping material. The brake assembly and the sensor assembly operate independent of each other with respect to the roll of wrapping material and the support frame. The support frame may be retrofitted to an existing baler through a coupler and a bracket extending from an elongated rod connecting opposing sides of the support frame.
US08490353B2
A system for providing a sealed transit for a situation wherein one or a plurality of cables, pipes, or ducts extend through the transit, wherein the system comprises a frame which is sealingly fixed or fixable into or onto an opening, wherein the frame comprises one or a plurality of conduits which are each suitable for receiving at least one of the plurality of cables, pipes or ducts and for receiving an elastically deformable plug for sealingly filling space between an inner circumferential wall of the conduits and at least one of the plurality of cables, pipes or ducts, wherein the system further comprises at least one blocking element for hindering in each conduit movement of one end of a plug which is inserted in that conduit.
US08490343B2
The invention describes an extensible membrane system to which a photovoltaic device is secured.
US08490327B2
A movable greenhouse and track system may include a track configured to be anchored to a first plot of farming land and a second plot of farming land. The movable greenhouse and track system may further include a greenhouse is capable of being anchored to the track and an anchoring member. The greenhouse may include a series of hoops forming an interior area; a member attached to the hoops for keeping the interior area of the greenhouse a certain temperature different than a temperature from an area exterior to the greenhouse; and a member for facilitating movement of the greenhouse along the tunnel of the track. The interior area of the greenhouse may include the first plot of farming land. After a predetermined time, the member for facilitating movement allows the greenhouse to be moved from the first plot of farming land to the second plot of farming land.
US08490325B2
A flying pest deterrent device. Streamers are attached to fan blades of an electric fan. The rotary motion of the fan blades creates relative wind causing the streamers to move erratically through the air thereby creating a flying pest deterrent area. In a preferred embodiment the fan is a portable fan creating a flying pest deterrent area over food and the flying pests are flies.
US08490318B2
The collapsible landing net includes a substantially elongate pole having an arm stabilizer at one end and a main hinge disposed on the opposite end. An intermediate hand grip portion defines a handle with a grip thereon. A collapsible net assembly is operatively attached to a pivot block on the main hinge to selectively fold the collapsible landing net. The collapsible net assembly includes a pair of curvilinear net rims threaded through a hook free net. The net rims are pivotal about a common point at one end of each net rim, while the other end is connected to the pivot block. The collapsible net assembly may be collapsed by selectively rotating the net rims into a folded position and locked.
US08490311B2
A firearm grip sleeve with retention feature has a body including a central bore and a meeting element. The mating element is connected to a mating feature on the frame of a firearm. The mating element is connected to a mating feature on the frame of a firearm. The mating element prevents undesirable movement of the body with respect to the firearm while the mating feature is connected to the mating element. The mating element may prevent axial movement and upward longitudinal movement of the body. The firearm may include a removable back strap insert.
US08490306B2
The present invention and related disclosure describes greeting cards with moving elements or devices which are operable to create motion in connection with some portion of the greeting card. The greeting card may include a multi-panel greeting card body or a three-dimensional foam greeting card body. At least one movable object is contained upon or within the greeting card body. A sound module having at least one pre-recorded digital audio file saved therein and a motor module are contained and concealed within the greeting card body. One or more switches may be used to activate the sound and motor modules, causing the pre-recorded audio file to play and causing movement of the movable or mobile object.
US08490305B2
The present invention and related disclosure describes greeting cards with moving elements or devices which are operable to create motion in connection with some portion of the greeting card. The greeting card may include a multi-panel greeting card body or a three-dimensional foam greeting card body. At least one movable object is contained upon or within the greeting card body. A sound module having at least one pre-recorded digital audio file saved therein and a motor module are contained and concealed within the greeting card body. One or more switches may be used to activate the sound and motor modules, causing the pre-recorded audio file to play and causing movement of the movable or mobile object.
US08490301B2
An orthotic device has a readily adjustable variable forefoot posting system. In some embodiments, a generally planar plate is pivotally coupled to a foot-receiving shell. The plate is generally under the arch and not in contact with the supporting surface when in a neutral position. Along the plate's perimeter are raised regions that can be deployed into position as a forefoot post via pivoting the plate. In some versions, adjustability is via a sliding motion. Some areas have a greater height than others do and these raised areas or protrusions can be set at either an inner side or an outer side. Depending upon the shape of the ridges on the plate and the plate's pivoted position, a range of tilts can be variability provided. The plates can be part of an interchangeable system providing more options. Professional versions can have a greater range of settings than consumer versions.
US08490291B2
A hand drying apparatus has a casing, a cavity formed in the casing for receiving a user's hands, a fan located in the casing and creating an airflow, and a plurality of openings communication with the fan and arranged to direct an airflow transversely across the cavity. The cavity has an entrance delimited by a front edge and a rear edge in which the openings are located. The shape of the front and rear edges is such that, when in use the user's hands are introduced to the cavity, the distance between the user's hands and the nearest opening is substantially uniform. Alternatively, one of the edges is substantially straight and the other of the said edges is curved so that the distance between the edges varies along the length of the cavity entrance. These arrangements enhance the drying efficiency of the dryer.
US08490276B2
A device for mounting of a plumbing fixture such as a faucet or the like through a hole in a counter, a sink or the like and connection of the fixture to a supply line. A collar member of the device is slidingly retained on an inlet tube of the fixture by a connecting nut of the supply line. A rod, guided in its axial movement by a guide member that is connected to the collar member, has a flag member that is rotatable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the device may be passed through the hole when connected to the plumbing fixture and the supply line. In the deployed position, the flag member increases the axial profile of the device and co-acts with the body of the plumbing fixture in retaining the plumbing fixture in the hole.
US08490272B1
A conveyor belt for use with a merge or diverge conveying apparatus and a method of providing a new conveyor belt to the conveying apparatus. Polymeric loops attached to each end of the conveyor belt attach the ends of the conveyor belt to each other. Visible wear and tear to the nose bar of the merge or diverge conveying apparatus is reduced when compared to prior art conveyor belts for merge or diverge conveyors.
US08490268B2
The invention relates to a method for laser-cutting sheet steel (1), wherein a sheet steel (1) is gradually inserted in a defined position into the cutting area (2) of a laser cutter in a direction of advance V in order to machine it. The sheet steel (1) is machined by laser cutting in a machinable area corresponding to the length of the cutting area (2), in the entire machinable area or only in a section thereof. The machined part (8) and the non-machined part (8) of the sheet steel may also only overlap in some sections (10). An automatic discharge device is also provided. The manufactured parts and the remaining grid are likewise cut from the sheet steel (1) by laser cutting. The method can be repeated in several machining steps until the sheet steel (1) is completely machined, the results of the preceding machining step being taken into consideration for the subsequent machining step. The invention allows to optimally utilize the sheet steel (1) even when using smaller laser cutters.
US08490261B2
A method for the pressing of a press fitting, with a tube inserted into the press fitting, by means of a pressing tool, wherein the press fitting has an encircling bead in which an O-sealing ring is placed, wherein the tube ends within the press fitting and a first pressing is carried out within the bead, wherein, furthermore, a further pressing is carried out on the tube-insert side of the press fitting at a distance from the bead, the further pressing leading to the press fitting and the tube obtaining a conicity which prevents them from being pulled off and runs in the same direction.
US08490254B1
An apparatus for securing a pair of trousers about a torso includes a curved planar rear member and a curved planar front member that are disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to each other. A compartment is disposed between the rear member and the front member that is open at one end of the apparatus and covered at the top, bottom, sides, and at an opposite end. The compartment is able to retain one or more credit card sized objects therein. A fastener assembly is attached to an underside of the rear member. The fastener assembly is able to secure both ends of a belt thereto. An inner curved flat spring extends upward from the rear member toward the front member and supplies tension to the object or objects in the compartment, thereby helping to secure the objects therein. The front member includes an exterior perimeter that extends down toward the rear member. The exterior perimeter provides a neat appearance and allows the use of larger-sized versions of the front member with the same sized rear member.
US08490252B2
In one embodiment, a system for removing a plastic wrap from a cylindrical module includes a conveyor transporting the cylindrical module toward a disperser with the cylindrical axis of the module parallel to the direction of conveyor movement. In another embodiment, the disperser is a travelling head disperser thereby providing relative movement between the modules and the disperser. The direction of the wrap around the module is determined and the cover is removed during rotation of the module, either by unwrapping the plastic or by slitting the plastic and then rotating the module. The equipment used to handle a cylindrical module is moved out of the path of movement of a conventional rectangular module so an installation can handle both rectangular and wrapped cylindrical modules.
US08490250B2
An extension pole and tool holder apparatus is described. A first rod has a distal end and a proximal end, and a first rod aperture extending from the distal end toward the proximal end. It also includes a transversely-extending aperture portion that is longitudinally spaced from the distal end. A second rod also has distal and proximal ends, the second rod being disposed in a telescoping, longitudinally-moveable arrangement with respect to the first rod. The second rod typically has a second rod aperture with a longitudically-extending aperture portion extending from the distal end toward the proximal end. A third rod has a protruding member extending transversely outwardly therefrom, the third rod being mountable within the first and second rods such that the protruding member is trapped within the transversely-extended aperture portion of the first rod aperture and the longitudinally-extended aperture portion of the second rod aperture.
US08490247B2
A hinge assembly includes a follower member, a rotary member, two swing rods, a resilient member and a main shaft. The follower member includes a cam surface. The rotary member includes a latching cam surface. The two swing rods engage with the rotary second member. Each swing rod includes a contact area engaging the cam surface, and each swing rod is rotated to allow the follower member to automatically rotate relative to the latching cam surface. The resilient member provides an elastic force for the follower member abutting against the rotary member. The main shaft, the follower member, the rotary member, the resilient member are placed around the main shaft.
US08490244B1
A method of automatically generating structure files employing a full structure generator automated program is provided. An annotated device layout file is generated from a design layout by annotating the codes for design shapes with additional text representing the functionality of a physical structure associated with each design shape. Functioning individual semiconductor devices are identified from the annotated device layout file, and a circuit area including multiple interconnected semiconductor devices are identified. A front-end-of-line (FEOL) device structure file and a back-end-of-line (BEOL) device structure file are generated from layer by layer analysis of the components of the annotated device layout within the circuit area. Finite element meshes (FEMs) are generated for the FEOL and BEOL structure files and merged to provide a structure file that can be employed for simulation of semiconductor devices therein.
US08490232B2
A bedding or seating product comprising a spring core including at least one border wire and a plurality of coil springs. Each of the border wires is generally rectangular in cross-section to reduce wire costs without compromising beam strength of the border wire. Each of the coil springs may be made of a single piece of wire having a central spiral portion defining a central spring axis and terminating at opposed ends with upper and lower end turns. The coil springs may be arranged in side-by-side rows and columns and be connected with each other at the upper and lower end turns by helical lacing wires.
US08490224B2
An integral toilet and bidet includes a steel frame including a box shaped section and a generally inverted U-shaped upper frame extending upwardly from the rear portion of the box shaped section. A back is extended across the inverted U-shaped upper frame for supporting the back of a patient. A pair of armrest like members extend forwardly from the inverted U-shaped upper frame. One or more tables are connected to the armrest like members. The wheelchair also includes a toilet, a toilet bowl having a relatively small opening in the bottom portion thereof and a bidet disposed in the box shaped section below the first opening. The bidet includes an upwardly directed nozzle for directing water onto a portion of a patient's body and a plurality of downwardly directed nozzles for flushing the toilet.
US08490223B2
A toilet includes a bowl with a receptacle to receive waste, with a secondary chamber, and with an opening in the receptacle to allow the waste to pass to the secondary chamber; a rinse pump that turns on to add an amount of rinsing water for cleaning the bowl; a flexible self cleaning gasket configured around the opening formed in the receptacle; a bowl valve that has a sealing part having a rounded shape, rotates to a closed position that creates a sealed effect between the sealing part and the gasket trapping the waste and rinsing water in the receptacle of the bowl and sealing odors in the secondary chamber, and also rotates to an open position that sweeps the sealing part to be swept across the gasket and allowing the waste to pass to the secondary chamber. The solenoid rotates the bowl valve between the closed to open positions.
US08490215B2
The invention relates to a reinforcing element for an article of clothing, in particular for a goalkeeper glove, that allows a bending in a first direction, but resists bending in a second direction. The reinforcing element includes at least one bending area that has a curvature with a shape that allows bending of the reinforcing element in the first direction and blocks a bending of the reinforcing element in the second direction.
US08490212B1
A quick release garment such as a tactical vest wherein the garment includes a waist belt that is provided with two connector systems, one for manual release of the belt and one for remote release of the belt. The vest may include armor that is generally conformable to the waist shape of a wearer, which armor is insertable within the waist belt of the garment.
US08495759B2
Provided is an aligning method capable of setting a sample observation unit such as an optical microscope to a probe microscope observation position at high precision. A sample having a known structure is used in advance. A surface of the sample and a shape of a cantilever provided with a probe are observed using the sample observation unit such as the optical microscope. A sample observation position and a probe position which are obtained using the sample observation unit are verified, and a relative positional relationship therebetween is recorded. Then, a first mark indicating a position of the cantilever and a second mark which is displayed in conjunction with the first mark and has the relative positional relationship with the first mark are produced to align the sample relative to the second mark.
US08495750B2
A system to implement user-level filesystem related calls instead of an operating system kernel may include data processing applications executing via a computer processor. The system may also include a plurality of user-level filesystems, each one of which is associated with at least one of the data processing applications. The system may further include a user-level library in communication with the data processing applications, the user-level library configured to implement user-level filesystem related calls instead of an operating system kernel executing via the computer processor.
US08495749B2
An apparatus for providing a content protection system for protecting personal content may include a processor configured to receive an indication of personal content submitted for inclusion in a content protection system, and determine admissibility of the personal content to the content protection system based at least in part on indicia associated with a source device from which the personal content originated. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.
US08495744B2
A method and a system for evaluation of risk of conflict between a number of integrating security solutions. In a computer system, a number of fragmentary security solutions are received. A set of the received fragmentary security solutions is integrated to form a composite security solution to satisfy a number of security requirements. In one aspect, the security requirements are established during a design of a computer system. A risk of conflict between the set of integrating fragmentary security solutions is evaluated. In another aspect, the risk of conflict between the set of integrating fragmentary security solutions exists at authority level and at configuration level. Conflict at authority level arises when different authorities control the same fragmentary security solution. Conflict at configuration level arises when integrating fragmentary security solutions share configuration data.
US08495743B2
A system inserts at least one notifying identifier in the computer system. The at least one notifying identifier provides execution information associated with the computer system. The system receives execution information from the at least one notifying identifier, the execution information identifies details associated with a traffic flow on the computer system. The system then generates a signature based on a deterministic link provided by the execution information provided by the at least one notifying identifier. The signature is utilized to prevent further damage caused to the computer system by at least one attack.
US08495740B1
A dynamic protection system can analyze a computer system to determine its vulnerabilities to attack and generate a policy for protecting the computer system based on the identified vulnerabilities. Data received by the computer system can be analyzed to determine if it poses a threat to the system. This can prevent the data from entering the system or host based on a determination that the data poses a threat. Also, the dynamic protection system can receive policy updates to allow it to protect the system more efficiently and effectively. In other words, the dynamic protection system can protect an evolving computer system operating in an environment that is characterized by constantly changing methods of attack. Furthermore, by minimizing a need for manual intervention, attacks can be rapidly and accurately detected with a minimization of false positives, thereby lowering the cost of operation.
US08495739B2
A method and system for ensuring scanning of suspicious computer files without unnecessary caching of the files on a network device is provided. A network device receives a suspicious computer file and determines whether a target computer is protected by a malware protection program. If the network device determines that the target computer is protected by the malware protection program, the network device modifies the suspicious computer file to make the suspicious computer file unusable by the target computer and sends the modified suspicious computer file to the target computer.
US08495737B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting email spam and variants thereof. The systems and methods are configured to detect spam messages and variations thereof for different senders and with slight differences within the message body. In an exemplary embodiment, an incoming message body (m) is converted to a sequence of successive word lengths (Sm): m->Sm, a comparison is performed between the sequence, Sm, and a plurality of stored sequences (Sk) of known spam messages, and the incoming message is flagged as spam based on the comparison. Further, the plurality of stored sequences, Sk, may be continually updated based on user feedback and other spam detection techniques. The systems and methods of the present invention may be implemented through a computer, such as a mail server, through a cloud-based security system, through a user's computer via a software agent, and the like.
US08495736B2
A method and apparatus that provides information assurance attributes through a data providence architecture is disclosed. The method may include receiving a message having a data provenance wrapper, examining each data provenance record of the message and any attachments for discrepancies, identifying any discrepancies in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments; calculating a degree of trust based on any discrepancies identified in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments, and outputting the degree of trust to the user.
US08495735B1
A system and method for enhancing spam avoidance efficiency by automatically identifying a phishing website without human intervention. The system receives a stream of suspect Internet urls for potential phishing websites and uses a comparison strategy to determine whether the potential phishing website has already be labeled as a bonefid phishing website. A comparison system is utilized in which similarity data is calculated on various elements of the potential phishing website and then compared to similarity data of known phishing websites. Various types of similarity measure methodologies are potentially incorporated and a similarity threshold value can be varied in order to respond to phishing threats.
US08495733B1
One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented process of content fingerprinting. A context and a content for fingerprinting are received. The context comprises a set of context components for use in generation of content fingerprints. The content includes instances of at least some of the context components. The content is processed to generate context offset sequences, and a fingerprint for the content is formed from at least a portion of the context offset sequences. Another embodiment relates to a computer-implemented process for comparing a target content against a pool of contents. The process includes constructing an automata data structure based on the fingerprints in the pool. Context offset sequences of a target fingerprint are scanned against the automata data structure to determine matched offset subsequences. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US08495727B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates authenticating a data communication. An interface component can receive data related to a real time data communication between two or more clients. A verification component can employ a human interaction proof (HIP) to a client participating within the real time data communication, wherein a human identity of the client is authenticated as a function of a response to the HIP.
US08495722B1
A system for controlling access to an aircraft system by a portable electronic device attempting to connect to the aircraft system via an aircraft-based wireless network includes a reader configured to read first identification information from a first device. The system further includes communications electronics for the aircraft-based wireless network configured to receive second identification information from the portable electronic device. The system yet further includes a processing circuit configured to receive the first identification information from the reader and the second identification information from the communications electronics and to compare the first and second identification information. The processing circuit is configured to grant access to the aircraft system when the comparison indicates a match between the first and second identification information.
US08495717B1
A secure key distribution server (SKDS) determines identity of a requesting server without use of a shared secret by resolving the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) to a network address and comparing it with the network address of a key request. A credential string may also be used as part of the identification. Once identity is established, keys may be securely distributed. The SKDS may also be implemented in a peer-to-peer configuration.
US08495713B2
Systems and methods provide for authenticating a device. A method for authenticating a device can include receiving, at communications node, a first message, wherein the first message includes a first Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) packet which includes an EAP (Identify) ID response and a first destination address; generating, by the communications node, a second message, wherein the second message includes the first EAP ID response and a second destination address which is different from the first destination address; and transmitting, by the communications node, the second message toward the second destination address.
US08495711B2
An authorization assisting device sends to the VBN server an authorization request for access to the WAN by a requesting user device. A registration driver has a set of assignable IP address ranges for multiple routing realms, and assigns an IP address to a user device from a relevant IP address range depending on a routing realm from which communication from the user device is received. The assignable IP address ranges include one or more authorization address ranges from which the registration driver assigns an IP address to a user device whose authorization request is received from the authorization assisting device. An authorization module processes the authorization request to generate an authorization response granting or denying access to the WAN by the requesting user device based on registration data in a registration data store and the information in the authorization request.
US08495707B2
A system and method for quality assured analytical testing is disclosed. A user is prompted by the system questions which relate to an analytical test to be conducted or an analytical instrument to be employed. Input received by the system from the user is evaluated to determine to which degree the inputs are correct. The user is certified if the determined degree is above a preset threshold. Next, the user is prompted by the system for a user identification and if the user is a certified user, access is provided to a testing routine of the analytical instrument.
