US08497909B2
A video timing display for multi-rate systems allows a user to quickly, easily and precisely measure the timing difference between video signals of different rates. A graphic display area within a raster display region provides a display of vertical and horizontal timing offsets of one video signal with respect to another video signal as a reference having a different frame rate. The graphic display area includes a reference indicator associated with the reference and timing indicators indicating the timing phases between the video signals, with one of the timing indicators being emphasized. A numeric display area may be provided adjacent the graphic display area to display the actual vertical and horizontal timing differences in appropriate units for the emphasized timing indicator relative to the reference indicator with a precision to one video clock cycle.
US08497907B2
The disclosed Off-Road Vehicle Vision Enhancement System is for all terrain vehicles operating in extreme off road environments. When an all terrain vehicle is operating in areas where there are large obstacles to traverse the operator needs to be able to maneuver the vehicle over the obstacles with the utmost of care and precision. The operator needs to be able to see the precise placement of the wheels over the obstacles to achieve optimum ground clearance and avoid getting hung-up. The Off-Road Vision Enhancement System includes a retractable protective housing located under the vehicle containing cameras which communicate to the operator the precise relationship of his wheels traversing the obstacles. The retractable housing is designed for simple operation, maximum protection of the cameras and self cleaning of accumulated debris.
US08497905B2
A method and system are presented in which images are captured from overview and detail imaging devices such that overview images are created with a first degree of redundancy, and detail images are captured with less overlap and a second degree of redundancy.
US08497900B2
A film scanner for the optical scanning of a motion picture film having a sequence of a plurality of image regions and at least one row of a plurality of perforation holes in the longitudinal direction, in particular a motion picture film of the type 16 mm or 35 mm, comprises an image sensor for the detection at least of a respective image region of the motion picture film to generate a corresponding scanned image. The film scanner further comprises an evaluation unit for the evaluation of the scanned image to generate an image steadiness correction signal. The image sensor is made for the additional detection of only a respective part region of perforation holes in the environment of the detected image region of the motion picture film, with the evaluation unit being made to determine a position of the detected part region of at least one perforation hole. The evaluation unit generates the image steadiness correction signal on the basis of the at least one determined part region position.
US08497892B2
An exposure apparatus includes a light source that emits a plurality of light beams, a substrate on which the light source is mounted, a positioning member provided on a housing and being in contact with a positioning surface provided around the light source to position the light source with respect to the housing in an optical axis direction, the housing accommodating an optical system that guides the light beams, and an attachment member attached to the housing and including a portion that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis direction and that is bent over, an end of the bent portion being attached to the substrate such that the positioning surface around the light source is urged against the positioning member and the substrate is attached to the housing.
US08497877B2
A method of switching display images on an electronic device is disclosed. The method includes displaying a first image on a display. A predetermined number of steps are set. Display effect percentages of the first image and a second image are computed in each step. The number of step images is generated according to the corresponding display effect percentages of the first and second images for each step. The display displays the step images in sequence. The display then displays the second image.
US08497872B2
A method for correcting the white balance of a display by: setting a target color coordinates of a target white point at a predetermined color temperature and a group of gray levels in response to an user input command; constructing R, G, B images according to the group gray levels; measuring the luminance and corresponding color coordinates of the R, G, B based on the R, G, B images; selecting one color of R, G, B to be a base color and the other two colors to be adjustable colors; fixing the measured luminance of the base color; estimating target luminance of the two adjustable color based on the measured luminance of the base color; estimating the adjusted gray levels of the two adjustable colors based on estimated luminance of the adjustable colors and the Gamma table; and reconstructing the Gamma table based on the estimated adjusted gray levels of the two adjustable colors.
US08497867B2
An information processing system stores a plurality of content data having different display qualities for each content in a storage unit, and detects a user operation to instruct switching of a content displayed on a display screen, and determines a switching speed of content display on the display screen based on the detected user operation, and decides a distribution for content data of each display quality to be read out to a temporary memory unit based on the determined switching speed, and reads out the content data from the storage unit to the temporary memory unit in accordance with the decided distribution.
US08497864B2
Measurement points for display on a two-dimensional pixel-based display device are formed by scanned and digitized measurement values. To this end, the resolution of each measurement point according to time and/or value is higher than the resolution of the two-dimensional pixel-based display device. The measurement points are connected into a continuous measurement point curve if they are not located on directly adjoining pixels. In order to determine the pixels to be depicted of the continuous measurement point curve between two measurement points not located on directly adjoining pixels, the positions of the adjoining measurement points within the associated pixels are taken into consideration.
US08497863B2
Described is a technology for reducing the layout complexity of a graph, e.g., an STT graph. Nodes with similar incoming and outgoing links are grouped as candidate groupings to possibly be clustered. For each candidate grouping, if the nodes in the candidate grouping and/or the candidate grouping meet clustering criteria, the candidate grouping is clustered into a clustered node. The criteria may include user-specified parameters directed towards the nodes and/or the candidate groupings. For example, a node is removed from a group if the number of incoming links thereto or the number of outgoing links therefrom exceed maximum incoming and outgoing parameter values, respectively. A group is only clustered if the number of nodes therein meets a minimum size parameter.
US08497862B2
A pseudo three dimensional image is generated, based on an aspect image and a mapping image generated from an original three dimensional image, using a volume rendering method. A mapping image that represents the functions of a subject is generated using first voxel data that constitute an original three dimensional medical image of the subject. An aspect image is generated using second voxel data that constitute an original three dimensional medical image of the subject. A position matching means causes positions within a heart represented by the mapping image to correspond to positions within a heart represented by the aspect image. An image generating means executes volume rendering based on degrees of opacity within the mapping image, to generate the pseudo three dimensional image.
US08497858B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for processing a graphic stream. The method may include determining whether a graphic picture is reproducible as a three-dimensional (3D) image by assigning different depth values according to graphic objects or by assigning the same depth value to the graphic picture, using 3D capability information.
US08497851B2
A method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. In sensing information, at least one position is determined according to a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information. The sensing information also has a touch related sensing information with a second characteristic, which is opposite to the first characteristic. The touch related sensing information with the second characteristic is neglected or filtered. In addition, another method and device for analyzing positions are disclosed. An AC signal is provided through a pen, and a first characteristic of a touch related sensing information corresponding to a finger is opposite to the second characteristic of the touch related sensing information corresponding to the pen. The first characteristic and the second characteristic can be used to distinguish the touch of the finger from the touch of the pen or for palm rejection.
US08497821B2
A display device, including a substrate; an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns forming a light-emitting area over the substrate, each pixel including a first electrode, one or more layers of light-emitting material located over the first electrode, and a second electrode located over the one or more layers of light-emitting material; a first serial buss having a plurality of electrical conductors, each electrical conductor connecting one chiplet in a first set of chiplets to only one other chiplet in the first set in a serial connection, the chiplets being distributed over the substrate in the light-emitting area, each chiplet including one or more store-and-forward circuits for storing and transferring data connected to its corresponding electrical conductor; and a driver circuit in each chiplet for driving at least one pixel in response to data stored in the store-and-forward circuit.
US08497820B2
The present invention relates to a display device and a driving method thereof. A display device in the present invention comprises: a capacitor connected between a first node and a second node; a switching transistor controlled by a first scanning signal and transmitting a data voltage to the first node; an emission control transistor controlled by a second scanning signal and transmitting a reference voltage to the second node; a driving transistor comprising a control terminal connected to the first node, an output terminal connected to the second node, and an input terminal; a driving control transistor controlled by a third scanning signal and transmitting a driving voltage to the input terminal of the driving transistor; and a light-emitting device connected to the second node. Accordingly, display contrast of a display device may be improved.
US08497819B2
In an active matrix electroluminescent display, a plurality of rows of pixels are illuminated, defining at least two bands of rows separated by a non-illuminated band. The bands of rows of pixels scroll in the column direction over time, and at most 75% of the rows are illuminated at any point in time. This method is in essence a double bar scrolling method. By scrolling two bars, the required peak brightness is reduced as the effective overall duty cycle is increased. However, the period of illumination can still remain short, so that motion perception remains improved. The scrolling speed can be halved for the same frame rate or else the frame rate can be increased to reduce flicker.
US08497818B2
A plasma display supplies a high level voltage and a low level voltage to first and second electrodes performing a sustain discharge in opposite phases during a sustain period. After a voltage of the first electrodes is decreased through a first inductor connected to the first electrodes, the first electrodes are floated to maintain the voltage of the first electrodes at a second voltage. Then, while the voltage of the first electrodes is changed from the second voltage to a low level voltage, the magnitude of the current flowing through a second inductor connected to the second electrodes is increased. Then, the voltage of the second electrodes is increased to a high level voltage using the second inductor. After energy is accumulated in the second inductor, the voltage of the second electrode is increased to the high level voltage.
US08497812B2
A composite radome structure includes a first structural laminate layer having an outer radome surface, a second structural laminate layer comprising an inner radome surface, and an antenna having a screen, wherein the screen is inserted between the first and the second structural laminate layers.
US08497802B2
A GNSS receiver communicates with any connectivity device, such as a WiFi device that is, in turn, in communication with a wired network having access to the DTI timing. Such connectivity devices may set their timing and frame synchronization to the DTI and thus serve as Geoposition beacons, thereby enabling the GNSS receiver to accurately determine its position. The GNSS receiver may also use the DTI timing supplied by such a network to perform relatively long integration time so as to achieve substantially improved sensitivity that is necessary for indoor Geopositioning applications. Furthermore, the GNSS data, such as satellite orbital information, may also be propagated by such devices at high speed. By providing this data to the GNSS receivers via such connectivity devices in a rapid fashion, the GNSS receivers are enabled to receive the transmitted data associated with the satellite without waiting for the GNSS transmission from the satellites.
US08497801B2
Systems, methods and devices for using ephemeris data in GNSS receivers and systems are provided. Receivers using synthetic ephemeris data for longer ephemeris availability under poor reception conditions are updated using a variety of techniques that allow for the transfer of accurate information onto degraded synthetic ephemeris information.
US08497799B2
A level gauge using microwaves to determine a distance to a surface of a product in a tank, wherein a measurement signal comprises a first frequency sweep, and a second frequency sweep, and a mixer is arranged to mix the measurement signal with an echo signal to form a first IF signal based on the first frequency sweep, and a second IF signal based on the second frequency sweep. Processing circuitry is adapted to sample the first IF signal and the second IF signal, to form a combined sample vector including samples from each tank signal, and to determine the distance based on the combined sample vector.By combining the samples from two (or more) different sweeps, the number of samples and the bandwidth can both be increased, thus maintaining the range L. However, as the samples are obtained from two separate sweeps, the sweep time for each individual sweep does not need to be increased, and the average power consumption can be maintained.
US08497798B2
A device and method for three-dimensional positioning are provided. The three-dimensional positioning of a common reference point is determined by fusion of supplied measurements, taking into account a lever arm compensation between the reference point, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver antenna, at least one radar antenna, and an inertial measuring unit.
US08497797B2
Provided are a two-dimensional array antenna and a device for detecting an internal object using the same. The device includes a plurality of unit antennas in a two-dimensional array of m columns and n rows on a board (where m and n are integers greater than 1), a first switch selecting one or more transmitting antenna to radiate a pulse signal onto an internal object in a structure from among the unit antennas; a second switch selecting one or more receiving antenna to collect a signal reflected from the internal object from among the unit antennas, and a transceiving analysis module analyzing information about the position and shape of the internal object.
US08497795B2
A differential successive approximation analog to digital converter including: a comparator; a first plurality of capacitors coupled between a corresponding plurality of first switches and a first input of the comparator, at least one of the first capacitors being arranged to receive a first component of a differential input signal; and a second plurality of capacitors coupled between a corresponding plurality of second switches and a second input of the comparator, at least one of the second capacitors being arranged to receive a second component of the differential input signal, wherein each of the first and second plurality of switches are each adapted to independently couple the corresponding capacitor to a selected one of: a first supply voltage level; a second supply voltage level; and a third supply voltage level; and control circuitry adapted to sample the differential input voltage during a sample phase, and to control the first and second switches to couple each capacitor of the first and second plurality of capacitors to the third supply voltage level at the start of a voltage conversion phase.
US08497793B2
An analog-to-digital converter with delta-sigma modulation and the modulation unit thereof are disclosed, wherein, for each modulation unit, a pair of input capacitors, a pair of integration capacitors and a differential feedback are operated in a swapping manner for the positive path and the negative path, such that circuit mismatch problems are effectively removed.
US08497780B2
A proximate location detection system includes a wireless signal transmitter and a wireless receiver and light emitter. The wireless signal transmitter receives power in response to a first pressure signal and transmits repeatedly a transmission signal generated in response to a second pressure signal during a preset period. The wireless receiver and light emitter receives the transmission signal from the wireless signal transmitter and emits light of various colors using a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lamp or laser lamp array.
US08497774B2
A local charging management device manages electrical resource capability for an electronic tracking device. In one embodiment, the electronic tracking device includes a battery power monitor, a charging unit; and an electrical power resource management component. The electrical power resource management component adjusts cycle timing of one or more of control parameters for the tracking device. Control parameters include request rate of location coordinate packets to a target host and a listen rate of the location coordinate packets. The adjustment is responsive to an estimated charge level of the charging unit, velocity of the device, and user desired inputs.
US08497763B2
The data carrier has a communication protocol storage unit storing a communication protocol for communicating with an external communication device, an RF analogue receiver receiving an interrogation signal from the external communication device as an RF signal, a contact communication end terminal unit performing contact communication with the external communication device, a communication command controller controlling a command used in an RF communication protocol performed via said RF analogue receiver or a contact-type serial communication protocol performed via said contact communication end terminal unit, and a connection selector selectively connecting one of said RF analogue receiver and said contact communication end terminal unit with said communication command controller.
US08497742B2
A waveguide of a multi-layer metal structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided, the method including applying a plurality of metal layers on a substrate and a plurality of insulating layers respectively between the respective metal layers. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize conductive loss by dispersing current uniformly through wide regions between a signal line and ground lines.
US08497740B2
A rubidium oscillator or a cesium oscillator is used as a high stability oscillator, and an OCXO being a metastable oscillator which is inferior in a long-term frequency stability compared with the above oscillators but has a high short-term frequency stability is used as a backup. There is prepared a table in which an elapsed time since an occurrence of an abnormality in the high stability oscillator and weighting (use ratio) of use of the both oscillators is corresponded, and by using this table, after the high stability oscillator recovers, an oscillation frequency of the metastable oscillator is used by 100% initially, but thereafter the weighting (use ratio) of use of the metastable oscillator is made smaller and the use ratio of the high stability oscillator is made larger in stages.
US08497731B1
A low pass filter circuit includes an amplifier having a single-ended output. A first line and a second line are arranged to receive a differential signal. A first switch selectively connects the first line to a first input of the amplifier in a first cycle of operation having a first observation window. A second switch selectively connects the second line to a second input of the amplifier in a second cycle of operation having a second observation window that is at least partially coincident with the first observation window. A signal measuring stage that is supplied with a modulated input signal generates the differential signal. The signal measuring state has an input switch to reverse a polarity of the differential signal applied to the first and second lines of the low pass filter circuit.
US08497703B2
Example embodiments provide a reconfigurable logic device including at least two logic blocks having a first logic block and a second logic block, a global wire group including at least a plurality of first global wires connected to the first logic block and a plurality of second global wires connected to the second logic block, and a global controller including a plurality of first nonvolatile memory devices associated with at least one first global wire and one second global wire, the global controller configured to selectively couple the pluralities of first and second global wires based on first data stored in the associated first nonvolatile memory devices.
US08497701B2
The present invention relates to an integrated electronic circuit including elements enabling to implement a logic function and means for attenuating the sensitivity of said elements to external disturbances, said attenuation means being disconnectable during phases of intentional modification of the state of said elements.
US08497690B2
A scan module of an electronic device scans a capacitive keypad for detection of the actuation of any capacitive touch sensor. This scan module remains in operation even when major power consuming circuits of the electronic device are in a sleep mode, and will not wake up the major power consuming circuits until an action requiring the circuits is needed, thereby, reducing overall power consumption of the electronic device while still maintaining scanning of the capacitive keypad. Upon detection of a valid key press of a capacitive touch sensor, an interrupt to the electronic device brings it out of a sleep mode and into an operating mode for further processing and appropriate action commensurate with the actuation of the specific capacitive touch sensor.
US08497688B2
The present invention relates to a non-contact arc detection, recognition, and warning apparatus for the detection of arcing in an electrical system. The apparatus includes an electric field detector having first and second electric field sensors adapted to sense electric fields; a magnetic field detector having a multi-axis magnetic field sensor adapted to detect a magnetic field; and a digital signal processor. The digital signal processor compares and enhances signals obtained from the electric field detector and the magnetic field detector and creates a response to alert a user of the presence of arcing.
US08497684B2
A receiver and tracking system for identifying a location of a magnetic field source. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of tri-axial antennas are positioned at three distinct points on a receiver frame. Each antenna detects a magnetic field from a source and a processor is used to determine a location of the source relative to the frame using the antenna signals. Each tri-axial antenna comprises three windings in each of three channels defined by a support structure. The windings each define an aperture area. The windings have substantially identical aperture areas and have a common center point. The receiver may to display to the operator the relative location of the field source or may direct the operator to a spot directly above the field source.
US08497683B2
A spectroscopic sample analysis apparatus includes an actively controlled heat exchanger in serial fluid communication with a spectroscopic analyzer, and a controller communicably coupled to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is disposed downstream of a fluid handler in the form of a stream selection unit (SSU), a solvent/standard recirculation unit (SRU), and/or an auto-sampling unit (ASU). The SSU selectively couples individual stream inputs to an output port. The SRU includes a solvent/standard reservoir, and selectively couples output ports to the heat exchanger, and returns the solvent/standard sample to the reservoirs. The ASU includes a sample reservoir having a sample transfer pathway with a plurality of orifices disposed at spaced locations along a length thereof. The controller selectively actuates the fluid handler, enabling sample to flow therethrough to the heat exchanger, and actuates the heat exchanger to maintain the sample at a predetermined temperature.
US08497682B2
A microwave antenna feed has a radio frequency trap and a number of microwave transmission lines. The radio frequency trap has co-planar ground and signal layers mounted on one surface of a substrate.
US08497678B2
A method for mineral analysis of a sample based on detection of NQR and/or Local Field Magnetic Resonance (LFMR) signals from a particular substance within a sample includes: setting a frequency of RF pulses to be approximately equal to one of the NQR or LFMR frequencies of the substance; setting a set of parameters of the RF pulses to be optimal for the substance; setting a set of receiving parameters to be optimal for the substance; tuning the probe to maximum sensitivity for the signals detected at predetermined frequency and/or to maximum power transfer efficiency for RF pulses transmitted with the probe; transmitting the RF pulses with the probe at said optimal level during a transmitting period to irradiate the sample and excite an NQR or LFMR signal in the substance, if present; detecting and processing NQR or LFMR signals emitted by the substance; and calculating the concentration of the substance in the sample.
US08497676B2
A method of determining the angular position of a first rotor of a turbojet. A vibration pulse is generated during a rotation of the first rotor, each vibration pulse being generated when the first rotor passes through a given reference angular position. The vibration generated is detected. The angular position is obtained at a given instant of a second rotor of the turbojet relative to the angular position that it occupied at a reference instant representative of detecting a vibration pulse. The second rotor is coupled in rotation with the first rotor and has a speed of rotation different from the speed of rotation thereof. The angular position of the first rotor at the given instant is determined from the angular position of the second rotor.
US08497663B2
A charging device for providing an output voltage to charge a flash capacitor is provided. A transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The transformer generates a primary voltage according to an input voltage and generates a secondary voltage according to the primary voltage. A diode coupled between the secondary winding of the transformer and the flash capacitor provides the output voltage according to the secondary voltage. A current detector detects a current flowing through the primary winding of the transformer and generates a detection signal. A determining circuit generates a determining signal according to the primary voltage, the secondary voltage and a reference voltage. A control circuit switches a switch coupled between the primary winding of the transformer and a ground according to the detection signal and the determining signal, so as to control the transformer to charge the flash capacitor.
US08497661B2
A battery ECU acquires open circuit voltages of a plurality of battery cells that are divided into a plurality of groups A, B, C using a plurality of detecting units, and calculates SOCs of the battery cells based on the open circuit voltages. Then, the battery ECU selects the group to which the battery cell having the largest SOC among the SOCs of the plurality of battery cells belongs, and selects the battery cell to be discharged in the selected group. A series circuit composed of a resistor and a switching element is connected in parallel with each battery cell. The battery ECU turns on the switching element corresponding to the selected battery cell. At this time, the battery cell is connected to the resistor, thus being discharged.
US08497658B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A transmitter generates an electromagnetic field at a resonant frequency with a transmit antenna to create a coupling-mode region within a near field of the transmit antenna. The transmitter defines a beginning of a recurring period by on-off keying the electromagnetic field during a synchronization portion of the recurring period. During a power transmission portion of the recurring period, the transmitter couples portions of the electromagnetic field to different receive antennas of various receiver devices within the coupling-mode region. The transmitter also determines a power allocation within the recurring period for the various receiver devices disposed within the coupling-mode region and adjusts a power level of the near field radiation responsive to power requirements received from the receiver devices.
US08497650B2
A fan delay control circuit includes a fan connector connected to a fan of an electronic device, a power supplying module connected to the fan connector, and a rotational speed controlling module connected to the power supplying module. The power supplying module is connected to a fan power source and a stand-by power source. The power supplying module may continue to supply power to the fan when the electronic device including the fan is powered off. The rotational speed controlling module includes a square wave generation circuit which generates a square wave signal to control a rotational speed of the fan even when the electronic device is powered off.
US08497648B2
The present invention provides a synchronous motor drive system designed to realize reduced vibration and noise along with high output. The system includes: inverters 101, 102, and 103 for converting a direct current to a three-phase alternating current; a current application control unit 52 that controls operations of the three-phase inverters; and a synchronous motor 41 driven by three-phase alternating currents supplied from the three-phase inverters. The current application control unit 52 determines, for each three-phase inverter, a current phase angle and a current amount of a three-phase alternating current to output, and each inverter supplies a three-phase alternating current having the determined current phase angle and current amount to a different one of three-phase coil groups 200a to 200c.
US08497640B2
A method for operating a fluorescent lamp which is connected to a series resonant circuit with a resonant circuit inductance and a resonant circuit capacitance. The method includes applying an excitation AC voltage at an excitation frequency to the series resonant circuit using a half bridge circuit, which has an output to which the series resonant circuit is coupled, and which has a first and a second switch which are alternately switched on and off on the basis of a frequency signal. A current flowing through the resonant circuit is monitored for the presence of a critical operating state. The switched-on times of the first and second switches are shortened in comparison to switched-on times which are predetermined by the frequency signal, upon detection of a critical operating state.
US08497639B2
The invention provides a lighting device comprising a housing. The housing comprises visible-light sources (10) arranged to generate visible light (11), UV-lightsources (12) arranged to generate UV-light (13), a light exit window (14) positioned to allow transmission of the visible light (11), a photochromic layer (16) positioned upstream of the light exit window (14) and downstream of the visible light sources (10), the photochromic layer (16) comprising at least one area with UV-photochromic material (15), the UV-photochromic material (15) having a first color state and a second color state, and a control unit (40) connected to the UV-light sources (12) for controlling the UV-light sources (12), wherein the UV-light sources are arranged to illuminate the photochromic layer (16). The invention makes it possible to obtain dynamic light effects.
US08497635B2
The invention relates to a lamp-holding device (1) which is capable of accommodating at least one light source (2) for emitting light. The lamp-holding device comprises a receiver (6) arranged to receive at least one electromagnetic signal (5) from a wireless controller (3). The lamp-holding device further comprises means (7) for sensing the intensity of said received electromagnetic signal and means (8) for controlling said at least one light source in accordance with said sensed intensity of said received electromagnetic signal. By sensing the intensity of the electromagnetic signal of the wireless controller at the lamp-holding device and controlling the behavior of the light source in such a way that it is dependent on the sensed intensity, the position of the wireless controller directly influences the behavior of the light source.
US08497625B2
A light emitting module includes a light emitting device that emits ultraviolet rays or short-wavelength visible light, a blue phosphor that is excited by the ultraviolet rays or the short-wavelength visible light to emit visible light. The blue phosphor is represented by a general formula of (Ca1-x-y,Srx,Euy)5(PO4)3Cl, wherein 0.10
US08497624B2
An Li-containing α-sialon phosphor particle by mixing a silicon nitride or nitrogen-containing silicon compound powder, an AlN-containing aluminum source, an Li source and an Eu source, firing the mixture at 1,500 to 1,800° C. in a nitrogen-containing inert gas atmosphere under atmospheric pressure to obtain a lithium-containing α-sialon powder working out to a starting material, adding and mixing an additional lithium source to the powder, and re-firing the obtained mixture at a temperature lower than the above firing temperature or at a temperature of 1,100° C. to less than 1,600° C., at 1,100° C. to less than 1,600° C., in a nitrogen-containing inert gas atmosphere under atmospheric pressure.
US08497619B2
An electrostatic comb drive actuator for a MEMS device includes a flexure spring assembly and first and second comb drive assemblies, each coupled to the flexure spring assembly on opposing sides thereof. Each of the first and second comb assemblies includes fixed comb drive fingers and moveable comb drive fingers coupled to the flexure spring assembly and extending towards the fixed comb drive fingers. The comb drive fingers are divided equally between the first and second comb drive assemblies and placed symmetrically about a symmetry axis of the flexure spring assembly. When electrically energized, the moveable comb drive fingers of both the first and second comb drive assemblies simultaneously move towards the fixed comb drive fingers of the first and second comb drive assemblies.