US08495704B2
An apparatus having a communication section operable to communicate with a central apparatus, and a storage control section operable to control writing onto, and reading from, a storage medium. The apparatus receives a control command transmitted from the central apparatus. The apparatus, if the received command is a security command, acquires process information indicating information on the security process. The apparatus transmits the process information acquired to the central apparatus. The apparatus, if the received command is a security command, executes the security process. The apparatus, if the received command is an inquiry command, acquires the status of the execution of the security process. The apparatus transmits the security process execution status acquired to the central apparatus. The apparatus, if the execution of the security process is completed, transmits the fact that the execution of the security process in the storage medium is completed to the central apparatus.
US08495703B2
Systems and methods are provided that comprise a security policy verification system for verifying security policies. The system parses programming language code that implements security policies, and identifies annotations in the programming language code. The system then matches the annotations to the security policies to which the annotations correspond. The system then displays a natural language description of the security policy in a user interface.
US08495697B1
Techniques to provide an enhanced video replay are described. A processor component controls a video interface module, a replay clip editing module, a replay clip selection module, and a broadcast feed module. The video interface module may receive a first and a second video stream of an event in a first and a second video resolution. The replay clip editing module may determine a time period within the second video stream that contains a scene of interest and create multiple video clips in the first video resolution. The multiple video clips each represent of a portion of the field of view of the second video stream. The broadcast feed module may interrupt a broadcast feed of the first video stream and insert the selected one of the multiple video clips into the broadcast feed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08495691B1
A media server comprises a network interface and an access controller. The network interface includes a cable testing module that performs a physical measurement of a first length of a first cable attached to the network interface. The access controller selectively grants a media request made by a first media client via the first cable if a first distance based upon the first length is less than a threshold.
US08495688B2
A system for multicast streaming of programs over a packet network includes a node having a processor that conditions a video bitstream such that packets containing an I-frame are located near program specific information (PSI) packets, the processor marking a random join point (RJP) in the video bitstream immediately preceding the I-frame and PSI packets, the node outputting the conditioned and marked video bitstream across the packet network. An edge device of the network includes a buffer that caches packets of the conditioned and marked video bitstream video starting at the RJP, and sends the cached packets to a client receiver.
US08495686B2
An approach is provided for controlling a set top box on an ad hoc basis. A wireless device detects a mobile terminal that is configured to control one or more set top boxes via a wireless local area network. The wireless device controls, over an adhoc connection, the one or more set top boxes directly or via the mobile terminal based on the detection of the mobile terminal.
US08495682B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for panel surveys. In one aspect, a method include accessing television history data for viewing devices associated with panelists and that describes, for each viewing device, television advertisements that were presented by use of the viewing device; a proper subset of panelists are selected based on the determinations of television advertisements that were presented and television advertisements that were not presented by use of the viewing device associated with the panelists, and for each of the selected panelists, a survey for the panelist is generated, the survey including one or more questions, each of the questions having been selected based on the television advertisements that were presented and television advertisements that were not presented by use of the viewing device associated with the panelist.
US08495678B2
A method comprising running a game or application on a server of a hosting service system and constantly recording video/audio output of the game or application in a delay buffer. On periodic intervals reports are made to the hosting service system by a watchdog process whether the game or application is running smoothly. If the watchdog process fails to report in during a periodic interval, then collecting, by the hosting service system any available machine state of the game or application along with the video/audio recorded by the delay buffer.
US08495672B2
A method of transmitting and providing data includes the steps: providing data units in a memory of a base device, providing a reference set for each data unit, in which at least one individual identification is different for each data set, producing an order sequence of the data units which determines a succession of individual identifications, producing a time-allocation table for each order sequence, transmitting to and storing on a user device a plurality of data units, at least one order sequence and the time-allocation table or tables associated with the latter from the base device, reading out a time of day from a user clock associated with the user device, determining the execution moment allocated to the time of day on the basis of the time-allocation table, and providing the data unit allocated to the execution moment on the basis of the order sequence.
US08495668B2
A disc drive apparatus comprises: a spindle motor 20 for hold a disc 2 and for rotate it; an optical head 7 for conducting either one of recording or reproducing of information onto/from the disc; a driver unit for moving the optical head in a radial direction of the disc; and a unit mechanism chassis 8 for supporting those thereon, fixedly, wherein the spindle motor is constructed with a rotational drive means made of a magnetic circuit, a rotor portion and a rotation shaft, which define a rotation body, and a spindle motor attachment plate to hold those thereon, and the spindle motor attachment plate has a semi-circular shaped plate configuration in a part thereof, nearly fitting to an outer diameter the rotor portion, in a direction where the optical head is provided, and has a step-like structure in thickness direction of the plate thereof, within a semi-circular shaped region with respect to a line connecting between corner portions on both ends of that semi-circular shape, and also bridging over that line.
US08495653B2
Systems and methods for providing event driven browser launch are provided. In exemplary embodiments one or more communication data variables associated with a communication are received. Browser launch settings for an individual associated with the communication are reviewed to determine a time to launch a browser. The browser may then be launched at the predetermined time. In exemplary embodiments, the browser provides data retrieved from a URL associated with at least one of the communication data variables.
US08495652B2
When a process sleep event, a process wake-up event, a process save event, and a process resume event occur in an IT system having a multiprocessor configuration, a tracer respectively generates sleep event data, wake-up event data, save event data, and resume event data and records them as trace data in a trace buffer. The analysis unit generates an analysis result by referring to the trace data to accumulate a number of times of execution of the process wake-up process and a first time as a time from the process save event to the process wake-up event or to the process resume event with respect to a plurality of processes to be executed. When a contention for a shared resource occurs, the process wake-up process is repeatedly executed among relevant processes. For this reason, based on the analysis result, a possibility can be presented that the shared resource contention occurs in the IT system.
US08495648B1
Systems and methods are described for managing requests for computing capacity from a provider of computing resources. The computing resources may include program execution capabilities, data storage or management capabilities, network bandwidth, etc. In some implementations, user requests are probabilistically denied or granted while some computing resources are still available. By denying some requests or granting only some, the rate of computing resource usage can be reduced, thus preserving some capacity for a longer period of time. In one embodiment, the capacity can be provided to clients based on client priority, provided to clients with reserved resources, provided to clients probabilistically, sold on a spot market, or allocated in some other fashion.
US08495646B2
A resource allocation system comprising: a resource state monitoring unit which measures a capacity and/or a usage of a computer resource(s) to be managed (referred to below as “managing resource(s)”) and an allocation adjustment unit which determines a new amount of allocating resource(s) by using at least one item of information among either of capacity and usage of the managing resource, complying a resource(s) amount demanded to be allocated (referred to below as “demanded resource amount”), wherein the determined resource amount is allocated in response to a request for the resource amount.
US08495642B2
In one embodiment, a mechanism for priority inheritance for read/write locks (RW locks) is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes setting a maximum number of read/write locks (RW locks) allowed to be held for read by one or more tasks, maintaining an array in each of the one or more tasks to track the RW locks held for read, linking a RW lock with the array of each of the tasks that own the RW lock, and boosting a priority of each of the tasks that own the RW lock according to a priority inheritance algorithm implemented by the RW lock.
US08495641B2
A technique for efficiently boosting the priority of a preemptable data reader while resolving races between the priority boosting and the reader exiting a critical section or terminating in order to eliminate impediments to grace period processing that defers the destruction of one or more shared data elements that may be referenced by the reader until the reader is no longer capable of referencing the one or more data elements. A determination is made that the reader is in a read-side critical section and the reader is designated as a candidate for priority boosting. A verification is made that the reader has not exited its critical section or terminated, and the reader's priority is boosted to expedite its completion of the critical section. The reader's priority is decreased following its completion of the critical section.
US08495638B2
Systems and methods of protecting a shared resource in a multi-threaded execution environment in which threads are permitted to transfer control between different software components, for any of which a disclaimable lock having a plurality of orderable locks can be identified. Back out activity can be tracked among a plurality of threads with respect to the disclaimable lock and the shared resource, and reclamation activity among the plurality of threads may be ordered with respect to the disclaimable lock and the shared resource.
US08495635B2
A method, system and computer program product manages a batch processing job by: partitioning the batch processing job for execution in a plurality of batch execution servers from a cluster of computers; designating one computer from the cluster as a primary command server that oversees and coordinates execution of the batch processing job; selecting a second computer from the cluster to serve as a failover command server; storing an object data grid structure in the primary command server; replicating the object grid structure to create and store a replicated object grid structure in the failover command server; in response to the primary command server failing, restarting, by the failover command server, execution of batch processes from the batch processing job in the plurality of batch execution servers utilizing objects within the replicated object grid structure, and executing the batch processes with processing states at the time of the failover.
US08495634B2
In a method for the management of tasks in a decentralized data network with a plurality of nodes for carrying out the tasks, resources are distributed based on a mapping rule, in particular a hash function. A task that is to be suspended is distributed by dividing the process image of the task into segments and by distributing the segments over the nodes using the mapping rule. Thus, a distributed swap space is created so that tasks can also be carried out on nodes whose swap space is not sufficient on its own. The method can be used in embedded systems with a limited storage capacity and/or in a voltage distribution system, wherein the nodes are, for example, switching units in the voltage distribution system. The method can also be used in any other technical systems such as, for example, a power generation system, an automation system and the like.
US08495633B2
Input/output (I/O) operation requests from pageable storage mode guests are interpreted without host intervention. In a pageable mode virtual environment, requests issued by pageable storage mode guests are processed by one or more processors of the environment absent intervention from one or more hosts of the environment. Processing of the requests includes manipulating, by at least one processor on behalf of the guests, buffer state information stored in host storage. The manipulating is performed via instructions initiated by the guests and processed by one or more of the processors.
US08495632B2
A partition adjunct is provided for a logical partition running above a hypervisor of a data processing system. The partition adjunct, which is a separate dispatchable partition from an instantiating logical partition, provides one or more services to the logical partition. A service request received from the logical partition is processed by the partition adjunct utilizing virtual address space donated to the partition adjunct from the logical partition. The partition adjunct and the logical partition share a common virtual address to real address page table, and context switching the current state machine from the logical partition to the partition adjunct occurs without invalidating or modifying state data of selected memory management and address translation hardware of the data processing system. In a hardware multithreaded system, the partition adjunct is dispatched on a single thread, while another thread continues to run in the logical partition initiating the service request.
US08495630B2
Object calls for objects not available on a local virtual machine are fulfilled by requesting the object itself from a remote virtual machine and reconstructing a local instance of the requested object on the local virtual machine. The local instance is reconstructed using information about the class, variables, and methods associated with the remote instance of the object communicated to the local virtual machine. Present and future calls to the object are then directed to the local instance of the requested object.
US08495626B1
Technologies are provided herein for automated operating system installation. Through the concepts and technologies presented herein, the process of installing multiple operating systems on a system under test (“SUT”) can be automated and monitored, thereby permitting the unattended installation of the operating systems. Multiple operating systems can be installed and errors detected during the installations can be logged in an automated fashion, thereby reducing the cost of such testing. Errors generated during the automated installation process can be analyzed and utilized to identify and correct errors in a computing system firmware. A device selector for facilitating the automated installation process is also provided.
US08495625B1
A system and method for on-demand application delivery. A computing system comprises a streaming server and a client computer coupled to one another via a network. In response to a request to install a given application on the client computer, the client computer sends a streaming request to the streaming server for retrieving files from an installation snapshot. The client computer identifies files determined to be utilized during an initial launch and execution of the given application. For these identified files, the client computer creates a corresponding physical file. For other files, the client computer adds corresponding metadata in an index of files and no physical file is created at this time. For file system access requests, the client computer utilizes the metadata stored within the index of files to handle the requests. In response to a request for access to a file not installed on the client, a request is generated to retrieve the file from the server.
US08495623B2
A system and method for network image propagation without a predefined network advantageously allows customers to automatically perform several system BOS installation or mksysb restoration over a virtual network with no predefined network and minimal installer configuration overhead. A method for network image propagation comprises: identifying a plurality of logical partitions residing in the logically partitioned terminal; configuring a temporary virtual network to connect said plurality of logical partitions to each other, wherein each one of the logical partitions is assigned at least one of a virtual Internet Protocol (IP) address and a virtual Media Access Control (MAC) address; installing an application image on at least one of the logical partitions via the temporary virtual network; deconfiguring the temporary virtual network; and assigning at least one of a physical IP address and a physical MAC address to said at least one logical partition on which the application has been installed.
US08495619B2
A method and system for pre-deployment conflict checking are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a software package from a computer source. A test package is created based on the received software package. The created test package is provided to a computer machine. The test package identifies a conflict between the software package and an application on the computer machine without installing a resource on the computer machine.
US08495613B2
Techniques for guaranteeing that a software program is executed on a machine only during designated periods of time are provided. Service windows define time periods during which software programs targeted to execute on a machine are allowed to execute on the machine. On the machine, the service windows work in conjunction with a client process that is executing on the machine to guarantee execution of the software programs by the client process only during available service windows.
US08495612B2
Described are systems and methods for upgrading a software program between sequential or non-sequential versions. An interface definition file of a first version of the software program is stored. The software program is upgraded from the first version to a second version. The second version of the software program is stored in the memory. A determination is made regarding the availability of a difference tool. The difference tool determines according to a static comparison one or more differences between the interface definition file of the first version and an interface definition file of the second version, and generates a results file that displays the determined differences.
US08495607B2
Mechanisms for aggressively optimizing computer code are provided. With these mechanisms, a compiler determines an optimization to apply to a portion of source code and determines if the optimization as applied to the portion of source code will result in unsafe optimized code that introduces a new source of exceptions being generated by the optimized code. In response to a determination that the optimization is an unsafe optimization, the compiler generates an aggressively compiled code version, in which the unsafe optimization is applied, and a conservatively compiled code version in which the unsafe optimization is not applied. The compiler stores both versions and provides them for execution. Mechanisms are provided for switching between these versions during execution in the event of a failure of the aggressively compiled code version. Moreover, predictive mechanisms are provided for predicting whether such a failure is likely.
US08495600B2
A method is provided for displaying the properties of a source code element of a computer program being edited. The includes selecting, within the source code, the source code element; searching, within the source code, a set of related code elements of the selected source code element, the elements of the set comprising typified properties; creating a data structure comprising the properties of the code elements of the set of code elements; grouping, within the data structure, the properties in function of their types; displaying the properties grouped within a portion of a display displaying the source code.
US08495591B2
Declarations from an input source code are serialized into a stream of tokens produced by following each branch of a preprocessor conditional directive statement that interrupts a declaration. Tokens are labeled with a parsing path indicator corresponding to a parsing path induced by branches of a preprocessor conditional directive. The declarations that are formed along the different parsing paths are serialized by fetching the tokens that belong to the first parsing path in a first pass, and passing the tokens on to a next phase of a compiler. The pointer that marks the next token is repositioned to return to the start of the declaration. The declaration may be serialized again through the second parsing path in a second pass. The operation may be repeated until each of the parsing paths induced by the presence of branches of the preprocessor conditional directives in the source code is exhausted.
US08495582B2
A method for performing online program changes on an automation system is provided. New program parts are loaded into a CPU of the automation system, while a user program is currently running, in order to provide a new user program. In order to avoid overloading of the CPU, switching is made to the new user program only after it is determined, by monitoring of the first processing of all the program cycles, that the CPU has not been overloaded.
US08495579B2
A solution is proposed for testing a notification-based software application in a service oriented data processing environment (e.g., implementing the WS-Notification specification). The software application includes one or more notification producers. Each notification producer is adapted to distribute notification messages (e.g., of the SOAP type) to notification consumers that are subscribed thereto—according to a specification defined in a corresponding publication, such as a WSDL document. For each notification producer, a corresponding method starts with the step of creating a subscribe request according to the publication—in order to subscribe a tester as a notification consumer to the notification producer. The subscribe request is then submitted to the notification producer. At this point, there is verified a result of the subscription. The method continues by verifying a reception by the tester of a test notification message from the notification producer.
US08495577B2
An application monitoring system autonomously selects routines for performance monitoring based on characteristics of the content of the routines. These characteristics are preferably related to aspects of routines that are likely candidates for performance improvement, such as repetitive loops, event waits, synchronized blocks, and on. Routines that appear to be relatively un-improvable are excluded from initial monitoring, and routines that are subsequently determined to be relatively un-improvable, based on performance analysis and/or user feedback, are excluded from future monitoring. The determination of each routine's candidacy for monitoring is maintained over time, so that each subsequent monitoring session need not repeat the determinations. Changed routines are routinely re-monitored and/or re-assessed to affirm or modify the routine's candidacy for subsequent monitoring.
US08495568B2
A method and computer program product for identifying two or more software patterns within a software environment. At least one relationship between the two or more software patterns is identified. A software recipe is defined including the two or more software patterns and the at least one relationship.
US08495567B2
A method, apparatus, and article are provided for managing migration of annotations between versions of source code. Annotations associated with patterns of source code are identified. A comparison of the modified source code is conducted in conjunction with the identified annotations in a prior version of the source code to determine if the annotations may be migrated to any portions of the modified source code. The comparison includes an exact match and a partial match. With respect to the partial match, a threshold value is employed to define the parameters of a partial match. All annotations that are determine to be an exact match or a partial match are automatically migrated to a location in the modified source code determine to match within the threshold value.
US08495554B2
A method for matching systems with power and thermal domains is provided in the illustrative embodiments. A subset of the set of systems is sorted according to size to form a sorted list of systems. The smallest remaining system in the sorted list of systems is selected. The smallest remaining system is allocated to a domain responsive to a determination that the domain can service the smallest remaining system. A system from a second subset is allocated to a plurality of domains such that the plurality of domains includes a smallest number of domains from the set of domains.
US08495552B1
Latches and local-clock-buffers are automatically placed during integrated circuit physical synthesis. Prior to physically laying out the datapath, locations are assigned for the latches based on a logical representation of the datapath and on the fixed placements of pins. The computed latch locations optimize the datapath according to some predetermined criteria. Local-clock-buffers are also preplaced together with the latches further improving datapath performance.
US08495537B1
A method, system or computer usable program product for performing timing analysis on an array circuit including receiving in memory a set of pins to be timed, selecting with a data processor a cross section of the array circuit including the set of pins wherein a backtrace is performed from the set of pins to identify a set of bus groups, each bus group having a plurality of timing pins, and assigning timing for an assigned pin of a first bus group equal to timing calculated for a surrogate pin of the first bus group based on array circuit regularity.
US08495531B1
An improved approach is described for allowing designers to identify and utilize suitable IP for an electronic design. An architecture is provided that includes an IP portal and/or chip estimator to identify suitable IP from a catalog of IP, which is integrated with a hosted design environment to use and test that IP for the user's specific electronic design. An authorization mechanism may be used to control access to the IP from the IP catalog. This approach greatly enhances the probability that IP suppliers will be successfully connected with the target consumers of those IP blocks.
US08495526B2
A method of decomposing a target pattern containing features to be printed on a wafer into multiple patterns. The method includes the steps of: (a) defining a region of influence which indicates the minimum necessary space between features to be imaged; (b) selecting a vertex associated with a feature of the target pattern; (c) determining if an edge of another feature is within the region of influence with respect to the vertex; and (d) splitting the another feature into two polygons if the edge of another feature is within the region of influence.
US08495509B1
An editing environment is disclosed having both a design and code views, each with its own undo/redo stacks. The editing environment includes logic to form an object that encapsulates the edits and changes made during a code view editing session. The object is associated or pointed to an element in the design view undo/redo stack. When the editing environment receives an undo/redo command in which a code view edit block is to be undone, the design view takes the specific object, which is then translated back into the proper format for code view execution. The code view then executes the undo/redo entries and returns any remaining code view edits that were not undone or redone, to the design view to place back into a code view edit block in either of the design view undo/redo stacks, along with the new related object.
US08495507B2
Electronic communication systems can be enhanced to allow a sender to indicate a topic and request an amount time for a conversation. The topic and time requested can be displayed to a recipient along with the sender's identification so that the recipient can choose to accept or reject the conversation. If the conversation is accepted, the topic and an amount of time remaining can be displayed to both the sender and the recipient. In addition, the sender and the recipient can be reminded of the topic if the discussions are off-topic.
US08495498B2
A method for manufacturing an information handling system is disclosed wherein the method includes receiving an order for an information handling system (IHS), wherein the IHS comprises at least one virtual machine (VM) and determining a number of physical systems and an amount of storage required for the IHS. The method may also include providing the number of physical systems and the amount of storage and providing virtualization software for the number of physical systems, wherein the virtualization software is utilized to create the at least one virtual machine. The method further includes pre-configuring a plurality of parameters for the at least one VM.
US08495496B2
Computer method and system provides context in an online meeting, a web conference or other shared slides application. A person (attendee or participant) asking a question does so in the specific section (slide) of the shared application. Screen images of these specific slides are captured and coupled to respective questions. The questions are queued for the presenter. Captured screen images provide context for the questions. Each question selected from the queue by the presenter automatically provides context without interrupting flow of the presentation and online meeting.
US08495491B2
A method, system and apparatus for locale and operating platform independent font selection. In an operating platform having an operating platform configuration and an associated locale, a locale and operating platform independent font selection method can include parsing a pre-established font properties file to identify whether a desired font referenced in the font properties file supports at least one of the operating platform configuration and the associated locale. Consequently, if it is indicated within the font properties file that the desired font supports either or both of the operating platform configuration and the associated locale, the desired font can be utilized in the operating platform.
US08495468B2
According to one embodiment, a data storage apparatus including memory chips includes an error correction encoder, a RAID controller, error detectors and memory units. Each of the memory chips includes a semiconductor memory. The error correction encoder adds an error correction code to an encoded data stream. The RAID controller divides the encoded data stream from the error correction encoder into data blocks. The RAID controller generates a parity data block based on the data blocks. The RAID controller outputs the data blocks and parity data block to the error detectors, respectively. The error detectors add an error detection code to the data blocks and parity data block output from the RAID controller. Each of the memory units includes the memory chips. The memory units write the data blocks and parity data block from the error detectors to the memory chips.
US08495467B1
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a user-switchable error correction coding (ECC) engine residing on a memory die.
US08495463B2
A memory control device is provided. The memory control device is configured to control access to a storage device including a plurality of storage areas. The memory control device includes a defect detecting unit configured to detect a defective area of a storage area into which data may not be stored. The memory control device also includes a storage processing unit configured to store defect information including address information of the defective area detected using the defect detecting unit into a memory area. A data writing unit is also included in the memory control device. The data writing unit is configured to write data, which has been written into the defective area, into a storage area other than the storage area comprising the defective area based on the defect information stored using the storage processing unit.
US08495462B1
Systems and methods are provided for correcting absorb sets and near absorb sets in the (2048, 1723) LDPC code used in 10 GBase-T transmission systems. Absorb sets and near absorb sets correspond to error patterns that, due to the structure and imperfections of the LDPC code, cannot easily be corrected using standard correction methods. To correct these error patterns, a set of failed syndrome checks associated with the error pattern can be identified, and the 4, 8, 12, or 16 error patterns associated with the failed syndrome checks can be determined. The codeword may then be corrected based on the error pattern that most likely occurred.
US08495455B1
According to some embodiments, a turbo decoder configured for High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) is provided, comprising: a plurality of maximum a posteriori (MAP) engines; a plurality of extrinsic memory banks accessible by a MAP engine of the plurality of MAP engines; and wherein when the turbo decoder is operating in HSDPA mode the plurality of extrinsic memory banks is configured such that during a first half of a decoding iteration, the MAP engine is able to read a first dataset from and write second dataset to the plurality of extrinsic memory banks in natural row and column order, and during a second half of the decoding iteration, the MAP engine is able to read a third dataset from and write a fourth dataset to the plurality of extrinsic memory banks in a predetermined row and column order in accordance with an interleaver table using a read column buffer and a write column buffer.
US08495444B2
A number of performance parameters for the electronic system are determined at a particular age of the electronic system. The performance parameters can be correlated to maximum operating frequency of electronic components of the electronic system for the particular age of the electronic system. Operating frequency of the electronic components is adjusted in accordance with the performance parameters. The performance parameters may be predetermined (such as through reliability and burn-in testing), determined during the life of the electronic system, or some combination of these. Performance parameters can comprise prior operating frequencies, hours of operation, ambient temperature, and supply voltage. Performance parameters can comprise performance statistics determined using age-monitoring circuits, where an aged circuit is compared with a circuit enabled only for comparison. Performance statistics may also be determined though error detection circuits. If an error is detected, the operating frequency can be reduced.
US08495439B2
Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for performing deterministic data verification by a storage controller are provided. Each of a plurality of concurrent write tasks is configured to be placed in a plurality of overlapping data storage ranges by performing at least one of: implementing a data generation function for generating pseudo-random data using a data seed, and generating a range map, the range map utilized as a lookup data structure to verify a chronological order for performing the plurality of concurrent write tasks, wherein a data address space is first designated in the range map as undetermined. Each of a plurality of read tasks is analyzed by comparing data read from a sub range in the plurality of overlapping data storage ranges against the data seed associated with the sub range.
US08495438B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of reducing imprint of a memory cell. The method comprises adding an inversion condition bit operably associated with one or more memory cells storing a memory word. The inversion condition bit indicates whether the memory word represents an actual payload or an inversion of the actual payload. The inversion condition bit and memory word are selectively toggled by a control circuitry. Inversion is performed by reading the inversion condition bit and memory word and rewriting the memory word back to the one or more memory cells in an inverted or non-inverted state, depending on an inversion condition bit. The inversion condition bit is then written to the inversion status bit value. The memory address is incremented, and the inversion status data state is toggled once the address counter addresses the entire memory array. Other methods and circuits are also disclosed.
US08495427B2
Detecting defects in deployed systems, in one aspect, identify one or more monitoring agents used in a computer program. Total execution metric of the computer program and execution metric associated with the one or more monitoring agents are measured and the measure execution metric is compared with a specified overhead criteria. The execution of the one or more monitoring agents is adjusted based on the comparing step while the computer program is executing to meet the specified overhead criteria.
US08495425B2
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method for efficiently identifying the bad component(s) in a multi-node system. The method includes assigning a unique ID to each of a plurality of nodes on the multi-node system, generating test statistics from a test on a plurality of nodes, and comparing the test statistics for the plurality of nodes against a first topology to generate a first number of clusters of bad nodes. The method further includes comparing the test statistics for the plurality of nodes against a second topology to generate a second number of clusters of bad nodes, and identifying the bad nodes by comparing the cluster sizes to a topology threshold.
US08495415B2
A method and system for maintaining backup copies of firmware. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method that includes monitoring an execution of at least one firmware component, and causing a backup copy of the at least one firmware component to be generated if the at least one firmware component executes at a predefined standard of reliability for a predefined time period. According to the system and method disclosed herein, trustworthy backup copies are available if a given server of a multiserver system fails.
US08495407B2
An in-vehicle network system includes plural electronic control units data-communicably connected via a network. The electronic control units include a master unit and a node apparatus composed of electronic control units other than master unit. In the node apparatus, a node time locally used as a reference time by the node apparatus is produced, and a system reference time is received from the master unit via the network. A node time rate, which is a rate of change of the node time per predetermined time period, is calculated based on changes in the node time. A reference time rate, which is a rate of change of the system reference time per the predetermined time period, is also calculated based on changes in the received system reference. The node time production is controlled such that the node time reduces a difference between the node and reference time rates.
US08495406B2
Following a loss of power, a storage system switches to a local power supply. The system switches to the local power supply, prevents the receipt of input/output commands and copies the content of cache memory to a local storage device. On detecting resumption of external power, the system charges a local power supply, copies the content of the local storage device to the cache memory and processes the content of the cache memory with respect to at least one storage volume. When the charge stored on the local power supply exceeds the charge required to copy the content of the cache memory to the local storage device by a predetermined amount, the system allows the receipt of input/output commands using a reduced portion of the cache memory. Once the charge stored on the local power supply has reached a predetermined level, the system allows the receipt of input/output commands using all cache memory.
US08495404B2
Disclosed is a method of low power discovery (LPD) that extends the battery life of a portable Wi Fi device or portable media player (PMP) using an IEEE 802.11 interface. Battery life extension is effected by ensuring that a PMP host processor is only on when in designated 802.11 coverage or when needed by a user by employing probabilistic channel scanning. The method includes bringing an access terminal host equipped with an 802.11 interface to an advanced configuration and power interface (ACPI) state S3 or an equivalent sleep state prior to the device or PMP going to sleep. Additionally, the method includes programming a Bluetooth (BT) device at the access terminal is to look for a certain IAC (inquiry access code), whereupon finding this IAC, the access sends a Bluetooth inquiry directing an access point (AP) to wake-up the device or PMP via a wake-up packet.
US08495403B2
The present invention relates to platform power management. In some implementations, platform tasks, that require servicing by a host processor, may be serviced in groups to create longer or more idle periods to enable the host processor to be in lower power consuming states more often.
US08495401B2
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus includes an imaging forming unit configured to form an image; a main controller configured to control an operation of the imaging forming unit; a USB interface configured to receive and to transmit USB data from and to a host apparatus; a power supply configured to supply power to the image forming unit and the main controller; a switch configured to supply power selectively under the control of the main controller; and a sub controller configured to output a power control signal for turning on the switch if USB data is received from the host apparatus in a sleep mode during which the main controller is turned off. Power consumption is thereby reduced by turning off the power to the main controller in the sleep mode.
US08495394B2
A timing control circuit used to provide a timing control signal to a FSB power supply of a computer includes a first resistor, a second resistor, and a switch. The first resistor and the second resistor are connected in series between a power supply and ground. One end of the switch is connected to the computer and receives a state signal from the computer. Another end of the switch is connected a node between the first and second resistors and outputs a timing control signal according to the state signal.
US08495392B1
A computer-implemented method for securely deduplicating data owned by multiple entities may include 1) identifying a first data segment to store on a third-party storage system, 2) identifying a client-specific database for fingerprints of deduplicated data segments stored on the third-party storage system, 3) identifying a third-party database for fingerprints of deduplicated data segments stored on the third-party storage system, 4) generating a fingerprint based on the first data segment, 5) determining that the fingerprint is not identified in the client-specific fingerprint database, 6) determining that the fingerprint is not identified in the third-party fingerprint database, 7) encrypting the first data segment with a third-party public encryption key, and then 8) transmitting the encrypted first data segment to the third-party storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08495389B2
A method for preventing unauthorized use of a software program on a computing device includes updating a state of a software program on a computing device to an updated state. Transmitting an update signal from the software program to a hardware token coupled to the computing device and updating a state of the hardware token to an updated state in response to the received update signal. Performing a first cryptographic check using the updated state of the software program and the updated state of the hardware token with the hardware token. Transmitting the first cryptographic check from the hardware token to the software program and performing a second cryptographic check using the state of the hardware token and the state of the software program with the computing device. Comparing the second cryptographic check to the first cryptographic check with the computing device, and preventing the software program from running on the computing device if the first cryptographic check does not match the second cryptographic check.
US08495388B2
A program comprises a functional block. The functional block is encrypted, additional code is added to the program and a protected program is generated that is executable only in the presence of a predetermined license in a computer system which comprises a protection module for protection against unauthorized execution of the protected program. If the encrypted functional block is to be executed, the additional code is executed. If a license is present, the additional code and/or the protection module causes decryption of the functional block, allows execution of the decrypted functional block, and upon completion of execution of the functional block, causes removal of the decrypted functional block from the working memory.
US08495385B2
A portable storage medium adapter, which is connected to a computer to store data received from the computer in a portable storage medium, includes a holding part that detachably holds the portable storage medium, a detecting part that detects an unloading operation of the portable storage medium by a user, and a disablement executing part that executes a disabling process to disable external access to the data stored in the portable storage medium at a time when the unloading operation is detected in the detecting part.
US08495383B2
The invention relates to a method in which program information is obtained to an execution environment in an electronic device. The program information comprises at least a program code. A key is computed of the program information and a device specific secret value. The key is used to decrypt program specific state data in the execution environment and to encrypt modified state data after the execution.
US08495374B2
Systems, methods, and technologies for configuring a conventional smart card and a client machine, and for performing a smart card authorization using the configured smart card and client. Further, the combination of methods provides for mutual authentication—authentication of the client to the user, and authentication of the user to the client. The authentication methods include presenting a specified token to the user sufficient to authenticate the client to the user and thus protect the user-provided PIN. Security is strengthened by using an integrity key based on approved client system configurations. Security is further strengthened by calculating a PIN′ value based on a user-specified PIN and a modifier and using the PIN′ value for unlocking the smart card.
US08495369B2
When transmitting position/time information calculated by means of a GPS function to a server apparatus, authentication is carried out with the server apparatus. The position/time information may be certified as legitimate measured by a portable apparatus with a GPS reception function employed by a user. When transmitting information related to the position and the time acquired from a portable phone terminal having the GPS function and a network function by means of the GPS function to the server apparatus, authentication is carried out between the portable phone terminal and the server apparatus. The position/time information is transmitted to the server apparatus, only if the server apparatus is authenticated as a legitimate counterpart for connection. A secret key holding section is provided for holding different secret keys for different apparatuses. The position/time information measured based on an electromagnetic wave received from a positioning satellite is digitally signed by means of the secret key. The identification information and the position/time information having the digital signature are then transmitted to a counterpart.
US08495366B2
A file server receives a request from a client to mount an encrypted file system. The file server informs the client that the requested file system is encrypted and, in turn, receives a session ticket from the client that includes a security protocol mounting selection. The file server decrypts the client's user's encrypted private key, and then decrypts the requested encrypted file system using the private key. In turn, the file server sends the decrypted file system to the client over a secure channel, which is based upon the security protocol mounting selection. In one embodiment, a key distribution center server receives a request from the client for the client's user to access the encrypted file system at the file server. The key distribution center server retrieves an intermediate key; includes the intermediate key in a session ticket; and sends the session ticket to the client.
US08495364B2
A storage medium is inserted in a storage-medium drive unit in a removable manner, storing information including setting information on a target program, identification information for identifying the storage medium, and electronic signature information generated from the setting information and the identification information. A launching unit performs an authentication of the setting information using the identification information and the electronic signature information read by a reading unit, and when the authentication is successful, reads the target program from a storage unit and launches the target program according to the setting information.
US08495359B2
A system for securing an electronic communication comprises a gateway server configured to receive and store a device identifier and a network address from a first computing device. The device identifier identifies the first computing device, and the network address is associated with the first computing device. Thereafter, the gateway server receives from a second computing device the network address of the first computing device and an encryption key request. The gateway server derives from the device identifier for the first computing device an encryption key and sends the encryption key to the second computing device. A communication from the second computing device to the first computing device may thereafter be secured using the encryption key. A related method of securing an electronic communication is also disclosed.
US08495358B2
A method and system for providing secure communication between a server and a remote client utilizing a polymorphic software platform. In various embodiments, the system provides mixed mode data entry, meaningless field entries and randomly generated false entries interpolated into the real entries for providing a secure system of communication such that a third party has no repeatable method of decoding the information transmitted.
US08495348B2
A system and method for root booting includes a plurality of computing devices that each boot from a read-only base volume of an attached storage device that includes data common to the computing devices. The attached storage device also includes a plurality of volumes, each dedicated to one of the computing devices, which are redirect on write snapshots of the read-only base volume including unique items for the respective computing device. The read-only base volume may be stored in one or more solid state drives which may be configured as a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) and/or mirrored with one or more other storage drives. The plurality of volumes may each be stored in one or more hard disk drives which may be configured as a RAID. The attached storage device may be operable to add common data to the read-only base volume.
US08495341B2
A method, information processing system, and computer program product manage variable operand length instructions. At least one variable operand length instruction is received. The at least one variable operand length instruction is analyzed. A length of at least one operand in the variable operand length instruction is identified based on the analyzing. The at least one variable operand length instruction is organized into a set of unit of operations. The set of unit of operations are executed. The executing increases one or more performance metrics of the at least one variable operand length instruction.
US08495339B2
An apparatus controls a circuit having rewritable processor elements and includes an acquiring unit that acquires information concerning a first task under execution by the circuit; a reading unit that, when the information concerning the first task is acquired, reads from a memory, a completion time of the first task; a first calculating unit that calculates a deadline time using the read completion time; an identifying unit that refers to scheduling information in the memory and identifies for a second task, the quantity of processor elements to be rewritten by the deadline time; a second calculating unit that divides the identified quantity of the processor elements by the deadline time to calculate the quantity of processor elements to be rewritten per unit time; and an executing unit that causes the circuit to rewrite the processor elements for the second task, in the quantity per unit time calculated.
US08495324B2
Methods and structure within a storage system for tuning performance of the storage system based on monitored block level access within the storage system. Block level access, either in cache memory or on the storage devices of the storage system, is monitored to detect patterns of access and/or data that correspond to an identified host system program. Based on the identified host system program, a profile of desired storage device configuration information is selected by the storage system. The profile comprises information identifying optimal configuration of a logical volume used by the corresponding host system program. Reconfiguration options are identified from the profile information and used either to automatically reconfigure the logical volume or are presented to a user to permit the user to select desired options from the reconfiguration options.
US08495317B2
A method for improving performance of data container backups comprises identifying a data container on a source computer to be backed up. A snapshot image of the data container is generated, wherein the snapshot image comprises one or more partitions. Data is read simultaneously from each of the one or more partitions to a destination computer over one or more transport paths. Each of the one or more transport paths comprises one or more threads. The data read to the destination computer is backed up such that the data retains a physical block sequence of the data container.
US08495315B1
A method and apparatus supporting compound deposition for data images. The method and apparatus comprises configuring a backup process according to a storage plan, wherein the storage plan is defined by destination list, backup properties, and backup policy and rules.
US08495314B2
Systems and methods are presented to facilitate implementation of controlling memory management, e.g., garbage collection, of computer objects based upon determination of a source side weak event and associated components. A first class determines the existence of a listener and a second class, based upon an indication from the first class, determines whether the second class should “re-register for finalization” during execution of a finalizing operation. Where existence of the second class is maintained, existence of associated components such as the first class, a delegate, a listener, and the like, is continued and data, etc., continues to be published from the weak event to the listener. Where existence of the second class is no longer maintained (e.g., the second class does not re-register for finalization), the various components, e.g., the first class, the second class, a delegate, a listener, and any other objects are available for garbage collection.
US08495313B2
A virtual logical unit that stores learning metadata is allocated in a first storage server having a first plurality of clusters, wherein the learning metadata indicates a type of storage device in which selected data of the first plurality of clusters of the first storage server are stored. A copy services command is received to copy the selected data from the first storage server to a second storage server having a second plurality of clusters. The virtual logical unit that stores the learning metadata is copied, from the first storage server to the second storage server, via the copy services command. Selected logical units corresponding to the selected data are copied from the first storage server to the second storage server, and the learning metadata is used to place the selected data in the type of storage device indicated by the learning metadata.
US08495312B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for removing redundant data from a storage system. In one example, a data delineation process delineates data targeted for de-duplication into regions using a plurality of markers. The de-duplication system determines which of these regions should be subject to further de-duplication processing by comparing metadata representing the regions to metadata representing regions of a reference data set. The de-duplication system identifies an area of data that incorporates the regions that should be subject to further de-duplication processing and de-duplicates this area with reference to a corresponding area within the reference data set.
US08495311B2
When a thread begins an atomic transaction, the thread reads one or more variables from one or more source addresses. The read portion of the transaction is constrained to a predetermined amount of time or number of cycles (N). The mechanism then performs a test and set operation to determine whether any other threads hold locks on the one or more source addresses. If the locks for the one or more source addresses are free, then the thread acquires locks on the one or more source addresses. The thread then performs work and updates the one or more variables. Thereafter, the mechanism delays for an amount of time or number of cycles greater than or equal to N before releasing the locks. If another thread attempts to acquire a lock on the one or more source addresses, then the test and set operation for that other thread will fail.
US08495300B2
A method and apparatus for repopulating a cache are disclosed. At least a portion of the contents of the cache are stored in a location separate from the cache. Power is removed from the cache and is restored some time later. After power has been restored to the cache, it is repopulated with the portion of the contents of the cache that were stored separately from the cache.
US08495288B2
A storage controller of the present invention narrows down the target for data comparison by comparing hash codes beforehand and rapidly detects duplicated data. A hash value setting unit sets a hash code in data received from a host. Hash code-attached data is stored in a logical volume. A microprocessor unit compares the hash codes for each comparison-targeted data. When hash codes match with one another, a data comparator compares the target data, and determines whether or not the data is duplicated data. When duplicated data is detected, the microprocessor unit removes the duplicated data.