US08497616B2
Embodiments are directed to an expander having two or more hydraulic stages with different physical geometries. In an embodiment, a first hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a first geometry, while a second hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a second geometry. Different nozzle vanes can be combined to tune the performance of the expander as the optimal operating conditions change. In yet another embodiment, an expander is equipped with a generator having a double wound stator with two sets of parallel windings. For high operating loads greater than a threshold, a first set of windings operates while a second set of windings, operating at a lower frequency, is disconnected. For operating loads that are less than the threshold, the first set of windings is disconnected and the second set of windings operates, enabling the generator to continue to operate close to 100% load for less expander power.
US08497612B2
A permanent magnet rotating machine includes a rotating shaft and two end rotors. The rotating shift includes at least one inner rotor capable of rotating integrally with the rotating shaft, and being arranged in the space formed by the two end rotors so as to be separate from the two end rotors, and at least two stators isolated from the rotation of the rotating shaft, and being arranged in the spaces formed by the end rotors and the inner rotor. The end and inner rotor permanent magnets are arranged at equal intervals at the end and inner rotating disks; and the three or more stator coils are arranged circumferentially at equal intervals in the concentric circles of each of the fixed disks so as to face the two or more concentric circles of the end and inner permanent magnets on which the permanent magnets are arranged on the rotating disks.
US08497602B2
A method and controller are provided for the compensation of time delays in remote feedback signals in power system control. The method includes converting the time delay into a phase shift and calculating four compensation angles from the phase shift. The optimal compensation angle is determined and applied to the remote feedback signals. A technique of equipping a controller with a global clock is also disclosed.
US08497592B1
A vertical axis wind turbine for attaching to a utility pole includes a plurality of support arms, a housing, a generator and a plurality of blades. The support arms attach to the utility pole. The housing is coupled between the arms. The housing includes an outer wall defining a space within the housing. The housing rotates on a vertical axis of rotation and with respect to the arms. The generator is stationed within the space. The generator generates an electric current in response to a rotation of the housing. The plurality of blades coupled to an external surface of the outer wall, one of the blades extends in a vertical direction.
US08497582B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a cell unit having a select gate transistor and a memory cell connected in series, a select gate line connected to the select gate transistor, and a word line connected to the memory cell. One end of the word line is bent to the select gate line side, and a fringe is connected between a bent point and a distal end of the word line.
US08497581B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip; a protective film and an insulating film sequentially stacked over the semiconductor chip, and each having openings that expose source, drain, and gate pads; a heat dissipation terminal made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the insulating film; connection terminals formed on the source, drain, and gate pads and surrounded by the insulating film; and a mount substrate having connection pads. The semiconductor chip has a source electrode having a plurality of source fingers, a drain electrode having a plurality of drain fingers, and a gate electrode having a plurality of gate fingers. The source, drain, and gate pads are connected to the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the gate electrode, respectively. The connection terminals are respectively connected to the connection pads. The heat dissipation terminal is in close contact with the mount substrate.
US08497575B2
A method of manufacture of a semiconductor packaging system includes: providing a base substrate having edges; mounting an electrical interconnect on the base substrate; and applying an encapsulant having a reference marker and an opening over the electrical interconnect, the reference marker around the electrical interconnect based on physical locations of the edges.
US08497568B2
A monitoring pattern for pattern stitch in double patterning is provided with a plurality of pattern cuts that include at least one line-ended cut and at least one non-line-ended cut, wherein every pattern cut has a stitching critical dimension (CD). A semiconductor wafer having at least one target pattern corresponding to the monitoring pattern is also provided. A method for monitoring pattern stitch can be preformed to check for pattern cut displacement in stitching areas and to increase reliability and printability of layouts, by comparing corresponding stitching critical dimensions of the target pattern and the monitoring pattern.
US08497564B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating a decoupling composite capacitor in a wafer that includes a dielectric region overlying a substrate includes forming a through-wafer via in the dielectric region and the substrate. The through-wafer via includes a through-wafer via insulator covering a sidewall and a bottom of a through-wafer via opening and a through-wafer via conductor covering the through-wafer via insulator. The method further includes thinning the substrate, forming a substrate backside insulator, forming an opening in the substrate backside insulator to expose the through-wafer via conductor, and forming a backside conductor on the through-wafer via conductor, such that the substrate backside conductor extends over the substrate backside insulator, thereby forming the decoupling composite capacitor. The substrate forms a first decoupling composite capacitor electrode and the through-wafer via conductor and substrate backside conductor form a second decoupling composite capacitor electrode.
US08497563B2
A semiconductor system having a trench MOS barrier Schottky diode, having an integrated substrate PN diode as a clamping element (TMBS-ub-PN), suitable in particular as a Zener diode having a breakdown voltage of approximately 20V for use in a vehicle generator system, the TMBS-sub-PN being made up of a combination of Schottky diode, MOS structure, and substrate PN diode, and the breakdown voltage of substrate PN diode BV_pn being lower than the breakdown voltage of Schottky diode BV_schottky and the breakdown voltage of MOS structure BV_mos.
US08497561B2
A solid-state imaging device in which a pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of a semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions and second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions e are arranged at uneven intervals. Respective second surface side regions and first surface side regions are joined in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate.
US08497559B2
A CPP MTJ MRAM unit cell utilizes transfer of spin angular momentum as a mechanism for changing the magnetic moment direction of a free layer. The strength of the switching field, Hs of the cell is controlled by the magnetic anisotropy of the cell which, in turn, is controlled by a combination of the shape anisotropy and the stress and magnetostriction of the cell free layer. The coefficient of magnetostriction of the free layer can be adjusted by methods such as adding Nb or Hf to alloys of Ni, Fe, Co and B or by forming the free layer as a lamination of layers having different values of their coefficients of magnetostriction. Thus, by tuning the coefficient of magnetostriction of the cell free layer it is possible to produce a switching field of sufficient magnitude to render the cell thermally stable while maintaining a desirable switching current.
US08497543B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of element isolations, a plurality of first stacked bodies, a second stacked body, and an interlayer insulating film. Distance between each of the first stacked bodies and the second stacked body is longer than distance between adjacent ones of the first stacked bodies. A first void is formed in the interlayer insulating film between the first stacked bodies. A second void is formed in the interlayer insulating film between one of the first stacked bodies and the second stacked body. And, a lower end of the second void is located above a lower end of the first void.
US08497541B2
A memory array having memory cells and methods of forming the same. The memory array may have a buried digit line formed in a first horizontal planar volume, a word line formed in a second horizontal planar volume above the first horizontal planar volume and storage devices formed on top of the vertical access devices, such as finFETs, in a third horizontal planar volume above the second horizontal planar volume. The memory array may have a 4F2 architecture, wherein each memory cell includes two vertical access devices, each coupled to a single storage device.
US08497537B2
A semiconductor device has a ferro-electric capacitor with small leak current and less process deterioration even upon miniaturization. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor element formed in a semiconductor substrate; lamination of an interlayer insulating film and a lower insulating shielding film having a hydrogen/moisture shielding function, the lamination being formed covering the semiconductor element; a conductive adhesion enhancing film formed above the lower insulating shielding film; and a ferro-electric capacitor including a lower electrode formed above the conductive adhesion enhancing film, a ferro-electric film formed on the lower electrode and being disposed within the lower electrode as viewed in plan, and an upper electrode formed on the ferro-electric film and being disposed within the ferro-electric film as viewed in plan, wherein the conductive adhesion enhancing film has a function of improving adhesion of the lower electrode and reducing leak current of the ferro-electric capacitor.
US08497526B2
In a DIAC-like device that includes an n+ and a p+ region connected to the high voltage node, and an n+ and a p+ region connected to the low voltage node, at least two MOS devices are formed between the n+ and p+ region connected to the high voltage node, and the n+ and p+ region connected to the low voltage node.
US08497523B2
A light emitting diode (LED) package including a carrier, a housing, at least one LED chip and at least one electrostatic discharge protector (ESD protector) is provided. The housing encapsulating a portion of the carrier has at least one first opening, at least one second opening and a barricade. The barricade separates the first opening from the second opening. The first opening and the second opening expose a first surface of the carrier. The LED chip is disposed on the first surface of the carrier, located in the first opening, and electrically connected to the carrier. The ESD protector is disposed on the first surface of the carrier, located in the second opening, and electrically connected to the carrier.
US08497519B2
An LED emitter uses a molded lens with phosphor material embedded in a circumferential trench to generate a batwing beam pattern. After the lens is molded over a package substrate with connected LED dies thereon, the phosphor material is molded, injected, or dispensed into a circumferential trench. The molded lens is shaped such that a majority of the light emitted by the one or more LED dies is reflected by the top surface to the side surfaces through the phosphor material.
US08497518B2
A light-emitting diode and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of: sequentially forming a refraction dielectric layer, a bonding layer, an epitaxy structure and a first electrode on a permanent substrate, wherein the epitaxy structure comprises a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer stacked in sequence; and forming a second electrode on the portion surface of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. Therefore the light-emitting diode is achieved.
US08497517B2
An arrangement includes at least two optoelectronic individual elements. At least two of the individual elements overlap partially in a lateral direction. Indirect or direct electrical contacting between the at least two laterally overlapping individual elements is brought about by at least one conductor track on a carrier top of the one individual element and by at least one conductor track on a carrier bottom of the other individual element.
US08497513B2
The invention relates to a semiconductor device, in particular to a chemical field effect transistor (ChemFET), a high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) and an ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET), as well as a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises a structure, the structure comprises a substrate, a first layer comprising GaN and a second layer comprising InAlN, wherein the first and the second layer are arranged parallely to each other on the substrate, and wherein the structure comprises a third layer comprising diamond.
US08497505B2
A thin film charged body sensor for sensing a contact and/or non-contact movement of a charged body based on an electric field of the charged body. The thin film charged body sensor may include a substrate, a first thin film transistor unit on the substrate, and including a gate layer, an active layer insulated from the gate layer, and source/drain layers insulated from the gate layer and connected to the active layer; and a thin film antenna unit on the substrate, and including a first film including a conductive material electrically connected to the gate layer, the thin film antenna unit adapted to generate an input current in response to an electric field of a charged body.
US08497500B2
The object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL device having a structure that resolves a problem of trade-off between decrease in a drive voltage and increase in production yield. The organic EL device of the present invention includes a substrate, a pair of electrodes provided on the substrate, and an organic EL layer sandwiched by the pair of electrodes; the pair of electrodes includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode; the organic EL layer includes at least a light-emitting layer and a hole injection layer that is in contact with the positive electrode; the hole injection layer is formed of an n-type semiconductor host material and a p-type semiconductor guest material; a LUMO level EHIC of the host material and a HOMO level of the guest material or a valence band level EGV satisfy: |EHIC|+0.5 eV≧|EGV|>|EHIC|−0.6 eV.
US08497478B2
A high voltage supply circuit to drive a light source in an optical sensor system. The high voltage supply provides a high voltage output to the light source during the start of an on time for the light source to decrease current rise time through the light source. After the start of the light source on time, the high voltage output is disconnected from the circuit and a current source provides current output to the light source to drive the light source during the remainder of the light source on time.
US08497474B2
In various embodiments of the invention, a device permits more efficient collection and transmission of ions produced by the action of a carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species into a mass spectrometer. In one embodiment of the invention, the device incorporates the source for ionization in combination with a jet separator to efficiently remove excess carrier gas while permitting ions to be more efficiently transferred into the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer. In an embodiment of the invention, improved collection of ions produced by the carrier gas containing metastable neutral excited-state species at greater distances from between the position of the analyte and the position of the mass spectrometer are enabled.
US08497473B2
An electrospray ion (ESI) source and method capable of ionizing an analyte molecule without oxidizing or reducing the analyte of interest. The ESI source can include an emitter having a liquid conduit, a working electrode having a liquid contacting surface, a spray tip, a secondary working electrode, and a charge storage coating covering partially or fully the liquid contacting surface of the working electrode. The liquid conduit, the working electrode and the secondary working electrode can be in liquid communication. The electrospray ion source can also include a counter electrode proximate to, but separated from, said spray tip. The electrospray ion source can also include a power system for applying a voltage difference between the working electrodes and a counter-electrode. The power system can deliver pulsed voltage changes to the working electrodes during operation of said electrospray ion source to minimize the surface potential of the charge storage coating.
US08497467B2
A system and method for controlling an optical filter is provided. The system and method includes dithering a delay of an optical path within an optical filter unit cell, measuring a position of a filter zero, measuring a position of a filter pole, or measuring positions of both a filter zero and a filter pole by observing an output of the unit cell when the delay is dithered, and using the measurement as feedback for maintaining the position of the filter zero at a desired position, maintaining the position of the filter pole at a desired position, or maintaining the positions of both the filter zero and the filter pole at desired positions.
US08497455B2
A microwave oven cooking container is provided for evenly cooking foodstuff without risk of sparking during cooking. The container includes at least one compartment, and has at least two separate shields disposed on the container. A first shield is made of a material substantially opaque to microwave energy and is disposed on an outer or an inner surface of the compartment, with a shape generally corresponding to the outer shape of the compartment and optionally having an aperture on the base. The container further includes a lidding configured to seal the container closed, the lidding having a second shield disposed on the lidding, such as at a predetermined distance from the container sidewalls. Further, a multi-compartment container is configured to provide shielding for a food having a low specific heat capacity with one or more compartments arranged around and at least partially surrounding a shielded central compartment for the food.
US08497454B2
An induction hardening monitoring apparatus (20) comprising: a current sensor (21) for detecting output current from a high-frequency inverter (11); a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage generated in a heating coil (14) connected between output terminals of the high-frequency inverters (11) together with a capacitor (12) in an equivalent circuit manner; and a controller (23) for monitoring a hardening processing based on a detection signal from the current sensor (21) and a detection signal from a voltage sensor (22), wherein the controller (23) monitors a hardening processing by calculating an effective value of output current from the high-frequency inverter (11) based on a detection signal from the current sensor (21) and calculating an effective value of voltage generated in a heating coil (14) based on a detection signal from the voltage sensor (22); or further calculating load impedance based on each effective value.
US08497453B2
A semiconductor device that may include temperature sensing circuits is disclosed. The temperature sensing circuits may be used to control various parameters, such as internal regulated supply voltages, internal refresh frequency, a word line low voltage, or the like. In this way, operating specifications of a semiconductor device at worse case temperatures may be met without compromising performance at normal operating temperatures. Each temperature sensing circuit may include a selectable temperature threshold value as well as a selectable temperature hysteresis value. In this way, temperature performance characteristics may be finely tuned. Furthermore, a method of testing the temperature sensing circuits is disclosed in which a current value may be monitored an temperature threshold values and temperature hysteresis values may be thereby determined.
US08497450B2
A laser-based workpiece processing system includes sensors connected to a sensor controller that converts sensor signals into focused spot motion commands for actuating a beam steering device, such as a two-axis steering mirror. The sensors may include a beam position sensor for correcting errors detected in the optical path, such as thermally-induced beam wandering in response to laser or acousto-optic modulator pointing stability, or optical mount dynamics.
US08497449B1
A method of micro-machining comprises the steps of selectively applying a light energy coupling substance to a substrate, the light energy coupling substance absorbing a selected level of laser light energy at a selected wavelength, directing a laser light beam at the selected wavelength against the substrate in areas to which the light energy coupling substance has been applied, and manipulating one of the laser light beam and the substrate to micro-machine selected features into the substrate with the laser light beam.
US08497447B2
The invention discloses a method and a production installation for producing a sub-assembly consisting of a plurality of parts joined together, in which the first part (1) and second part (2) are removed from a parts delivery site in the vicinity of a transport device and deposited oriented in position on one of a plurality of parts transport carriers of the transport device, and subsequently together with the parts transport carrier transported to an assembly station. The parts transport carrier is stopped in the assembly station in a holding position, whereupon the parts (1, 2), oriented towards one another, are moved by means of a vertical positioning device (200a, 200b) together from a transport position on the parts transport carrier into a preparation position, then positioned relative to one another, clamped and then joined to form a sub-assembly, whereupon the joined subassembly is again deposited on one of a plurality of parts transport carriers and transported away thereby. The parts transport carriers comprise a receiver with just one positioning means for holding one of the parts (1) during the transport and projecting lateral guide surfaces arranged spaced apart from one another in the advancing direction thereof, as well as two support surfaces for a part (1) supported thereon.
US08497436B2
A self-powered surgical device, comprising a handle having a self-contained power supply and a control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device; and a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the at least two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the at least two operational conditions that is different from the first operational condition, the two-stage switch having a variable resistance such that the first stage occurs when a first depression force is applied to the switch, the second stage occurs when a second depression force greater than the first depression force is applied to the switch, and a holding force lower than at least the second depression force is required to maintain the switch in the second stage.
US08497432B2
An electronic component mounting structure includes a substrate having a terminal, an electronic component having an active face, an electrode that is formed on the active face of the electronic component, a base resin that is formed on the active face, a first opening that is formed at the base resin to expose the electrode, and a conductive film that covers a part of a top surface of the base resin and that is electrically connected to the electrode via the first opening. Because the base resin is bonded to the substrate, the bonding strength between the conductive film located on the top surface of the base resin and the terminal of the substrate is increased. Therefore, the reliability of electrical connection between the conductive film and the terminal is improved.
US08497429B2
A method of fixing reflowable elements on electrical contacts. The method includes providing a strip having a number of electrical contacts, each contact including a contact body and a tail portion extending away from the contact body. The tail portions of the contacts are then disposed adjacent an elongate reflowable member. The elongate reflowable member is pushed onto the tail portions of the plurality of contacts. Subsequently, the elongate reflowable member is cut into a plurality of separate reflowable elements, each reflowable element corresponding to one of the tail portions. The electrical contacts with the reflowable element attached thereto are separated from the strip.
US08497423B2
A high voltage direct current (DC) tether for an airborne wind turbine includes one conductor in the center of the feeder and the shielding of the feeder as a second conductor. A mechanical strength element is disposed in between the center conductor and the shielding. In this configuration, the mechanical strength element acts also as an insulator. The center conductor and the shielding can be made of aluminum or copper. The strength element can be a high strength fiber composite, woven such as VECTRAN® or SPECTRA®. The shielding is typically used as the return conductor.
US08497414B1
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated NPID7544, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPID7544 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line NPID7544, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line NPID7544, and plants produced according to these methods.
US08497410B2
A method of making personal hygiene articles of high absorbency from cellulosic fiber pulp without chemical cross-linking of the cellulosic fibers is disclosed. The method comprises interposing a sublayer of mechanically fluffed alkali extracted cellulosic fiber pulp between a fluid permeable layer and a fluid impermeable layer.
US08497402B2
Provided is a process and an apparatus for producing at low cost gas hydrate pellets having an excellent storability. A gas hydrate generated from a raw-material gas and raw-material water is dewatered and simultaneously molded into pellets with compression-molding means under conditions suitable for generating the gas hydrate while the gas hydrate is generated from the raw-material gas and the raw-material water that exist among particles of the gas hydrate.
US08497398B1
Several aromatic hydrocarbons di-substituted with a polyamine are described according to formulas selected from compounds 4, 7, 10, 15 and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The novel dimeric polyamines of the present invention demonstrate enhanced penetration into cells having an upregulated polyamine transport system, such as various types of cancer cells. The disclosed aromatic polyamine dimers provide highly efficient drugs for targeting cancer cells with active polyamine transporters.
US08497390B2
This invention relates to methods and articles using compounds, polymeric compounds, and compositions for semiconductor and optoelectronic materials and devices including thin film and band gap materials. This invention provides a range of compounds, polymeric compounds, compositions, materials and methods directed ultimately toward photovoltaic applications, transparent conductive materials, as well as devices and systems for energy conversion, including solar cells. In particular, this invention relates to polymeric precursor compounds and precursor materials for preparing photovoltaic layers. A compound may contain repeating units {MB(ER)(ER)} and {MA(ER)(ER)}, wherein MA is a combination of Cu and Ag, each MB is In or Ga, each E is S, Se, or Te, and each R is independently selected, for each occurrence, from alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, amido, silyl, and inorganic and organic ligands.
US08497376B2
The invention is directed to compounds of Formula I: wherein Z, X, J, R2 and W are set forth in the specification, as well as solvates, hydrates, tautomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, that inhibit protein tyrosine kinases, especially c-fms kinase. Methods of treating autoimmune diseases; and diseases with an inflammatory component; treating metastasis from ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, hairy cell leukemia; and treating pain, including skeletal pain caused by tumor metastasis or osteoarthritis, or visceral, inflammatory, and neurogenic pain; as well as osteoporosis, Paget's disease, and other diseases in which bone resorption mediates morbidity including rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, prosthesis failure, osteolytic sarcoma, myeloma, and tumor metastasis to bone with the compounds of Formula I, are also provided.
US08497362B2
This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a diacylglycerol acyltransferase. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the diacylglycerol acyltransferase, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the diacylglycerol acyltransferase in a transformed host cell.
US08497361B2
An aminocoumarin conjugated to a fluorescent label through a secondary amine, is operative as a fluorescent polarization probe of the DNA gyrase B or topoisomerase IV E subunit. The probe is used for detecting topoisomerase inhibitor binding by fluorescence polarization, particularly in a high-through put topoisomerase inhibitor assay.
US08497359B2
A cationic electrodepositable coating composition is disclosed. The present invention in directed to a cationic electrodepositable coating composition comprising a lignin-containing cationic salt resin, that comprises (A) the reaction product of: lignin, an amine, and a carbonyl compound; (B) the reaction product of lignin, epichlorohydrin, and an amine; or (C) combinations thereof.
US08497355B2
A method of modulating the plasma half-life of anti-glypican 3 antibody, a pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient the anti-glypican 3 antibody that has a plasma half-life that has been modulated, a method of preparing the anti-glypican 3 antibody and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the anti-glypican 3 antibody as an active ingredient are provided. Disclosed is a method of modulating the plasma half-life of anti-glypican 3 antibody by modifying an amino acid residue that is exposed on the surface of the anti-glypican 3 antibody; and anti-glypican 3 antibody that has a plasma half-life that has been modulated by amino acid residue modification, a pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient the anti-glypican 3 antibody, and a method of preparing the anti-glypican 3 antibody and producing a pharmaceutical composition comprising the anti-glypican 3 antibody as an active ingredient.
US08497352B2
The present invention relates to a novel unbranched carbamate derivative, in particular N-butyloxycarbonyl derivative of certain Wnt5-α peptides and to their use in the treatment of melanoma or gastric cancer, as well as a method for treating melanoma as well as a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same derivative.
US08497344B2
A method for obtaining a composition of an aromatic polyamide containing para-phenylene terephthalamide and 2-(p-phenylene)benzimidazole terephthalamide units, the method including copolymerizing: i) a mole % of para phenylenediamine; ii) b mole % of 5(6)-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl)benzimidazole; and iii) 90-110 mole % of terephthaloyl dichloride in a mixture of N-methyl pyrrolidone and containing c wt. % of calcium chloride, wherein c is within the range from 1 to 20, and wherein the ratio a:b ranges from 1:20 to 20:1, a+b is 100 mole %, and i), ii), and iii) together comprise 1-20 wt. % of the mixture, wherein the product b·c is at least 50 and less than 215 and that the composition is a crumb with a relative viscosity ηrel of at least 4, wherein the crumb is defined as non-sticky particles at least 95% of which having an average diameter of 0.7-15 mm.
US08497342B2
A liquid crystal block copolymer comprising at least one liquid crystal polymer block comprising a polymer of diethylene glycol bis(4-hydroxybenzoate) and diphenyl 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate and at least one non-liquid crystal polymer block.
US08497341B2
Light-stable, thermoplastic polyurethanes with good processability and having an ASTM D-1003 haze value of less than 10%, the polyurethane prepared by a process comprising: reacting: (a) a diisocyanate component comprising 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate; (b) a chain extension component consisting of (b1) 1,4-di(β-hydroxyethyl)hydroquinone and (b2) at least one chain extender selected from the group consisting of diols having a 2 or 3 carbon atom chain length between the two OH groups, in a molar ratio of chain extender (b1) to chain extender (b2) of 10:1 to 1:4; and (c) at least one polyol component having a number average molecular weight of 450 to 10000 g/mol, and an average number of Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms of at least 1.8 to at most 3.0; wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups in component (a) to isocyanate-reactive groups in components (b) and (c) is 0.9:1 to 1.1:1.
US08497338B2
A process for manufacturing an organosilicon product having a stabilized low color and no formation of black particles during storage includes (a) reacting an unsaturated compound with a silicon compound having a reactive Si—H bond under hydrosilylation conditions in a reaction zone in the presence of a heterogeneous precious metal catalyst to provide an organosilicon product having a color of less than 40 pt/co; (b) separating the heterogeneous precious metal catalyst from the organosilicon product; and (c) recovering the heterogeneous precious metal catalyst.
US08497331B2
The present invention relates to the field of single site catalyst systems based on pyrrol-iminophenol, pyrrol-iminoalcohol or pyrrol-iminoamine complexes and suitable for oligomerising or homo- or co-polymerising ethylene and alpha-olefins.
US08497309B2
Herein disclosed is a method of reacting one or more components in a liquid medium to form an organic product that may include feeding a carbonaceous gas and a liquid medium to a high shear device; processing the gas and the liquid medium under shearing conditions in the high shear device, resulting in an emulsion comprising at least some of the carbonaceous gas dispersed in the liquid medium, wherein the dispersed carbonaceous gas comprises gas bubbles with a mean diameter of less than about 1 μm; and reacting the emulsion to produce the organic product.
US08497306B2
The invention relates to pharmaceutically acceptable salts of guanylhydrazone-containing compounds, for example, Semapimod. The invention also relates to pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the salts and methods for their use.
US08497302B2
Method for the microbiological production of cinnamoyl amide derivatives of amino acids, certain products that result therefrom and uses thereof, especially as antioxidants.
US08497301B2
The present invention relates to novel hydroxyl compounds, compositions comprising hydroxyl compounds, and methods useful for treating and preventing a variety of diseases and conditions such as, but not limited to aging, Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, a disorder of glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, dyslipoproteinemia, hypertension, impotence, inflammation, insulin resistance, lipid elimination in bile, obesity, oxysterol elimination in bile, pancreatitis, pancreatitius, Parkinson's disease, a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-associated disorder, phospholipid elimination in bile, renal disease, septicemia, metabolic syndrome disorders (e.g., Syndrome X), thrombotic disorder. Compounds and methods of the invention can also be used to modulate C reactive protein or enhance bile production in a patient. In certain embodiments, the compounds, compositions, and methods of the invention are useful in combination therapy with other therapeutics, such as hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic agents.
US08497290B2
Disclosed herein are thiocolchicine derivatives suitable for use as muscle relaxants, methods of making the derivatives, and compositions comprising the derivatives.
US08497287B2
The invention provides aminotetralin compounds of formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, n, and m are defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, that are antagonists at the mu opioid receptor. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds to treat conditions associated with mu opioid receptor activity, and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US08497286B2
The present invention relates to a compound of the formula I wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification, for use in the diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of a warm-blooded animal, especially for the treatment of a disease (=disorder) that depends on activity of renin; the use of a compound of that class for the preparation of a pharmaceutical formulation for the treatment of a disease that depends on activity of renin; the use of a compound of that class in the treatment of a disease that depends on activity of renin; pharmaceutical formulations a compound of that class; a method of treatment comprising administering a compound of that class and a method for its manufacture.
US08497278B2
Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines are disclosed. Compounds of the invention are useful therapeutic agents and their inclusion in pharmaceutical formulations and use in methods of treatment are disclosed. Many of the compounds disclosed herein may be represented by the following generic formula: in which Y is a direct bond or heteroatom and A3 is usually a nitrogenous heterocycle.
US08497276B2
The present invention relates to substituted indolo-piperidine compounds and methods of synthesizing these compounds. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing substituted indolo-piperidine compounds and methods of treating cell proliferative disorders, such as cancer, by administering these compounds or pharmaceutical compositions to subjects in need thereof.
US08497269B2
The present invention comprises a new class of compounds useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of protein kinase mediated diseases, including inflammation and related conditions. The compounds have a general Formula I wherein A4, L, R1, R2, R3, R5 and m are as defined herein. The invention also comprises pharmaceutical compositions including one or more compounds of Formula I, uses of such compounds and compositions for treatment of p38 map kinase mediated diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ankylosing spondylitis, pain and other inflammatory disorders, as well as intermediates and processes useful for the preparation of compounds of Formula I.
US08497261B2
The invention provides compounds, compositions and uses of compounds of general formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which are 3-aminocaprolactam derivatives, for the preparation of a medicament intended to treat an inflammatory disorder: wherein X is —CO—Y—(R1)n or SO2—Y—(R1)n; and Y is a cycloalkyl or polycycloalkyl group (such as an adamantyl, adamantanemethyl, bicyclooctyl, cyclohexyl, cyclopropyl group); or is a cycloalkenyl or polycycloalkenyl group.
US08497257B2
The invention describes compositions and methods of use for 2,5-dihydroxybenzene sulfonic acid compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The invention provides methods for (a) treating skin cancer; (b) treating cancer of the organs; (c) treating leukemia; (d) improving the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or cancer immunotherapy; (e) treating rosacea; and (f) treating psoriasis by administration of a composition comprising at least one 2,5-dihydroxybenzene sulfonic acid compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and, optionally at least one therapeutic agent. Also disclosed are compositions comprising administration of at least one 2,5-dihydroxybenzene sulfonic acid compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and, at least one therapeutic agent. In the invention the 2,5-dihydroxybenzene sulfonic acid compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are 2,5-dihydroxybenzene sulfonic acid, calcium 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate, potassium 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate, magnesium 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate and diethylamine 2,5-dihydroxybenzenesulfonate.
US08497256B2
The instant application provides methods and compositions for the treatment of male subjects having ulcerative colitis.
US08497252B2
The invention provides compositions comprising modified stem cells containing a transgene that affects the expression of at least one gene that inhibits or promotes cardiomyogenesis. In particular, the invention discloses compositions comprising cardiac stem cells, wherein said cardiac stem cells comprise a transgene encoding a microRNA. The compositions of the invention find use in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, such as myocardial infarction. Methods of repairing damaged myocardium in a subject using the modified stem cells are also disclosed.
US08497248B2
Antifungal and antibacterial peptides, polypeptides and proteins as antifungal additives for paint and other coatings are disclosed, along with antifungal compositions, and coated surfaces with antifungal properties. Methods of using the coatings for treating and/or inhibiting growth of mold, mildew and other fungi and bacteria on objects such as building materials that are susceptible to such infestation are also disclosed.
US08497243B2
In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for treating mucositis.
US08497241B2
The present invention relates to a WNT10-derived peptide, a composition for improving hair loss and skin conditions using the same, and a composition for treating a WNT10 signal transduction pathway-related disorder and DKK-1 protein-induced disorder the same. WNT10-derived peptide of the present invention possesses identical or similar activities to natural-occurring WNT10, and has much higher stability and skin penetration potency than natural-occurring WNT10. Therefore, the composition containing the present peptide not only shows excellent effects on improvement in hair loss (for example, promotion of hair growth or production of hair), but also has superior efficacies on treatment of a WNT10 signal transduction pathway-related disorder and a DKK-1 protein-induced disorder. In addition, the outstanding activity and stability of the present peptide described above may be greatly advantageous in application to pharmaceutical compositions, quasi-drugs and cosmetics.
US08497235B2
The present invention provides a softener composition containing a specific bis(polyalkoxyalkanol) type quaternary ammonium salt represented by formula (I): [wherein R1 and R2 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrocarbon group having 11 to 23 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may have a hydroxyl group, k and l may be the same as or different from each other and represent an integer of 5 to 10 and X− represents an anion.]
US08497213B2
The invention provides a method for subjecting laminated thin films disposed below a photoresist mask pattern to plasma processing, wherein the roughness on the side walls of the formed pattern is reduced, and the LER and LWR are reduced. When etching a material to be processed to form a gate electrode including thin films such as a gate insulating film 205, a conducting layer 204, a mask layer 203 and an antireflection film 202 laminated on a semiconductor substrate 206 and a photoresist mask pattern 201 disposed on the antireflection film, prior to etching the mask pattern 201, plasma is generated from nitrogen gas or a mixed gas including nitrogen gas and deposition gas to subject the mask pattern 201 to a plasma curing process so as to reduce the roughness on the surface and side walls of the mask pattern 201, and then the laminated thin films 202, 203 and 204 disposed below the mask pattern 201 are subjected to a plasma etching process.
US08497210B2
A polishing method includes polishing, in a first polish, a wafer to remove overburden and planarize a top layer leaving a portion remaining on an underlying layer. A second polishing step includes two phases. In a first phase, the top layer is removed and the underlying layer is exposed, with a top layer to underlying layer selectivity of between about 1:1 to about 2:1 to provide a planar topography. In a second phase, residual portions of the top layer are removed from a top of the underlying layer to ensure complete exposure of an underlying layer surface.
US08497204B2
In a first aspect, a method is provided that includes: forming a plurality of conductive or semiconductive features above a first dielectric material; depositing a second dielectric material above the conductive or semiconductive features; etching a void in the second dielectric material, wherein the etch is selective between the first and the second dielectric material and the etch stops on the first dielectric material; and exposing a portion of the conductive or semiconductive features. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08497197B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes providing an n-type field effect transistor comprising a source region, a drain region, and a first gate; forming a tensile stress layer on the n-type field effect transistor; removing the first gate so as to form a gate opening; performing an anneal so that the source region and the drain region memorize a stress induced by the tensile stress layer; forming a second gate; removing the tensile stress layer; and forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the n-type field effect transistor. A replacement process is combined with a stress memorization technique for enhancing the stress memorization effect and increasing mobility of electrons, which in turn improves overall properties of the semiconductor structure.
US08497196B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a gate electrode on a surface of a substrate via a gate insulating film, forming an insulating film on a side surface of the gate electrode, and exposing an oxygen plasma onto the surface of the substrate. An electron temperature of the oxygen plasma in a vicinity of the surface of the substrate is equal to or less than about 1.5 eV.
US08497195B2
Semiconductor devices can be fabricated using conventional designs and process but including specialized structures to reduce or eliminate detrimental effects caused by various forms of radiation. Such semiconductor devices can include the one or more parasitic isolation devices and/or buried guard ring structures disclosed in the present application. The introduction of design and/or process steps to accommodate these novel structures is compatible with conventional CMOS fabrication processes, and can therefore be accomplished at relatively low cost and with relative simplicity.
US08497191B2
A semiconductor device in which selectivity in epitaxial growth is improved. There is provided a semiconductor device comprising a gate electrode formed over an Si substrate, which is a semiconductor substrate, with a gate insulating film therebetween and an insulating layer formed over sides of the gate electrode and containing a halogen element. With this semiconductor device, a silicon nitride film which contains the halogen element is formed over the sides of the gate electrode when an SiGe layer is formed over the Si substrate. Therefore, the SiGe layer epitaxial-grows over the Si substrate with high selectivity. As a result, an OFF-state leakage current which flows between, for example, the gate electrode and source/drain regions is suppressed and a manufacturing process suitable for actual mass production is established.
US08497187B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer, the method configured to grow an epitaxial layer on an SOI layer of the SOI wafer having the SOI layer on a BOX layer to increase a thickness of the SOI layer, wherein epitaxial growth is carried out by using an SOI wafer whose infrared reflectance in an infrared wavelength range of 800 to 1300 nm falls within the range of 20% to 40% as the SOI wafer on which the epitaxial layer is grown. As a result, a high-quality SOI wafer with less slip dislocation and others can be provided with excellent productivity at a low cost as the SOI wafer including the SOI layer having a thickness increased by growing the epitaxial layer, and a manufacturing method thereof can be also provide.
US08497185B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer of the present invention includes the steps of: obtaining a composite base by forming a base surface flattening layer having a surface RMS roughness of not more than 1.0 nm on a base; obtaining a composite substrate by attaching a semiconductor crystal layer to a side of the composite base where the base surface flattening layer is located; growing at least one semiconductor layer on the semiconductor crystal layer of the composite substrate; and obtaining the semiconductor wafer including the semiconductor crystal layer and the semiconductor layer by removing the base surface flattening layer by wet etching and thereby separating the semiconductor crystal layer from the base. Thus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer capable of efficiently manufacturing the semiconductor wafer regardless of the type of a base, and a composite base and a composite substrate suitably used in that manufacturing method are provided to efficiently manufacture a semiconductor device.
US08497182B2
A memory device includes an array of electrodes that includes thin film plates of electrode material. Multilayer strips are arranged as bit lines over respective columns in the array of electrodes, including a layer of memory material and a layer of top electrode material. The multilayer strips have a primary body and a protrusion having a width less than that of the primary body and is self-aligned with contact surfaces on the thin film plates. Memory material in the protrusion contacts surfaces on the distal ends of thin film plates of electrodes in the corresponding column in the array. The device can be made using a damascene process in self-aligned forms over the contact surfaces.
US08497181B1
An FeRAM is produced by a method including the steps of forming a lower electrode layer, forming a first ferroelectric film on the lower electrode layer, forming on the first ferroelectric film a second ferroelectric film in an amorphous state containing iridium inside, thermally treating the second ferroelectric film in an oxidizing atmosphere to crystallize the second ferroelectric film and to cause iridium in the second ferroelectric film to diffuse into the first ferroelectric film, forming an upper electrode layer on the second ferroelectric film, and processing each of the upper electrode layer, the second ferroelectric film, the first ferroelectric film, and the lower electrode layer to form the capacitor structure. With such a structure, the inversion charge amount in a ferroelectric capacitor structure is improved without increasing the leak current pointlessly, and a high yield can be assured, thereby realizing a highly reliable FeRAM.
US08497178B2
In a MOS-type semiconductor device in which, on a Si substrate, a SiGe layer having a valence band edge energy value smaller than a valence band edge energy value of the first semiconductor layer and a mobility larger than a mobility of the first semiconductor layer, a Si cap layer, and an insulating layer are sequentially laminated, the problem of the shift of the absolute value of the threshold voltage toward a smaller value caused by negative fixed charges formed in or near the interface between the Si cap layer and the insulting film by diffusion of Ge is overcome by neutralizing the negative fixed charges by positive charges induced in and near the interface between the Si cap layer and the insulating film along with addition of nitrogen atoms to the semiconductor device surface by NO gas annealing and thereby shifting the threshold voltage toward a larger value.
US08497165B2
Systems and methods for lead frame locking design features are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: fabricating a lead frame for a chip package, the lead frame having a paddle comprising a step-out bottom locking feature profile across at least a first segment of an edge of the paddle that provides an interface with a mold compound; etching the paddle to have at least a second segment of the edge having either an extended-step-out bottom locking feature profile or an overhanging top locking feature profile; and alternating first and second segments along the edge of the paddle.
US08497162B1
Various methods of attaching a lid to an integrated circuit substrate are provided. In one aspect, a method of attaching a lid to a substrate that has an integrated circuit positioned thereon is provided. An adhesive is applied to the substrate and an indium film is applied to the integrated circuit. The lid is positioned on the adhesive. The adhesive is partially hardened and the indium film is reflowed. The adhesive is cured.
US08497160B2
A solder-top enhanced semiconductor device is proposed for packaging. The solder-top device includes a device die with a top metal layer patterned into contact zones and contact enhancement zones. At least one contact zone is electrically connected to at least one contact enhancement zone. Atop each contact enhancement zone is a solder layer for an increased composite thickness thus lowered parasitic impedance. Where the top metal material can not form a uniform good electrical bond with the solder material, the device die further includes an intermediary layer sandwiched between and forming a uniform electrical bond with the top metal layer and the solder layer. A method for making the solder-top device includes lithographically patterning the top metal layer into the contact zones and the contact enhancement zones; then forming a solder layer atop each of the contact enhancement zones using a stencil process for an increased composite thickness.
US08497150B2
This invention discloses a defect isolation method for thin-film solar cell having at least a defect therein. The thin-film solar cell comprises a substrate, a front electrode layer, an absorber layer and a back electrode layer stacked in such a sequence. The defect isolation method includes the steps of: detecting at least a defect formed in thin-film solar cell and acquiring the positions of the defects, and applying a laser light to scribe the outer circumference of the defects according to the positions of the defects so as to form at least an isolation groove having a closed-curve configuration.
US08497139B2
A magnetic memory device including a memory layer having a vertical magnetization on the layer surface, of which the direction of magnetization is changed according to information; and a reference layer provided against the memory layer, and being a basis of information while having a vertical magnetization on the layer surface, wherein the memory device memorizes the information by reversing the magnetization of the memory layer by a spin torque generated when a current flows between layers made from the memory layer, the nonmagnetization layer and the reference layer, and a coercive force of the memory layer at a memorization temperature is 0.7 times or less than a coercive force at room temperature, and a heat conductivity of a center portion of an electrode formed on one side of the memory layer in the direction of the layer surface is lower than a heat conductivity of surroundings thereof.
US08497129B2
A medical instrument including a body member and an indicator component. The indicator component includes a mechanism for identifying when reprocessing of the medical instrument has occurred.
US08497127B2
The invention provides a synthetic phytase polypeptide which encodes an enzymatically susceptible phytase. Also provided are feed or food products comprising an enzymatically susceptible phytase, and transgenic plants which express the enzymatically susceptible phytase. Further provided are methods for making and using enzymatically susceptible phytases, e.g., a method of using an enzymatically susceptible phytase in feed and food processing.
US08497124B2
The present invention relates in part to methods for producing tissue-specific cells from patient samples, and to tissue-specific cells produced using these methods. Methods for reprogramming cells using RNA are disclosed. Therapeutics comprising cells produced using these methods are also disclosed.
US08497120B2
Existence of human trophoblast stem (hTS) cells has been suspected but unproved. The isolation of hTS cells is reported in the early stage of chorionic villi by expressions of FGF4, FGFR-2, Oct4, Thy-1, and stage-specific embryonic antigens distributed in different compartments of the cell. hTS cells are able to derive into specific cell phenotypes of the three primitive embryonic layers, produce chimeric reactions in mice, and retain a normal karyotype and telomere length. In hTS cells, Oct4 and fgfr-2 expressions can be knockdown by bFGF. These facts suggest that differentiation of the hTS cells play an important role in implantation and placentation. hTS cells could be apply to human cell differentiation and for gene and cell-based therapies.
US08497114B2
An anti-obesity agent or a glucose tolerance-ameliorating agent containing a bacterium belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium as an active ingredient, wherein the bacterium belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium exhibits a conversion rate from linoleic acid into conjugated linoleic acid of not more than 10%. The present invention is able to provide an anti-obesity agent and a glucose tolerance-ameliorating agent that are effective for the prevention or treatment of obesity or the amelioration of glucose tolerance and also exhibit superior safety, as well as providing foods or beverages containing these agents. Further, the present invention is also able to provide a bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium, and in particular a Bifidobacterium breve, that is effective for the prevention or treatment of obesity or the amelioration of glucose tolerance and also exhibits superior safety, as well as providing a pharmaceutical composition containing this bacterium.
US08497108B2
A diesel fuel additive and synthesis method therefore is disclosed herein. The diesel fuel additive may be used in internal combustion engines including those present in cars and trucks, and reduces fuel consumption and pollutant emissions while increasing power.
US08497107B2
A composition of enzyme, polymer, and crosslinker forms a network of covalently bound macromolecules. The covalently immobilized enzyme preparation has enzymatic activity, and retains stable activity when dried and stored at ambient conditions. Methods for preparing an immobilized enzyme and methods for using the enzyme are disclosed.
US08497098B2
The invention relates to a process for biochemical synthesis of 1,4-butanediamine in a microorganism having an increased level of an ornithine decarboxylase activity (increased ODC activity) as compared to the native level of the ornithine decarboxylase activity, wherein in the microorganism also an increased activity of N-acetylglutamate formation is present as compared to the native level of activity of N-acetylglutamate formation in the microorganism and wherein 1,4-butanediamine produced in the microorganism is excreted into a fermentation broth, and is recovered from the fermentation broth. The invention also relates to vectors, plasmids and hosts carrying a corresponding increased ODC activity and an increased activity of N-acetylglutamate formation.
US08497094B2
The invention concerns the prevention and treatment of complement-associated eye conditions, such as choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by administration of Factor D antagonists.
US08497092B2
The invention intends to find out a bioassay system with an in-vitro test capable of ensuring the higher quality of yokukansan, and provides a bioassay method for yokukansan, comprising adding glutamate in an amount sufficient to induce cell death and yokukansan to a medium for culturing cells, and evaluating pharmacological activity value of yokukansan from viability of the cultured cells in the medium.
US08497087B2
A method for producing a target substance by utilizing a microorganism by culturing the microorganism in a medium to produce and accumulate the target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance from the culture is described. The microorganism is a mutant recombinant strain in which maltose assimilation is controlled by reducing or eliminating the interaction between IIAGlc protein of the glucose PTS and a protein involved in non-PTS uptake of maltose.
US08497086B2
A reaction medium for detecting and/or identifying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria includes a chromogenic substrate, a first antibiotic that belongs to the cephalosporin family and a second antibiotic that belongs to the aminoglycoside family.
US08497071B2
Disclosed herein are methods and materials for isolating and identifying T cell receptors from single cells. In some embodiments, genomic DNA from a single T cell is isolated using whole genome amplification (WGA). A series of PCR reactions is carried out to enrich the genomic template for sequences encoding the TCR alpha and beta chains, and then to isolate the sequences encoding the TCR alpha and beta chains.
US08497069B2
The present invention relates, e.g., to a method for amplifying a small number of copies (e.g. a single copy) of a single-stranded circular DNA molecule (e.g. having a size of about 5-6 kb) by an isothermal rolling circle mechanism, using random or partially random primers and a F29-type DNA polymerase. The method, which can also be used for amplifying DNAs by non-rolling types of multiple displacement amplification, comprises incubating the reaction components in a small volume, e.g. about 10 μl or less, such as about 0.6 μl or less. The degree of amplification can be about 109 fold, or higher. A method for cell-free cloning of DNA, using the rolling circle amplification method of the invention, is described.
US08497066B2
A DNA methylation-based test for efficiency of treatments is based on a plurality of genes. The test is suitable for monitoring treatment of subjects with neurological diseases, e.g., multiple sclerosis (MS); with cancer, e.g., breast and ovarian cancer, and with other diseases for which methylation of biomarkers differs in the diseased compared to the non-diseased state.
US08497064B2
Nucleic acid labeling compounds are disclosed. The compounds are synthesized by condensing a heterocyclic derivative with a cyclic group (e.g. a ribofuranose derivative). The labeling compounds are suitable for enzymatic attachment to a nucleic acid, either terminally or internally, to provide a mechanism of nucleic acid detection.
US08497062B2
The objective of the present invention is to provide a resin for forming an upper antireflective film and a composition for forming an upper antireflective film that can reduce a standing wave effect satisfactorily and lead excellent solubility in an alkaline developer in lithography and a method for forming a resist pattern. Specifically, the resin for forming an upper antireflective film has at least one unit selected from a repeating unit represented by the formula (1) and a repeating unit represented by the formula (2), has a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 as measured by GPC method, and is soluble in an alkaline developer. (In the formulae (1) and (2), R1 to R14 independently represent a hydrogen atom, —OH, —COOH or —SO3H, provided that all of R1 to R7 or R8 to R14 do not represent a hydrogen atom in a molecule.)
US08497060B2
A manufacturing method includes forming a stacked film including first/second/third layers on a substrate, forming a first resist pattern on the stacked film, forming a first film pattern by etching the first layer through the first resist pattern, removing the first resist pattern, partially covering the first film pattern with a second resist pattern, slimming the first film pattern exposed from the second resist pattern, forming a second film pattern by etching the second layer exposed from the first layer through the first film pattern, partially covering the second film pattern with a third resist pattern, removing the first film pattern exposed from the third resist pattern, forming sidewall spacers to the second film pattern and remained second layer, removing the remained second layer portion, followed by etching the third layer through the second film pattern and sidewall spacers to form a third film pattern.
US08497057B2
The present invention provides a method producing printed electronic circuits using electrophotography.
US08497052B2
An optimal recording exposure is determined by varying in the first to nth stages the recording exposure with a write laser beam to record a bright pattern image and a dark pattern image in each stage as the first to nth bright pattern images and the first to nth dark pattern images, respectively; irradiating the respective pattern images with a read beam to detect the intensity of a diffracted beam from the central portion of each image of the bright and dark patterns; calculating Sa1/Sb1=SNR1, . . . , and San/Sbn=SNRn, where Sa1 to San are the intensity of a diffracted beam from the first to nth bright pattern images and Sb1 to Sbn, are the intensity of s diffracted beam from the first to nth dark pattern images; and determining a recording exposure which is given at the SNRmax being the maximum value of the resulting SNR1 to SNRn.
US08497041B2
An electrochemical cell includes a cathode containing an aluminum current collector, a positive lead coupled to the cathode current collector an anode, and an electrolyte including from greater than 0.075 M to less than 0.2 M of a bis(oxalate)borate salt and a second lithium salt. The positive lead may include a metal selected from aluminum, titanium, and steel. The anode may include lithium, graphite, and a lithiated metal oxide. The aluminum current collector has an aluminum surface having at least one dimension greater than 1 millimeter.
US08497039B2
Provided is a cathode active material which is lithium transition metal oxide having an α-NaFeO2 layered crystal structure, wherein the transition metal is a blend of Ni and Mn, an average oxidation number of the transition metals except lithium is more than +3, and lithium transition metal oxide satisfies the Equation m(Ni)≧m(Mn) (in which m (Ni) and m (Mn) represent an molar number of manganese and nickel, respectively). The lithium transition metal oxide has a uniform and stable layered structure through control of oxidation number of transition metals to a level higher than +3, thus advantageously exerting improved overall electrochemical properties including electric capacity, in particular, superior high-rate charge/discharge characteristics.
US08497037B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode using a current collector made of an aluminum porous body which is suitably used for an electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte battery and an electrode for a capacitor, and a method for producing the electrode. In the current collector of the present invention, a strip-shaped compressed part compressed in a thickness direction is formed at one end part of a three-dimensional network aluminum porous body and a tab lead is bonded to the compressed part by welding. The width of the compressed part is 2 to 10 mm. Further, the electrode is formed by filling the current collector with an active material.
US08497036B2
Battery parts having retaining and sealing features and associated assemblies and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a battery part includes a base portion that is configured to be embedded in battery container material of a corresponding battery container. The battery part and base portion include several torque resisting features and gripping features that resist torsional or twist loads that are applied to the battery part after it has been joined to the battery container. For example, the base portion can include several internal and external torque resisting features and gripping features that are configured to resist twisting or loosening of the battery part with reference to the battery container material, as well as prevent or inhibit fluid leakage from the battery container.
US08497033B2
A battery including an electrode assembly having electrode plates, a can defining a space receiving the electrode assembly, and a cap plate covering the space, wherein the cap plate is configured to deform away from the space when predetermined sides of the can are deformed toward the space.
US08497032B2
Four sides of a rectangular bag-like separator 10 are composed of two adjacent separator thermo-bonding sides 10a and 10c where thermo-bonding portions are formed and of two adjacent insertion opening sides 10b and 10d forming one insertion opening 11 into which an electrode 30 can be inserted. A thermo-bonding section is formed in a portion of at least one of the insertion opening sides 10b and 10d.
US08497025B2
A novel polyimide as a high molecular weight material having a low dielectric constant, a low dielectric loss tangent and low water absorptivity, a polyamic acid capable of generating the above polyimide, the above polyimide and the polyamic acid being obtained by reacting an aromatic diamine, obtained by introducing aromatic amino groups into both terminals of a specific bifunctional phenylene ether oligomer, with an acid anhydride, a process for the production of the polyimide, a process for the production of the polyimide, a film of the polyimide, and a laminate comprising the above film.