US08495284B2
Described herein are method and apparatus for performing wear leveling of erase-units of an LLRRM device that considers all active erase-units. Wear counts of all active erase-units (containing client data) and free erase-units (not containing client data) are tracked. Wear counts are used to determine low-wear active erase-units having relatively low wear counts and high-wear free erase-units having relatively high wear counts. In some embodiments, data contents of low-wear active erase-units are transferred to high-wear free erase-units, whereby the low-wear active erase-units are converted to free erase-units and may later store different client data which may increase the current rate of wear for the erase-unit. The high-wear free erase-units are converted to active erase-units that store client data that is infrequently erased/written, which may reduce the current rate of wear for the erase-unit. As such, wear is spread more evenly among erase-units of the LLRRM device.
US08495283B2
A nonvolatile memory device comprises a memory core and a controller for controlling the wear level of a memory block in the nonvolatile memory device. The controller determines the wear level of a memory block by obtaining data of an actual wear level from a charge measurement cell of a selected region of the memory cell, and stores the wear level of the selected region in an erase count table.
US08495282B2
Reliable storage for database management systems (DBMS) running on memory devices such as NAND type flash memory utilizes minimum I/O overhead and provides maximum data durability. A virtual page map is utilized between the flash memory and a page access component to record changes to the DBMS pages and prevent overwriting or data loss. There is no need for journaling and logging, and performance is increased by reducing the write and erase counts on the flash memory. The logical page numbers of the DBMS are mapped to physical page numbers in the page map, such that the virtual page map allocates an available page from the physical pages when changes to a page occur, and the updated information is stored in the allocated page. The allocated page number is mapped to the logical page number of the original page, thus maintaining a modified page representation while preventing physical in-place updates.
US08495279B2
The present invention discloses a flash file system and drive method thereof, characterized in that, after reception of an access function, it verifies the parameters in the access function and analyzes the file name of the file to be accessed included therein, then queries the starting position of the file to be accessed, and finally controls a physical driver module to access data from the flash according to the starting position and such parameters. The flash file system according to the present invention does not require FAT (File Allocation Table) file system and block interface, thereby simplifying the complexity of file system and enhancing system performance.
US08495277B2
A disclosed semiconductor integrated circuit interfaces an external circuit and a host for controlling the external circuit and obtains data used to interface the external circuit and the host from a rewritable external memory. The disclosed semiconductor integrated circuit includes external terminals to which an external signal line group is connected, the external signal line group including signal lines connecting the external circuit and the external memory in parallel; an external terminal interface circuit configured to interface the semiconductor integrated circuit and the external circuit or the external memory connected via the external signal line group; and a control circuit configured to activate or deactivate the external circuit and the external memory. The control circuit is configured to activate either the external circuit or the external memory that is to be accessed via the external terminal interface circuit.
US08495266B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a distributed lock and distributed locking protocol to allow multiple communicating entities to share access to a computing resource. Certain embodiments of the present invention employ a data storage register implemented by the communicating entities to hold a value reflective of a distributed lock state.
US08495263B2
A method and apparatus of a universal interface compatibility of a sensor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a universal interface method includes acquiring an electrical power of an external source and conditioning the electrical power to provide to a sensor. The universal interface method further includes transferring the processed electrical power to the sensor, receiving a sensor output, converting the sensor output to a compatible form, and communicating the compatible form to an interface. The external source may include at least one of a USB power source, a battery, and a wall charger. The electrical power may be conditioned by at least one of detecting an input voltage, adjusting a variance of the electrical power, and altering a voltage of the electrical power. The compatible form may include at least one of a digital signal and an analog signal.
US08495258B2
A method and controller for implementing storage adapter performance optimization with automatic chained hardware operations eliminating firmware operations, and a design structure on which the subject controller circuit resides are provided. The controller includes a plurality of hardware engines and a control store configured to store a plurality of control blocks. Each control block is designed to control a hardware operation in one of the plurality of hardware engines. A plurality of the control blocks is selectively arranged in a respective predefined chain to define sequences of hardware operations. An automatic hardware structure is configured to build the respective predefined chain controlling the hardware operations for a predefined hardware function. The predefined hardware function includes buffer allocation and automatic DMA data from a host system to the controller for write operations, eliminating firmware operations.
US08495247B2
Enabling the user to link a selected sequence of hypertext World Wide Web (Web) documents into a string and to store the string at his receiving Web display station so that these documents will be available for his use. An implementation at a receiving display station is provided for designating a received Web document as a starter document and for selecting a subsequently received Web document as a first next document. An implementation is provided for creating a hyperlink in the starter document to the first next document, together with means for storing said starter and next documents at said receiving display station.
US08495243B2
A dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system and its method are disclosed. The dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system is designed to handle financial, medical, and other types of transactional information. The dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system provides intelligence for processing transactions in all phases of the system. The dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system is empowered by introducing the protocol of Level 4 Data which are supplementary data used by the decision-making engine in the system. The dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system has a capability of generating and processing tokenized data which includes tokens for predetermined numbers of transactions, tokens for predetermined periods of time, tokens for unlimited time, and chain-bound tokens shared across locations. The dynamic and recursive transaction gateway system provides a novel approach: recursive transaction processing. Through the recursive transaction processing, sub-transactions generated from an original transaction are recursively fed to the system. The sub-transactions are individually processed by the system and routed to different destination systems.
US08495238B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates self-tuning traffic shaping without a central traffic manager. During operation, the system sends one or more requests from a client to a server over a specified period of time. Next, the system receives one or more responses to the requests from the server over the specified period of time. The system then determines a request-timeout percentage for the period of time. Finally, the system adjusts a rate at which requests are sent to the server based on the request-timeout percentage.
US08495236B1
In an environment where video display devices are available for simultaneous viewing, servers provide audio streams to user devices for listening. People may, thus, listen to the audio streams through their user devices while watching the video display devices. An application on the user devices determines which audio streams are available, and the servers may indicate which audio streams are available. The application sends a request to a server to transmit a selected audio stream. The server transmits the selected audio stream, e.g. over a wireless network in the environment. A variety of additional features are enabled by the interaction of the application and the servers.
US08495229B2
Provided is a method of defending against a battery exhaustion attack on a wireless communication device. The method includes: determining whether a battery exhaustion attack against a first wireless communication device occurred based on a connection state between the first wireless communication device and at least one second wireless communication device; if it is determined to be a battery exhaustion attack against the first wireless communication device, defending the battery exhaustion attack using a communication module of the first wireless communication device; and if it is determined that the is no a battery exhaustion attack against the first wireless communication device, performing communication between the first wireless communication device and the at least one second wireless communication device according to the connection state.
US08495227B2
A method to distribute policies may include transmitting one of an identification (ID) assigned to a policy template or the policy template associated with each policy to an enforcement point or selected enforcement points for enforcement. The method may also include transmitting one set of parameters to be used in each policy template to the enforcement point.
US08495224B2
Systems and methods relating to managing network addresses. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes sending a first request to use a particular network address, sending one or more second requests for respective hardware addresses corresponding to network addresses of one or more network address leases. When a hardware address corresponding to a particular network address lease is received in response to one of the one or more second requests and an acknowledgement of the first request to use the network address is not received determining whether the network address identified by the lease is the same as the network address in the first request, and when the network address is not the same, sending a third request to use the identified network address corresponding to the lease.
US08495219B2
An identity management method and system is disclosed. The method includes identity context management (ICM) clients monitoring access to Internet resources using dedicated Virtual Machines (VM). An ICM server monitors associations between Internet resource identifiers (IDs) and the Internet resources accessed by the VMs. The VMs register context for the ICM clients with the ICM server. An ICM client enables access to Internet resources and presentation of Webpages and Internet contents associated with the Internet resources within the associated Virtual Machine context.
US08495216B2
A communication control system constituted by a communication terminal, a management apparatus that manages the communication terminal, and a wireless communication network in which the communication terminal and the management apparatus are communicable with each other.
US08495214B2
The present invention discloses a system and method for CSCF entity disaster tolerance and load balancing the system comprises P-CSCF entities, I-CSCF entities and S-CSCF entities, and further comprises a DNS Server. The present invention uses a DNS UPDATE message to report the load equivalent weight of the CSCF entity at regular time, so that the DNS Server can use the load equivalent weight when executing the load balancing strategy. It makes the disaster tolerance and load balancing in the IMS network be much easier to use and extend, thus reducing the load of the IMS network.
US08495206B2
The method of the present invention provides an automatic and optimized selection of the network topology for distributing scheduling of jobs on the computers of the modified network topology. The automatic and optimized selection of the network topology starts from the current topology and a desired number of additional connections. In this way the method of the present invention provides a higher convergence speed for the modified consensus algorithm in comparison, e.g., to a simple ring network. The method exploits the so called small-world networks. Small-world networks are more robust to perturbations than other network architectures. The preferred embodiment provides a workload scheduling system which is highly scalable to accommodate increasing workloads within a heterogeneous distributed computing environment. A modified average consensus algorithm is used to distribute network traffic and jobs amongst a plurality of computers.
US08495201B2
The present invention provides techniques for assigning network nodes to community of interest clusters. A seed point representing a cluster is selected. One or more nodes are added to the cluster based on each node's geographic proximity to the selected seed point. Nodes that are adjacent to the cluster are identified and a clustering metric is computed that is representative of the affinity that each identified adjacent node has for the cluster. One or more of the identified nodes are added to the cluster when the clustering metric for the one or more identified nodes exceeds a predetermined value.
US08495200B2
Methods and systems for processing network content associated with multiple virtual domains are provided. According to one embodiment, content processing of network traffic associated with multiple virtual domains is performed by a service daemon process initiated within a firewall. The service daemon process handles content processing of network traffic for the virtual domains by aggregating communication channels associated with the virtual domains and by applying to the network traffic an appropriate content processing policy corresponding to a virtual domain with which the network traffic is associated.
US08495192B2
A distributed processing management server receives resource operating status information from a terminal apparatus and generates based upon the information a whole resource operating status information which indicates operating statuses of other terminal apparatuses and feeds the information back to the terminal apparatuses. Users of terminal apparatuses can grasp how other terminal apparatuses are involved in a distributed processing project and motivation can be enhanced for participating in the distributed processing project.
US08495180B2
Certain aspects of the invention may be found in a method and system for setting up devices for communication on a communication network and may include a headend that may detect when a first device is initially coupled to the communication network and assign an address to the first device. The headend may transfer the assigned address to the first device and in response to receiving the transferred assigned address and/or an identifier of the first device from the first device, the headend may communicate the transferred received assigned address and/or the identifier of the first device to at least one communication server coupled to the communication network. The assigned address of the first device may be a static address, a dynamic address and/or an embedded device address such as a MAC address. The identifier of the first device may be a digital certificate and/or a serial number.
US08495177B2
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are described for retrieving data associated with files using input feeds. Embodiments include generating input feed schemas, which can be used to create data objects from input data of the input feeds. The input data and the corresponding data objects can include information regarding files, such as the universal resource indicator (URI) of a file. The data objects can then be stored.
US08495175B2
A method for managing expired or consumed applications (app1, app2 . . . appx) that have been provided by a Service Provider (SP) and are stored in a memory element (SE) of a mobile communication device (MOB), e.g. a NFC mobile phone, comprises storing a representation (RP) of expired or consumed applications (app1, app2 . . . appx) in or on a storage medium that is separate from the memory element (SE).
US08495167B2
A data communications network comprises a plurality of terminals and a main server adapted to manage selective retrieval of data from a first server by at least one target terminal. Some or all of the terminals are adapted to act as relay servers for serving data retrieved from the first server to at least one target terminal. The network includes a network information database and the main server selects at least one target terminal to act as a relay server for serving data to other target terminals on the basis of terminal performance information stored in the network information database. Terminals acting as relay servers also select further downstream target terminals to act as further relay servers on the basis of the relative performances of the further target terminals. The load on the main server is thus distributed among all of the relay servers, providing improved network performance.
US08495166B2
An optimized caching mechanism for byte range requests from a web service is provided. When a large file that is not already in cache or being transferred is requested, a background thread may be created to transfer the file and a shared data structure created to track portions of the file that are transferred. For each subsequent request for portions of the same file, the data may be sent back in chunks and the request to read each chunk from the file blocked until that chunk is filled by the background thread. Thus, the locally stored and partially filled file is shared among multiple requestors.
US08495150B2
A method and apparatus is provided that establishes user accounts that automatically forward a user's e-mail to the user's pre-selected forwarding e-mail address(es). Each user creates a forwarding directory, which may comprise multiple e-mail accounts, that the user activates and deactivates as needed.
US08495144B1
In one embodiment, a support vector machine is employed to compute a spam threshold and weights of tokens and heuristic rules. An incoming e-mail is parsed to determine if it contains one or more of the tokens. Tokens identified to be in the e-mail are then used to determine if the e-mail satisfies one or more heuristic rules. The weights of tokens found in the e-mail and the weights of the heuristic rules satisfied by the e-mail may be employed in the computation of a spam score. The spam score may be compared to the spam threshold to determine if the e-mail is spam or legitimate.
US08495142B2
An example method can include establishing a session involving a first end user, the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user. A media source is provided for the session. The method also includes initiating a request for a second end user to join the session, the second end user is added to the virtual talk group. A mobile device being used by the first end user controls which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session. An internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second user. In more detailed embodiments, a control channel can be established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel managing data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group.
US08495140B2
A fully distributed, scalable infrastructure, communication system. The system comprises at least on Space, at least one double agent and at least one non-space specific double agent. Devices and applications that wish to communicate with other members of the Community or outside of the Community insert objects into the Space. The Space then publishes the presence of that object to subscribed members of the community. The double agents are capable of communicating with any desired protocols on one side and the Space protocol on the other. Non-space specific agents handle routing, administrative and other tasks, such as communication between Spaces and Communities.
US08495130B2
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for locating services in a structured peer-to-peer distributed hash table, DHT, based, overlay communication network (310). The invention comprises two inter-related methods and nodes. The first method is used by a service node (321) to “advertise” to the overlay network (310) that it is providing a particular service (S1). This is done by distributing instances (351,352,353) of a service object (O1) that are stored in different nodes (331,332,333) in the overlay network (310) and where the instances (351,352,353) comprise an address to the service node (321). The other method is to locate at least one of these instances (351,352,353) with a predetermined probability and with a predetermined number of location request messages (390) from a user node (311) wishing to use the particular service (S1).
US08495127B2
Improving scalability and throughput in publish/subscribe messaging systems by allowing the spoke systems to vary the member of the hub collective that it attaches to. The scalability is improved because the spoke systems do not have to have a long lasting attachment to a specific hub system. Instead, the spoke systems can be redistributed more evenly when new spoke systems are added or removed. The throughput is increased by distributing workload and fan-out responsibilities within hub collectives. Availability is improved because single points of failure are removed. Ease of administration is also improved over a hierarchy by allowing child nodes to automatically change parent nodes if a parent node is modified or removed.
US08495119B2
In modern iterative coding systems such as LDPC decoder and turbo-convolutional decoder in which the invention may be used, the core computations can often be reduced to a sequence of additions and subtractions alternating between logarithm and linear domains A computationally efficient and robust approximation method for log and exp functions is described which involves using a simple bit mapping between fixed point fractional data format and floating point format. The method avoids costly lookup tables and complex computations and further reduces the core processing to a sequence of additions and subtractions using alternating fixed point and floating point processing units. The method is well suited for use in highly optimized hardware implementations which can take advantage of modern advances in standard floating point arithmetic circuit design as well as for software implementation on a wide class of processors equipped with FPU where the invention avoids the need for a typical multi-cycle series of log/exp instructions and especially on a SIMD FPU-equipped processors where log/exp functions are typically scalar.
US08495116B2
A circuit for converting Boolean and arithmetic masks includes “m” converting units, wherein m is an integer greater than 1. Each of the m converting unit includes; a first converting unit configured to receive first bits of input data, output one of the first bits as a first output bit, perform an XOR operation with respect to at least part of the first bits, and output an XOR operation result as a first intermediate result bit to a next converting unit in a sequence of converting unit ranging between 2 and n−1th; and an nth converting unit, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to m, configured to receive n−1th bits and nth bits of the input data, and at least one of an n−1th intermediate result bit and n−1th output bit from an n−1th converting unit, perform an AND operation and the XOR operation with respect to a first group of the received bits, output an operation result for the first group as an nth output bit, perform the AND operation and the XOR operation with respect to a second group of the received bits, and output an operation result of the second group as an nth intermediate result bit.
US08495113B2
A computer implemented method, system and/or computer program product dynamically display ancillary content on a webpage. A text entry is detected as an input to a find engine that locates and highlights the text entry within a main body of a webpage being displayed on a computer. A scope of the text entry is determined based on the textual context of the text entry and the type of webpage being displayed. An in-place adjustment is then utilized to automatically retrieve and display ancillary content on the webpage based on the textual context of the text entry and the type of webpage being displayed without refreshing the main body of the webpage.
US08495107B2
A system and method for use with garbage collected systems and languages, for enabling an allocated heap memory to be updated (e.g., increased or decreased) at runtime, subject to sufficient availability of physical memory. In accordance with an embodiment, a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is associated with a management console, which allows a systems administrator to monitor current heap utilization at runtime. The heap is visualized as a contiguous chunk of memory with one or more extension points, e.g., by use of a trailing pointer to a null list. If later, at runtime, the heap size needs to be incremented then the trailing pointer can be set to a new chunk of memory with a size of (new value−old value), so that the cumulative new size is made equal to a new value specified on the console. The new chunk of memory can again end with a trailing pointer, to allow for further extension. The features can help ensure that an alert administrator will have the means to prevent an out-of-memory situation when the allocated heap proves insufficient at runtime.
US08495105B2
Social activity content is aggregated for summarization and reporting by obtaining a plurality of input messages that each characterizes a corresponding time limited social activity, such as a sporting event, competition, etc. Each received message is associated with a corresponding social activity, information is extracted from the received messages describing an aspect of the corresponding social activity and information is generated that summarizes the corresponding social activity. Generated information may be based upon a combination of the information extracted from the associated messages, and information derived from content based assumptions utilizing knowledge of the corresponding social activity. Social activity information is further aggregated by applying context aware filtering to eliminate redundantly generated information, sequencing the filtered information into a chronology of the social activity and generating a summary of the social activity based upon the sequenced and filtered information.
US08495104B2
Embodiments presented herein provide systems and methods for creating child objects for a database. A child object wizard provides one or more user interfaces that allow a database administrator to select or create a child object. One or more other interfaces allow the administrator generate object attributes. The user interfaces allow the database administrator to follow a simpler process to create a child object. The process saves time and money for the database administrator.
US08495100B2
A computer implemented method and computer usable program product for version control of source code. In one embodiment, a source code file is scanned for relationships between source code sections. A semantic graph with dependencies and metadata describing the source code sections is constructed. The dependencies indicate the relationships between the source code sections. If changes are received for the semantic graph, the semantic graph is modified with the changes to form a modified semantic graph.
US08495093B2
A method, system and computer program product for dynamically adjusting node sizes in a multiway trie data structure. Upon inserting a key/value pair in a node in a multiway trie data structure that causes the number of entries in the multiway trie data structure to exceed a threshold, a splitting method is implemented. The splitting method involves doubling the width of the node in the multiway trie data structure thereby resizing the node in a resized multiway trie data structure. Furthermore, a sub-node of the original node may be split into two sections and stored in two child level nodes of the resized node under certain circumstances. Hence, only the original node and its direct successors are resized. Such a data structure outperforms hash tables by taking advantage of patterns found in the key distribution to optimize both storage requirements and access speed.
US08495090B2
An efficient parallel process can be performed in a distributed manner by an original master node set in a highest-layer sub-cluster and one or more lower-layer master nodes set in respective lower-layer sub-clusters.
US08495083B2
Upon detection of an anomaly, a report is generated that includes a description the anomaly. A description of the anomaly contained in the report is examined to determine a proposed remedy for the anomaly.
US08495082B2
Provided is a stream data processing method cooperable with external data in real time. By providing a stream predict cache corresponding to a hierarchical cache of relation data predicted as being a data matching target with stream data, the number of accesses to a database is reduced to improve performance. Data to be stored in the stream predict cache is determined based on a characteristic of the stream data input by a user or monitoring information obtained by monitoring the stream data.
US08495079B2
A method and system for initializing a multi-tenant database. The method includes the steps of: executing a trial of a legacy initialization tool on a trial database; capturing database statements issued by the legacy initialization tool during the step of executing a trial; capturing trial execution results of the database statements; executing the legacy initialization tool on a multi-tenant database; intercepting the database statements issued by the legacy initialization tool during the step of executing the legacy initialization tool on the multi-tenant database; and executing a mock of intercepted database statements corresponding to types of the database statements, types of tables involved in the database statements, and the trial execution results of the database statements, where at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device.