US08497015B2
A reflective article, such as a solar mirror, includes a highly transparent substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface. At least one reflective coating is formed over at least a portion of one of the surfaces, e.g., the second major surface (or, alternatively, the first major surface). The reflective coating includes at least one metallic layer. An encapsulation structure can be formed over at least a portion of the second reflective coating.
US08496998B2
A method for producing a gloss watermark includes depositing a heat-softenable marking material onto a receiver. A heatable fixing member is surfaced in a selected region so that the surface roughness of the fixing member in the selected region is different than the surface roughness of the fixing member outside the selected region. The surfaced fixing member is heated. After the deposition step, pressure is applied to the marking-material-bearing portion of the receiver using the heated fixing member, so that the marking material flows and acquires a gloss in a differentiated region on the receiver corresponding to the selected region of the fixing member that is different than the gloss of the marking material outside the differentiated region to create the gloss watermark on the surface of the marking material.
US08496986B2
Disclosed is a method whereby, in producing a hard butter composition being rich in SUS (2-unsaturated-1,3-disaturated triglyceride) via ester exchange by a 1,3-specific lipase, the production can be more conveniently or more efficiently carried out. In producing a hard butter composition being rich in SUS (2-unsaturated-1,3-disaturated triglyceride) via ester exchange by a 1,3-specific lipase, a low-melting point fraction of allanblackia fat is used as the main starting material, saturated fatty acids are selectively introduced into the 1- and 3-positions of the fat, and then fractionation is optionally conducted to thereby give an SUS-rich fraction.
US08496983B2
A combined particulate solid and liquid container includes a base for holding a particulate solid; and a top removably attached to the base. The top includes a reservoir for holding a liquid and has an opening defined by a lower part projecting downwardly from the reservoir. The top also includes a port door removably attached to the opening and having a thermally-conductive insert projecting upwardly from the port door and into the reservoir when the port door covers the opening.
US08496981B2
The present invention provides methods for enhancing the quality of life of a growing animal by feeding the animal a quality of life enhancing amount of a composition comprising about 10% by weight protein, about 4% by weight fat, and about 0.05% by weight of at least one omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Enhanced quality of life is shown by an improvement in one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of trainability, cognitive function, motor skills coordination or agility, retinal development, cartilage protection, maintenance of muscle mass, and skin and pelage quality.
US08496977B2
A natural Extract from whole Fruit of Banana (Musa Spp.), (including edible portion and peel), whether unripe or ripe, containing mainly natural Melatonin, Serotonin, Catecholamines and its precursors; amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine; minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and antioxidants. The extract contains very minimal or no carbohydrates.
US08496968B2
A method for production of fine microcapsules which encapsulate a hydrophilic bioactive substance at a high content and can be used in wide range of applications such as foods and medical drugs, which method enabling efficient industrial production, is provided. A method for production of S/O type microcapsules including the steps of: (1) emulsifying and dispersing a mixture of a solid fat and an aqueous solution containing a hydrophilic bioactive substance at a temperature of at least the melting point of the solid fat to obtain a W/O emulsion; (2) removing moisture in the W/O emulsion at a temperature of at least the melting point and lower than the boiling point of the solid fat to obtain an S/O suspension; (3) adding the S/O suspension into an aqueous phase containing at least one selected from a surfactant (B), a thickening agent and a hydrophilic organic solvent, and permitting liquid droplet dispersion at a temperature of at least the melting point and lower than the boiling point of the solid fat to obtain an S/O/W emulsion; and (4) cooling the S/O/W emulsion to lower than the melting point of the solid fat to harden the solid fat, and further removing the moisture at a temperature lower than the melting point of the solid fat.
US08496961B2
A process for preparing a microparticulate complex is provided. The process comprises (a) combining a particle-forming component (“PFC”) and a nucleic acid-like component (“NAC”) in a monophasic composition comprising water and a water-miscible, organic solvent to form a mixture wherein the PFC and the NAC are independently molecularly or micellarly soluble in the aqueous/organic solvent system, and (b) reducing the amount of the organic solvent in the mixture. This effects formation of the microparticulate complex of the NAC and the PFC. Also provided is a microparticulate complex that comprises a particle-forming component complexed to a nucleic acid-like component forming an approximately spherical particle, wherein the particle-forming component encloses an interior of the particle containing the nucleic acid-like component and the so-enclosed interior volume has less than about 50% (preferably less than 20%) of the volume containing free water.
US08496954B2
Described are coating systems for the controlled delivery of hydrophilic bioactive agents, for example, from implantable medical devices. The coating systems of the invention comprise (a) a polymeric basecoat layer containing one or more hydrophilic bioactive agents; and (b) an elution-controlling topcoat layer that comprises a poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) copolymer. The elution rate of the hydrophilic bioactive agent can be controlled by varying the vinyl acetate concentration in the elution-controlling topcoat layer.
US08496952B2
The invention relates to a composition comprising a) silver and/or one or more silver compound and b) one or more biocidal active ingredients of the isothiazoline.
US08496950B2
The present invention relates to d,l-menthol and optionally additionally l-menthol-containing mixtures, which are liquid at normal pressure and a temperature of 20° C. or higher. The present invention further relates to products that comprise such a mixture or that are preparable by mixing or contacting such a mixture with further ingredients, and novel processes for preparing menthol-containing products.
US08496949B2
The invention aims at providing a powder cosmetic which does not suffer from the aggregation of powder even when it contains a large amount of oily component and in which no caking of powder on the surface occurs even when pressed, and a process for the production of platy calcium sulfate dihydrate usable for the cosmetic. The process of the production includes a process for producing a powder cosmetic comprising calcium sulfate dihydrate and an oily component, and a process for producing platy calcium sulfate dihydrate which process comprises dissolving a calcium salt in an organic acid and reacting the resulting calcium solution with sulfuric acid.
US08496945B2
Compositions which comprise emulsions of nanoparticles for delivery of membrane-integrating peptides are described. The nanoparticles comprise a liquid hydrophobic core coated with a lipid/surfactant layer which contains the membrane-integrating peptides. Methods to use such compositions are also described.
US08496936B2
The present invention relates to blocking, inhibiting, reducing, antagonizing or neutralizing the activity of IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-23. Antagonists include antibodies and antibody fragments that bind IL-23 and that bind IL-17A or IL-17F, such as antibodies that are cross-reactive for IL-17A and Il-17F. Antagonists that include an antibody or antibody fragment that binds IL-23 and an antibody or antibody fragment that binds IL-17A or IL-17F on one molecule are also disclosed. Antibodies and antibody fragments that bind IL-23 and IL-17F but that do not bind IL-17A are also disclosed. IL-17 and IL-23 are cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and human disease.
US08496930B2
The present invention provides a method of suppressing the formation of a soluble association of an antibody in a solution; a method of suppressing the formation of a chemically degraded product of an antibody in a solution; and a method of stabilizing an antibody in a solution. The present invention also provides a solution-type antibody preparation in which the formation of a soluble association is suppressed; a solution-type antibody preparation in which the formation of a chemically degraded product is suppressed; a solution-type antibody preparation in which the formation of a soluble association, the formation of a chemically degraded product and the formation of an insoluble aggregate are suppressed; an agent for suppressing the formation of a soluble association of an antibody; an agent for suppressing the formation of a chemically degraded product of an antibody; and a stabilizing agent for an antibody.
US08496913B2
The present invention relates to a compressed chewing gum tablet possessing tooth brush properties, which compressed chewing gum tablet comprises at least gum base and a) at least one whitening agent, b) at least one fresh-breath agent, c) at least one anti-plaque agent, d) at least one anti-gingivitis agent, e) at least one re-mineralization agent, and f) optionally at least one anti-calculus agent, wherein the compressed chewing gum tablet at least partly is manufactured from a compressed mixture of granules and agents.
US08496909B2
A process for producing hydrogen comprising the steps of: (i) gasifying a fuel into a raw synthesis gas comprising CO, hydrogen, steam, sulfur and halide contaminants in the form of H2S, COS, and HX, wherein X is a halide; (ii) passing the raw synthesis gas through a water gas shift reactor (WGSR) into which CaO and steam are injected, the CaO reacting with the shifted gas to remove CO2, sulfur and halides in a solid-phase calcium-containing product comprising CaCO3, CaS and CaX2; (iii) separating the solid-phase calcium-containing product from an enriched gaseous hydrogen product; and (iv) regenerating the CaO by calcining the solid-phase calcium-containing product at a condition selected from the group consisting of: in the presence of steam, in the presence of CO2, in the presence of synthesis gas, in the presence of H2 and O2, under partial vacuum, and combinations thereof.
US08496908B1
A steam methane reforming process for producing a hydrogen product while capturing CO2 from the process. Steam and a hydrocarbon are reformed in a catalytic reformer. The reformate is separated by pressure swing adsorption to form the hydrogen product and a PSA tail gas. The tail gas is returned to the reformer as a fuel. The fuel is combusted with synthetic air where the synthetic air is formed by combining a portion of the flue gas with industrial grade oxygen. The flue gas consists essentially of CO2 and H2O. The H2O is condensed out of another portion of the flue gas to form an essentially pure CO2 product.
US08496903B2
Catalysts of the invention are not corroded in acidic electrolytes or at high potential and have excellent durability and high oxygen reducing ability. The catalysts include a niobium oxycarbonitride represented by a compositional formula NbCxNyOz (wherein x, y and z represent a ratio of the numbers of the atoms, 0.05≦x<0.7, 0.01≦y<0.7, 0.4≦z<2.5, 1.0
US08496900B2
Methods for preparing a tricalcium phosphate coarse particle composition are provided. Aspects of the methods include converting an initial tricalcium phosphate particulate composition to hydroxyapatite, sintering the resultant hydroxyapatite to produce a second tricalcium phosphate composition and then mechanically manipulating the second tricalcium phosphate composition to produce a tricalcium phosphate coarse particle composition. The subject methods and compositions produced thereby find use in a variety of applications.
US08496896B2
The present invention relates improving the performance of nitrogen oxide reduction by exposing rich exhaust to catalysts systems comprising a catalyst, wherein the catalyst systems are free of platinum group metals. The present invention also relates to improving reduction of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon in exhaust by introducing air into a portion of the exhaust between a first catalyst system and a second catalyst system. The present invention also relates to improving nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon reduction by (1) exposing rich exhaust to a first catalysts system, wherein the exhaust has an R value of greater than 1.0 and the first catalyst system comprises a catalyst and is free of platinum group metals and (2) introducing air into a portion of the exhaust in between the first catalyst system and a second catalyst system, wherein the second catalyst system is free of platinum group metals.
US08496893B2
A furnace assembly includes first and second sections. The first section includes first and seconds ends, a first joint disposed at the first end, a conical portion at a second end, a first filter disposed between the first and second ends, and a lumen extending through the first section in fluid communication with the first filter. The second section includes first and second ends, a second joint disposed at the first end, an opening disposed at the second end and to receive the conical portion of the first section, a second filter disposed between the first and second ends, and a lumen extending through the second section in fluid communication with the second filter. When engaged, the first and second sections form a chamber between the first and second filters. The chamber is in fluid communication with the respective first ends of the first and second sections.
US08496871B2
A silica structure includes mesoporous silica spheres; and connection portions each of which includes metal oxide, and each of which connects the mesoporous silica spheres to each other.
US08496869B2
A method of the controlling the chemical and physical characteristics of a body formed from a powder precursor, including measuring a predetermined amount of a first particulate precursor material, wherein the first particulate precursor material defines a plurality of respective generally spherical first phase particles, adhering second phase particles to the respective first phase particles to define composite particles, forming the composite particles into a green body, and heating the green body to yield a fired body. The second phase particles adhered to the first phase particles are substantially uniformly distributed and a respective first phase particle defines a first particle diameter that is at least about 10 times larger than the second phase diameter defined by a respective second phase particle. The composite particles define a predetermined composition.
US08496868B2
A heat-shrinkable polylactic acid (PLA) film and a method of its manufacture are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLA films exhibit heat-induced growth in the cross direction with concomitant shrinkage in the machine direction. The films may comprise any grade of PLA polymer, optionally including additives, such as antiblock, slip, viscosity enhancers and combinations thereof. A method of manufacture is disclosed which includes a post-extrusion temperature conditioning step.
US08496852B2
The invention relates to a phosphor in a polycrystalline ceramic structure and a light-emitting element provided with the same comprising a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) in which a composite structure of phosphor particles is embedded in a matrix, characterized in that the matrix is a ceramic composite structure comprising a polycrystalline ceramic alumina material, hereafter called luminescent ceramic matrix composite. This luminescent ceramic matrix composite can be made by the steps of converting a powder mixture of ceramic phosphor particles and alumina particles into a slurry, shaping the slurry into a compact, and applying a thermal treatment, optionally in combination with hot isostatic pressing into a polycrystalline phosphor-containing ceramic alumina composite structure. The luminescent ceramic matrix composite further allows a method of tuning the light-diffusing properties by changing at least one of the fractions of phosphor particles and second ceramic particles, the grain size of the particles of the ceramic composite structure, the difference in the refractive index of the particles of the ceramic composite structure, and the porosity in the polycrystalline phosphor-containing ceramic composite structure.
US08496835B2
A displacement chromatography process, including: loading onto a stationary phase comprising an anion-exchange material a mixture comprising one or more components to be separated; and displacing at least one of the one or more components from the stationary phase by applying to the stationary phase a mixture comprising an polyaromatic polyanionic displacer compound having a general formula Cen(Ar)w, in which Cen is a central bond or group, Ar is an aromatic nucleus, w=2 to the maximum number of sites one Cen, and Ar is substituted with a plurality of An−, in which each An− is independently defined as sulfonate, carboxylate, phosphonate, phosphate, sulfate; and Ar is further substituted with a plurality of G, in which G is defined as independently H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, or C1-C6 alkoxy. In addition, a group of polyaromatic polyanionic displacer compounds useful in the process is disclosed.
US08496828B2
A method of cleaning permeable, hollow membranes is disclosed. In one embodiment, the membranes are immersed in a liquid suspension. A pressure differential is applied across the walls of the membranes. During filtration, liquid suspension passes through the walls of the membranes to be drawn off as permeate, and at least some solids are retained on or in the membranes. The steps of cleaning include: applying a cleaning solution to one side of the membrane walls; applying a pressure differential across the membrane walls to cause flow of the cleaning solution through the walls from the one side of the membrane walls to the other side of the membrane walls; and, applying a reverse pressure differential across the membrane walls to cause flow of the cleaning solution through the wall from the other side of the membrane walls back to the one side of the membrane walls.
US08496823B2
A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.
US08496819B2
Both a column having high-pressure resistance and capable of performing high-speed separation and analysis even with a small flow rate and a liquid chromatograph apparatus using the column are provided. A separation column according to the present invention has a monolithic rod being arranged in the center, being made of a porous material, and having a circular cross section, a filler layer arranged such that it encircles a circumferential surface of the monolithic rod, and a cylindrical support medium arranged outside the filler layer. The filler layer is formed by filling a tube-like gap between the monolithic rod and the support medium with particles or beads.
US08496815B2
Systems and methods for the recovery of iodine are described. In particular, recovery systems and methods produce an iodine complex from an aqueous brine containing iodide. A head tank for maintains a supply of the brine, a pH controller acidifies brine received from the head tank and an oxidizer converts iodide in the acidified brine to elemental iodine. At least one activated carbon contactor module is removably inserted into a stream of the oxidized brine provided by the oxidizer and binds the molecular iodine to form the iodine complex. A container may enclose the head tank, the pH controller and the oxidizer in order to facilitate transportation of the system and performance of the methods and processes in proximity to a brine source. The brine may be employed or associated with oilfield operations.
US08496813B2
The skimmer has a conveyor belt which travels in ascending and descending paths. The lower portion of the belt is adapted to be immersed in the water in a swimming pool for skimming debris floating on the surface of the water. The debris is carried upward by the belt and separates from the belt at its upper end. Any debris which does not separate from the belt is removed by a brush which contacts the belt as it travels in the descending path. The belt has perforations through which water passes. One or more solar panels activate, in hole or in part, the operation of the conveyor belt. The solar panels can be aimed at the sum whether it is high or low in the sky and once aimed, move at a rate which equals the observed rate of movement of the sun as it crosses the sky from morning to evening such that the solar panels continuously face the sun during daylight.
US08496808B2
A wastewater treatment apparatus (10) includes one or more treatment tanks (12, 14). Each treatment tank (12, 14) has an associated oxygenation treatment circuit (18) including a gas and liquid mixing chamber (20), a gas injector (22) upstream of the mixing chamber (20) and one of an oxygen generator (24) or an ozone generator (26) supplying gas to the gas injector (22), and a pump (28, 29) for pumping wastewater from the treatment tank (12, 14) through the mixing chamber (20) and back to the treatment tank (28, 29).
US08496805B2
Petroleum cokes derived from extra-heavy crude sources can be made more amenable to quenching by adding water or a water/light oil mixture to the coker feed downstream of the furnace. The coke product resulting from this addition of normally volatile liquids to the hot coker feed is still relatively dense but is more friable and usually is in a compact, relatively free-flowing, granular form. The coke is more amenable to uniform quenching in the drum and so can be cut and discharged with a reduced risk of eruptions and a reduced risk of fires in the coke pit or when the coke is subsequently handled and transported.
US08496797B2
Electrodeionization methods and apparatus wherein ion exchange membranes are not utilized. Instead, ion exchange materials such as beads, fibers, etc., are disposed in alternating layers of anion exchange (AIX) materials and cation exchange (CIX) materials between opposite polarity electrodes. In a regeneration stage, a current is applied across the electrodes with water splitting occurring along at least one of the interfacial areas between neighboring AIX and CIX materials. The H+ and OH− ions formed via water splitting migrate in response to the electrical current and displace the salt ions in the respective AIX and CIX. The stack is flushed during the regeneration stage to remove the concentrated salt solution. During a deionization phase, the electrical current is terminated with influent fed to the stack for deionization. The salt ions in the influent are depleted via ion exchange as the influent contacts the AIX and CIX.
US08496795B2
An electrochemical gas sensor with a plurality of electrodes is provided with an electrolyte, with a gas-permeable membrane (1), with a gas-permeable and conductive carrier layer (2) applied to the membrane (1) and with at least one measuring electrode (3) applied to the carrier layer (2). The measuring electrode (3) is of a punctiform design and the electrochemical potential difference of the reaction between the carrier layer (2) and the measuring electrode (3) is at least 20 mV, can be manufactured in a compact form and makes possible an especially low power consumption for measured gases in the percentage range.
US08496771B2
A method of filling and sealing a fluorescent layer in a slot space defined by two optical lenses and a partition ring is disclosed, in which a slot space is defined by two optical glasses and a partition frame having a partition ring on the inner wall surface. The partition frame is installed with two slots diametrically opposite to each other, and the slot space is evacuated to allow filling of a fluorescent material, and then the two slots are sealed so that the moisture is prevented from permeating into the fluorescent layer, and thus the optical performance can be maintained over a long period.
US08496767B2
An anodic bonding method for anodically bonding a first substrate and a second substrate includes: a substrate placement step in which the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked and placed on a flat surface of a base with a surface of one of the first substrate and the second substrate to be cathode in contact with the flat surface of the base; a jig placement step, following the substrate placement step, in which the anodic bonding jig is placed so as to be in contact with a surface of one of the first substrate and the second substrate to be anode, the anodic bonding jig having a visual checking area formed of a material that allows visible light to pass through; an alignment step in which the relative positional relation between the first substrate and the second substrate is adjusted based on visible light passing through the visual checking area so that pairs of marks provided on the first substrate and the second substrate will be in a predetermined positional relation; a pressurizing step in which the base and the anodic bonding jig are pressurized in the direction to move the base and the anodic bonding jig close to each other, and the first substrate and the second substrate are sandwiched; and an application step in which a DC voltage is applied between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08496758B2
A front surface of the wafer is contacted with a straight-shaped front surface cleaning brush, and a pressure is applied on the front surface cleaning brush from both ends to enlarge the diameters in both end portions of the front surface cleaning brush. The front surface cleaning brush rotates with a shaft being an axis. An inner surface of the front surface cleaning brush is directly in contact with a surface of the shaft. The front surface cleaning brush is composed of a single structure made of synthetic resin.
US08496750B2
A method for reducing the particle size of a pozzolanic material includes providing a pozzolanic material having an initial particle size and heating the pozzolanic material to cause a portion of the particles to at least partially fracture. Fracturing the particles creates a plurality of fissures that define sub-particles within the particles. The method also includes processing the fractured pozzolanic material to separate the sub-particles, thereby yielding the pozzolanic material having reduced particles.
US08496741B2
Aspects include a valve comprising a flowing liquid, operable to control a flow of gas through a port. Certain aspects include reaction chambers operable to react gases, and in some aspects gases are substantially contained within an envelope comprised of a flowing liquid. Certain embodiments control gas entrance into a chamber with a valve comprised of a flowing liquid controlling gas flow through a port. Various gas scrubbing systems are described, including systems comprising reaction chambers operable to react gases that yield substantial amounts of solid reaction products. Methods for controlling gas flow are disclosed. Systems and methods include sequential steps of wet-scrubbing, reacting and further wet-scrubbing a gas stream.
US08496737B2
A movable air purification robot system may automatically eliminate dust, bacteria and smell from air while freely moving along a polluted area irrespective of a space dimension. The movable air purification robot system includes an air purification robot which has an air pollution detector detecting pollution and humidity of floating substances contained in air, an air purifier circulating the air containing pollutants by means of the air pollution detection unit and filtering, absorbing and purifying the same, a robot propulsion unit formed of two driving wheels disposed at both lower sides of a robot body and independently operating, an obstacle detector detecting obstacles a robot user interface allowing a user to operate the robot, a robot control unit controlling the operations of each element, and a power unit supplying electric power to operating elements.
US08496723B2
An air cleaner arrangement is shown. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge comprising strips of media arranged in a stacked configuration. The strips of media each comprise a corrugated sheet secured to a facing sheet. A preferred filter cartridge positioned within the air cleaner arrangement, is depicted.
US08496720B2
An air filter system and an air filter therefor are provided for use in a building with first and second zones separated by a wall-door system having a wall with a door therein. The gap between the door edges and the door frame and the door threshold region has an air flow permitting region in at least a portion of the gap. An air filter is mounted to extend substantially across the air flow permitting region.
US08496713B2
An implant stabilizes two adjacent bones of a joint, while enabling a natural kinematic relative movement of the bones. Support components are connected to each bone of the joint, and a flexible core is interposed between them. The core and at least one of the support components are provided with a smooth sliding surface upon which the core and support component may slide relative to each other, enabling a corresponding movement of the bones. The surfaces may have a mating curvature, to mimic a natural movement of the joint. The core is resilient, and may bend or compress, enabling the bones to move towards each other, and or to bend relative to each other.
US08496701B2
An intraocular lens for providing accommodative vision to a subject includes a frame disposed about an optical axis, a first optical element, a second optical element, and a connecting element operably coupling the frame to the optical elements. The frame comprises an anterior frame element and a posterior frame element. The connecting element is configured to convert a first displacement between the frame elements in a direction that is substantially parallel to the optical axis into a second displacement between the optical elements that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis. The second displacement may be translational and/or rotation. In some embodiments, the optical elements are two varifocal lenses.
US08496696B2
The present invention generally relates to the field of laser treatment of tissue, and particularly, to a system and method for creating microablated channels in skin. The present invention is more particularly directed to treating subsurface tissue through the created channels.
US08496693B2
A bone screw retention system is provided for a plate which defines a plurality of transversely extending bores that are configured to receive a bone screw for engaging the plate to the cervical spine. One or more retention members, having an elliptical, arcuate, straight, or other shape, can be positioned therein a cavity of the plate such that portions of the retention member(s) extend into a portion of an upper region of each bore to retain a bone screw therein. A bone screw removal device is provided, having at least one tongue member configured to selectively displace the one or more retention members to allow the bone screw to be removed from the respective bore.
US08496692B2
An implant system is disclosed. The implant system includes a securing member configured to fasten an implant to a bone. The securing member includes a drive receiving portion with at least two deflecting portions that are configured to undergo inward deflection during insertion of the securing member into a securing hole of the implant. The deflecting portions also include locking protrusions that are configured to engage locking recesses on an outer rim of the securing hole.
US08496689B2
There is provided a spinal implant device for placement between adjacent spinous processes and a pair of opposing facet joints. The spinal implant device includes a fusion cage, first and second fixation plates and a connector for connecting the cage to the plates. The fusion cage includes a superficial face, a deep face, superior and inferior saddle portions, and opposing cage ends. Each cage end defining a facet fusion surface sized and configured to respectively contact the opposing facet joints. The first and second fixation plate are sized and configured to extend along and in contact with the adjacent spinous processes. A method of implanting the device is provided. In another embodiment the device includes the fusion cage.
US08496680B2
Systems and methods for crossing stenosis, partial occlusions, or complete occlusions within a body lumen. The systems generally include an elongate member such as a hollow guidewire that houses a rotatable and translatable drive shaft. The drive shaft typically has a distal portion that is advanced to create a path in the occlusive material that is large enough to allow the hollow guidewire to cross the occlusive material.
US08496677B2
A catheter which includes a cutting element having one or more raised elements is provided. The cutting element has a cup-shaped surface at the distal end that may be smooth and continuous except for the raised elements. The raised elements have a surface that tends to direct cut particles of material towards one or more of the axis of rotation of the cutting element, the catheter axis, or a particle collection chamber. In further aspects of the invention, a cutting element oscillates in a direction roughly parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutting element.
US08496675B2
The contents include occlusion and/or repair of congenital heart defects including methods, apparatuses, and systems utilizing catheter delivery in order to repair congenital heart defects. In particular, a method of repair includes suturing a septal tissue proximate defect in order to repair the defect with a device introduced through a bodily lumen of a patient. A repair device can include an expansion assembly, a suture delivering portion, and a suture receiving portion.
US08496670B2
A depilating device (14) for depilating hair (12) from a surface (10) of a skin (11) comprises a housing (16) and a depilating member (18) arranged in said housing. In operation, said depilating member has an effective depilating action when positioned within a predetermined range of angular positions (5) relative to the surface of the skin. The depilating device further comprises a detector for detecting an actual angular position (28) of the depilating member relative to the surface of the skin, and feedback means cooperating with said detector for providing a feedback signal when said actual angular position exceeds said predetermined range of angular positions. According to a specific embodiment, the detector comprises a skin contact member (34) arranged adjacent to the depilating member (18) and being pivotable relative to the housing (16) about a pivot axis (54) extending parallel to a skin contact surface of the depilating member.
US08496658B2
An implantable intramedullary fixation structure adapted to be received in the intramedullary canal of a long bone is disclosed comprising a plurality of elongated segments. Each segment has a first end and a complementarily-shaped second end such that the first end of a segment cooperatively engages the second end of an adjacent segment. The segments define a guide aperture so as to be receivable over a guide for positioning in the intramedullary canal.
US08496656B2
A bipolar forceps for sealing tissue includes an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof, each of the jaw members including an electrically conductive sealing surface. The jaw members are movable relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. The bipolar forceps is connected to a source of electrical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting bipolar energy through tissue grasped therebetween to effect a seal. The distance between the electrically conductive sealing surfaces when tissue is held therebetween is adjusted based upon a sensed pre-surgical condition during activation.
US08496647B2
In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector.
US08496635B2
A container includes a nozzle having rubber elasticity in a constriction part, and a lever for nipping the nozzle indirectly. The nozzle has a storage part, a base, and a valve. The storage part is provided in the constriction part, and is intercepted with the main body by contacting inner walls at the communicating part when the nozzle is nipped and flattened by the lever. The valve is opened when the internal pressure of the storage part exceeds predetermined pressure while operated state and spouts liquid in the storage part. The constriction part expands by being nipped with the lever until the internal pressure of the storage part reaches to predetermined pressure. Liquid in the storage part is jetted since the constriction part shrinks by the rubber elasticity when the valve is released.
US08496634B2
A colonic lavage catheter includes a head attached at an end of a suction tube and having both rearward and lateral fluid discharge openings. A pair of tubes extend along the suction tube with their ends attached to the head to place the rearward and lateral fluid discharge openings in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid. The suction tube includes a plurality of suction orifices through the outer wall along its length proximate the catheter head. A cleaning process may be performed by inserting the catheter head into the colon and then discharging fluid through the rearward openings to advance the catheter. At points along the colon, pressurized fluid may be discharged through the lateral discharge openings to lavage the adjacent walls of the colon, with suction being applied to draw the dislodged material into the suction tube through the suction orifices.
US08496623B2
A bi-directional cannula feature capture mechanism is described herein. Generally, the capture mechanism comprises an inner housing, an outer housing, and a cannula. The inner housing comprises a proximal and a distal cannula feature mating component. The outer housing is adapted to slidably receive the inner housing in a proximal direction. Additionally, the cannula extends through the inner housing and the cannula's feature has a proximal engagement and a distal engagement. The proximal and distal engagements are respectively configured to irreversibly engage the proximal and distal cannula feature mating components when the cannula tip is moved into a shielded position.
US08496620B2
Fluid delivery systems capable of introducing first and second fluids into first and second lumens of a multi-lumen catheter are provided. The first and second fluids are generally a dissolution fluid and a dissolution fluid attenuating fluid. Also provided are fluid delivery devices and kits that include the subject systems. The subject fluid delivery systems find use in a variety of different applications, and are particularly suited for use in the chemical ablation of internal vascular lesions.
US08496619B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can provide an injector including a trigger mechanism, an energy source, and a user-operable firing-initiation member. The trigger member can include a trigger member having a retainer portion, and a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize a medicament container for expelling a medicament therefrom and a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition. The energy source can be associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament, and the user-operable firing-initiation member can be operable for causing an axial rotation between the trigger engagement member and the retainer portion from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition in which the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to fire the ram.
US08496616B2
A medical device, at least a portion of which is formed from a polymer composition including at least one liquid crystal block copolymer having at least one A block and at least one B block wherein the A block is formed of mesogenic repeat units and the B block is a soft block.
US08496614B2
A surgical fastening system for implantable devices is disclosed. The implantable device may contain a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, may have a housing fitted over or around it which contains a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, or may be a part of a two-part system into which it fits. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses a deployment system or tool that optionally positions the implantable device, and which causes the fasteners to move into post-deployment position. The fasteners may be staples, metal loops, coils, springs or hooks formed of biocompatible materials, including shape memory alloys such as NiTi.
US08496607B2
A catheter for use in the extracorporeal treatment of bodily fluids comprises a catheter body having a withdrawal port, an infusion port, and a plurality of lumens therein. The lumens comprise two or more withdrawal lumens that merge to form a single lumen proximal to withdrawal ports for transport of fluids withdrawn from a body vessel through the withdrawal port to an extracorporeal treatment unit, such as a dialyzer. The lumens also comprise an infusion lumen for infusion of treated fluids from the extracorporeal treatment unit through the infusion port into the vessel. The infusion lumen is disposed substantially at the center of the catheter body, while the withdrawal lumens extend longitudinally adjacent the infusion lumen along the catheter body length. A manifold may be provided at the proximal end of the catheter body to include the merger of the withdrawal lumens.
US08496603B2
Wire torque apparatus and methods for engaging a wire torque apparatus are disclosed. Wire insertion devices and methods for inserting a wire into a catheter are disclosed. An improved aneurysm clip utilizes non-metallic material. An improvement to an aneurysm clip applicator tool includes a power supply to power an electromagnet, an adjustable counter element that is attracted to the electromagnet when the electromagnet is magnetized, and a switch to disengage the electromagnet. When the electromagnet is magnetized and comes within a certain proximity to the counter element, the electromagnet and the counter element attract and cling to one another. They are released by activating a switch.
US08496599B2
A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described. The device includes a handpiece and an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. The inner cannula includes a hinge between a body section and a cutting section that allows the cutting section to pivot when the inner cannula reciprocates within the outer cannula. A tissue collector is also provided and is in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula. The outer and inner cannulae are offset from the motor and drive assembly, and the center of gravity of the device is in the forward part of the device, providing an ergonomic design that is particularly suited for neurosurgical applications.
US08496590B2
According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic equipment which executes ultrasound scanning over a two-dimensional or three-dimensional region in a subject, includes a cross-section detecting unit which detects an MPR position corresponding to at least one predetermined reference cross-section of the heart by use of at least one volume data obtained by executing ultrasound scanning over the three-dimensional region containing at least a portion of the heart of the subject, an image generating unit which generates an MPR image corresponding to the MPR position, a display unit which displays the MPR image, and an image acquisition unit which executes ultrasound scanning over the two-dimensional region in the subject under the reference of the MPR position to obtain at least one two-dimensional image regarding the two-dimensional region.
US08496581B2
A device includes an access port adapted to permit access of at least one surgical instrument into a patient. The access port includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an intermediate portion monolithically formed of a flexible material. At least one opening extends through the access port. The proximal portion includes a proximal flange. The distal portion includes a distal flange. The intermediate portion includes an outer surface and at least one inner surface. The access port is adapted to form a perimeter seal when the proximal flange is disposed exteriorly and the distal flange is disposed interiorly. The access port is adapted to form a seal with the at least one surgical instrument positioned through the access port. The intermediate portion conforms to the surface of the surgical instrument positioned through the at least one opening and forms the seal between the inner surface and the surgical instrument.
US08496568B2
An adapter assembly (28) for use in an automated handling equipment system includes a first component and a second component that is selectively mountable to the first component. At least one first code member (82) is associated with the first component and at least one second code member (84) is associated with a second component. The at least one first code member and the at least one second code member have a variable orientation relative to each other that controls whether the second component can be mounted to the first component.
US08496567B2
An elastic link for adjusting the distance between two members, at least one of which is mobile, is characterized in that it includes at least two elastic yarns each attached through one of the opposite ends thereof to two points distant from each other of an intermediate portion of a strap located between the extreme portions of the latter, under conditions such that when a tensile force is applied on said strap, the first elastic yarn is stretched first, the second elastic yarn being then stretched based on the magnitude of the applied tensile force.
US08496560B2
A starting control system that starts an engine by an electric motor, including: a starting device including a plurality of the electric motors for starting the engine; and a starting device controller that controls the starting device to prevent an occurrence of a resonance when starting the engine by the electric motor of the starting device. The starting control system can prevent an occurrence of vibration and noise in a power transmission route from an electric motor to an engine.
US08496559B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, two external gear sets or sprocket sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. Each of the external gear sets includes first and second members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08496556B2
A transmission includes an input and output member, four planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members, five interconnecting members continuously interconnecting members of the four planetary gear sets and six torque transmitting mechanisms selectively engageable to interconnect one of the first members, second members, and third members with at least one of another of the first members, second members, third members, and a stationary member. The torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.
US08496550B2
A target impact operative arrowhead mountable at an end of an arrow shaft is disclosed that includes an arrowhead body and blade actuator axially and rotationally movable relative to one another. The arrowhead body has blades pivotably mounted thereon, each of the blades having an actuation contact surface along an edge thereof, and the actuator has a blade contacting end. A spring ring retains assembly of the body and actuator, one of the arrowhead body and the actuator having an annular retention seat for mounting of the spring ring and the other of the arrowhead body and the actuator having an annular guide groove for receipt of the spring ring therealong thus accommodating relative axial travel of the spring ring.
US08496546B2
A rebounding apparatus for returning soccer balls, baseballs and similar projectiles. The apparatus includes a rigid frame with a rebounding surface suspended within the frame. Pivotal support assemblies are used to support the apparatus in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The apparatus can be folded into a compact configuration for transport or storage.
US08496545B2
A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
US08496544B2
A metal wood type golf club with improved performance characteristics is disclosed herein where the metal wood type golf club head will combined the performance characteristics of both a driver type golf club head and a fairway type golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head with a volume of between about 150 cc to about 360 cc, a CG location between about 10 mm to about 20 mm above the ground, a face depth of between about 30 millimeters (mm) to about 65 millimeters (mm), a loft of about between 10 degrees to about 16 degrees, and a COR of about 0.790 to about 0.830, wherein the entire golf club has a length of between about 41 inches to about 45 inches.
US08496542B2
A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face that forms a pocket, wherein the pocket is filled with a secondary material having a lower density to improve the performance of the golf club head. The multi-material face disclosed in accordance with the present invention may generally have a characteristic time slope of greater than about 5 and less than about 50, wherein the characteristic time slope is determined based on the various data points collected according to the United States Golf Association's (USGA's) Characteristic Time (CT) test.
US08496539B2
Embodiments of adjustable length golf clubs and methods of manufacturing adjustable length golf clubs are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08496525B2
A computer-implemented method of playing a game on a plurality of networked terminals comprises receiving a plurality of requests to play the first game, facilitating play of the first game on at least one of the plurality of networked terminals, triggering play of a second game at a particular point in time, determining eligible players whom are eligible to play the second game from a plurality of players submitting requests to play the first game, in response to receiving each of the plurality of requests from the eligible players that occur after the particular point in time, facilitating a play of the second game concurrently with a respective play of the first game, determining which plays of the second game result in a prize, and decrementing a second game total prize pool by an amount of each prize that results from each play of the second game.
US08496514B2
An intelligent energy saving ventilation control system capable of drastically reducing power consumption of the system. The system includes suction and exhaust ducts having a predetermined shape, a pre-filter disposed at an entry region of the suction duct, and a composite filter disposed behind the pre-filter. The system includes a fan motor disposed between the suction and exhaust ducts to linearly control an internal suction pressure in the suction duct; a turning angle motor for controlling a turning angle of the composite filter; an outdoor air sensor for measuring freshness of outdoor air, converting the measured result into an electrical signal, and outputting the signal; and a control unit for controlling operations of the turning angle motor and the fan motor in order to control an aperture angle of the composite filter and an internal pressure in the suction duct.
US08496512B2
A polishing pad, a polishing method and a method of forming a polishing pad are provided. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer and a plurality of arc grooves. The arc grooves are disposed in the polishing layer. Each of the arc grooves has two ends, and at least one end thereof has an inclined wall. The angle between the inclined wall of each groove and the surface plane of the polishing layer is less than 90 degree.
US08496511B2
A cathodically-protected pad conditioner for chemical mechanical planarization includes: an abrasive member including a metallic substrate, a support carrier, and an anode affixed to the peripheral edge of the support carrier. A cathodic protection circuit is configured to provide a cathodic protection current from the anode to the abrasive member if contacted with an electrolyte solution. A method of using the cathodically-protected pad conditioner is also disclosed.
US08496507B2
A swiftwater rescue board capable of traveling across a river or other current flow under guidance of a single land-based rescuer using a single line. The board has a generally planar, double-ended flotation body with a longitudinal fin offset to the “victim” side of the board's centerline, and line attachment points located adjacent the ends of the board and offset to the “rescuer” side of the board's centerline. The board is placed in a river with the fin generally aligned with the current and closer to the victim being rescued, with a line attached to the attachment point at the upstream end of the board. The rescuer stays on land or in a relatively safe location and pays out line in a manner allowing the board to be driven across the river diagonally to the victim, driven only by the current flow.
US08496504B2
Provided is a crimp terminal designed to be crimped onto an end portion of an electric wire to form a terminal-equipped electric wire, achieving both of ensuring mechanical strength of the terminal-equipped electric wire and reducing a contact resistance between the electric wire and the crimp terminal. The crimp terminal comprises an electric contact section and an electric-wire crimp section to be crimped onto a conductor in the end portion of the electric wire, the crimp terminal being formed of a metal plate which has a copper-containing plate body and a tin-plating layer covering a surface of the plate body. In the crimp terminal, the tin-plating layer has a smaller thickness in a crimp surface region where the electric-wire crimp section is to make contact with the end portion of the electric wire is less than that in an electrical contact surface region where the electric contact section is to make contact with a counterpart terminal.
US08496501B2
A contact sub-assembly is provided for an electrical connector. The contact sub-assembly includes a printed circuit and an array of mating contacts. Each mating contact includes a terminating end portion and a mating interface. The contact sub-assembly also includes an array of circuit contacts that is discrete from the array of mating contacts. Each circuit contact is engaged with and electrically connected to the printed circuit. Each circuit contact is separably engaged with and electrically connected to the terminating end portion of a corresponding one of the mating contacts such that the array of circuit contacts electrically connects the array of mating contacts to the printed circuit.
US08496500B1
A terminal holder structure installed in a RJ45 dual-port jack is disclosed to include a plastic intermediate bracket mounted on a middle part of a circuit board to hold the 3rd and 5th terminals of a first set of terminals numbered from 1st through 8th and the 3rd and 5th terminals of a second set of terminals numbered from 1st through 8th in reversed directions so that the distance' between the 3rd and 5th terminals of the first set of terminals and the 3rd and 5th terminals of the second set of terminals is extended for crosstalk compensation to avoid crosstalk interference in the RJ45 dual-port jack.
US08496495B2
The device includes an inner conductor, a dielectric material, an outer conductor, a coupling spring, and a sliding sleeve. The dielectric material surrounds the inner conductor. The outer conductor surrounds the dielectric material. The sliding sleeve is slidably attached to the outer conductor. The coupling spring is attached to the outer conductor. The coupling spring includes a plurality of beam tines. Each beam tine includes a lever tine. An adjacent pair of beam tines is separated by a slot where the slot has a root. A first distance is defined from the root to an edge of the beam tine. A second length is defined from the root to a distal end of the lever tine. The first length is greater than the second length.
US08496485B2
A wiring substrate connects an electrical system of a towed vehicle to an electrical system of a towing vehicle and includes a wiring connector configured to connect to a connector from a wiring harness of the towed vehicle, a first set of connections to connect to tail light assemblies in the towed vehicles, a second set of connections to connect to vehicle signal connections in the towed vehicle, the first and second sets of connections electrically coupled on the wiring substrate by at least one diode, and a third set of connections to connect to the towing vehicle. A towing connector connects an electrical system of a towed vehicle to an electrical system of a towing vehicle and includes a first connector configured to provide connection to a native vehicle wiring harness of the towed vehicle, a second connector arranged to provide connection to wires of the towing vehicle, a wiring substrate having conductive traces connecting selected wires from the first connector to the second connector, and diodes residing on the wiring substrate in an electrical path form by the conductive traces.
US08496484B2
A system for games-based learning is disclosed. In one preferred embodiment the system includes a learning application for execution by a player for the assessment of a learning objective, and a learning objective controller for selecting one or more measured objectives; defining outcome conditions for the measured objectives; and selecting outcome activities that each invoke a command in the learning application. A method is also disclosed for defining a learning objective for assessment in a learning application.
US08496471B2
Pilot light gas line connector assemblies and methods for cleaning a pilot light orifice are disclosed herein. An exemplary connector assembly for coupling to a pilot light gas line and cleaning a pilot orifice has a first fitting end, a second fitting end, and a passageway therebetween. The first fitting end is adapted to receive a first end of the pilot light gas line and the second fitting end is adapted to receive a valve capable of directing forced air from a forced air source into the second fitting end. Methods of cleaning a pilot orifice of a pilot light system include removing the pilot light gas line from a gas port and coupling the pilot light gas line to a pilot light gas line connector assembly. Then forced air is directed into the connector assembly and through the pilot light gas line, thereby cleaning the pilot orifice.
US08496466B1
Recording media press systems and methods of operating such press systems. Press system embodiments include a first foil holder coupled to a first die, the first foil holder including a plurality of first tabs extending radially inward from the first die to clamp first portions of an outer perimeter of a first embossing foil against a surface of the first die and a second foil holder coupled to a second die, the second foil holder including a plurality of second tabs extending radially inward from the second die to clamp second portions of an outer perimeter of a second embossing foil against a surface of the second die. In an embodiment, the first and second outer perimeter portions are complementary arc segments to interdigitate the plurality of first tabs with the plurality of second tabs when the press is closed.
US08496462B2
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mold onto a resin applied on a substrate, including a structure including a mold chuck which holds the mold, a first measurement unit configured to measure a position of a reference portion of the structure, a second measurement unit configured to measure a position of the mold with respect to the reference portion, and a controller configured to control a relative positional relationship between the mold and the substrate, based on the measurement result obtained by the first measurement unit and the measurement result obtained by the second measurement unit, the second measurement unit including a head formed on the mold chuck, and measuring the position of the mold with respect to the reference portion by reading a scale formed on the mold by the head.
US08496452B2
An exemplary center housing rotating assembly includes a turbine wheel (260); a compressor wheel (240); a center housing (210) that includes a through bore (215), extending from a compressor end to a turbine end along a bore axis, and a recess (217), adjacent the bore, in a plane orthogonal to the bore axis; a bearing assembly (230) positioned in the bore that includes a keyway (233); and an anti-rotation component (280) seated in the recess and at least partially in the keyway to restrict rotation of the bearing assembly in the bore. Various other exemplary devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US08496445B2
A pump system includes pump having a control feature which, responsive to a supply of pressurized working fluid, reduces the pressure of the working fluid pressurized by the pump. The control feature is connected to the output of the pump by a regulating valve. The control feature receives pressurized working fluid to decrease the output of the pump in response to the pressure of the supplied working fluid. A regulating valve selectively connects the pressurized working fluid to the control feature. The regulating valve has a control port to receive pressurized working fluid from the pump to urge the valve to a closed position against a biasing force. A controllable valve is operable to interrupt the supply of pressurized working fluid to control port to alter the output pressure of the pump.
US08496443B2
A turbine airfoil (22E-H) extends from a shank (23E-H). A platform (30E-H) brackets or surrounds a first portion of the shank (23E-H). Opposed teeth (33, 35) extend laterally from the platform (30E-H) to engage respective slots (50) in a disk. Opposed teeth (25, 27) extend laterally from a second portion of the shank (29) that extends below the platform (30E-H) to engage other slots (52) in the disk. Thus the platform (30E-H) and the shank (23E-H) independently support their own centrifugal loads via their respective teeth. The platform may be formed in two portions (32E-H, 34E-H), that are bonded to each other at matching end-walls (37) and/or via pins (36G) passing through the shank (23E-H). Coolant channels (41, 43) may pass through the shank beside the pins (36G).
US08496441B2
When cold and in the uncoated state, the aerodynamic profile is substantially identical to a nominal profile determined by the Cartesian coordinates X, Y, Z′ given in Table 1, in which the coordinate Z′ is the quotient D/H where D is the distance from the point in question to a reference plane P0 situated at the base of the nominal profile and H is the height of this profile, measured from the reference plane to the tip of the blade. The measurements D and H are taken radially relative to the axis of the turbine, while the coordinate X is measured in the axial direction of the turbine.
US08496439B2
A system for locking blades to a rotor of a turbomachine including adjacent pairs of generally axially extending grooves for receiving blades inserted in an axial direction. A circumferential slot is disposed around the periphery of the rotor and a locking device assembly is located in the circumferential slot between an adjacent pair of grooves. The assembly includes a last locking device, a spacer and key member formed of a shape memory alloy. The key member is located in a gap between the last locking device and the spacer. The shape memory alloy key member is heated to cause a transition from a martensite to an austenite phase to cause the key member to engage and press against opposing faces of the last locking device and the spacer to increase a force applied to a respective pair of blades in the adjacent pair of grooves.
US08496435B2
A rotor for a helicopter, having a drive shaft rotating about a first axis; a hub angularly integral with the drive shaft about the first axis; and at least two blades projecting from the hub on opposite sides of the first axis and elongated along respective second axes crosswise to the first axis; each blade is movable with respect to the hub and to the other blade about a respective third axis crosswise to the respective second axis; the rotor has at least two dampers for damping oscillation of respective blades about the respective third axes, and which have respective first portions movable integrally with the respective blades about the respective third axes; and the dampers have respective second portions connected elastically to the respective first portions and functionally to each other.
US08496433B2
A wind mill structure of a lift-type vertical axis wind turbine. The lift-type vertical axis wind turbine includes a vertical shaft and the wind mill includes a plurality of blades and supporting arms. The supporting arms hold the blades, and the blades are connected to the vertical shaft via the supporting arms. A setting angle, formed by a chord of the blades and a tangent line that goes through the center of the blades, ranges from −12° to 12°. An angle, formed by the chord of the blade and the rotatable supporting arm, ranges from 7° to 100°. The wind mill can maintain relatively stable rotation speeds under wind speeds exceeding the rated wind speed by adjusting the angle of the supporting arms, thereby ensuring stable output from the vertical axis wind turbine.
US08496429B2
A prime mover that is powered by the energy of a fluid is provided. Such a prime mover may include a first fairing, a second fairing spaced apart from the first fairing to define a gap therebetween and a blade assembly mounted on a shaft that extends between the first and second fairings. The first and second fairings each have a curved peripheral edge for guiding a fluid into the gap at an increased velocity. When the fluid flows into the gap it contacts the blade assembly to thereby rotate the blade assembly about an axis that is defined by the shaft. The rotation of the blade assembly may be used to generate power in a power generator. The prime mover may be mounted on a cell phone tower and used to generate electricity for powering components of the tower and/or for providing electricity to the power grid.
US08496428B2
A banded turbine configuration has an integral outer band support structure capable of providing two point simple support for a multiplicity of blades. A large scale vertical array has a set of twelve 23 m-diameter banded turbines with up to nine blades and resting on an Open Web Steel Joist (OWSJ) platform. The banded turbine configuration is supported off of a main shaft hub assembly, which is supported by forward and aft pillow block bearing assemblies. The banded turbine allows for a protective screen for bird- and bat-kill prevention. Each banded turbine employs DC alternators to provide a switchable output which is subsequently fed to a dedicated set of high efficiency grid-compatible solid state invertors or, alternatively, to energy storage.
US08496426B2
A technology related to a pick-and-place apparatus for electronic device inspection equipment is provided. The pick-and-place apparatus includes the guiding unit that can interact with a loading element and can guide the picker to load the electronic devices at a correct position on the loading element. Therefore, the pick-and-place apparatus can allow the electronic devices, for example, semiconductor devices having a ball type of electrical contact lead (BGA, FBGA, etc.), to electrically contact the tester in a stable manner when the tester inspects the electronic devices.
US08496407B2
A method and apparatus for a seismic cable is disclosed. In one embodiment, the seismic cable includes a first cable segment and a second cable segment coupled together by a connector that prevents transmission of power and data signals between the first cable segment and the second cable segment. Each cable segment includes an inner jacket defining a hollow core, a braided strength fiber surrounding the inner jacket, and an outer jacket circumferentially surrounding the braided strength fiber, wherein the connector isolates the first and second cable segments.
US08496401B1
A feeder floor protection system for a paving machine includes at least a first pair of wear plates covering a majority of a feeder floor. Each wear plate has at least two frame abutment features and at least two plate abutment features. Each plate abutment feature includes at least two non-contiguous lateral movement restriction surfaces offset from a centerline of the paving machine and at least one fore and aft movement restriction surface in a plane perpendicular to the centerline. The lateral movement restriction surfaces of a first plate of the pair of wear plates abut the lateral movement restriction surfaces of a second plate of the pair of wear plates. The fore and aft movement restriction surface of the first plate abuts the fore and aft movement restriction surface of the second plate.
US08496400B2
A self propelled slipform paver apparatus includes a chassis, a plurality of ground engaging supports, and a plurality of lifting columns extending between the chassis and the ground engaging supports. A chassis mounting unit is connected to the chassis. A mold for flowable material is also included. A mold mounting unit is connected to the mold. One of the chassis mounting unit and the mold mounting unit includes at least one front claw-like fastening member and at least one rear claw-like fastening member. The claw-like fastening members are open in the same direction either in the direction of operation or opposite to the direction of operation. The other of the chassis mounting unit and the mold mounting unit includes at least one front mating member and at least one rear mating member. The mating members are shaped and arranged to be received in the claw-like fastening members.