US08495076B2
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, identifying an entity representation. In some embodiments, search criteria are used to identify an entity representation in a universal database, and this identification is then used to identify a corresponding entity representation in a foreign database. Certain embodiments provide assurance, with a know probability of error, that the entity representation identified in the universal database is correct.
US08495072B1
Methods and arrangements for object identification. An identification request is received from different objects of a network. Attributes and values of each object are ascertained, and at least one attribute-value pair from each object is filtered out. An ID is generated for each object based on at least one remaining attribute-value pair from the filtering.
US08495071B1
A computer-implemented method is provided, according to which, an indication of a plurality of attributes of user interaction with one or more electronic messages in a user account is received, a rank value for each of the one or more electronic messages based on the plurality of attributes of user interaction with the one or more electronic messages is determined, the one or more electronic messages in the user account based on the determined rank value are sorted, and the sorted one or more electronic messages are provided for display in accordance with the determined rank value.
US08495066B2
An image database device which stores images shot by a lot of people who have freely participated to generate a photo-based virtual world. An image database device receives images shot by a plurality of users through communication over a network. The received image has a shooting position represented by common coordinates used among the users, which represent the position where the image is shot, its shooting conditions, and its image attributes. Then, the received image is compared with an image stored in association with a domain including the shooting position of the received image. On condition that the shooting condition lies within a predetermined range and the degree of similarity of images determined is off a predetermined range as the results of the comparison, the domain is divided, and the received image is stored in association with the divided domain, thereby creating an image database.
US08495064B2
Management of metadata applied to life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) data is provided. Life cycle inventory data may be provided through a secure framework to a data hub where it may be validated and audited and where the received life cycle inventory data may ultimately be used to generate a life cycle assessment score for a given product. Life cycle inventory data may be provided via a structured data template provided by a supplier or obtained by a supplier via a requested unit business process model. Metadata may be applied to each LCI data item to allow the data items to be stored, sorted, search, retrieved and used for validating and auditing the data and for comparing the data to other data items of similar data types for eventual use in the generation of the aforementioned life cycle assessment score for a given product.
US08495059B2
A method of searching for Personal Information Management information of a handheld electronic device includes accepting input of one or more search criteria, such as text search criteria and/or name search criteria; accepting input of a representation of a plurality of different databases or applications of the handheld electronic device including Personal Information Management information to be searched; and conducting a search of the different databases or applications based upon the one or more search criteria and the representation of different databases or applications. The method determines one or more search results from the search and displays those search results.
US08495049B2
A system and a method for automatically submitting Web pages to a search engine, which is preferably used for submitting dynamic Web pages, but may optionally be used for any type of Web page. The present invention features a gateway server for providing these Web pages to the search engine, either directly or optionally through an autonomous software search program. Optionally and more preferably, the gateway server modifies the Web page before serving it to the autonomous software search program and/or search engine.
US08495045B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for storing email messages into activity records in business management system. In an embodiment, an user interface for an email application program may receive a request may be received to create an activity record in a business management system based on a received email message, and in response an activity record may be created in a database in the business management system.
US08495044B2
In response to a request to a file system to perform a requested update, a lock of a first node in a file system can be acquired, and an update of the first node can be performed while the lock of the first node is held. Also in response to the request, a lock of a second node can be acquired, and an update of the second node, which reflects the update of the first node, can be performed while the lock of the second node is held. The update of the first node can be independent of acquiring the lock of the second node. A file system can allow a pair of update operations to be performed in parallel where both operations include updating the same container node. Additionally, while a file system is running, new namespace types can be defined, and the file system can be extended to manage nodes within the new namespace types.
US08495036B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods and computer storage media for facilitating the structured storage of binary large objects (Blobs) to be accessed by an application program being executed by a computing device. Generally, the manipulation of Blobs in a structured storage system includes receiving a request for a Blob, which may be located by way of a Blob pointer. The Blob pointer allows for the data, such as properties, of the Blob to be identified and located. Expired properties are garbage collected as a manipulation of the Blob data within a structured storage system. In an embodiment, the Blob is identified by a key that is utilized within a primary structured index to located the requested Blob. In another embodiment, the requested Blob is located utilizing a secondary hash index. In an additional embodiment, the Blob is locate utilizing a file table.
US08495034B2
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing data in a computer system. Compression and decompression functions are associated with a column of the table, in order to perform compression of decimal, numeric or date data stored in the column when the data is inserted or updated in the table, and in order to perform decompression of the data stored in the column when the data is retrieved from the table. The compression function compresses and stores the data in a fixed-length compressed field in the column without a length value, and the fixed-length compressed field has a size that is determined by a range of values for the data stored in the fixed-length compressed field. The decompression function retrieves and decompresses the data from the fixed-length compressed field.
US08495032B2
One aspect of the present invention includes enabling data chunks to be shared among different storage pools within a storage management system, according the use of deduplication and storage information kept at the system level, and applied with policy-based rules that define the scope of deduplication. In one embodiment, the parameters of performing deduplication are defined within the policy, particularly which of the plurality of storage pools allow deduplication to which other pools. Accordingly, a data object may be linked to deduplicated data chunks existent within other storage pools, and the transfer of a data object may occur by simply creating references to existing data chunks in other pools provided the policy allows the pool to reference chunks in these other pools. Additionally, a group of storage pools may be defined within the policy to perform a common set of deduplication activities across all pools within the group.
US08495024B2
Systems and methods for navigating within snapshots are provided. In one implementation a method is provided. The method includes receiving, while a current view is displayed in a user interface, a first user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view be displayed. The history view is displayed in response to the first user input, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view, the earlier version including a hierarchical structure wherein a first element of the earlier version includes a second element. There is received, while the history view is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view be modified according to the second element. The method includes modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view according to the second element.
US08495009B2
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for storing data such that the data automatically changes to remain current over time. In one embodiment, a database server stores metadata in association with data that is stored in a database. The metadata specifies a time and a manner in which the data should change. On, near, or after the specified time, the database server reads the metadata to determine that the specified time is satisfied. In response to determining that the specified time has been satisfied, the database server changes the data stored in the database in the specified manner.
US08495007B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for aggregating data from data sources according to a hierarchical mapping generated from dimensions of the data sources. A set of applications such as online analytical processing (OLAP) applications can access the combined data of a set of multi-dimensional data sources via a transform engine. The set of data sources can be configured with diverse dimensions and associated data, which in general do not reflect a strictly hierarchical structure. In embodiments, the transform 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 the hierarchical level of dimension from each data source in a combined hierarchical mapping. An OLAP or other application can therefore perform searches, sorts, and/or other operations on the combined hierarchical mapping based on the resulting ordering of data, even when the original multi-dimensional data sources do not contain an explicit common hierarchy.
US08495004B2
Determining and storing at least one validated results set in a global ontology database for future use by an entity that subscribes to the global ontology database. If global ontology data is stored in a global ontology database, attempt to determine a mapping between first and second ontologies. If a mapping between the first and second ontologies can be determined from the global ontology data, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set. If global ontology data is not stored in a global ontology database or a mapping between the first and second ontologies can not be determined from global ontology data stored in the global ontology database, the first and second ontologies are unified by determining a mapping between the first and second ontologies, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set. The validated results set is stored in the global ontology database for future use by an entity that subscribes to the global ontology database.
US08494994B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for online convex optimization is provided. The method includes performing a step that relies on the selection of x at a time t (xt), where x is a variable involved with the step. A resulting cost (ƒt(xt)) is calculated that results from selecting xt when performing the step, where ƒt is a cost function. A minimum possible cost (ƒt(x*t)) associated with the selection of x* is then found and the difference between the resulting cost (ƒt(xt)) and the minimum possible cost (ƒt(x*t)) is determined. A direction of movement from xt to xt+1 is selected and a subsequent step that relies on the section of xt+1 is then performed.
US08494993B2
Iterative approaches to quantum computation are described. Incongruities in the behavior of the various individual elements in a quantum processor may be managed by establishing a set of equivalent configurations for the elements of the quantum processor. The quantum processor is programmed and operated using each equivalent configuration to determine a set of solutions. The solutions are evaluated to determine a preferred solution that best satisfies at least one criterion. Furthermore, thermodynamic effects from operating a quantum processor at non-absolute zero temperature can cause the ground state to be the most probable state into which the system will settle. By running multiple iterations the ground state may be identified as the state with the most frequent reoccurrences. Alternatively, the energy of each unique state may be calculated and the state that corresponds to the lowest energy may be returned as the solution to the problem.
US08494981B2
A system, method, and computer-readable instructions for real-time characters with learning capabilities. A plurality of rules are defined in a rules-based system, each of the rules defining a condition that determines a behavior of a virtual agent when the rule is triggered by the condition being satisfied so that upon triggering of multiple rules at the same time, each of the behaviors of the multiple rules whose conditions were satisfied are combined into a resultant behavior for the virtual agent. This resultant behavior is compared with a desired behavior to providing feedback in the form of rewards or punishments to each of the multiple rules based on their corresponding contribution to the resultant behavior as compared to the desired behavior.
US08494979B2
The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for detecting unknown scenarios in a data processing system. An example method includes the steps of: providing known scenario data describing one or more known scenarios in a database; generating element data depending on the known scenario data to form a set of elements, wherein each element is related to at least an actor and the behavior of the actor; computing subsets of elements by combining at least some of the elements of the set in dependence on their corresponding behavior; generating new scenario data related to new scenarios depending on the subsets of elements; and comparing the known scenario data with the new scenario data in order to identify the unknown scenarios.
US08494970B2
A method and system for automated dispute resolution is disclosed. The method and system are used in testing non-equal values in normal rounds for satisfaction of a condition. If the condition is not satisfied in the normal rounds, power round values are tested for satisfaction of a power round condition. If the power round condition is satisfied, a binding settlement payment is calculated. The awardee of the settlement payment is offered a plurality of disbursement options for the settlement payment which he or she may choose from. Additional options involve an automated facilitator, windfalls to initiators, automatic payment initiation, multiparty aggregation and automatic settlement document generation.
US08494968B2
A method is disclosed. The method includes generating an initial key after interacting with an access device, storing the initial key at a key storage location, altering the initial key with a public key to form an altered key, and sending the altered key to a server computer along with an identifier for the access device. The altered key is changed to the initial key at the server computer and is stored with the identifier in a database in operative communication with the server computer. The initial keys that are stored at the key storage location and in the database are used to alter and restore transaction data associated with multiple financial transactions that are conducted using the access device.
US08494966B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates the transfer of a software license from a first client to a second client. The system operates by receiving a request at the first client to deactivate the software license for an associated application installed on the first client. The system then receives a deactivation request that includes an identifier for the license at a license activation server from the first client. Next, the system validates the identifier on the license activation server to determine if the identifier is a valid identifier. If so, the system sends a deactivation message to the first client, receives a deactivation response from the first client, and increments a count of license instances available for the identifier on the license activation server.
US08494956B2
One method for transferring funds includes receiving at a web server computer a request to transfer funds from a sender to a receiver. The request includes information identifying the sender and a payment vehicle for providing funds to transfer. The payment vehicle is validated and a transaction identifier is generated or assigned. The transaction identifier may be transmitted from the web server computer to the sender. When ready to receive the funds, the transaction identifier is entered into an ATM. If the transaction identifier is validated, the funds are dispensed from the ATM.
US08494955B2
The invention broadly comprises a method for determining financial loss related to performance of an internetwork. The method correlates input information regarding performance of an internetwork to operations of a financial entity underwriting insurance premiums and bonds and translates the correlated input information into at least one operational risk for the entity. In some aspects, the internetwork is the Internet. The method gathers secondary external information other than directly from the internetwork, correlates the input and secondary external information, and translates the correlated input and secondary external information into at least one operational risk for the entity. For at least one subset and one peril, the method determines a spread in time and space of effects of the at least one anomaly and peril on the internetwork and on the at least one subset.
US08494953B1
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for trading using a central counterparty which allows market participants to minimize risk and/or transactional fees associated with a portfolio of bilateral positions without substantially altering a risk profile thereof. In particular, the disclosed embodiments allow a market participant holding a portfolio of heterogeneous bilateral positions, such as positions in interest rate swap (“IRS”) contracts, to net together similar but not identical positions within their portfolio, thereby reducing margin requirements and/or transaction fees, according to criteria specified by the market participant, and which may be different from criteria specified by other market participants, wherein the overall risk exposure desired by the market participant in entering into the positions remains substantially unchanged as does the desired overall risk exposure of the counterparty market participants to those positions.
US08494948B2
Orders for execution of securities transactions and requests for asset movement are screened by a rules engine and may be automatically approved. The rules engine has rules which are user configurable. The rules may be configured to provide different outcomes, to provide a user selectable scope of application and to provide user selectable parameters. A transaction is processed against the rule set applicable thereto in order of increasing scope of the rules. That is, rules applicable to the account level are processed before rules applicable to the registered representative, office or firm. Individual broker-dealer firms may each configure rules applicable to their own firms independently of rules applicable to any other firm serviced by the rules engine.
US08494947B2
A computer network and method for electronically trading combinations of derivatives. One preferred method of trading includes providing quotes information to a central server, and determining indicative quotes for combination trades, and providing the non-binding, indicative quotes to market participants (which typically includes subscribers, but may also include market makers). A participant may then submit an e-RFQ, which is a request for a binding quote for the combination of derivatives. Market Makers may then elect to submit a binding quote for the corresponding derivative combination. Market participants may then elect to enter a binding order.
US08494936B2
A method of decision making using artificial intelligence that: receives data associated with a user regarding the situation of the user; identifies action options that the user might pursue; computes normalized scores for each of the action options based on the eligibility and likely outcome of the user pursuing the respective action option; compares the scores to a minimum threshold and to each other using quantitative and qualitative metrics; outputs a list of action options to the user as primary and secondary options to pursue based on the comparison; receives a selection from the user based on the list of action options; and transmits a message to a party who provides the action option(s) based on the selection. The method is, for example, applicable to decision making in the context of personal finance and debt assistance.
US08494926B2
A method and a system for dispensing samples and a computer readable recording medium are disclosed herein, the system can establish a feedback mechanism and recommend one or more suitable samples for a user on the basis of identification information that is inputted by the user.
US08494919B2
An electronic commerce system includes a broker that enables customers to purchase items from merchants. A customer interacts with the merchant to identify items to purchase, and the merchant directs the customer to the broker in order to complete the transaction. The broker receives a description of a virtual shopping cart generated by the merchant and presents the customer with an interface allowing the customer to select shipping and other options for the purchase. The broker calculates a total amount for the transaction based on the shopping cart description and the options selected by the customer. The broker informs the merchant of the purchase and coordinates the shipment of the purchased items from the merchant to the customer.
US08494918B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for applying an offer scheme to usage data using a user interface. In operation, usage data associated with a user is received from a server. Additionally, one or more offer schemes are displayed to the user using a user interface. Furthermore, the user is allowed to apply the one or more offer schemes to the usage data, utilizing the user interface. Still yet, the user is allowed to select one of the one or more offer schemes based on a result of the application, utilizing the user interface.
US08494916B2
Freshness inventory control problem may be formulated as a stochastic dynamic program. In one aspect, a stochastic dynamic programming formulation takes as input inventory status, stochastic demand forecast and cost information associated with on-hand inventory. The stochastic dynamic programming formulation is maximized to determine order quantity and depletion quantity of the product per period.
US08494914B2
Mechanisms are provided to facilitate buying and selling products utilizing social pricing. Sellers initiate sale of a product with volume discounts for a limited time. In other words, the more people that buy a product, the lower the price for the group. Buyers have a real incentive to become prosumers that not only purchase a product but also promote purchase by others. A social pricing system brokers interaction between sellers and buyer groups, and provisions mechanisms to aid promotion of products by consumers utilizing social networks and other online activities.
US08494911B2
A device receives multiple products associated with a customer of a network and provided by the network, matches the multiple products with multiple maintenance events, and displays multiple visual indicators indicating status of the multiple maintenance events.
US08494910B2
The present invention allows trading partners to be matched with each other based on the proximity of their locations and their capability to complete a desired transaction. Specifically, under the present invention a requestor will issue a transaction request seeking to exchange goods, services and/or information. A trading partner who can fulfill the transaction request will be identified based on a proximity of location of the trading partner to the requestor, as well as the capability of the trading partner to fulfill the transaction.
US08494909B2
A merchandise checkout system for ringing up merchandise in a grocery or other retail facility is disclosed. The merchandise checkout system includes visual sensors for acquiring images of an object to be rung up at checkout; a database configured to retain a visual model and UPC code of known items; and a processor configured to maintain and update the database with information about new merchandise presented for checkout. The visual model preferably includes at least one image of each item of merchandise in the retail store as well as geometric point features extracted from images of the merchandise. The processor in the exemplary embodiment is configured to: (a) compare the image of the object acquired at checkout to the visual model of the items in the database; (b) recognize the object based on the overall appearance of the packaging; (c) automatically ring up the price of the object at the POS; and (d) automatically add the acquired image to the database if the image of the object is new, i.e., it does not match the visual model of any of the items recorded in the database, thereby enabling the checkout system to dynamically and automatically build up its database of visual models.
US08494904B2
A method of accumulating descriptive profile data uses a databank that can be contacted by profile providers who contribute profile elements about an online visitor. The method includes keeping track of which profile provider contributed which elements, so that use of particular elements in targeting electronic third-party advertisements automatically can result in compensation.
US08494901B2
Methods and systems for enabling multi-merchant coupon campaigns within an online publication system are described. In an example, a method can include generating an item listing, receiving information specifying a set of coupon criteria, detecting an event within a multi-merchant publication system, and present a coupon in response to detecting the event. The generating an item listing can be based on information received from a merchant-computer. If the set of coupon criteria is detected it can result in presenting a coupon for the item listing. The event can satisfy a particular coupon criteria from the set of coupon criteria.
US08494897B1
An analytics system and associated methods are disclosed. The analytics system may be used by site owners and others for various purposes, such as to identify and compare network sites that satisfy particular criteria, to identify and compare keywords associated with these sites, and to assess characteristics of typical users of these sites. One feature of the system includes computer processes for inferring characteristics of users for whom user profile data is unknown or incomplete, and for using these inferred characteristics to more accurately assess the characteristics of typical users of particular sites.
US08494894B2
A system constructed using one or more of the techniques described includes a collective set of data structures, uniquely designed entities, information tools, and computational and machine methods useful to store, append, interact with, retrieve, process, and present data and information in a fashion that enables associations to be made between the entities and the particular Jobs and Outcomes that pertain to the underlying markets, or possible markets, of an enterprise which have been identified by separate analysis following an Outcome Driven Innovation (ODI) methodology.
US08494885B2
A method and system to supply multiple items through a network of inventory staging areas and distribution points by determining inventory stocking levels for a staging area and distribution points, and inventory shipments from said staging area to distribution points and between the distribution points, using an optimization formulation whose objective is to cover maximum overall demand at the distribution points in a given period of time, and to minimize total cost of meeting demand.
US08494879B2
A method and system is disclosed for operating a medical device with or without a cassette in place. A method is disclosed for adding additional VTBI to an ongoing infusion without stopping the infusion and with maintaining the infusion parameters. A method and system is disclosed for changing the CCA without having to interrupt or completely stop an ongoing infusion. Quick titration buttons are provided to allow improved navigation between various delivery display screens.
US08494878B2
A system and method of computerizing traditional companies with customized individual addressable electronic direct marketing, self-service automation, and customer care support. The system relates to a personal agent carried by a user and a network of companies, manufacturers, stores, doctors, pharmacists, financial institutions and others. In particular, a doctor can have a professional unit that communicates with a user's personal unit including the transfer of drug prescriptions, medication information, etc. The personal agent can provide drug information to the user as well as a reminder to take the medication and an actual storage and dispensing of medication.
US08494875B2
A system is provided for providing patient treatment values in real-time, including: a database module comprising a database having a plurality of predetermined categories of patient selection criteria, patient condition categories, treatment types and precalculated treatment doses based on the predetermined categories and patient selection criteria; an input module in communication with the database module for inputting one or more of patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and treatment type at time of patient treatment; and a display module in communication with the database module and the input module for displaying a precalculated treatment dose based on one or more inputted patient selection criteria, patient condition categories and treatment type at time of patient treatment.