US08496399B2
A longitudinal pavement joint for joining pavement lanes, the longitudinal pavement joint comprising: one or more joining surfaces having respective slope angles between about 0 and about 45 degrees; and optionally, one or more wall surfaces having respective slope angles between about 45 and about 90 degrees, the joining surfaces and the wall surfaces being disposed adjacent one another, and one or more of the joining surfaces comprising a respective joining surface feature.
US08496392B2
A writing instrument is provided. The instrument has (a) a body having opposing first and second ends, the body comprising a marking element extending from one or both ends, and (b) a sheet dispenser coupled to a first cap that is able to engage the first or the second end of the body portion, the dispenser comprising (i) a base disposed on the first cap; and (ii) a cover removably, e.g., slideably, engageable with the base, wherein the dispenser is disposed axially along a centerline of the writing element.
US08496391B2
A method of forming words utilizing a character actuator unit in which the character actuators are segregated into certain categories. First and second categories are employed and activated simultaneously to generate the beginning and ending of a word. First and second actuating categories may be combined with third and fourth categories of actuators to further form and modify words in any languages.
US08496380B2
A medical radiological system has a radiological device with at least one element that can be electrically adjusted in order to allow an adaptation of the radiological device to body dimensions of a patient to be examined. The radiological device has a controller with an interface that receives a patient parameter set from a computer, with which patient data are processed and stored. The controller calculates a desired position of the element from the received patient data set, and automatically controls positioning of the element by electrically adjusting the element to the desired position.
US08496376B2
An automatic and continuous method is presented to improve the accuracy of fiber optic distributed temperature measurements derived from Raman back scatterings utilizing two light sources with different wavelengths, by choosing the wavelengths of the two sources so the primary source's return anti-Stokes component overlaps with the incident wavelength of the secondary light source thereby canceling out the non-identical attenuations generated by the wavelength differences between Stokes and anti-Stokes bands.
US08496359B2
The invention relates to a refrigerated display case with an illuminated support member or “mullion” that efficiently transfers heat generated by at least one light emitting diode (LED) to warm and maintain door seals. The invention further relates to a low-profile, elongated LED light fixture that is retrofitted to the display case mullion to provide efficient illumination. The LED light fixture includes an elongated frame having a central hub extending longitudinally along the frame. A pair of opposed arms extending upwardly at an angle from the central hub, wherein the terminus of each arm has a curvilinear configuration that defines a receiver. At least one leg extends rearward from the central hub. Two legs are spaced a distance apart to define an elongated central cavity that that receives a fastener for securement of the fixture to the vertical support within the display case. A printed circuit board resides within a channel of the central hub and a plurality of LEDs are electrically and mechanically connected to the circuit board. A substantially planar lens cover resides within the receiver for securement to the frame.
US08496353B2
An embodiment of the disclosure includes a LED module. A substrate is provided. A light sensor is positioned in the substrate. A LED chip is attached to the substrate. The LED chip has a first side and a second side. The second side is covered by an opaque layer with an opening. The opening is substantially aligned with the light sensor. The light sensor receives a light output emitting from the LED chip through the opening.
US08496351B2
An integrally formed single piece light emitting diode (LED) light wire that provides a smooth, uniform lighting effect from all directions of the LED light wire. The integrally formed single piece LED light wire includes a support substrate, a conductive base formed on the support substrate, the conductive bus comprising a plurality of conductive bus elements, at least one conductive segment arranged between the plurality of conductive bus elements, the at least one conductive segment comprising at least one LED. The integrally formed single piece LED light wire may include built-in sensors/detectors and/or a plurality of LED modules with individually controlled LEDs via microprocessors. The integrally formed single piece LED light wire may also include an interlocking alignment system which permits the coupling of at least two LED light wires. Further, a plurality of the integrally formed single piece LED light wires may create a lighting panel.
US08496342B2
An electrical receptacle provide outlets and a cavity for receiving an insert. The insert connects to the electrical main through the receptacle and can provide additional functionality through the insert including emergency lighting, night lighting, gas detectors and charging connections.
US08496334B2
An illumination apparatus includes: a first light source section; a plurality of second light source sections; and an optical axis conversion element which allows a light incident from the first light source section to emit in such a way that an exiting optical axis of the light approximately coincides with an illumination optical axis, and allows lights incident from the plurality of second light source sections to emit in such a way that exiting optical axes of the lights become approximately parallel to the illumination optical axis in positions close to the illumination optical axis.
US08496329B2
A low inventory method of making eyeglasses. Two lens elements having special complementary surfaces are provided. These lens elements can be positioned relative to each other to provide wide ranges of focus correction and astigmatism correction. Various preferred embodiments of the invention are described. In one embodiment the required inventory is only identical sets of two complementary lenses for providing correction for almost all needed eye correction for a typical population. In this embodiment, the lens units are first adjusted relative to each other to provide a desired focusing power. Astigmatism may be corrected by a small adjustment in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction followed by a rotation of the two lenses about the axis of the two lenses. When the adjustments have been made the two lenses are fixed with respect to each other and installed in eyeglass frames. Cutting to the shape of the eyeglass frames can occur either before or after the fixing.
US08496328B2
The present invention provides a process for producing an optical article, comprising mixing fullerene with a thermoplastic resin powder, pelletizing the mixture using a multiaxial extruder, and injection-molding the pellets, wherein the fullerene is fullerene having a carbon number of 70 or a derivative thereof, and has an average particle diameter of 5 μm or less. An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a lens suitable in sunglasses or anti-glare spectacles which reduces blue hazard, and by which a blue signal can be confirmed visually, and an optical filter, and an optical article which can cut at least a part of visible light of 380 to 500 nm.
US08496327B2
A drum maintenance system for use in an imaging device includes a reservoir for the storage of release agent used by the drum maintenance unit. The reservoir includes a bottle, an end cap, and a float sensor. The float sensor has a buoyant member that is pivotably coupled to a proboscis extending from the end cap into the bottle and movement of the buoyant member enables detection of the release agent in the bottle reaching a predetermined level.
US08496324B2
An ink composition has controlled conductivity, and a digital printing system and a method of printing an ink employ an offset inkjet printing platform. The ink composition includes pigment particles dispersed in an oil-based dielectric carrier fluid with an oil-soluble dispersant. A concentration of dispersant is a fraction of a concentration of the pigment particles sufficient to render an electrical conductivity of the ink composition less than 100 pico Siemens per centimeter (pS/cm). The printing system includes an ink having an electrical conductivity less than or equal to about 300 pS/cm, an inkjet print head, a transfer medium, a developer, a remover and an image transferer. In the method of printing, the ink is nonelectrostatically jetted to the transfer medium, and developed into a fixed image. A portion of a supernatant is removed from the fixed image, and the fixed image is transferred to a media substrate.
US08496322B2
A liquid container includes a container main unit, an air release passage, and an air release mechanism. The passage communicates with an interior of the main unit. The air release mechanism is connected to the passage to open and close the passage. The air release mechanism includes a hollow cylindrical member, a valve seat, a valve body, a movable member, an elastic cover member, and a second communication channel. The movable member has an outer circumferential surface slidable over an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and forms a first communication channel to communicate with outside air. The second communication channel has a filter structure to remove foreign substances, is formed within the cylindrical member, and is connected to a space between the cylindrical member and the cover member to communicate the first communication channel with outside air via the space and the second communication channel.
US08496318B2
A liquid ejector includes a structure defining a plurality of chambers with one of the chambers including a first and second surface. The first surface includes a nozzle orifice. A drop forming mechanism is located on the second surface of the chamber opposite the nozzle orifice. First and second liquid feed channels are in fluid communication with the chamber. First and second segments of a segmented liquid inlet are in fluid communication with the first and second liquid feed channels, respectively. The first and second segments of the segmented liquid inlet are also in fluid communication with another one of the plurality of chambers. Liquid is provided to the chamber through the first and second liquid feed channels from the segmented liquid inlet. A drop of the liquid is ejected through the nozzle orifice of the chamber by operating the drop forming mechanism.
US08496317B2
A liquid ejector includes an electrically insulating support having a first surface and a second surface. An electrical trace begins on the first surface of the support and ends on the second surface of the support. An ejector die is positioned on the first surface of the support and electrically connected to the portion of the electrical trace located on the first surface of the support. A polymer material is molded on a portion of the ejector die and at least a portion of the first surface of the support. A portion of the electrical trace remains free of the polymer material.
US08496315B2
A recording system for relatively easily and rapidly performing a registration adjustment in a recording device having a plurality of recording units which record divided recording images on the same recording medium. The recording system causes each of recording units (108A-108F) to record a registration adjustment pattern. Based on the recorded pattern, an inter-unit adjustment that is a registration adjustment among the plurality of recording units and an intra-unit adjustment that is a registration adjustment among the plurality of recording heads in each recording unit are performed.
US08496314B2
Liquid ejecting apparatus including conveyor belt driven by driving device for feeding recording medium on which liquid is ejected by liquid-ejecting head to print image according to stored image data, medium attraction portion disposed in opposition to the conveyor belt and having two electrodes to attract the recording medium to the conveyor belt, variation amount estimating portion to estimate, during printing of the image and on the basis of the stored image data, amount of variation of volume of the liquid to be deposited in subject area of the recording medium which includes a gap-opposition area opposed to gap formed between the two electrodes, and sheet feeding control portion configured to control the driving device to change drive force for driving the conveyor belt, so as to restrict variation of feeding speed of the recording medium by the conveyor belt, during excessive variation period during which the estimated amount of variation of the liquid exceeds upper limit.
US08496312B2
A recording apparatus includes a carriage having a recording head including nozzles, a moving unit moving the carriage, a platen including plate members connected in a carriage traveling direction to support a recording medium when the nozzles eject ink onto the recording medium, a transferring unit transferring the recording medium in a transferring direction perpendicular to the carriage traveling direction, a recording control unit recording patterns at predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction while moving the carriage in forward and backward traveling directions to form a carriage traveling direction pattern array, a determination unit determining ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction, and a time control unit to linearly interpolate between the determined ink ejecting times at the predetermined positions in the carriage traveling direction to control ink ejecting times for intervals between the predetermined positions based on a result of the linear interpolation.
US08496302B2
A brake booster for use in a hydraulic braking system having a brake pedal, a master cylinder, and a hydraulic control unit includes a housing, a screw drive arrangement positioned at least partially in the housing, a motor coupled to the housing for actuating the screw drive arrangement, and a piston assembly positioned in the housing. The piston assembly and the housing together at least partially define a first fluid chamber having an opening for providing fluid communication with the master cylinder, and a second fluid chamber having an opening for providing fluid communication with the hydraulic control unit. The screw drive arrangement is operable to move a piston of the piston assembly for varying the volume of the second fluid chamber, and movement of the piston does not vary the volume of the first fluid chamber.
US08496286B1
A sidewall construction arrangement for a trailer includes a plurality of upstanding sidewall panels. Each of a plurality of vertically oriented posts is disposed between and engages a respective substantially coplanar pair of the panels. Each post has an exterior surface that is entirely continuous in a vertical cross-sectional view throughout a portion of the post that extends beyond the panels in a lateral direction.
US08496282B2
A cabin in a construction machine has a door having a vertically extending door frame and a door glass attached to the door frame. The door frame has a pulling handle portion which is attached to the cabin frame pivotally around a vertical pivot axis and projects in a direction having a component extending away from the door glass. The pulling handle portion is aligned with the riding handle in front and rear directions outside the cabin when the door is fully opened. The pulling handle portion satisfies at least one of a first condition that the height position of the second gripped portion is offset upward from the height position of the riding handle, and a second condition that the second gripped portion of the pulling handle portion extends in a second extending direction different from the first extending direction.
US08496268B2
A vehicle chassis that incorporates the engine structure, transaxle structure and a backbone structure provided as a unitary structure onto which other components of a vehicle, such as suspension, steering, body and crash absorbers may be attached. The backbone structure is a closed tubular structure in which a relatively rigid drive shaft can be supported for rotational power delivery between the engine and the transaxle. Several variations of the basic chassis embodiment are disclosed to accommodate rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, four wheel drive, as well as internal combustion, electrical and hybrid powered vehicles. Front and rear energy absorbing crash structures are rigidly fixed to front and rear sub-frames of the vehicle chassis.
US08496250B2
A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement a wagering game which uses a random number generator to affect outcomes. The random number generator can be weighted by the player in exchange for a change in payouts. The random number generator can also be weighted in exchange for a cash purchase from the player or a cash payment to the player.
US08496249B2
A diverter for receiving printed products in a single stream and diverting the printed products into a plurality of streams is provided. The diverter includes a first rotating body rotating about a first axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the first axis. Each circumferential section of the first rotating body extends radially a different distance from the first axis. The diverter also includes a second rotating body rotating about a second axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the second axis. Each circumferential section of the second rotating body extends radially a different distance from the second axis. The first and second rotating bodies divert the printed products into three separate streams at a diverting area between the first and second axes. The diverter also includes a steeple positioned downstream of the diverting area. A method for diverting printed products in a folder, a printing press, a method for adjusting a diverter and a steeple for a diverter are also provided.
US08496248B2
A printer includes a main body capable of printing and outputting paper, a bracket attached to the main body, two sliding blocks, and a tray configured for receiving the paper. The bracket includes two sidewalls. A retaining member is secured to each sidewall. The sliding blocks are slidably attached to the sidewalls of the bracket. The tray is received in the bracket and has tray posts corresponding to the retaining members. The sliding blocks bring the tray to slide in the bracket. The retaining members have a first position, where the tray posts urge the retaining members to slide before passing across the retaining members, and a second position, where the tray posts are blocked by the retaining member when the tray is released from the sliding blocks.
US08496243B2
A sheet width regulating device includes a base plate, a regulating member, a first moving cursor, a first guiding portion, a second guiding portion, a first guidable portion, a second guidable portion, and a synchronizing member. The regulating member regulates one end of the sheet. The first moving cursor regulates the other end of the sheet, and is movable in the way perpendicular to a direction along the other end of the sheet that the first guiding portion extends. The second guiding portion extends in parallel with the first guiding portion. The first guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the first guiding portion. The second guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the second guiding portion. The synchronizing member synchronizes a movement of the first guidable portion and the second guidable portion.
US08496241B2
A sheet feeder includes a separation roller having a circumferential surface that contacts a first sheet to be fed first among stacked sheets and picks up the first sheet and one or more second sheets adjacent to the first sheet, a separation arm that is closer to the circumferential surface of the separation roller downstream in a feeding direction and configured to apply higher frictional resistance to the second sheets than the first sheet to feed the first sheet ahead of the second sheets, and a guide member including a guide portion that has a lower-friction surface than the separation arm and extends from the separation arm with a distal end thereof in contact with or close to the circumferential surface of the separation roller. The guide portion guides the first and second sheets along the circumferential surface of the separation roller.
US08496234B1
A carrier-gas mixture is directed through a fluid flow path in a combined heat and mass transfer device operating at a sub-atmospheric pressure. Heat and mass are transferred from or to the carrier-gas mixture via interaction with a liquid composition that includes a vaporizable component in a liquid state to substantially change the content of the vaporizable component in the carrier-gas mixture via evaporation or condensation of the vaporizable component. The mass flow rate of the carrier-gas mixture is varied by extracting or injecting the carrier-gas mixture from at least one intermediate location in the fluid flow path, and/or the mass flow rate of the liquid composition is varied by extracting or injecting the liquid composition from at least one intermediate location in the fluid flow path; and the flow of the carrier-gas mixture or the liquid composition is regulated to reduce the average local enthalpy pinch in the device.
US08496233B2
Provided is a vaporization filter for humidification including a filter substrate, and an anchor layer containing a film-forming polymer and a hydrophilic layer being provided on the substrate in this order. Further provided is a vaporization filter laminate for humidification which includes the vaporization filters for humidification being laminated each with a distance, and a humidification method using the same.
US08496232B1
A misting device for a boat featuring a fan component mounted atop an adjustable fan shaft; a connector disposed on the fan shaft for operatively connecting the misting device to the boat's factory light for obtaining power; a water pump mounted in the fan shaft, the water pump has a water line for inserting into a lake or a water tank; at least one filter component disposed in the water line; and a tubing fluidly connecting the water pump to a nozzle disposed on the fan component, wherein the water pump functions to pump water from the lake or water tank through the tubing to the nozzle where the water is ejected from the nozzle as mist.
US08496227B2
A ball valve having a valve stem assembly disposed within a valve body through-hole. The valve body through-hole is encircled with secondary bores to accommodate components of the valve stem assembly. The valve stem assembly includes an upper bearing and lower bearing, which are seated into corresponding secondary bores and a stem seal that seats within a stem seal gland. The upper bearing further includes a step that interdigitates with the stem seal gland to form a stem seal groove when the valve stem assembly is disposed within the through-hole.
US08496219B2
Disclosed is a seat sliding apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus provided with a pair of lower rails fixed to the vehicle floor and a pair of upper rails fixed to a vehicle seat. The seat sliding apparatus causes screw shafts supported at the upper rail to rotate relative to nut members fixed to the lower rails and the upper rails to move relative to the lower rails in the seat forward-rearward direction. A speed reducer-equipped motor comprises a motor, a gear mechanism, and a gear housing. The gear housing is designed so that the axis of the output shaft of the gear mechanism extends in the seat width direction. A manipulation switch comprises a manipulating portion fixed to the gear housing such that the operation switch is exposed at a forward end of the seat.
US08496213B1
An apparatus for mounting a mobile information handling device, comprising a mount for mounting the mobile information handling device, at least one cooling assembly coupled to the mount and suitable for cooling a mobile information handling device mounted on the mount, and a plurality of stabilization assemblies suitable for stabilizing the mobile information handling system mounted on the mount. The apparatus for mounting a mobile information handling device further comprises a dock connecting assembly suitable for providing docking of a peripheral device.
US08496210B2
An electronic apparatus carrying device for carrying an electronic apparatus is disclosed. The electronic apparatus carrying includes a device shell and a pulling tray slidably connected to the shell. The shell defines an insert opening therein, the pulling tray is passable through the inserting opening. The pulling tray includes a tray portion and a handle portion connected to the tray portion. The tray portion supports and carries the electronic apparatus. The handle portion includes a pull bar and two cranks. The cranks includes first ends pivotally coupled to opposite ends of the tray portion, and opposing second ends slidably and pivotally coupled to opposite ends of the pulling bar. Each of the first end of the cranks having an engaging portion, the cranks are rotatable about a rotating axis at the first ends between a first position and a second position.
US08496206B2
Structural panels for use in manufacturing aircraft fuselages and other structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a structural panel configured in accordance with the invention includes a skin and at least first and second stiffeners. The first stiffener can have a first flange portion mated to the skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the skin. The second stiffener can have a second flange portion mated to the skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the skin. At least one of the first flange portion of the first stiffener and the second flange portion of the second stiffener can extend toward the other of the first flange portion and the second flange portion to form an at least approximately continuous support surface to which a frame can be attached.
US08496204B1
The actuator locking mechanism is a bi-directional secondary load path lock that operates under both compression and tension loads via a radial locking wedge and axial slide lock system. This locking mechanism is designed to effectively protect against structural disconnect after a primary load path failure occurs and to minimize the axial play in the engaged secondary load path. To avoid the dormancy of such a failure, the activated mechanism jams/stalls the actuator drive thereby alerting the aircrew and the maintenance crew of the fault condition and allowing safe continued flight and landing. This locking mechanism is impervious to relative deflection between the primary and secondary load path such that under a non-failed condition, the mechanism will not jam. A jam only occurs when axial displacement (tension or compression direction) is greater than a predetermined relative deflection. This axial displacement is eliminated by the slide locking system minimizing the axial play. The makeup of this radial locking design also features a cageless roller implementation which captures the rollers within the features of the V-shaped ramp design.
US08496195B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a gyratory cone crusher as well as a hydraulic circuit suitable for carrying out the method. A crusher comprises an inner crusher shell and an outer crusher shell, which define a crusher gap, and the crusher gap size is maintained by means of a hydraulic cylinder, and, in case the hydraulic liquid pressure exceeds a pressure threshold, hydraulic liquid is evacuated from the cylinder to increase the crusher gap size. The method involves carrying out detection of a tramp iron processing condition, implying that matter which the crusher cannot process has enter the gap. If such a condition is detected, the pressure threshold is lowered during a period of time. This means that the crusher gap is opened quicker, such that the matter that cannot be crushed is removed from the crusher, which is thereby protected from potentially detrimental impacts.
US08496191B2
A seal arrangement for a needle valve in a fuel injector (100) includes a nozzle housing (122) forming an outer cavity (216) and defining a needle valve seat (218). A plurality of nozzle openings (204) are formed in the nozzle housing (122) and arranged symmetrically around its centerline at a first radial distance (R1). An outer needle valve (104) is reciprocally mounted in the outer cavity (216) and has a seat portion (224) arranged to abut the needle valve seat (218) when the outer needle valve (104) is seated or closed. A first ledge (502) formed on the seat portion (224) of the outer needle valve (104) sealably contacts the needle valve seat (218) along a first line contact seal (220) and a second ledge (508) formed on the seat portion (224) of the outer needle valve (104) sealably contacts the needle valve seat (218) along a second line contact seal (222).
US08496184B2
A method and apparatus for packaging a surface acoustic wave transponder for use in harsh environments is provided. An exemplary transponder comprises a surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device, wire bonds, an antenna element, an antenna substrate, a dome structure, and casing. The exemplary surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device is attached directly onto the antenna substrate and wire bonded to an antenna element. The surface acoustic wave piezoelectric device is protected under the dome structure, which is sealed and attached to the antenna substrate. The components are encased and sealed within a transponder casing. The transponder may be part of or incorporated into substantially any shape or form factor.
US08496174B2
The present invention relates to the smart card field, and more specifically to a smart card operating system and method, to avoid the failure of non-contact communication of the smart card operating system resulting from its inability to obtain the information of access to the non-contact field in the prior art. In the present invention, the communication state control module detects whether the smart card operating system enters and/or leaves the a non-contact field; and sets the communication state of the non-contact communication module of the smart card operating system based on the detection result. By applying the technical scheme of the present invention, we can avoid the communication failure which results from the non-contact communication module inability to respond properly to the inquiry from the non-contact terminal when the smart card operating system re-enters the non-contact field. Therefore, the non-contact communication can be maintained between the smart card operating system and the non-contact terminal equipment.
US08496172B2
Provided is a sheet switch suitable as a sensing mechanism to sense the removal of a subordinate device from a host device. Specifically, the sheet switch is provided with a contact electrode formed in a dome shape with a conductive metal, a counter electrode disposed facing the contact electrode, and a metal sheet made of metal that is disposed on the opposite side of the counter electrode from the side facing the contact electrode with insulating members interposed therebetween. The sheet switch becomes conductive when the contact electrode and the counter electrode touch.
US08496157B2
A surgical stapling instrument is disclosed, the instrument having a handle assembly, a body portion having a staple cartridge assembly, and an anvil assembly. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head, an anvil member, an anvil shaft, and a biasing member. The anvil shaft defines a longitudinal axis and the anvil member is pivotally secured to the anvil head. The biasing member is supported on the anvil assembly to urge the anvil member from a first position to a second position defining an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.
US08496156B2
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.
US08496140B2
A piston wiper plate for a pressing unit for melting systems for bags includes a single-piece wiper plate having an axial upper side and an axial bottom side made of elastically resilient material, and a radially outer wiper edge that surrounds the periphery in the relaxed state. The sealing and sliding properties thereof remain within a predetermined range even when the temperatures fluctuate more drastically in that in the wiper plate includes at least one recess that is inserted in the axial upper side and/or in the axial bottom side and/or between the axial upper and bottom sides thereof and that allows for at least a radial compression of the wiper plate. At least one expandable restoring element can be inserted into the recess.
US08496138B2
A fluid dispenser includes a control module and a hose module. The hose module includes a housing and at least a portion of a fluid hose within an interior volume of the housing, a fluid nozzle supported by a boot when enclosed within the housing; a first door allowing removal of the fluid nozzle from the boot through a first opening created when the first door is adjusted from a closed position to an open position; a second door adjacent the exterior of the housing and adjustable from a shut position to a retracted position, where the second door allows access to the fluid hose when the second door is in the retracted position; and a linear motor adapted to adjust the second door from the shut position to the retracted position based on a received signal indicating the first door in the open position.
US08496137B2
A solenoid valve assembly is adapted to control product flow through a dispensing system. The dispensing system includes a housing. A plunger is disposed within the housing and has a first axial surface. A stopper is also disposed within the housing and has a second axial surface facing the first axial surface. At least one flow pathway is provided on at least one of the first and second axial surfaces.
US08496135B2
A method and apparatus are provided for administering micro-ingredient feed additives to animal feed rations. The apparatus may be referred to as a system which includes a number of discrete components which cooperate together to ultimately deliver micro-ingredients to a desired location, such as a feed mixer containing a feed ration. Structure is provided for storing, measuring, dispensing, and conveying the micro-ingredients. Measuring of the micro-ingredients may be achieved by loss in weight, gain in weight, or volumetric metering methods. Transport by a liquid carrier such as water may be achieved by providing one or a plurality of conveyance pumps connected to a transport line. The system is operated by a control unit which controls components of the system to achieve delivery of specified amounts and types of micro-ingredients to the feed ration.
US08496133B2
A mask blank container adapted to house a mask blank with a resist film. The container comprises a container body 5 for receiving the mask blank; a cap member 6 to be put on the container body; and a fixing member 9 adapted to fix the container body and the cap member to each other when the cap member is put on the container body. The container body and the cap member have fitting portions 51 and 61 made of a resin material and fitted to each other, respectively. The fixing member comprises a first member 91 having an engaging portion 91 a to be engaged with the fitting portion of the cap member, and a second member 92 having an engaging portion 93 to be engaged with the fitting portion of the container body. A distance between the engaging portions of the first and the second members is desired to be variable.