US08494874B2
A system and method for recruiting participants for medical research over an extended computer network is disclosed. The system and method comprise an enhanced services server built on the same architecture as a plurality of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, an input device configured to receive search criteria corresponding to clinical criteria that a patient must satisfy to qualify to participate in the medical research, search functionality configured to search the patient data captured by each of the plurality of EHR systems based on the search criteria, an output device configured to output data for a plurality of qualifying patients identified by the search functionality as satisfying the search criteria, and messaging functionality configured to send an electronic message via a network connection to one or more healthcare provider sites at which patient data for at least one of the plurality of qualifying patients was captured, wherein, upon receiving authorization in response to the request, the researcher can access the patient-identifying information associated with the patient data for the at least one of the plurality of qualifying patients identified with the output data and use it to recruit that patient for medical research.
US08494861B2
An automated movable barrier control system component (11) as comprises a part of a movable barrier control system (10) has an audible speech output device (21) operably coupled thereto. These elements can share a common housing (22). The audible speech output device (21) can audiblize one or more items of stored speech content relating to one or more aspects of the component itself, other components within the system, and/or the system itself.
US08494858B2
Establishing a preferred mode of interaction between a user and a multimodal application, including evaluating, by a multimodal application operating on a multimodal device supporting multiple modes of interaction including a voice mode and one or more non-voice modes, user modal preference, and dynamically configuring multimodal content of the multimodal application in dependence upon the evaluation of user modal preference.
US08494856B2
According to one embodiment, a speech synthesizer includes an analyzer, a first estimator, a selector, a generator, a second estimator, and a synthesizer. The analyzer analyzes text and extracts a linguistic feature. The first estimator selects a first prosody model adapted to the linguistic feature and estimates prosody information that maximizes a first likelihood representing probability of the selected first prosody model. The selector selects speech units that minimize a cost function determined in accordance with the prosody information. The generator generates a second prosody model that is a model of the prosody information of the speech units. The second estimator estimates prosody information that maximizes a third likelihood calculated on the basis of the first likelihood and a second likelihood representing probability of the second prosody model. The synthesizer generates synthetic speech by concatenating the speech units on the basis of the prosody information estimated by the second estimator.
US08494854B2
An audible based electronic challenge system is used to control access to a computing resource by using a test to identify an origin of a voice. The test is based on analyzing a spoken utterance using optimized challenge items selected for their discrimination capability to determine if it was articulated by an unauthorized human or a text to speech (TTS) system.
US08494844B2
A computerized method and system is provided for automatically selecting from a digitized sound sample a segment of the sample that is optimal for the purpose of measuring clinical metrics for voice and speech assessment. A quality measure based on quality parameters of segments of the sound sample is applied to candidate segments to identify the highest quality segment within the sound sample. The invention can optionally provide feedback to the speaker to help the speaker increase the quality of the sound sample provided. The invention also can optionally perform sound pressure level calibration and noise calibration. The invention may optionally compute clinical metrics on the selected segment and may further include a normative database method or system for storing and analyzing clinical measurements.
US08494839B2
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus for analyzing text data, including: acquisition means for acquiring the text data; morpheme information registration means for registering morpheme information for use in analyzing the text data morphologically; morphological analysis means for analyzing the text data acquired by the acquisition means; compound word processing rule registration means for registering compound word processing rules for creating a compound word not registered in the morpheme information registration means; and compound word processing means, by use of the compound word processing rules registered in the compound word processing rule registration means, for combining the morphemes included in the morphological analysis information created by the morphological analysis means, into the compound word not registered in the morpheme information registration means and detecting the created compound word.
US08494835B2
A post-editing apparatus for correcting translation errors, includes: a translation error search unit for estimating translation errors using an error-specific language model suitable for a type of error desired to be estimated from translation result obtained using a translation system, and determining an order of correction of the translation errors; and a corrected word candidate generator for sequentially generating error-corrected word candidates for respective estimated translation errors on a basis of analysis of an original text of the translation system. The post-editing apparatus further includes a corrected word selector for selecting a final corrected word from among the error-corrected word candidates by using the error-specific language model suitable for the type of error desired to be corrected, and incorporating the final corrected word in the translation result, thus correcting the translation errors.
US08494833B2
Emulating a computer run time environment including: storing translated code in blocks of a translated code cache, each block of the translated code cache designated for storage of translated code for a separate one of the target executable processes, including identifying each block in dependence upon an identifier of the process for which the block is designated as storage; executing by the emulation environment a particular one of the target executable processes, using for target code translation the translated code in the block of the translated code cache designated as storage for the particular process; and upon encountering a context switch by the target operating system to execution of a new target executable process, changing from the block designated for the particular process to using for target code translation the translated code in the block of the translated code cache designated as storage for the new target executable process.
US08494822B2
The present invention describes a system and a computer program product for joint modeling of a mean and dispersion of data. A computing system derives a loss function taking into account distributional requirements over the data. The computing system represents separate regression functions for the mean and the dispersion as stagewise expansion forms. At this time, the stagewise expansion forms include undetermined scalar coefficients and undetermined basis functions. Then, the computing system chooses the basis functions that maximally correlate with a corresponding steepest-descent gradient direction of the loss function. The computing system obtains the scalar coefficients based on a single step of Newton iteration. The computing system completes the regression functions based on the chosen basis functions and obtained scalar coefficients.
US08494817B1
A method is disclosed for localizing product yield variability to a process module. The method includes obtaining fail rate and critical area data for each process module layer in a number of test chips. A variance in a defect density (DD) probability density function (PDF) is determined based on the obtained fail rate and critical area data for each process module layer. A percent contribution from each process module layer to the variance in DD PDF is determined. Based on the determined percent contribution to the variance in DD PDF from each process module layer, one or more process module layers are identified as contributing to the determined variance in the DD PDF. Additionally, a method is provided to assess the impact on product yield due to reduction in the yield variability associated with a particular process module layer.
US08494816B2
A computer-implemented land planning system is designed to generate at least one conceptual fit solution to a user-defined land development problem. The system electronically creates at least one candidate solution to the land development problem. The candidate solution incorporates a number of engineering measurements applicable in development of an undeveloped land site. A fitness function quantitatively evaluates the candidate solution based on its fitness. A heuristic problem-solving strategy manipulates the engineering measurements of the candidate solution to achieve a more quantitatively fit solution to the land development problem. A computer output device outputs to a user documentation illustrating the fit solution to the land development problem.
US08494811B2
A service condition, a cause of a malfunction, or another aspect of a device in a large group of devices to be managed can be analyzed in an accurate and efficient manner. A complete test involving the entire number of devices in a large group of managed devices (T) is periodically performed to determine whether the devices are operating normally or have a malfunction; a test result (Ic) is recorded for each cycle of the complete test, and a device that has been found to be malfunctioning is repaired or replaced; and analysis data G, E are created showing a malfunctioning frequency (N) of each of the managed devices (T) on the basis of the test result (Ic) of the complete test that spans a plurality of cycles.
US08494809B2
The invention relates to a method for computer-assisted evaluation of the performance of progressive lenses, specifically while taking into account individual parameters of a given eyeglass wearer, the individual parameters including at least personal prescription data, in particular, additional spherical, astigmatic, and/or prismatic power, and/or personal wearer data for the eyeglass wearer, in particular, forward inclination, horizontal frame inclination, corneal vertex distance, and/or interpupillary distance. The method includes the following steps: determining the individual parameters; calculating a total performance factor P in each case for at least two quality classes of progressive lenses as a function of the individual parameters, the total performance factor P being correlated with the quality of the monocular visual acuity and/or binocular visual impression; and outputting the calculated total performance factor P for the quality classes.
US08494807B2
The present invention provides a method to implement prognostics and health management (PHM) in individual electronic products (such as parts, components, boards, assemblies, devices, systems, and systems of systems). The PHM algorithm is performed during product screening tests, diagnostic processes, or after the manufacturer process. Certain performance, signal values and parameters, environmental and operational loads, or their correlations are recorded, extracted, and stored in electronic memory for that particular product. The stored data represents a the healthy baseline reference of that particular product at the initial point of its life. In one embodiment, where the healthy baseline is stored in the product, it can be updated according to different usage conditions. In one embodiment with the data is stored within the product, the PHM analysis can be performed in the field under conditions of use. In another embodiment the healthy baseline can be stored elsewhere and the product returned to the company storing the healthy baseline data, for PHM analysis.
US08494806B2
The method includes the steps of: storing a plurality of parameter sets; selecting one of the plurality of parameter sets as a test parameter set to be evaluated; measuring performance only for one batch job out of N (N is a positive integer) batch jobs constituting full set performance measurement for the test parameter set; and calculating an evaluation value on the basis of a difference between an integral of measurement values obtained until the performance has been measured for r (r is a positive integer smaller than N) batch jobs by using the test parameter set; and an integral of mean measurement values of the performance for the r batch jobs by using an optimal parameter set which is one of the parameter sets used in the performance evaluation having been performed; determining whether or not the evaluation value has deviated from a predetermined evaluation continuing range; and terminating the evaluation of the test parameter set on condition that it is determined that the evaluation value has deviated form the evaluation continuing range toward performance deterioration. It is preferable that the predetermined evaluation continuing range be of a width from a width W where r is equal to zero, to a width W′ (0≦W′
US08494795B2
An apparatus and method estimates a plurality of synchronized phasors at predetermined times referenced to a common time standard in an electrical power system. The method includes acquiring and determining a frequency of a power system signal, sampling the power system signal at a sampling interval rate based on a frequency of the power system signal to form signal samples, and generating a plurality of acquisition time values based on an occurrence of each of the signal samples at a corresponding plurality of different times referenced to the common time standard. The method further includes adjusting a phasor of each of the signal samples based on a time difference between a corresponding selected acquisition time value and a predetermined time referenced to a common time standard to form the plurality of synchronized phasors.
US08494793B2
A process for measuring the gradient or an n-th order derivative, in which n is greater than 1, in a direction z, of a component Hx of a magnetic field, the component being invariant, at least locally, in a direction y. The method includes: a) positioning of N (N>n+1) elementary field sensors, each sensor being offset, relative to the neighboring sensors, along y by a distance Ty and along the z axis by a distance Δz, b) measurement of the field by each of the N sensors, and c) calculation of the desired gradient, or the desired nth-order derivative, as a function of the measurements of the field obtained during b).
US08494787B2
Magnetic ink is used to mark defective parts or assemblies during manufacturing, thereby allowing the defective parts or assemblies to be detected in products following manufacturing, even if they are concealed or hidden in the final product. An example of such a defect-containing product is a laminated microfluidic device which contains a defective capillary.
US08494781B2
The present invention provides a new class of peptides related to rapid replication and high human mortality, and their use in diagnosing, preventing and treating disease including vaccines and therapeutics for emerging viral diseases and methods of identifying the new class of peptides and related structures.
US08494779B2
The present invention disclosed is a method for screening metabolites essential for the growth of microorganism using metabolic flux analysis. More specifically, the present invention relates to the method for screening metabolites essential for the growth of microorganism, by selecting a target microorganism, constructing a metabolic network model of the selected microorganism, inactivating the consumption reaction of each of metabolites in the constructed metabolic network model, analyzing the metabolic flux of the metabolites to select metabolites essential for the growth of the microorganism, and confirming the selected metabolites using the utilization of each of the metabolites, defined as flux sum (Φ). According to the present invention, metabolites essential for the growth of microorganism, and genes involved in the essential metabolites, can be screened in a convenient manner, and drug-target genes against pathogenic microorganisms can be predicted by deleting genes associated with the metabolites screened according to the method.
US08494778B2
A computer system and a computer-implemented method for evaluating a geophysical model using a grid of points representing locations in a subsurface geological region are disclosed. The method includes storing a geophysical model of the subsurface geological region in a computer readable memory and defining, for the geophysical model, the grid of points representing the locations in the subsurface geological region. The grid of points comprise a plurality of points extending in at least one direction. The plurality of points are variably spaced apart in the at least one direction. The method further includes evaluating, by the computer, the geophysical model using the grid of points.
US08494774B2
A method of predicting weather-exacerbated threats, said method comprising inputting localized weather measurement data into a weather threat prediction system; predicting future localized weather conditions based on said localized weather measurement data combined with modeling from National Weather Service Data; inputting natural environment and infrastructure data into said weather threat prediction system; correlating said infrastructure data with said predicted future localized weather conditions; and determining a threat level index over a region, a threat level indicating an area having a certain probabilistic likelihood of being harmed by said future weather conditions.
US08494770B2
A method and system for calculating savings routes for display on a portable computing device (PCD) are described. The method includes receiving at least one of a product category and a service category from an operator of a PCD. The PCD may also receive a destination address. With this information, circle of influence data based on an offer for at least one product or service corresponding to the product category or service category may be generated and provided to the PCD. The circle of influence data may impact edge weights of a graph search algorithm. The graph search algorithm solves a single-source shortest path problem for a graph with non-negative edge path costs. The circles of influence in combination with the graph search algorithm allow a PCD to calculate one or more savings routes based on a start point and the desired destination address provided by the operator of the PCD.
US08494769B2
An information center device computes a guided route. It selects a newly opened road connecting to the guided route and traces the newly opened road from the connection point to a point at which the newly opened road intersects another road. Then, it determines block maps containing the traced newly opened road as those to be transmitted to the automobile navigation system. Therefore, the automobile navigation system can utilize block maps containing the newly opened road connected to the guided route as well as block maps associated with the guided route. As a result, the user can get information on where the newly opened road leads and connects, and easily deviate from the guided route and select a route going through the newly opened road at his/her own will.
US08494760B2
A Widefield Airspace Imaging and Navigation System to provide UASs with wide field airspace imaging and collision avoidance capabilities. An array of optical lenses are distributed throughout the aircraft to provide an unobstructed view in all directions around the aircraft. Each collection lens is coupled through an optical fiber to a camera that multiplexes the several images. A processing system is connected to the wide array imaging system, and it runs an image interpolation program for resolving a background image and for distinguishing objects that are not moving with the background. In addition, a navigation control program reads the image interpolation software and, upon detection of an approaching object, implements a rule-based avoidance maneuver by sending an appropriate signal to the existing UAS autopilot.
US08494758B2
In an engine automatic-stop/restart system according to the present invention, in the case where an engine self-restoration determination unit determines that an engine can autonomously be restored, fuel supply by a fuel injection control unit is resumed so that the engine is autonomously restored; and in the case where the engine self-restoration determination unit determines that the engine cannot autonomously be restored, the fuel supply by the fuel injection control unit is resumed, and based on an engine rotation speed detected by the engine rotation speed detection unit, a pinion gear rotation speed detected by the pinion gear rotation speed detection unit, and the result of determination by the engine self-restoration determination unit, there is performed the energization or de-energization of the pinion gear driving unit and the starter motor.
US08494757B2
A method for controlling combustion in a direct injection internal combustion engine operable in a lean combustion mode includes monitoring in-cylinder pressure, utilizing a time-based filter to calculate an actual combustion noise based upon the monitored in-cylinder pressure, monitoring combustion control parameters utilized by the engine, determining an expected combustion noise based upon the monitored combustion control parameters, comparing the actual combustion noise to the expected combustion noise, and adjusting the combustion control parameters based upon the comparing.
US08494739B2
A method for operating a hybrid drive device of a motor vehicle that has at least two different drive aggregates, in particular an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, and having a clutch, the drive aggregates being capable of being operatively connected using the clutch. It is provided that, in a diagnostic and/or adaptation operating mode; the clutch is operated with a slippage. In addition, the present system relates to a hybrid drive device, a control device for a hybrid drive device, and a motor vehicle aggregate that has both the control device and the hybrid drive device.
US08494736B2
A method and device for driving assistance for a propulsion unit of a vehicle with manual control of the transmission gear ratio, using a control system with a calculator controlling an indication to a driver of a recommended gear ratio based on a request information from the driver and depending on driving conditions of the vehicle at any moment, and a mapping of the gear change rules from which the ratio to be recommended is determined, depending on the vehicle speed at each moment, for an optimal fuel consumption and a minimized pollutant emission. The recommended ratio for an optimal consumption is corrected in successive steps by taking into account, one after the other, a set of constraints concerning the driving safety and comfort, each step having priority over the previous one so that the ratio finally recommended is an optimal balance between the different constraints while putting an emphasis on driving safety.
US08494734B2
It is provided a shifting control device for vehicle for electrically controlling a switching of a transmission to a parking range for performing a parking lock in response to an operation by a driver, the shifting control device for vehicle configured to determine the switching to the parking range when the driver performs a predetermined operation for switching to the parking range, based on whether plural vehicle speed signals different in response relative to an actual vehicle speed satisfy a predetermined condition; and the switching to the parking range being determined (i) using a corrected value obtained by correcting a vehicle speed signal having a slower response such that a difference in a vehicle speed based on the vehicle speed signal having the slower response and a vehicle speed signal having a quicker response is suppressed, or (ii) using a corrected value obtained by correcting a predetermined vehicle-speed threshold value associated with the vehicle speed signal having the quicker response such that the slower the response of the vehicle signal having a slower response is, the larger is the corrected value than the corrected value associated with the vehicle speed signal having the quicker response.
US08494730B2
A power transmitting apparatus includes a clutch that operates based on pressure of a fed fluid to adjust a mode of power transmission of an engine or/and a motor/generator on a power transmission route, a first driving pump that feeds the fluid to the clutch by being driven in accordance with rotation of the motor/generator, and a second driving pump that feeds the fluid to the clutch by being driven in accordance with electric power, wherein a first engagement unit and a second engagement unit can be caused to engage rapidly or slowly by selecting one of the first driving pump and the second driving pump as a source of the fluid, and when a drive request of the clutch is present and a rotation speed of the motor/generator is lower than a predetermined rotation speed, the first engagement unit and the second engagement unit are caused to engage rapidly by feeding the fluid from the second driving pump.
US08494722B2
A vehicle occupant protection apparatus includes a first collision detection mechanism provided for a vehicle and that detects a collision of the vehicle; a second collision detection mechanism provided closer to a middle of the vehicle than the first collision detection mechanism and that detects a collision of the vehicle; a first protection mechanism that protects an occupant from a collision of the vehicle; a controller that activates the first protection mechanism at the time when the first and second collision detection mechanisms detect a collision of the vehicle; and a collision prediction mechanism that predicts a collision of the vehicle. Every time the collision prediction mechanism predicts a collision of the vehicle in a direction from the first collision detection mechanism toward the middle of the vehicle, the controller activates the first protection mechanism at the time when the first collision detection mechanism detects the collision of the vehicle.
US08494717B2
An electric assisted steering control strategy for a steering system for a vehicle is arranged to assist the driver in controlling the vehicle during a split mu braking operation. The steering is provided with assistance being based on at least one operational variable representing a corrective steer angle for the vehicle which is added to a main assistance torque via a driver feedback controller, and the strategy is adapted to employ an estimate of yaw moment of the vehicle as the operational variable, the yaw moment being determined by processing the speed of wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle.
US08494711B2
An automated start/stop system for a vehicle comprises an auto-stop module, a diagnostic module, and an auto-start module. The auto-stop module selectively initiates an auto-stop event and shuts down an engine while the vehicle is running. The diagnostic module selectively diagnoses a fault in a clutch pedal position sensor of the vehicle. The auto-start module, while the vehicle is running and the engine is shut down, selectively initiates an auto-start event after the fault has been diagnosed when current drawn by a starter motor is less than a predetermined maximum starting current.
US08494706B2
The system and method for determining the operational condition of an electric fuel pump (16). The test apparatus (22) is configured to perform first, second and third tests. During the first test, a low voltage, low current signal is applied to produce an inductive reflectance from the pump armature winding. During the second test, continuity is assessed in the coil winding circuit. During the third test, a higher power, short duration pulse is applied to create rotational movement of the pump armature for the purpose of detecting mechanical and/or electrical issues not otherwise discerned from the prior tests. An optional fourth test may be conducted in which the pump (16) is run for a short period of time at standard operating power to generate a current waveform. Collected test data is compared to stored reference data sets using a processor contained within the test apparatus (22). If collected test data corresponds within an acceptable threshold range to the reference data, a PASS signal is generated.