US08496131B2
A cap 80 for sealing a container having a closure assembly with lug members on the container for sealing with corresponding lugs on the cap 80 has a top panel 84 and a circumferential side wall panel 82, has a top panel 84 and a circumferential side wall panel 82. The top panel 84 is positioned about a longitudinal axis 50 and extends radially outwardly therefrom. The circumferential side wall panel 82 is integral with an outer peripheral edge of the top panel 84 and has first, second, and third segments 90, 92, 94. The first segment 90 extends downwardly. The second segment 92 extends radially outwardly at a first angle to the first segment 90. The third segment 94 extends downwardly from the second segment 94 at a second angle to the second segment 92.
US08496124B2
A rack includes a supporting open frame, a flat baffle bonded to the supporting open frame, and a flat holder sheet member attached to the supporting open frame over the flat baffle for holding cap-shaped items vertically in a line. The flat holder sheet member has an upper opening, a lower opening, and an elongated slot connected between the upper opening and the lower opening and kept in proximity to the flat baffle.
US08496121B2
The present invention provides a macroporous copolymer having large pores, typically in the range of 5,000-200,000 Å and a typical breaking weight of at least 175 g/bead. The macroporous copolymers can be made using an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) techniques. These macroporous copolymers may also form macroporous resins. The present invention also provides methods of using the macroporous copolymers and resins.
US08496120B2
The present invention relates to a filter unit for cleaning fluids, filter systems comprised of a plurality of said filter units, and the use of the filter unit or of the filter systems for filtering sludge and floating algae from water, or for purifying gases.
US08496112B2
In summary there is provided in one embodiment a combination of a pan with a label for holding a roasting bag. The pan is defined by having a bottom base having a base periphery edge and a sidewall extending upwardly from the base periphery edge and terminating at a side edge to create a well therebetween. The label includes front and rear sides. The rear side being secured to the bottom base and includes a pocket formed thereon. The pocket has an access opening into an internal space of the pocket. The roasting bag is positioned within and removable from the pocket of the label.
US08496105B2
A modular roller-top conveyor belt and multi-piece rollers for the belt. The roller-top belt has axles unitarily molded with the belt modules. Each of the pieces of the multi-piece rollers can be installed radially onto an axle and joined together in a puzzle pattern to form a complete roller that can rotate on the axle. Parallel ridges extending across the width of the modules add stiffness to the belt.
US08496102B2
A method and device for collecting bodies, which are delivered in an irregular sequence, on a collecting belt, with the following features: a) the bodies which are delivered are moved more rapidly than predetermined by the running speed of the collecting belt (7), b) a pimpled belt (8) having ridges (12) is located in the end region of the collecting belt (7) and can be raised over the upper edge of the collecting belt (7) by means of a lifting device (5), c) the pimpled belt (8) is raised and accelerated as a function of being completely covered with bodies, and also a control program for carrying out the method.
US08496089B2
In accordance with certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modular approach to a lubrication package. Certain components such as the filter and cooler are directly connected to a block that has connections to accept them and internal porting to establish the proper flow paths for circulation, cooling and filtration of the circulating lubricant. The block can accept one or more coolers and one or more filters. The isolation valving for redundant equipment can also be integrated into the block. Many connections that had been used in past designs for the piping network are integrated into the block. The block can also be close mounted to the reservoir while a submersible pump further saves space and piping connections. Indeed, having the ability to maintain mechanical equipment (e.g., remove and replace filters and coolers) without shutting down, allows for continuous process flow, which eliminates down-town scheduling, loss of product and/or redundant backup, all of which comes at a considerable cost.
US08496088B2
An acoustic composite containing at least a first acoustically coupled non-woven composite and a second acoustically coupled non-woven composite, each acoustically coupled non-woven composite containing a non-woven layer and a facing layer. The non-woven layer contains a plurality of binder fibers and a plurality of bulking fibers and has a binder zone and a bulking zone. The facing layer of the second acoustically coupled non-woven composite is adjacent the second surface of the non-woven layer of the first acoustically coupled non-woven composite.
US08496081B2
A protective housing (1) for a galvanic cell in a motor vehicle four side walls (2a, 2b, 3a) that form a lateral enclosure for a receptacle space for the galvanic cell. A base and a cover (4) extend across the lateral enclosure of the receptacle space. A cover cross member (8) is attached to the cover (4) and projects out beyond two opposed side walls (2a, 2b) for connection to a shell of the motor vehicle so that the protective housing (1) is suspended in a rotationally fixed fashion in the motor vehicle.
US08496076B2
Polycrystalline compacts include non-catalytic nanoparticles in interstitial spaces between interbonded grains of hard material in a polycrystalline hard material. Cutting elements and earth-boring tools include such polycrystalline compacts. Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts include sintering hard particles and non-catalytic nanoparticles to form a polycrystalline material. Methods of forming cutting elements include infiltrating interstitial spaces between interbonded grains of hard material in a polycrystalline material with a plurality of non-catalytic nanoparticles.
US08496075B2
Various embodiments relate to bearing assemblies configured to enable removal and replacement of superhard bearing elements, and bearing apparatuses that may utilize such bearing assemblies. The disclosed bearing assemblies may be used in a number of applications, such as downhole motors in subterranean drilling systems, directional drilling systems, roller-cone drill bits, and many other applications. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a support ring and a retention ring assembled with the support ring. The retention ring includes a plurality of through holes. The bearing assembly further includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements, with each superhard bearing element inserted partially through and projecting from a corresponding one of the through holes of the retention ring. The retention ring and each superhard bearing element are collectively configured to restrict displacement of each superhard bearing element beyond a selected position in a direction away from the support ring.
US08496073B2
The invention relates to a portable power tool having a motor housing (1) and a separate handle housing (3) fastened to the motor housing (1) by means of an elastic vibration damper (2) and secured thereon in a positive-locking manner. The vibration damper (2) is composed of a fastening sleeve (4) assigned to the motor housing (1), an elastic damping sleeve (5) coaxially enclosing the fastening sleeve (4) and a handle holder (6) likewise coaxially enclosing the fastening sleeve (4) and the damping sleeve (5) and assigned to the handle housing (3). The essentially rigid construction unit consisting of the handle holder (6) and the handle housing (3) is secured in a positive-locking manner, with play, directly to the essentially rigid construction unit consisting of the fastening sleeve (4) and the motor housing (1).
US08496068B1
A draft sensing mechanism includes a draft frame adapted to be attached to a frame of a vehicle. The draft frame has left and right supports adapted to be coupled to corresponding left and right draft links. A draft strap has a left end fixed to a front side of the left support and a right end fixed to a front side of the right support. The draft strap is deflectable in response to draft forces applied to the left and right supports. A draft sensor is attached to the draft strap. The sensor generates a draft signal in response to deflection of the draft strap.
US08496067B2
Example embodiments provide a device for protecting an inner space of an object against fire, including a housing provided with at least one passage opening; an aerosol-forming extinguishing element arranged in the housing and which may include a container for holding extinguishing material which can be activated at a fixed activating temperature; at least one outlet opening which can be connected to the passage opening in the housing and along which the activated extinguishing material can be carried into the inner space of the object so as to extinguish the fire; an activating element for bringing at least part of the extinguishing material to the activation temperature; at least one detection unit arranged in or close to the housing for detecting at least one physical and/or chemical parameter representative of fire in the inner space; and a control unit arranged in the housing for causing thermal activation of the extinguishing element by the activating element when a preset activation value of the detected physical and/or chemical parameter is reached. The housing may be embodied for placing in the inner space of the object.
US08496064B2
A technique is provided for engaging and disengaging an upper completion with a lower completion positioned in a wellbore. The upper completion comprises an upper communication line, and the lower completion comprises a lower communication line. The upper completion is mechanically latched with the lower completion and the communication lines are coupled in a manner that enables selective engagement and disengagement. A communication line union is used to connect the upper communication line and the lower communication line in a plurality of rotational orientations of the upper completion relative to the lower completion.
US08496060B2
A method for enhancing the storage of carbon dioxide underground. The method comprises locating a geological formation comprising a first storage reservoir having a first surface and a second surface, a first seal layer adjacent the first surface of the first storage reservoir, a second seal layer adjacent the second surface of the first storage reservoir, and a second storage reservoir adjacent the first seal layer opposite the first storage reservoir; directing carbon dioxide into the first storage reservoir, the carbon dioxide being at a first pressure within the first storage reservoir; directing a fluid into the second storage reservoir, the fluid being at a second pressure within the second storage reservoir; and maintaining the second pressure at generally the same or larger pressure than the first pressure of the carbon dioxide to reduce leakage of CO2.
US08496053B2
A method and apparatus for preventing erosion of a cable for use in a wellbore is described herein. The cable has one or more optical fibers adapted to monitor and/or control a condition in the wellbore. The cable includes a layer of elastomeric material at least partially located on an outer surface of the cable. The elastomeric material is adapted to absorb energy due to the impact of particles in production fluid or wellbore fluid against the cable.
US08496044B2
A method of manufacturing a massive mixture of aluminum nitride and aluminum includes a first heat treatment process of manufacturing the massive mixture of aluminum nitride and aluminum by heating aluminum powder (21) and aluminum pieces (20) inserted into a vessel (13) at a temperature of a melting point of aluminum or higher under a nitrogen atmosphere. An oxide film is formed over the surface of the aluminum powder (21). The oxide film is, for example, a natural oxide film. The weight ratio of the aluminum powder (21) to the aluminum pieces (20) is, for example, 0.1 or less.
US08496032B2
A manually operated seal/closure system for a fluid dispenser manifold is disclosed. The manifold includes at least one nozzle and, more typically, a plurality of nozzles ranging from more than one to twelve or more. The manifold housing includes a sidewall or other stationary structure. The stationary sidewall is pivotally connected to an arm. The sidewall further includes a lateral slot and a curved slot. The arm includes a proximal end pivotally coupled to the sidewall and a distal end coupled to a push plate. The closure system also includes a bracket for supporting a cup and a spring-biased seal. The bracket is coupled to the arm and slidably coupled the sidewall by a pin that extends from the bracket through the lateral slot in the sidewall.
US08496031B2
A filling valve is provided for filling containers such as beverage cans. The valve includes a tipless nozzle having ports oriented for directing flow. The nozzle includes a valve seat having a planar sealing surface. A spring actuated vent seal is provided for closing the vent tube. The valve stem may have protrusions for centering the stem in the valve body. The filling valve may have a bell forming a cavity between the bell and the valve body, and an aperture for directing cleaning fluid from within the bell to the cavity. The valve body may have a duct for directing cleaning fluid from the cavity to an outlet.
US08496027B2
The invention relates to a lift valve (1; 1.1; 1.2; 1.3), particularly for process technology. The aim of the invention is to design a process valve of the type in question which acts as a lift valve, has a uniform (monolithic or multi-piece) closing part or member, is altogether shorter than all previously known, comparable valves, has a very simple design, and can be used for various embodiments such as check valves, tank bottom valves, or reversing valves. Said aim is achieved by the fact that the closing part (4; 4.1) opens towards the actuator (3; 3*) while the ends of the driving spring (7; 7.1, 7.2) directly or indirectly rest against the actuation rod (4a/4b) and a cover part (3b), respectively, said cover part (3b) delimiting the driving housing (3a) on the side of the driving piston (5; 5*) that faces away from the closing part (4; 4.1).
US08496026B2
A valve comprising a first pan (10′) defining a first array of apertures (20′) and a second part (50) defining a second array of apertures (60′), the first pan (10′) being moveable relative to the second part (50) between a first configuration in which passage of a fluid through the valve is substantially prevented and a second configuration in which passage of fluid is allowed. In one embodiment, the first pan (10′) comprises a flexible plate-like member configured to engage a sealing face of the second part (50) when in the second configuration and lock in the second configuration in response to a pressure differential across the valve. The plate-like member is sufficiently flexible to conform to a profile of the sealing face in response to a pressure differential across the valve.
US08496025B2
An electronic faucet (10) mounted on a countertop (12) includes a housing, at least one fluid inlet line (24a, 24b) extending into the housing, a fluid outlet (46) from the housing, a solenoid (142, 143) for operating a valve controlling the fluid flow between at least one inlet line and the outlet, and a control circuit (206) for controlling the opening and closing of the valve.
US08496012B2
A method of making composite nanoscale particles comprising subjecting a starting material to laser energy so as to form a vapor and condensing the vapor so as to form the composite nanoscale particles, wherein said composite nanoscale particles comprise a first metal and/or a first metal oxide incorporated in nanoscale particles of an oxide of a second metal, the first metal being different than the second metal. The starting material can comprise first and second metals or compounds of the first and second metals. The composite nanoscale particles can be formed in a reaction chamber wherein a temperature gradient is provided. The atmosphere in the chamber can be an inert atmosphere comprising argon or a reactive atmosphere comprising oxygen. The composite nanoscale particles are useful for low-temperature and near-ambient temperature catalysis. The composite nanoscale particles can be incorporated in the tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and/or cigarette filter material of a cigarette to catalyze the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dixoxide.
US08496011B2
An apparatus and associated method for forming a filter rod member of a smoking article, such as a cigarette, is provided. The apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An insertion unit is configured to insert an adsorbent material carried by a carrier material into the rod member. The method comprises forming a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member, and inserting an adsorbent material carried by a carrier material into the rod member such that the adsorbent material is disposed within the rod member.
US08496003B2
A wick for an anesthetic evaporator is provided as a dimensionally stable wick body (14) transporting anesthetic by means of capillary force is provided. The wick body comprises a hollow cylinder as well as webs by which a gas-carrying cavity is formed.
US08495999B2
An airway intubation device having a one-piece molded body of biocompatible material with an ergonomically designed hand piece for left hand manipulation. The body includes a cap piece and linear-curved-linear insertion piece having a channel in one side thereof for insertion of an endotracheal tube. The channel has a wide entry portal disposed ahead of the hand piece so that a clinician may load the channel with a tube while the insertion piece is in the mouth of the patient without having to view the entry portal. The device includes illumination means and viewing means comprising an eye piece or a video display unit mounted to the cap piece so that a clinician can view the insertion of the tube between the vocal cords of a patient without contact.
US08495988B2
A fuel vapor storage and recovery system for a vehicle includes a fuel tank containing a volume of fuel and first and second vapor storage devices fluidly connectable via a controllable valve device. The second vapor storage device includes an electrically heatable substrate thermally coupled to fuel vapor adsorbent material. A vent valve connects to atmospheric air via a second end of the second vapor storage device.
US08495979B2
An internal combustion engine comprising valve sets through which combustion air enters a cylinder is mixed with fuel for combustion therein and through which products of combustion exit. A valve train assembly comprises a drive rocker arm, including a first, proximal end in contact with a rotatable camshaft and a second, distal end in contact with a valve shaft of a first valve of a valve set and a driven rocker arm including a first, proximal end in contact with the drive rocker arm at a location that is adjacent to the first, proximal end thereof and a second, distal end in contact with a valve shaft of a second valve of a valve set. The drive rocker arm and the driven rocker arm operate to move the valves reciprocally from a closed to an open position.
US08495975B2
A two stroke engine of a particular configuration can have its power output increased by running bigger pistons and using ports in the piston skirt through which to conduct compressed air within the skirt through short passages in the cylinder housing that conduct the air from within the skirt to above the piston. As a result a larger piston can be used for the same spacing and opening size in the block to save the need to redesign the block and the crankshaft. A position adjuster for the piston moves it axially without rotation of the piston ports out of alignment with inlet ports in the housing. The piston rod is held in the crosshead using a flat to prevent rotation while an adjuster nut that is turned creates axial movement in the piston rod with a lock nut securing the final piston position.
US08495974B2
A process and apparatus is provided for burning liquid ammonia in an energy device such as a diesel engine, boiler or gas turbine. In particular, the process and apparatus include mixing a renewable fuel with a low flame speed and high ignition temperature, e.g., ammonia, with a combustible liquid fossil or bio-fuel and supplying the mixture into a closed fuel loop where part is efficiently burned in an engine combustion chamber, and part is used to cool the engine and returned by the loop for mixture with fresh incoming fuel mixture. The invention provides for the mixing and emulsifying in such a way that vapor lock is avoided. In the loop, the mixture is emulsified into a disperse distribution of fuel droplets such that upon injection of a portion into the combustion chamber, the renewable fuel in an emulsified droplet evaporates, mixes with the air and forms a small combustion cell surrounding the liquid fuel droplet. The fuel droplet burns and then serves as an ignition kernel for the gas mixture in the small combustion cell producing efficient and rapid combustion of the renewable fuel. The fuel loop allows the fuel system to automatically scale for engines varying in power output from 1 to 35,000 horsepower.
US08495967B2
A wakeboard tower having an elevated tow point and a bimini or other sun cover integrated to the tower in a manner that does not interfere with the tow point.
US08495966B2
An amphibious small boat, including rowing/fishing/motor/sailing boats, canoes and kayaks has a removable, retractable wheeled undercarriage enabling the craft to be trailered or managed singlehandedly on the ground; or the undercarriage retracted inboard. The canoe and kayak undercarriage is easily removed. Working loads are distributed to the fabric of the craft. The boat undercarriage can be manually lever-controlled and the lever anchors the undercarriage. A motorized actuator is also given. An elevated towing hitch is used with all embodiments, and includes a safety, breakaway link for highway needs. Signal/running lights are included with the small boat embodiments.
US08495963B2
A shallow water anchor is provided. The shallow water anchor comprises a first anchor extension and a second anchor extension axially received by a housing. The first anchor extension is axially received by the second anchor extension such that the first and second anchor extensions are sequentially deployable from the housing an actuation arrangement. The actuation arrangement is controlled by a control interface that is operable to detect when the shallow water anchor has reached a fully extended state and fully retracted state. The shallow water anchor further includes a biasing compensator that compensates for fluctuations in the overall depth of water the anchor is deployed in due to waves or other anomalies.
US08495959B2
A kinetic fireball incendiary munition is provided having an outer shell or bomb casing, one or more incendiary submunitions therein, and an igniter therefore. Each of the submunitions includes an incendiary portion, at least one rocket motor that propels the submunition inside of a target volume, and an oxidizer for the incendiary portion and rocket motor. The submunitions liberate sufficient heat to produce elevated temperatures inside of a target structure to thermalize the contents thereof without creating a substantial overpressure or explosive effect. The incendiary portion includes a solid propellant and, optionally, one or more energetic materials selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, boron, magnesium, aluminum, Fluorinert™-aluminum and BKNO3. The incendiary submunition may be in the shape of a ball or a circular disk with a rocket motor therein. The circular disk-shaped incendiary munition is provided with an outer layer of an insulation which is bonded to the propellant/incendiary material. A portion of the insulation on the top and bottom of the disk is weakened so as to break away when the top and bottom surfaces are ignited. In place of the rocket motor, the submunition may incorporate one or more barrels embedded in the incendiary material with a powder charge and projectile in each barrel. Ignition of the incendiary material results in detonation of the powder charge which propels projectiles radially outwardly and upwardly causing damage to containers of chemical/biological materials.
US08495956B1
A twine tensioning system for a baler in which adjacent lengths of upper and lower twine lengths are knotted and passed around a bale that is being compressed in a baler. Knots are formed to connect twine at the forward and rearward end of the bales. A slack arm maintains tension during the process of knotting and severing the twines and a stop bar is removably positioned to provide a lower stop for the slack arm when the bales are being passed through the system to minimize wear.
US08495946B2
A camouflage material comprising an electromagnetic energy (EME) absorbing layer comprising an array of carbon nanotubes and a plurality of energy transmitting elements embedded within the absorbing material. The energy transmitting elements are operative to convey energy to at least a portion of an outer surface of the absorbing layer.
US08495936B2
The disclosure relates to a wrench. The wrench includes a body, a torque sensor, a stick and an actuator. The body includes a cavity therein. The torque sensor is used to sense a torque applied by the body. The stick is located in the cavity of the body. The actuator is applied to move the stick to hit the body when the torque is greater than a predetermined value.
US08495934B2
A tool extension for a socket wrench includes a jointed, articulated series of square-drive male/female adapter ends with intermediate couplers having hex ball-head and socket joints. Three such intermediate couplers together in one series allow for an overall 90-degrees of flex. Each coupler has a bell body over which a pliable control cover is stretched. Each hex ball head and socket joint is bridged over by a corresponding pliable control cover which then snaps over a retaining lip just under a neck.
US08495929B2
A tool for applying a bending or impact load to one or more conductors in a dynamoelectric machine is provided. The tool includes an elongate, substantially tubular handle having an opening at a first end, a second end opposed to the first end, and the handle has a handle axis. A head is connected to the second end of the handle, and includes a striking surface for applying impact loads, and an interchangeable tool socket located opposite to the striking surface. The head has a head axis oriented orthogonal to the handle axis. The interchangeable tool socket can accept one of a plurality of tool inserts and the tool inserts may be rotated generally around the head axis and locked in at least one position within the interchangeable tool socket so that the angle of each tool insert can be adjusted to user preferences.
US08495928B2
A vehicle transmission (1) is provided that includes a casing (10); a gear (8), transversely mounted in the casing, that splashes up oil in the casing by rotation thereof and supplies the oil to a portion in the casing; and an air release passage (30) provided in the casing on an upstream side of oil flow generated by the rotation of the gear, that communicates with outside of the casing.
US08495920B2
An apparatus for measuring load acting on pipe supports, the apparatus including a load cell which includes a contact portion contacting a pipe, and a measuring portion for measuring load acting from the pipe; and a gap sensor which measures a gap between the pipe support and the pipe, which is generated by a movement of the contact portion, wherein the load acting on the pipe support is measured based on the load measured by the load cell and the gap measured by the gap sensor.
US08495912B2
A device for disposing an antenna dipole arranged to be submerged in a water mass is described. A first electrode is placed, in an operative position, approximately vertically above and at a distance from a second electrode. A mast is pivotally secured, at a portion distant from, in the operative position, a lower end portion, to a stand. The first electrode is arranged near, in or on an upper end portion of the mast. The second electrode is arranged near, in or on the lower end portion of the mast. The mast and/or stand includes means which are arranged to keep the mast in a prescribed position. The mast and stand are formed substantially of non-magnetic materials.
US08495908B2
A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an engine control module, a valve control module, and a level determination module. The engine control module controls an engine mounted in one of an engine dynamometer and a chassis dynamometer based on a predetermined schedule specifying a desired speed with respect to time. The valve control module controls a valve to inject a first quantity of a substance into an exhaust system to simulate the engine outputting an emission. The level determination module determines an emissions level of the emission in the exhaust system based on the predetermined schedule and the first quantity.
US08495906B2
The present invention relates to a deaerator 2 including: a liquid flow space; reduced-pressure spaces 25A, 25B, and 25C; gas permeable films 21A, 21B, and 21C that separate these spaces; and a pump for discharging gas from within the reduced-pressure spaces 25A, 25B, and 25C to the outside, and to a liquid chromatograph equipped with the deaerator 2. The deaerator 2 further includes gas partial pressure variation suppression means 23A, 23B, 23C, 25Ab, 25Bb, 25Cb, 29A, 29B, and 29C for suppressing variations in partial pressures of a specific gas in the reduced-pressure spaces 25A, 25B, and 25C.
US08495904B2
A pattern is used to form a stent scaffold from a polymeric precursor tube having a particular outer diameter. A new pattern can be derived from a base pattern, wherein the new pattern can be used to form a stent scaffold from a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR smaller than that needed for the base pattern. The new pattern can be derived by determining the shape of a stent scaffold, having the base pattern, after having been radially compressed to ODPR. The radially compressed shape is used to design the new pattern, which is applied to a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR. The new pattern can have a plurality of W-shaped closed cells, each W-shape closed cell bounded by struts oriented in such a way to form interior angles from about 80 degrees to about 95 degrees between every two adjacent struts.
US08495901B2
A shaping tool as depicted in exemplary FIG. 3 comprising a rotatable base member having at least one profiled bending roller (13) which is mounted on a circular track and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The bending roller (13) arranged on a radially movable slide (11) is movable from a position defining a maximum working aperture for the tool, by means of a spring-loaded lever (9) which has an axial configuration, into a position defining a minimum working aperture for the tool.
US08495879B2
The efficiency of compressed air vehicle is enhanced by adapting the compressed air storage tank with a Magnus rotor that creates lift so as to reduce the effective weight of the tank during operation. A compressed air tank has an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet of a compressed air motor. Air leaving the compressed air motor is caused to flow across the Magnus rotor whereby lift is generated to counter gravitational force thereby reducing the effective weight of the system. A battery powered electric fan has an inlet disposed to draw air across the Magnus rotor thereby increasing the velocity of the air so as to maximize the Magnus effect. A thermoelectric cooler transfers heat across the compressed air motor, i.e. from air exiting the compressed air motor outlet, to the air entering the compressed air motor inlet, whereby the temperature of the air entering the compressed air motor is increased resulting in increased pressure. Conversely, transferring heat from the air exiting the compressed air motor and prior to flowing across the Magnus rotor, increases the density of the air flowing across the Magnus rotor so as to maximize the efficiency of the Magnus effect. Finally, the fan has an output in fluid communication with the input of a compressor, which re-compresses the air and delivers the re-compressed air to the storage tank.
US08495878B1
The technology combines a secondarily-fueled boiler with a primary-fueled Rankine steam cycle combustion system in a hybrid process. Outputs from a secondarily-fueled combustion system are fed into the feedwater heater(s), deaerators, feedwater heating lines, and/or reheat lines of a primary-fueled Rankine system. The integrated steam flow eliminates or reduces one or more extractions from the steam turbine generator, thereby allowing it to generate more electrical power using the same Rankine system input energy or generate equivalent electrical power using energy inputs from multiple fuel sources. The technology can be utilized in any type and/or configuration of secondary fuel or secondarily-fueled combustion technology and/or can utilize any type of primary-fueled steam source.