US08494705B1
A universal power box for diagnosing, programming and powering an electronic control module includes at least one diesel engine control, a universal power box connector, and a diagnostic device connector. The power box connector is in circuit relationship to the diesel engine control and an electronic control module of a diesel engine. The diagnostic connector is in circuit relationship to the power box connector and a diagnostic device, which may be a third-party diagnostic device or a computer. A first wiring harness connects the power box connector to the vehicle side of the electronic control module. A second wiring harness connects the diagnostic device connector to the diagnostic device. A power source in circuit relationship to the power box connector provides power to the electronic control module when necessary.
US08494702B2
A method for controlling driveline stability in a vehicle includes generating an activation signal indicative of a predetermined vehicle maneuver, which may include a hard braking maneuver on a low coefficient of friction surface. A quick automatic shift to a neutral gear state is executed with a rapid dumping or bleeding off of clutch pressure in a designated output clutch of the vehicle. An activated state of an antilock braking system (ABS) may be used as part of the activation signal. The shift to the neutral gear state may occur only when a current transmission operating state is associated with the high level of driveline inertia. A vehicle includes a transmission and a control system configured to execute the above method.
US08494701B2
In a method and a device (8) for operating a hybrid vehicle (1), the internal combustion engine (2) of the hybrid vehicle is started automatically in case the hybrid vehicle (1) is in a ready-to-drive mode and an opening of an engine covering (4) of the hybrid vehicle is detected.
US08494694B2
A mass transportation system for efficiently transporting a plurality of passengers along a predetermined path from a loading station to an unloading station. The transportation system generally includes a support structure, a track positioned above ground level via the support structure, and a carrier vehicle operable along the track. A first control module operable by a passenger is located outside the carrier vehicle upon a loading station for signaling the carrier vehicle to stop along the track at the loading station and a second control module operable by the passenger is located inside the carrier vehicle for signaling the carrier vehicle to stop along the track at an unloading station.
US08494691B2
Apparatuses and methods for displaying autoflight information and controlling autoflight systems. In one embodiment, a flight deck for an aircraft having an autoflight system includes at least one pilot seat, at least one window positioned forward of the pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned forward of the pilot seat. In one aspect of this embodiment, the forward window provides a forward field of view out of the aircraft for a pilot seated in the pilot seat. In another aspect of this embodiment, the flight deck further includes a display device configured to provide information related to one or more autoflight modes. The display device can be positioned at least approximately between the forward instrument panel and the forward window to provide the pilot with autoflight information at least proximate to the forward field of view. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the display device can be configured to provide information related to one or more target flight parameters.
US08494686B2
Disclosed is a system and method consisting of one or more networked modular sensors Nodes and a data processing/display system for use to monitor and control electrical appliance loads at a premises. Together, the modular sensor Nodes and the processing/display system to detect, process, manage and present both real-time and historic electrical energy usage data for the premises, thus allowing the intelligent management of energy usage by a user of the system through both manual and automated usage controls. The sensor Nodes are integrated into the standardized form-factor (i.e., the standard physical configuration) of components typical of household and commercial electrical interfaces, such as circuit breakers, wall outlets, light switches, plug ends, power strips, etc. The Nodes being configured in the standard form-factor of typical electrical interfaces found in a premises allows them to be substituted for the existing electrical interface and used with appliances or other load devices already existing or to be added at the premises, to be associated with the data processing, display and management system, and to be capable of communicating with each other.
US08494685B2
In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a first time that is associated with a first demand amount for a resource. The method also includes providing the resource to a device such that the device changes an area temperature from a first temperature to approximately a second temperature that is reached at approximately the first time. The resource is withheld from the device when the second temperature is approximately reached at approximately the first time.
US08494684B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a substation automatic control system. An automatic power adjusting apparatus activates an automatic voltage adjusting apparatus when a phase tap is controlled. The automatic voltage adjusting apparatus activates the automatic power adjusting apparatus when a voltage tap is controlled. The automatic power adjusting apparatus suppresses the effective power on a transmission line to the value smaller than the prescribed value while the automatic voltage adjusting apparatus is performing an automatic control, thereby maintaining transmission-side system voltage within a tolerant system voltage range.
US08494673B2
The invention relates to a warehouse system and a method of operating the same, whereby a plurality of different packaging units (2) are placed in storage on delivery pallets as storage units in a goods-in store (4). The properties of the packaging units are detected in a data bank and a conveying property is determined from the packaging unit properties, and a classification group is assigned to the packaging units (2) by a computer. The packaging units (2) are distributed, temporarily stored and loaded onto despatch pallets in the warehouse system in accordance with the classification group.
US08494665B2
The present invention comprises a method for processing move information obtained from a board game move-recording device in order to produce an accurate record of the moves of the game. In particular, the present invention is intended for use with board games such as chess in which the game pieces move between fixed locations. Further, the present invention is intended for use with a simpler and less expensive class of board game move-recording devices that are capable of detecting the presence or absence of a game piece on any one of the game board's fixed locations, but which are not further capable of determining the identity of the detected piece. The objective of the present invention is to resolve any ambiguities found in the move information produced by those devices and, thereby, enable those devices to produce complete and accurate game records.
US08494663B2
An interactive switch system for a stowage compartment system for a mobile platform (for example, commercial aircraft) is provided. The switch system is mounted to a moveable structure, such as an overhead stowage bin, and is responsive to a local input from a user, as well as to a remote input from an external control/monitoring panel. The switch system has at least one indicator surface responsive to the local input and the remote input to display indicator data. The indicator surface has a portion that forms at least one user input device for enabling the local input. The switch system further comprises a control system disposed behind the indicator surface. The control system is responsive to the local input and the remote input to transmit the indicator data to the indicator surface.
US08494662B2
In a controller and method for preventing sending saturated control signals to an actuator, the controller receives parameters of controlling the actuator. The parameters include: a limit capacity value of the actuator, a predefined value which the status value of the plant needs to obtain, a ratio of the ideal control signal value to the limit capacity value, and a ratio of the actual control signal value to the limit capacity value. The controller calculates an ideal control signal value and an actual control signal value by applying a hyperbolic tangent function. And then the controller sends a control signal to the actuator according to the actual control signal value. The actuator drives a plant to move according to the control signal.
US08494660B2
The invention relates to the control of a lighting infrastructure such as a complex lighting system. An embodiment of the invention provides a method for controlling a lighting infrastructure by means of a computer comprising the acts of generating a single room view (10) of a room with the lighting infrastructure by combining different views of the room on a display (12; S10), —receiving and processing of input signals (14) with regard to the generated single room view (S12), and —creating output signals (16) for controlling the lighting infrastructure in response to the processed input signals (S14). The single room view allows an intuitive control of a lighting infrastructure similar to a computer paint program.
US08494655B2
Apparatus is provided for applying current to a nerve. A cathode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a cathodic longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a cathodic current to the nerve. A primary inhibiting anode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a primary anodal longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a primary anodal current to the nerve. A secondary inhibiting anode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a secondary anodal longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a secondary anodal current to the nerve, the secondary anodal longitudinal site being closer to the primary anodal longitudinal site than to the cathodic longitudinal site.
US08494652B2
There is disclosed various embodiments of an implantable anchor for permanently anchoring a medical lead or catheter. For instance, there is disclosed an implantable anchor including a body having a longitudinal lumen defined therein, wherein the longitudinal lumen is sized to accept a portion of the medical lead or catheter, a bending mechanism coupled to the body for bending the lead to a predetermined angle within the body, and a retaining mechanism for maintaining the predetermined angle of the bent lead within the body.
US08494650B2
In some embodiments, a method includes inserting at least a distal end portion of an insertion tool within a body. The distal end portion of the insertion tool is coupled to an electronic implant having a stimulation portion, a terminal portion and a substantially flexible conductor disposed between the stimulation portion and the terminal portion. The distal end portion of the insertion tool is moved within the body such that the stimulation portion of the electronic implant is disposed adjacent a target location and the terminal portion of the electronic implant is disposed beneath a skin of the body.
US08494645B2
An artifact monitoring stimulation system and corresponding method are described. An implantable electrode stimulator applies an electrical stimulation pulse to target tissue using implantable electrode contacts. An artifact monitor module monitors the electrode contacts during and after the stimulation pulse to observe an artifact signal resulting from the stimulation pulse to determine a operating characteristic associated with the stimulation system, the stimulated tissue and/or electrode-electrolyte interface properties.
US08494641B2
An implantable medical device is provided for the suppression or prevention of pain, movement disorders, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, sleep disorders, autonomic disorders, abnormal metabolic states, disorders of the muscular system, and neuropsychiatric disorders in a patient. The implantable medical device can be a neurostimulator configured to be implanted on or near a cranial nerve to treat headache or other neurological disorders. One aspect of the implantable medical device is that it includes an electronics enclosure, a substrate integral to the electronics enclosure, and a monolithic feed-through integral to the electronics enclosure and the substrate. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device can include a fixation apparatus for attaching the device to a patient.
US08494637B2
Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate gastrointestinal tissue to treat medical conditions such as eating disorders, gastroparesis, and gastric reflux. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the nerve, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined gastrointestinal tissue site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located in the various regions on or around the gastrointestinal tissue that needs to be stimulated. The implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates different gastrointestinal tissue to provide the desired therapeutic benefit.
US08494634B2
In one aspect a system includes an external communication device configured to interrogate a pulse generator, an external programmer device communicatively coupled to the external communication device; the external programmer device configured to receive a listing of valid electrode pairs from the pulse generator through the external communication device, the external programmer device configured to prevent a pacing, sensing, or shocking vector from being programmed by the user if a pair of electrodes needed for the vector are not included within the listing of valid electrode pairs. In another aspect a system includes an implantable medical device configured to detect the presence or absence of electrodes on an implanted stimulation lead coupled to the implantable medical device and to generate a valid electrode pair listing and compare the programmed electrode pairs with the valid electrode pair listing. Other embodiments are also included herein.
US08494626B2
Neurostimulators and methods of using neurostimulators are provided. The neurostimulator is implanted within a tissue pocket of a patient, and electrical energy is conveyed from the neurostimulator to stimulate a target tissue site remote from the tissue pocket. The neurostimulator has a case with which one or more electrodes are associated. The electrical energy is returned to the electrode(s) in a manner that prevents, or at least reduces, pocket stimulation that may otherwise occur due to the return of electrical energy to the case of the neurostimulator.
US08494622B2
A system, method, and memory medium for operating on an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. A multiscale short-time Fourier transform (STFT) is perform on a set of ECG samples {s(n)} to obtain a transform array. For each sufficiently energetic peak in the transform array, a refined window width value and a refined window displacement value is generated by: computing an inner product between the set of samples and each of a plurality of functions, where the plurality of functions are sufficiently close to a coarse approximation function given by the peak location; and solving a linear system Av=c for the unknown vector v, where the vector c is determined by the inner products, where the matrix A is determined by the center times of the plurality of functions. After appropriate selection, the refined window width and refined window displacement may be used to represent ECG waveform features.
US08494619B2
In an example, a cardiac rhythm management system includes an implantable physiological data monitor, a processor, a memory, and a display. The implantable physiological data monitor can be configured to monitor a plurality of cardiac responses. The processor can be configured to classify the cardiac response into one of at least three classes including pace-dominant, fusion, and pseudo-fusion. The processor can also be configured to calculate statistical information regarding the classified cardiac responses. In this example, the pace-dominant, fusion, and pseudo-fusion classes correspond to a cardiac response resulting from a corresponding electrostimulation. The memory is configured to store the classified cardiac responses and calculated statistical information for future use by the processor or for display. The display is configured to display the statistical information stored in the memory for diagnostic and device programming purposes.
US08494613B2
A navigation system or combination of navigation systems can be used to provide two or more navigation modalities to navigate a single instrument in a volume. For example, both an Electromagnetic (EM) and Electropotential (EP) navigation system can be used to navigate an instrument within the volume. Image data can also be illustrated relative to a tracked position of the instrument in the volume for navigation.
US08494608B2
An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.
US08494606B2
Systems, methods, and devices for obtaining consistently reproducible diagnostic measurements with a photoplethysmographic sensor are provided. In one embodiment, a method for obtaining such a diagnostic measurement includes applying a pressure between a photoplethysmographic sensor and a patient, increasing the pressure until the photoplethysmographic sensor outputs a plethysmographic waveform of minimal amplitude, decreasing the pressure by a predetermined fraction, and obtaining a diagnostic measurement using the photoplethysmographic sensor. The pressure may be applied using a pressure device that includes, for example, a clip, a wrap, an inflatable balloon or bladder, or an inflatable cuff or any combination thereof.
US08494605B2
A noninvasive blood component measuring device configured so as to resolve the variance of measuring results depend on the fixing position to the living body. Concretely, a non-invasive blood component measuring device comprising a light source section for illuminating a living body which includes a blood vessel, an imaging section for imaging the living body illuminated by the light source, and a controller is disclosed. The controller includes a memory under control of a processor. The memory stores instructions enabling the processor to carry out following operations: calculating a blood component concentration based on a blood vessel in a living body image obtained by the imaging section imaging a living body; determining the position of the blood vessel in the living body image; preparing at least a first luminance distribution which is distributed along the blood vessel based on the position of the blood vessel; obtaining an index which reflects the amount of blood contained in the peripheral tissue of the blood vessel based on the first luminance distribution; and correcting the blood component concentration based on the index. Non-invasive blood component measuring method and a computer program product capable of achieving above mentioned function are also disclosed.
US08494602B2
A portable electronic device includes a first body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, a second body movably disposed on the first body covers the first surface, a first frame fixed on the first body, a second frame pivoted to the first frame, and a third frame fixed on the second body and slidably coupled to the second frame. The second frame is capable of sliding between a first position and a second position relative to the third frame. When the second frame is located on the second position relative to the third frame, the first frame is capable of rotating towards the first position from the second position to reach a third position relative to the second frame, such that the second body is capable of being turned over from the first surface to the second surface relative to the first body.
US08494596B2
A device having a first side and a second side, comprising a lower housing, an upper housing tacked on the lower housing comprising a first edge located at the first side and a second edge located at the second side, a bracket and a biasing assembly. The bracket is configured to tilt the first edge of the upper housing away from the lower housing. The biasing assembly is configured to rotate the bracket to tilt the first edge of the upper housing away from the lower housing. The biasing assembly comprises a slider board and a resilient member, one end of the slider board is pivotably connected to the upper housing adjacent to the second side of the device, the resilient member has a first end connected to the first housing, and a second end connected to the other end of the slider board.
US08494587B2
Devices, systems, and methods are presented for a wireless Base Station (BS) capable of simultaneously providing service to subscribers of multiple Operators. Depending upon the particular deployment requirements or equipment capabilities, each Operator may be operating on the same or different frequencies (in which different frequencies may be adjacent, closely separated, or widely separated). The wireless BS will distinguish and logically separate and route the traffic between each subscriber device and its relevant Operator's Core Network, potentially supporting different logical or even different physical interfaces between the wireless BS and each Operator.
US08494582B1
A cellular modem device that is integrated with a proprietary dock connector of a mobile device, such as the proprietary 30 pin dock connector of an iPod Touch or iPad, permits the mobile device to connect for Internet access to the associated cellular carrier. The device is usable in circumstances where the mobile device does not contain internal cellular modem circuitry, and/or the device is unable to use WiFi-based Internet and/or the device's internal cellular circuits are out of range of cellular service of the carrier for which those circuits are designed, and/or the internal cellular circuits are not activated on the associated cellular network.
US08494581B2
Communication from enterprise servers to handheld devices in the field supports dispatch, data synchronization, logistics and personnel. Bi-directional data delivery from enterprise-based servers over wireless data networks is enabled using wireless capabilities resident in handheld personal computing devices. Real time communications facilitates real-time access to remote programs, assistance and/or information related to the field operations and asset (personnel and inventory) resource management. Management is facilitated for at least one of: construction industry project analysis, HVAC system analysis, project management, equipment readiness inspection, troubleshooting, inventory tracking, inventory ordering, sales (e.g., providing cost estimates to customers), customer invoicing, conducting legal investigations, field data collection, and multi-user remote function coordination.
US08494578B2
Provided is a display method of a dual standby portable terminal, which includes checking a connection state of a switching unit, when a main controller senses an event; displaying data corresponding to the event to a display unit by the main controller, when the main controller is connected with the display unit; and connecting the display unit with a sub-controller, when control information is received from the sub-controller.
US08494572B2
Transmit power is controlled for a first uplink data transmission on Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) during random access channel (RACH) procedure. Power control adjustment for the first PUSCH transmission is performed relative to the power spectral density used for successful PRACH transmission as adjusted for bandwidth difference, etc. The uplink Physical random access channel carries the RACH information that is transmitted by the user equipment (UE) during registrations or base station originated calls. A PRACH is composed of a number of preambles and a message portion. The preambles are a series of radio frequency power “steps” that increase in power according to the power step setting until the maximum number of preambles is reached or the base station acknowledges. Once the UE receives a positive indication, it transmits the message portion of the PRACH which consists of message data and control data with independent power gain control.
US08494570B2
A frame structure used in a wireless access system and a method for allocating uplink control channels are provided. The method transmits a super-MAP including information regarding a control channel allocation method and control channel allocation information to a receiving end and receives a control signal through an uplink subframe indicated by the control channel allocation information using the control channel allocation method. Thus, the transmitting end can correctly allocate a control channel for each downlink burst.
US08494569B2
Systems and methods related to the detection of incoming wireless signals. An antenna array is synthesized by having a single antenna, coupled to a receiver, spatially translated along an arbitrary trajectory. As the antenna is being spatially translated, a data processing means samples the incoming signal based on a clock signal provided by a system clock. By sampling the incoming signal at different times at different spatial locations on the arbitrary trajectory, the system acts as a synthetic antenna array. The different samplings of the incoming signal at different times and positions provide signal diversity gain as well as different readings which can be used to detect an incoming signal. The invention is applicable to detecting a wireless communications signal or a GNSS signal under various conditions. The system may include at least one sensor which can provide data for use in calculating data related to the arbitrary trajectory.
US08494559B1
A method and apparatus is disclosed whereby location based information (LBI) is used to make access and routing decisions within a network. Such LBI is sent from mobile devices to the core network when the mobile device registers with the network and is updated periodically. Over time, this collected LBI data represents the position of mobile devices over time and periodic patterns of usage in different geographic areas. When a network receives an indication that a mobile device requires registration with the network, the network determines as a function of said LBI, a desired network access technology to use to connect said mobile device with the network. Instructions are then transmitted to the mobile device to establish a connection using said desired network access technology and the device is registered with the network. Dynamically updated LBI information from mobile devices is also used for IP network routing optimization.
US08494558B2
A user terminal (100, 200, 300, 400), a UE, for a wireless communications system. The UE comprises an antenna unit (130) and a receiver unit (125) for receiving signals on a radio channel within the system. The UE also comprises a sensor (115) for sensing the position of the UE and for generating an output signal indicative of said position. The UE further comprises an evaluation unit (120) which is arranged to measure the UE's communication performance over the channel and to also receive the output signal from the sensor and to generate a first control signal (S1) which indicates if altering the position of at least part of the UE, and thereby the position of the UE's antenna unit (130), will result in an increased communication performance over the channel for the UE.
US08494546B2
This invention relates to cognitive radio based wireless communications of dynamic spectrum access networks, and more particularly to a method of addressing inter-systems (cells) communications for coexistence and spectrum sharing. A method, called Logical Control Connections, is described for reliable connection-based inter-system coordination and communications, which can be established and maintained either over the air or over the backhaul with very low incurred communications overhead in terms of spectrum bandwidth, messaging latency, and hardware/software complexities.
US08494542B2
A wireless communication network makes intelligent accept/reject decisions responsive to sector selection requests by mobile stations based on sharing per-sector loading information and per-sector mobile station received signal quality information. For example, the signal quality and sector loading information for each sector in a given mobile station's active set of sectors can be evaluated to determine whether the sector targeted by the mobile station for selection as its new serving sector for high-speed packet data service is the “best” sector for serving the mobile station. The network can identify the “best” serving sector based on one or more metrics. If the targeted sector is not the best one for serving the mobile station, the network sends a reject message, or it may send a redirect message pointing the mobile station to the best serving sector. The disclosed accept/reject processing advantageously applies to cdma2000 and W-CDMA networks, for example.
US08494534B2
The present invention increases the available spectrum in a wireless network by sharing existing allocated (and in-use) portions of the RF spectrum in a manner that minimizes the probability of interfering with existing legacy users. Interference temperature-adaptive waveforms, and a variety of physical and media access control protocols for generating waveforms based on measurement and characterization of the local spectrum are provided. The invention measures the local spectrum at a receiving node, generates an optimal waveform profile specifying transmission parameters that will water-fill unused spectrum up to an interference limit without causing harmful interference to primary and legacy transmitters using the same frequency bands, and enables simultaneous transmit and receive modes at multiple transceivers in a wireless network. Closed loop feedback control between nodes, co-site interference management, intersymbol interference mitigation, wide sense stationary baseband signaling and modulation, and power limited signaling for avoiding detection and interception are provided.
US08494530B2
A system and method supporting extended network access notification via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. A representative embodiment of the present invention may comprise a wireless interface and may be capable of exchanging multimedia communication between the wireless interface and a broadband network. The gateway may support multimedia communication via access devices that may seamlessly hand off from a wireless wide area network to a personal area network supported by the wireless interface. The hand off may be coordinated by the gateway and the wireless wide area network via the broadband network. A user of an access device may be notified when such a handoff has been automatically initiated, and a user may configure aspects of such hand offs.
US08494526B2
In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular radio system method of selecting a physical cell id (PCI) of a LTE cell is obtained by reporting PCIs of neighbors and also a parameter indicating each neighboring cell's relevance also termed visibility to the cell. A new cell added in a cellular radio, system can then make an improved selection of a PCI already at the very first neighbor relation establishment; even if all available PCIs are already used in the vicinity.
US08494525B2
In a method for managing a plurality of neighboring base stations and handoff of a mobile station, a radio frequency equipment organizes the plurality of neighboring base stations into groups according to base station grouping characteristics associated with the plurality of neighboring base stations. The radio frequency equipment then manages the organized plurality of neighboring base stations for handoff of the mobile station.
US08494524B2
A method and a system for collecting interference status information of a subscriber station by a coexistence base station includes: during an initialization process of a neighbor base station, after a broadcast contact message containing contact information received from the neighbor base station, a subscriber station in an overlapping area of the neighbor base station and a coexistence base station sending a report message to the coexistence base station, wherein the report massage comprises interference status information of the subscriber station, and the coexistence base station is a serving base station of the subscriber station; and collecting and saving, by the coexistence base station, the interference status information of the subscriber station according to the report message. By the present invention, the coexistence base station may collect the interference status information of all subordinate subscriber stations in time during the initialization process of a neighbor base station, and update and save the collected information in a coexistence database.
US08494521B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for processing registration backup data are disclosed. A Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) receives a request from a User Equipment (UE) and judges whether the request carries multi-registration information so as to decide whether to add multi-registration indication information into a Server Assignment Request (SAR) message sent to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS). The HSS performs operations according to whether the SAR message carries the multi-registration indication information, therefore avoiding unnecessary signaling interactions, reducing the signaling load, avoiding unnecessary data processing between the HSS and the S-CSCF, and saving system resources.
US08494518B1
Disclosed herein is a method and corresponding system to help a wireless communication device (WCD) stay within a home system's network coverage after an access attempt failure. According to one embodiment of the method, a WCD receives a channel list message (CLM) in a given coverage area and transmits an access attempt on a carrier listed in the received CLM. Upon the failure of such an access attempt, the WCD may transmit an additional access attempt on another carrier listed in the received CLM, rather than switching over to a roaming system. According to another embodiment, a WCD receives a channel list message (CLM) in a given coverage area and transmits an access attempt on a carrier listed in the received CLM. Upon the failure of such an access attempt, the WCD may transmit an additional access attempt on another carrier not listed in the received CLM, rather than switching over to a roaming system. According to yet another embodiment, a WCD receives a CLM from a first coverage area and thereafter moves into a second coverage area and subsequently receives a CLM from the second coverage area. The WCD transmits an access attempt on a carrier listed in the second CLM and upon the failure of such an access attempt, transmits an additional access attempt on a carrier listed in the first CLM.
US08494515B1
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for managing mobile wireless communication devices. A method for managing a mobile wireless communication device includes generating a message that is based on a digital subscriber line (DSL) Forum protocol and providing the message to the mobile wireless communication device.
US08494506B2
A call destination mapping method executes on a mobile communication device. The mobile communication device requests a call action within the device for a first call destination number of a call destination, maps the first call destination number to a second call destination number in accordance with one or more call destination mapping rules stored on the device, and replaces the first call destination number in the call action with the second call destination number.
US08494491B2
A system of provisioning a mobile wireless communications device to display account or device specific characteristics includes a database for storing a plurality of display characteristics for different wireless carriers, electronic mail (email) service providers, and device types. A configuration module accesses the database and uploads the display characteristics of at least one of the wireless carrier, email service provider or device type to the mobile wireless communications device upon provisioning of the mobile wireless communications device to access email from a remote location.
US08494485B1
One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method that includes accessing, by a mobile device management system, a profile for a mobile device. The method also includes negotiating, by the mobile device management system, with a certificate authority to obtain a certificate for the mobile device. The negotiating with the certificate authority includes imitating the mobile device based on the profile. The negotiating with the certificate authority also includes, based at least on the imitation, transmitting one or more certificate enrollment messages to the certificate authority. The negotiating with the certificate authority further includes, based on the one or more messages, receiving, at the mobile device management system, the certificate for the mobile device. The method further includes transmitting the certificate to a control agent hosted on the mobile device for installation.
US08494477B2
A control device includes a selector and a controller. The selector is to select power signals to be supplied to respective power domains of an electronic product. The controller is to compare a level of a first power signal selected by the selector to a first target level, and to generate a first setting signal to reduce a difference between the first power signal level and the first target level. The controller, selector, and power domains may be located on a same chip different from a power manager chip from which the power signals are generated or otherwise output.
US08494473B2
Circuitry and a method for use in a radio frequency receiver for processing a radio frequency signal are provided. The circuitry comprises a mixer arranged to receive the radio frequency signal and down-convert the received radio frequency signal to a lower frequency. The received radio frequency signal has an interference component and the interference component in the down-converted signal is within an interference frequency range. The circuitry also comprises an LC based notch filter arranged to receive the down-converted signal from the mixer, filter the down-converted signal, and output the filtered signal for processing by a baseband processing block. The LC based notch filter has a notch centered within said interference frequency range, such that the LC based notch filter is arranged to attenuate the interference component in the down-converted signal.
US08494469B2
Embodiments include a novel receiver architecture to optimize receiver performance in the presence of interference. In various embodiments, power estimation circuits are used to determine the exact nature of the interference and to optimize the performance correspondingly. Variable selectivity of at least one power estimation circuit is achieved using a filter with variable bandwidth, with power measurements taken using different bandwidth settings. Also, the actual method of optimizing the receiver performance is novel compared to the prior art in that the gain settings and the baseband filter order (stages to be used) will be optimized based on the nature of the interference as determined by the power detector measurements. For a device such as a cellular phone that operates in a dynamic and changing environment where interference is variable, embodiments advantageously provide the capability to modify the receiver's operational state depending on the interference.
US08494453B2
A method of handling measurement for a mobile device capable of communicating with a network through a maximum number of component carriers in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving data with the maximum number of component carriers, receiving a command for deactivating one of the maximum number of component carriers, from the network, deactivating the component carrier indicated by the command, and performing an inter-frequency measurement without any measurement gap.
US08494452B2
Apparatus, methods, processors and computer readable media for determining the wireless network access performance or capability of a wireless device. Embodiments include a wireless device having a computer platform with a processing engine operable to generate a plurality of network access performance data during processing activities on the wireless device. The wireless device further includes a network access performance module operable to collect selected ones of the plurality of network access data associated with a predetermined data processing capability of the wireless device, and based on a predetermined collection configuration. The embodiments may also include an apparatus operable to generate the predetermined collection configuration, and operable to receive the collected network access data and to generate a performance report characterizing the network access performance or capability of the wireless device.
US08494444B2
An assembly of a low-noise block converter and a filter for a satellite antenna includes a low-noise block converter, a filter, and a connecting component. The low-noise block converter includes an output circuit, and the filter includes a filtering circuit. The connecting component includes a sleeve part for engaging threadedly the low-noise block converter and the filter, and a core extending through the sleeve part and interconnecting electrically the output circuit and the filtering circuit. By virtue of the sleeve part of the connecting component, connection between the low-noise block converter and the filter can be reinforced to reduce interference. The sleeve part can also serve as a ground circuit between the low-noise block converter and the filter so as to shorten a ground path, thereby reducing signal loss.
US08494443B2
A communication system is provided that allows the use of low-cost, low-power remote terminal units that communicate substantially asynchronously and independently to a base station. To minimize cost and complexity, the remote terminal units are configured similarly, including the use of substantially identical transmission schemes, such as a common Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) code. To minimize collisions among transmissions, the communication system is designed to use a high-gain antenna with a limited field of view, to limit the number of cotemporaneous, or overlapping transmissions that are received at the base station. To cover a wide area, the limited field of view is swept across the area of coverage. To overcome potential losses caused by collisions, the remote terminal units are configured to repeat transmissions; to minimize repeated collisions, the repeat interval and/or duration is randomized.
US08494441B2
It is provided a solution for assigning to a relay node of a wireless telecommunication system an identifier from which a corresponding identifier of a central node associated with the relay node is derivable according to a determined rule. Accordingly, the identifiers of central nodes and their relay nodes are assigned in a manner which facilitates identification of a central node from a received relay node identifier, thereby avoiding the necessity of consulting higher layer controllers in order to identify the central node.
US08494439B2
A method of operating a personal electronic device and an in-vehicle infotainment system includes running an application on one of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system. It is sensed that the personal electronic device has been, or soon will be, moved into or out of a proximity of the in-vehicle infotainment system. Information regarding a state of the one of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system is transferred to the other of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system. An application is selected for the other of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system. The selected application is used to replicate the state of the one of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system on the other of the personal electronic device and the in-vehicle infotainment system.
US08494437B2
Methods and apparatus well suited for efficiently communicating small amounts of information relatively frequently in a wireless communications system are described. An uplink timing frequency structure for an access point includes a set of dedicated uplink communications resources, e.g., expression advertisement interval air link resources. Different ones of the set of dedicated uplink communications resources correspond to different individual wireless communications devices currently registered with the access point. In the downlink timing frequency structure for the access point there are dedicated downlink broadcast communications resources, e.g., expression broadcast interval air link resources and neighbor expression broadcast interval air link resources. Information received on dedicated uplink air link resources is echoed back or selectively echoed back on the dedicated downlink air link resources. Wireless communications devices monitor downlink dedicated air link resources to recover expression information being communicated by other wireless communications devices in its local vicinity.
US08494436B2
A system and method for algorithmic selection of a consensus from a collection of ideas is disclosed. A group of ideas is provided to a group of participants for voting. Voting may occur in a single round or in several successive rounds, optionally until a consensus idea is chosen. Typically, the votes that are cast use discrete levels, such as “approve”, “disapprove”, “positive”, “neutral” or “negative”. For ideas that receive the same votes, a differentiator may be the time spent casting the vote. A relatively long evaluation time may signal some internal conflict in the mind of the participant, when compared with a relatively short evaluation time, which may signal no such conflict. The evaluation time may be combined with the rating of the participant to form a weighted rating. Consequently, a short evaluation time of a positive rating may yield a more positive weighted rating, while a short evaluation time of a negative rating may yield a more negative weighted rating.
US08494433B2
A recording-medium positioning device includes a gate, a roller pair, a roller-pair shift unit, a recording-medium detector, and a drive control device. The gate is disposed at an upstream side of a fixing device in a conveyance direction of a recording medium. The roller pair includes two roller members disposed at an upstream side of the gate. The roller-pair shift unit moves the roller pair in accordance with a first position of the recording medium in the conveyance direction to shift the recording medium in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The recording-medium detector is disposed between the fixing device and the gate to detect a second position of the recording medium in the width direction. The drive control device moves the recording medium to a reference position by driving the roller-pair shift unit in accordance with the second position and cyclically shifts the reference position.
US08494432B2
In an image forming apparatus that separates a thin recording material by pushing up a transfer belt, if a position where a thick recording material separates from the transfer belt is far from a leading end of a recording-material guide, conveyability of the separated thick recording material after separation becomes stable. A stretching member is provided downstream of a push-up means and upstream of the recording-material guide in a recording-material conveying direction, and the stretching member separates a thick recording material from the transfer belt.
US08494425B2
A fixing unit for fixing a toner image formed on a sheet is provided with a belt unit including a belt configured to press the sheet, a reference roller configured to nip the sheet in cooperation with the belt, and a supporting element configured to support the belt unit and the reference roller. The belt unit includes first and second rollers on which the belt is wound. The supporting element includes a supporting plate configured to support the first, second and reference rollers.
US08494422B2
A transfer belt driving controller includes an idle roller that is installed on a rotating shaft of one of a plurality of supporting rollers in such a way that the idle roller may freely rotate, and is wrapped and rotated by a transfer belt, where the plurality of supporting rollers are arranged in the transfer belt and to be a predetermined distance apart from each other; an encoder wheel that rotates with the idle roller; an encoder that detects information regarding rotation of the encoder wheel; and a control unit that controls a linear velocity of the transfer belt by feedback controlling a driving source for driving the supporting rollers based on the information regarding rotation of the encoder wheel detected by the encoder.
US08494421B2
An intermediate transfer belt for an electrostatographic device and methods for making the intermediate transfer belt can include the use of polyamide-imide and carbon nanotubes and nanosheets, for example multi-walled carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite, and two or more of these as an electrically conductive filler.
US08494416B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first development unit, a second development unit, and a control unit. The first development unit forms a first developer image with a first developer absorbing a light having a prescribed wavelength. The second development unit forms a second developer image with a second developer permeating the light having prescribed wavelength therethrough. The control unit controls print of a background design image by the first development unit and print of a print image by the second development unit.
US08494407B2
Remanufactured laser printer toner cartridges and methods of manufacture by which predetermined structures internal to the toner hopper section are removed preferably by a robotic laser cutter, a volume increasing cap is provided for the modified toner hopper section and the cartridge is re-assembled to yield a remanufactured toner cartridge that has a capacity to store toner that is significantly increased in comparison to the storage capacity of the OEM toner cartridge.
US08494401B2
An Active Ozone Scrubber includes a low profile thick film device. The low profile thick film device is composed of films layered upon each other and built on a ceramic substrate. Each layer is screened upon the next with the active elements strategically placed in order to develop corona when energized. When activated, the corona developed within the channels of the upper layer creates heat and accelerates the chemical reaction with the ozone, thereby reducing the amount of ozone generated by a conventional charge/discharge system before it is exhausted by a machine into the environment.
US08494399B2
A cartridge is detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a main assembly electrical contact. The cartridge includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a memory; a cartridge electrical contact electrically connectable to the main assembly electrical contact; a contact including the cartridge electrical contact; and a support supporting the contact. The support includes first and second regulators of the contact member in widthwise and thickness directions, respectively, with a gap therebetween. Also provided is an opening permitting insertion of the contact into the support that opens in one direction perpendicular to the widthwise and thickness directions. The main assembly electrical contact includes a spring movable by a stroke in the contact thickness direction, and the gap of the second regulator W1, a length W2 of the contact in the thickness direction, the stroke U satisfy, W2
US08494398B2
An image forming capable of operating with reliability and shortening the down time. An operation unit forms an image. A power source unit supplies electric power supplied from an external power source to the operation unit. A storing unit stores successful data which shows that the image forming apparatus has started successfully. A mode selection unit selects a first mode in which regular electric power is supplied to the operation unit at a start-up when the storing unit stores the successful data, and a second mode in which electric power smaller than the regular electric power is supplied to the operation unit at the start-up when the storing unit does not store the successful data. A power control unit controls the electric power supplied from the power source unit to the operation unit according to the mode selected by the mode selection unit.
US08494396B2
A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt including, on an inner circumference side thereof, a resistance heating layer, extending over entire circumference of the fixing belt, operable to emit heat upon flowing of an electric current therethrough; a pressing member operable to press an outer circumference of the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween so that, while the recording sheet passes through the fixing nip, the toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet; and a pair of power supply members arranged inside the fixing belt along the circumferential direction with a predetermined distance therebetween, the power supply members being in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer in an electrically conductive state along a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.
US08494395B2
A power supply unit includes a switching circuit that drives a switching device by a duty ratio corresponding to a target voltage output value and outputs an alternating current signal; a coupling capacitance element provided in a subsequent stage with respect to the switching circuit; a voltage transformation unit that increases a voltage of the alternating current signal input by using the switching circuit, and outputs a high-voltage alternating current voltage to an electrifying unit; a charging unit that charges the coupling capacitance element in response to a power supply voltage being turned on; and a control unit that controls driving of the switching device to cause the coupling capacitance element to be charged to a predetermined charged amount before the switching circuit starts outputting the alternating current signal.
US08494390B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fuser that fuses a paper medium and a fuser control device that controls an AC power supplied to the fuser. The fuser control device includes a phase detecting device that receives an AC voltage, detects zero-crossing points of the AC voltage, outputs a phase detecting signal when the zero-crossing points are detected, and selectively cuts off a flow of AC power into the phase detecting device in response to a mode control signal, a signal generator that generates a phase control signal to control a phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser based on the phase detecting signal, and a temperature controller that controls a temperature of the fuser by controlling the phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser according to the phase control signal.
US08494382B2
A switching mode power supply apparatus includes an alternating current (AC) power input unit to receive an AC voltage from an AC power supply source, a first rectifier to output a direct current (DC) voltage by rectifying the received AC voltage, a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator to output a PWM signal, a transformer to transform the DC voltage output from the first rectifier into an AC voltage according to a turn ratio and outputting the AC voltage according to the PWM signal, a second rectifier to output a DC voltage by rectifying the AC voltage output from the transformer, a feedback unit to provide as feedback a change of the DC voltage output from the second rectifier to the PWM signal generator, a DC power input unit to receive a DC voltage from a DC power supply source, a DC voltage input detector to detect whether a DC voltage is input to the DC power input unit based on connectivity with the DC power input unit, and an AC power input controller to stop input of the AC voltage from the AC power supply source based on whether a DC voltage is input to the DC power input unit.
US08494376B2
An eye mask is provided that is defined at least partially in terms of absolute, or non-relative, optical power level values. In essence, the eye mask of the invention is a hybrid of the traditional eye mask in that the eye mask of the invention includes power level values on the optical power axis that are based on the minimum OMA set forth in the applicable standard or data sheet specification rather than on measured power level values obtained from the part being tested. Using the hybrid eye mask of the invention obviates the need to perform at least some of the tests often used to measure transmitter attributes. In addition, using the hybrid eye mask of the invention reduces the possibility that a transmitter may fail the eye mask test even though the transmitter operates satisfactorily.
US08494366B2
Provided are a wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON) in which a reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) is used as each optical transmitter of an optical line termination (OLT) and an optical network unit (ONU) and additional spectrum-sliced light is injected into RSOAs of each of the OLT and the ONU, and a WDM-PON that is combined with time division multiple access (TDMA) technology, by which the number of included ONUs increases and conventional TDMA ONUs can be used.
US08494363B2
Signal format conversion apparatus and methods involve converting data signals between a first signal format associated with a first reference clock rate and a second signal format that is different from the first signal format and is associated with a second reference clock rate different from the first reference clock rate. A period of the second signal format is changed to match a period of a third signal format by controlling a synchronized second reference clock rate that is applied in converting data signals between the first signal format and the second signal format. The synchronized second reference clock rate is different from the second reference clock rate and is synchronized with a third reference clock rate. The third reference clock rate is associated with the third signal format. Such synchronization simplifies conversion of signals between the second and third signal formats.
US08494351B1
A fragrance generator provides a scent dispenser for mounting on a light emitter of a decorative light, such as those used at holidays. A silicone rubber scented sleeve is placed over and around a cylindrical light emitter. Upon energizing the decorative light, the heat generated by the light emitter warms the scented sleeve and thereby enhances the rate of scent emission from the scented sleeve. An optional scent reservoir formed at one end of the scented sleeve enables the retention of additional amounts of liquid fragrance oil(s). Placement of the light emitter within and extending it throughout the sleeve, and into the fragrance reservoir, results in a further enhancement in amount and duration of scent emission.
US08494350B2
A forced-air heater having a self-contained on-board electric-power supply that allows the forced-air heater to operate without an external electric power source; a fuel tank; a combustion chamber; a support; a housing including upper and lower housing portions; a motorized fan that during operation draws in ambient air through an air intake and forces air into the combustion chamber.