US08495868B2
A control strategy selectively controls the heating of fluid lines equipped with line heaters that may be utilized with a selective catalytic reduction system. The control strategy measures a tank temperature representative of reductant agent in a storage tank and a representative ambient temperature representative of an ambient temperature proximate the fluid line. The control strategy determines a lowest possible reductant agent temperature (“LPRAT”) based on the measured tank temperature and representative ambient temperature. The LPRAT is compared with a desired reductant agent temperature and, in response to the comparison, the control strategy may activate the line heater.
US08495848B2
Floor panels (2) are shown with a discontinuous surface (31) layer and core (30), which are mechanically connectable to each other along one pair of adjacent edges, said floor panels comprising at least two floor elements (1, 1′), which are connected with glue.
US08495846B2
A system for fabricating a slab from a construction material having both unhardened and hardened states includes a form panel unit and a pair of spaced structural supporting members. The supporting members are adapted for assisting in supporting said slab made the construction material. The form panel unit includes a panel member adapted for use as part of a form to retain said construction material when in an unhardened state and has generally opposed upper and lower surfaces. The panel unit also has at least one reinforcement unit having at least one reinforcement member mounted above the upper surface of the panel member is interconnected to the panel member. The form panel unit is configured so that the panel member can be positioned between the supporting members, such that said unhardened construction material can be retained above the upper surface of the panel member to permit hardening of said construction material from its unhardened state to its hardened state. The reinforcement member has a portion mounted on at least one of the supporting members so that the panel member is at least in part suspended from at least one supporting member, and wherein the supporting member has an upper portion extending above the upper surface of said panel member so as to be embedded in the construction material.
US08495844B1
A self-adjusting trim assembly used at the junction of a wall and ceiling where the wall finishes are to remain stationary while the ceiling is expected to flex due to loads on ceiling structure and normal variations in the height of the supporting structures due to temperature, moisture, creep or other factors effecting the height of the support structures. This trim assembly has two interlocking components comprised of a retainer clip having a vertical back portion (1a), a horizontal projecting tongue (1b) and the interlocking hook portion (1c) and also of a trim strip having a horizontal top portion (2a), a vertical face portion (2b) and an interlocking hook portion (2c) with the vertical face portion of the trim strip designed to cover the gap between stationary wall finishes and a flexing ceiling while trim strip remains flush with the ceiling structure, thus leaving no unsightly gap.
US08495840B2
A Solar Wall Tube, including a tube and one or more glass blocks, that integrates with masonry construction and guides natural light into a building is described. The tube structure provides a much cleaner aesthetic over previous glass block installation methods while guiding more natural light to the building interior. The Solar Wall Tube also offers advantages of significantly improved thermal insulation and structural integrity over a single glass block and longevity of an enclosed building material.
US08495836B2
A drive mechanism for door hardware, such as a pushbar exit device, includes a driver for moving a component of the door hardware, a controller for controlling the operation of the driver, a sensor for detecting motion of the moving component and a spring connected between the driver and the door hardware component. The spring allows the driver to move for a period of time after the component has stopped moving. The controller monitors the sensor and moves the component until the sensor indicates that the driven component has stopped moving. The sensor produces an output signal and the controller detects an inflection point in the output signal when the component stops moving while the driver is still operating.
US08495834B2
A method of powering an obstruction detector. Power is provided to an obstruction detector when a motor is executing a first movement and is suppressed to the obstruction detector when the motor is idle and when the motor is executing a second movement. The first movement moves a movable barrier towards a closed position, and the second movement moves the barrier towards an open position.
US08495828B1
Canvas stretching locking pliers having upper and lower lateral plates disposed on the jaws thereof with the upper lateral plate having a plurality of pointed prongs for crimping the canvas and the lower lateral plate having corresponding prong apertures for receiving the prongs and canvas therein. A fulcrum extension is provided on the lower lateral plate for placement against the stretcher bar wherein lowering the articulating arms of said locking pliers pulls the canvas in a regulated manner without overstretching.
US08495825B2
An athletic shoe includes an upper, an outsole, a pair of hinged plates, and a spring. The pair of hinged plates are attached between the outsole and the upper in a forefoot portion of the shoe, and the spring biases the plates apart, so that energy is stored and returned during a propulsion phase of a gait cycle in a human step. Foam may be disposed between the plates. A shroud may enclose an outer periphery of the plates. An adjustable torsion spring may be disposed in a hinge portion of the plates, and one or more wave springs may be disposed between the plates.
US08495822B2
A heat pump module and a drying apparatus having the same are provided. The heat pump module may include a housing, an evaporator provided in the housing that condenses humid air introduced into the housing via evaporation of a refrigerant, a condenser provided in the housing that heats the air having passed through the evaporator via condensation of the refrigerant, and at least one condensed water guide or remover provided in the housing that removes condensed water generated on a surface of the evaporator therefrom.
US08495820B2
An angle-measuring device including a first component group and a second component group, the component groups being disposed in a manner allowing rotation relative to each other by a bearing. The first component group includes a housing having a connecting device, as well as a scanning unit. The second component group includes a shaft to which a code disk is attached, and a flow channel having a directional component parallel to the axis. The angle-measuring device is configured such that a negative pressure is able to be applied to the connecting device, so that a fluid surrounding the angle-measuring device with a pressure flows through the angle-measuring device to remove contaminants by suction. At the applied negative pressure, a first mass flow of the fluid which flows through the flow channel is greater than a second mass flow which flows through the bearing gap.
US08495815B2
An electromagnetic shielding method includes the steps of disposing a flexible electromagnetic shielding film including a laminate of at least an insulating layer and a conductive metal layer to cover a portion to be electromagnetically shielded on a printed wiring board so that the insulating layer faces the printed wiring board, the conductive metal layer having a higher melting temperature than that of the insulating resin layer; and heating the electromagnetic shielding film to a temperature to melt and contract the insulating layer, thereby bonding the conductive metal layer to a grounding conductor of the printed wiring board and electrically connecting the conductive metal layer to the grounding conductor. The heating temperature is higher than the melting temperature of the insulating layer and lower than the melting temperature of the conductive metal layer.
US08495809B2
A gynecological instrument for delineating the fornix of the vagina during laparoscopic operations having a solid ring with a guiding groove for easy and safe opening of the vagina laparoscopically. The solid ring has a protrusion outward which pushes the vaginal wall toward the peritoneal cavity, creating a bulging of the vaginal wall, making it easily identifiable. The solid ring is permanently attached to the proximal end of the base by a semi-cylindrical wall which creates a window anteriorly, for better visualization of the cervix and easy insertion of a cannula or delineator into the uterine cavity. The vaginal delineator is locked to the head of the uterine mobilizer by inserting the locking end of a cannula, delineator or vaginal delineator lock, through the hole of the delineator and into the head of the uterine mobilizer. An elastic diaphragm is provided with different sizes for obstruction of the vagina, which does not allow flow in any direction. This instrument can be used to mobilize the uterus, to inject dye into the uterus and Fallopian tubes, and to delineate the fornix of the vagina, even when the uterus Has been previously removed.
US08495795B2
An improved top pin assembly is provided for a traffic door which integrally is provided with a hold open device for maintaining the door in either one of opposite fully open positions.
US08495793B2
A quick release door hinge system has a locking pin and two flaps: A jamb flap that is fixedly attached to a door jamb and a door flap which is fixedly attached to a door. The door flap has built-in downwardly pointing pins that are configured and sized to fit into channels found on the jamb flap. Once the two flaps are connected, the locking pin is inserted so as to block any upward motion of the door flap which could result in an inadvertent release of the door from its hinges.
US08495787B2
A windshield wiper comprises a wiper blade including a squeegee portion for contacting a surface and a body supporting the squeegee portion. A primary spline is engaged with the body and has a first closed end and a second open end. A support structure is provided to attach the wiper to a wiper arm on a vehicle. At least one spoiler is slidingly disposed on the primary spline above the secondary spline. A secondary spline is slidingly disposed between the body and the support structure, whereby the secondary spline is retained in place by caps disposed at the first and second ends of the primary spline. The secondary spline is removably disposed between said wiper blade and said support structure and retained in place by end caps.
US08495786B2
A system and method that utilizes modular components to form a customizable brush for different applications with ease and at a low cost. The system and method utilizes three main components: a base, a plurality of rails, and a plurality of strip brush elements. The plurality of rails is fastened to the base and the plurality of rails holds the strip brush elements to the base to form a brush. All three components may be made of a thermoplastic or thermoset, non-metallic material which can be either rigid or flexible to allow the resulting brush to be easily recyclable.
US08495782B2
The invention relates to a device for the partial removal of coating from pipes, in particular from metal pipes, having a base body, an accommodation area for a pipe formed on the base body, at least two supporting means for supporting the pipe arranged on a first side of the accommodation area, and a scraper head arranged on an opposite side of the accommodation area, wherein the scraper head has two prismatic scraper edges. The invention furthermore relates to the use of a device according to the invention for the at least partial removal of coating from pipes.
US08495776B1
An infant adaptable system includes a rectangular-shaped base member that is made of a soft, flexible material and has a plurality of holes formed between, and parallel to, the sides of the base member. A first cushion and a second cushion are mounted on the base member between the holes and a respective side of the base member. Fasteners are provided along each side of the base member for engagement with each other to configure the system for wear on an arm of a user or for attachment to an infant carrier. Toys can be selectively engaged with the holes on the base member, and held on the base member, to distract the infant during a use of the system.
US08495775B2
A support pillow includes a pillow body having a medial region and two curved arms that extend from the medial region. The pillow body has a curved exterior periphery and an interior periphery that defines a well when the pillow is in an open position. A first flap portion extends from the exterior periphery of a first one of the curved arms and a second flap portion extends from the exterior periphery of a second one of the curved arms. A fastening mechanism is configured to couple the first and the second flap portions to each other when the pillow body is folded in half to place the pillow in a closed position, with the first and the second arms being generally adjacent to each other.
US08495765B2
A sock is provided having a first compression area 1 which raises the compressive force in a wale direction from a position A behind the toe area of a sole portion of the sock to a position C which includes the boundary between an arch portion B and a heel portion 6, a second compression area 2 provided on the periphery to raise the compressive force in a course direction at the position A behind the toe area, a third compression area 3 provided on the periphery to raise the compressive force in a course direction at an ankle portion D, and a fourth compression area 4 provided on the periphery to raise the compressive force in a course direction from the position C which includes the boundary between the arch portion B and the heel portion 6 to a position E at the base of the instep portion. The advantageous effect of protecting and restoring the shape of the longitudinal plantar arch is produced by the various compression areas, thereby stabilizing the position of the various compression areas while the sock is worn.
US08499357B1
Techniques are provided for providing access to a stored secret using a callback function that generates stable system values. The callback function, which is stored in a library file, is verified by securely storing a signature of the library file and later generating another signature of the library file. Access to the stored secret using the callback function is only permitted when the callback function is verified.
US08499355B1
A risk engine device of an enterprise's authentication system is configured to apply a Bloom filter algorithm to a master authentication list from a database to generate the Bloom filtered authentication list. Once generated, the risk engine device stores the Bloom filtered authentication list as part of an associated cache memory. Because the Bloom filtered authentication list is smaller in size relative to the master authentication list, by utilizing the Bloom filtered authentication list, the risk engine device decouples the linear dependency between the master authentication list and cache memory consumption, thereby reducing the relatively excessive cache memory use found in conventional risk engines.
US08499353B2
Security assessment and vulnerability testing of software applications is performed based at least in part on application metadata in order to determine an appropriate assurance level and associated test plan that includes multiple types of analysis. Steps from each test are combined into a “custom” or “application-specific” workflow, and the results of each test may then be correlated with other results to identify potential vulnerabilities and/or faults.
US08499352B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting obfuscated malware. In one aspect, a method includes identifying call instructions in a binary executable; executing the call instruction; executing instructions subsequent to a target of the call instruction; determining that an address identified by a stack pointer is different from the return address; in response to the determination that the address is different, determining if there is a non-obfuscation signal; if there is a non-obfuscation signal, identifying the call instruction as a non-obfuscated call instruction; if there is not a non-obfuscation signal, identifying the call instruction as a possibly obfuscated call instruction; determining whether the call instructions identified as possibly obfuscated call instructions exceeds a threshold; in response to the determination that the call instructions identified as possibly obfuscated call instructions exceeds the threshold, identifying the executable as an obfuscated executable.
US08499348B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting and responding to attacks on a computer network. One embodiment of such a method describes monitoring data communications transmitted to a target class of first computing nodes; in response to detecting a non-legitimate data communication to a computing node in the target class, determining whether the non-legitimate data communication is a form of attack on a network to which the computing nodes are connected; and in response to determining that the network is under attack, implementing new security measures for second computing nodes that are not part of the target class to protect the second computing nodes against the attack on the network while the attack is ongoing.
US08499337B1
Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for delegating administrative rights to a third party in an Internet access control application comprising receiving a designation of a third party wherein the designation identifies the third party as a recipient of administrative rights in an access control application, and receiving a selection of administrative rights to be associated with the third party. Further, an invitation can be sent, or caused to be sent, to the third party. Acceptance of said invitation can be received. Also, administrative rights can be granted to the third party. The systems, methods, and computer readable media can be operable within a client/server architecture. Also disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for notification of an access policy violation. Also disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for administration of an access control application by a third party and access policy violation notification.
US08499333B2
An apparatus and method for managing device features though a network connection for receiving a request to download a development application from an application developer via a computing device, verifying the status of said application developer before the development application is sent to the computing device, verifying the status of said computing device on which the application is to be run before the development application is sent to the computing device, and for facilitating access to retrieve said development application in order to allow the application developer access to the unlocked features stored on the computing device.
US08499324B1
The communication system can be configured to generate revenue by using advertising elements or storing web pages. The communication system can allow internet access or programs to be performed. The mobile platforms can be automobiles, aircraft, boats, ships, trains or other vehicles. Advertising elements can be stored on the mobile platform.
US08499320B2
A television user interface allows viewer commands to be input using a remote control, voice input, and hand movements in free space, as well as facial recognition using a camera integrated into the television. All three input modes can be active simultaneously, and so a hierarchy of modes is established to resolve conflicting commands received more or less simultaneously in different modes.
US08499318B2
A method for blackout and retune distribution including receiving a first wide area multiplexed feed, the first wide area multiplexed feed comprising a blacked out feed; and generating a requantized local service feed from a local replacement plus retune service feed, the local replacement plus retune service feed having a retune feed corresponding to a retune programming for the blacked out feed, wherein the requantized local service feed is to be combined with the first wide area multiplexed feed for transmission as a part of an aggregate local outbound traffic. A computer-readable medium, a apparatus and a means for blackout and retune distribution is also disclosed.
US08499313B2
An optical disc drive includes a housing with a protrusion and a tray capable of sliding in and out of the housing. The tray includes a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface is partially recessed to form a receiving space for accommodating an optical disc. The second surface defines a channel, and forms a blocking portion at one end of the channel. The protrusion slides in the channel to guide the tray to slide in and out of the housing, and cooperates with the channel to prevent the tray from vibrating. When the tray is fully extended from the housing, the protrusion is located at the end of the channel forming the blocking portion, thus the protrusion is blocked by the blocking portion from sliding too far so that the tray is prevented from sliding off the housing.
US08499312B2
An API called AdminRPC written in managed code allows background applications written in managed code to access backend data stores. Functions within this API provide administrator level access to a mailbox or a public folder on a backend server.
US08499308B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory system is disclosed to include at least one initiator, a SATA device, and an improved bridge device configured to facilitate communication between the at least one initiator and the SATA device and having at least one input port and operative to receive information through the input port(s) from the initiators, the improved bridge device for processing a notification event wherein notification is sent to the at least one initiators during a notification event, and for performing an action, based on a an event, thereby facilitating ease of communication between the initiator and the SATA device.
US08499305B2
Systems and methods for thread group kickoff and thread synchronization are described. One method is directed to synchronizing a plurality of threads in a general purpose shader in a graphics processor. The method comprises determining an entry point for execution of the threads in the general purpose shader, performing a fork operation at the entry point, whereby the plurality of threads are dispatched, wherein the plurality of threads comprise a main thread and one or more sub-threads. The method further comprises performing a join operation whereby the plurality of threads are synchronized upon the main thread reaching a synchronization point. Upon completion of the join operation, a second fork operation is performed to resume parallel execution of the plurality of threads.
US08499296B2
A system for managing updates of an executable component in accordance with an updating tree with multiple branches is provided. In one implementation, specific updates are provided to users with specific problems while general updates are provided to all users of the executable component. A range of lower version numbers is reserved for the general updates. When a specific update with a version number higher than those in the reserved range has been installed on a computing device, an installer may prevent a new general update with a lower version number to be installed. The installer may determine a new specific update corresponding to the general update and provide an indication to the user to install this new specific update instead of the general update. This multi-branch update delivery system enables users to elect to receive only updates that are necessary.
US08499294B2
A method and a system maintain a change to a component in an application server after the application server is re-started. The application server can be a Java-based application server that runs on a computer coupled to a management console. Through the management console, the application server receives an updated value of a component during runtime of the component. A profile service in the application server associates the component to a deployment descriptor that refers to an original value of the components. A representation of the component is then created and stored in a persistence data format in non-volatile data storage. The representation includes the updated value and indicates an association of the component with the deployment descriptor. When the application server is re-started, the representation is applied to the deployment descriptor to override the original value with the updated value.
US08499293B1
A method and apparatus for optimizing a sequence of operations adapted for execution by a processor is disclosed to include associating with each register a symbolic expression selected from a set of possible symbolic expressions, locating an operation, if any, that is next within the sequence of operations and setting that operation to be a working operation, where the working operation has associated therewith a destination register and zero or more source registers, and processing the working operation when the working operation and any symbolic expressions of its source registers, if any, match at least one of a set of rules, where each rule specifies that the working operation must match a subset of the operation set, where each rule also specifies that the symbolic expressions, if any, of any source registers of the working operation must match a subset of the possible symbolic expressions, and where the rule also specifies a result, then posting the result as the symbolic expression of the destination register.
US08499289B2
A method, a device, and a system for realizing kernel online patching are provided. The method includes loading a pre-generated patch file in an operating system, setting a first breakpoint at an execution start position of the primitive function when a system thread executes the primitive function and a breakpoint exception occurs during the thread execution process due to the first breakpoint, modifying a returning execution address of the first breakpoint into the destination address of the patch function corresponding to the primitive function according to the first corresponding relation, and removing the first breakpoint. The kernel online patching implementation has a small impact on the normal operation of the operating system. The patch function becomes valid without restarting the operating system, thereby satisfying the high reliability requirements of carrier-class products.
US08499284B2
A graph processing module is described for visualizing relationships among components, such as software components within a software system. The graph processing module generates group results based on grouping information which identifies groups of individual components. The graph processing module uses the group results to bias component-level analysis that it performs on the components. In one case, the component-level analysis can involve similarity analysis (e.g., using multidimensional scaling) to assess the similarity among components and importance analysis (e.g., using a network page ranking algorithm) to assess the relative importance of the components. The results of the component-level analysis can be presented for visualization. The biasing effects of the grouping results provide insight into the relationships among the components.
US08499278B2
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing software. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating the distributed development of software components includes providing a skill rating for software developers, communicating specifications for a software component to a subset of the developers, receiving submissions from the developers, scoring the submissions, and selecting one submission to be included in a software repository. In another embodiment, a method for compensating a software developer includes soliciting software developers for the submission of computer software components, receiving software components in response to the solicitation from the developers, evaluating the received software components, selecting one or more of the submissions for potential distribution to the public, and allotting the proceeds from the distribution to the developers.
US08499269B2
A device having a design conversion from a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), comprising: a user configurable element in the FPGA replaced by a mask configurable element in the ASIC, wherein the FPGA and the ASIC have identical die size and identical transistor layouts.
US08499266B2
Techniques for performing race logic synthesis on an integrated circuit (IC) are described herein. According to one aspect of the invention, HDL (hardware description language) and/or ESL (electronic system level) design source files of an IC design are compiled into a common design database. Race logic analysis is performed on the IC design, either by a third-party tool or by the same EDA (electronic design automation) tool that also performing race logic synthesis, if the latter has built-in race logic audit functions. Based on the race logic audit results, race logic synthesis is performed on the common design database, and getting rid of all identified race logic in the IC design. This renders the EDA tool can perform concurrent analysis of the IC design, via the race-free common design database, using multi-CPU/core computers and the results will be the same as if the EDA tool had performed serial analysis of the IC design using a single-CPU/core computer. Another aspect of the invention is outputting the re-synthesized logic in the common design database to new HDL/ESL source files. User may use these revised source files to analyze the IC design using other third-party EDA design/verification tools.
US08499244B2
Systems and methodologies for implementing automation-resistant interactive computing services are provided herein. Function invocation mechanisms can be utilized as described herein to facilitate invocation and/or activation of one or more functions of an interactive service upon performance of an interaction falling within a predefined class of interaction with selected multimedia content. The described functionality invocation mechanisms can operate similarly to a traditional captcha image by requiring interaction that is easily understandable and performable by a human user but is prohibitively difficult for an automated program to carry out. Techniques such as masking relationships between user interaction and function invocation and varying elements of the selected multimedia content for respective accesses can be utilized to provide additional resistance to automation. Described invocation mechanisms can additionally be merged with advertising, which can optionally be targeted to a particular user(s).
US08499241B2
A computer implemented method and system for creating a virtual community network for incentivized multimedia content viewing is provided. A first viewer receives the multimedia content for viewing on a client device from a server provided in a networked environment. The first viewer refers the multimedia content to one or more second viewers in the networked environment for viewing and further referrals. The server controls access to the multimedia content and confirms viewing of the multimedia content by the first viewer, the second viewers, and nth viewers from further referrals using a random challenge. The server generates response reports based on viewing of the multimedia content. The server credits the first viewer, the second viewers, the nth viewers, etc. with one or more items of value based on referring of the multimedia content, multimedia content view confirmation, and/or registration of the second viewers, the nth viewers, etc, with the server.
US08499238B2
A method and system are disclosed for manipulating a model, where that model represents some or all of a design. The design includes a multitude of design elements, the model includes a multitude of model elements, and each of the design elements is represented by a single model element. The method comprises the steps of generating a suite of documents from the model, each of the documents describing a view of the model; and displaying the documents to a user as a series of forms. The user provides information to the forms to change the documents, and changes to the documents result in both changes to the model and consistent changes across the suite of documents. In the preferred embodiment, the model identifies specific relationships between the elements of the model, and each of the model elements has defined properties.
US08499236B1
Systems and methods are provided for presenting reflow objects of content on an output medium. In some embodiments, the content to be presented may be determined by rendering one or more reflow objects of content to an image file, the image file having a horizontal dimension that approximates the horizontal dimension of the output medium and a vertical dimension that exceeds the vertical dimension of the output medium, and causing a portion of the image file to be presented on the output medium, wherein the portion of the image file presented corresponds to a view window logically superimposed upon the image file. A request for content that is not within the view window may be received, the location of the view window may be adjusted based on the request, and the adjustment may result in changing the portion of the image file presented on the display.
US08499234B2
A spatial bulletin board system for virtually writing a memo in an actual space and displaying the memo superimposed on a picked-up image of the actual space. The system includes an input device that converts drawing movement during the creation of content in an actual space to three-dimensional coordinate information and acquires positional information which specifies a place in which the memo is written and saves the information in a spatial communication server. In the image-pickup place, the picked-up image is displayed on a spatial bulletin board display device and a browsing request is sent to the spatial communication server.
US08499232B2
Differential dynamic content delivery with a participant alterable session copy of a user profile. Typical embodiments include providing a session document for a presentation, where the session document includes a session grammar and a session structured document; providing a session copy of a participant's user profile including a user classification; receiving, from the participant, a user classification instruction to change a user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile; changing the user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile in dependence upon the participant's user classification instruction; selecting from the session structured document a classified structural element in dependence upon a user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile in the presentation; and presenting the selected structural element to the participant.
US08499228B2
A method is for decoding a block of N information items encoded with an error correction code and mutually correlated. The method includes carrying out a first decorrelation of the N information items of a block is carried out, and storing the block decorrelated. The method also includes a performing a processing for decoding a group of P information items of the block, and decorrelating at least part of the P decoded information items. The processing for decoding the group of P information items and the decorrelation are repeated with different successive groups of P information items of the block until the N information items of the block have been processed, until a decoding criterion is satisfied.
US08499226B2
In one embodiment, a turbo equalizer is selectively operable in either first or second modes. In the first mode, layered (low-density parity-check (LDPC)) decoding is performed on soft-output values generated by a channel detector, where, for each full local decoder iteration, the updates of one or more layers of the corresponding H-matrix are skipped. If decoding fails to converge on a valid LDPC-encoded codeword and a specified condition is met, then LDPC decoding is performed in a second mode, where the updates of all of the layers of the H-matrix are performed for each full local decoder iteration, including the one or more layers that were previously skipped in the first mode. Skipping one or more layers in the first mode increases throughput of the decoder, while updating all layers in the second mode increases error correction capabilities of the decoder.
US08499225B2
An apparatus for determination of a position of a 1-bit error includes an error position determiner of the inner code, an error syndrome determiner of the outer code, a derivative determiner and an overall error position determiner. The error position determiner of the inner code determines at least one possible error position of a bit error in the coded bit sequence on the basis of the inner code. The error syndrome determiner of the outer code determines a value of a non-linear syndrome bit of the outer code on the basis of a non-linear function of bits in the coded bit sequence. Furthermore, the derivative determiner determines a value of a derivative bit for at least one determined, possible error position of the bit error on the basis of derivation of the non-linear function based on the bit at the determined, possible error position in the coded bit sequence.
US08499222B2
Supporting distributed key-based processes is described. In an embodiment, servers at a data center provide a key-based process for carrying out computationally expensive tasks and are connected using point to point connections in a geometric topology such as a torus. In an example, aggregation trees are built on top of the geometric topology of the data center, each aggregation tree being a sequence of servers in the data center that forms a tree structure. In an embodiment packets of data are sent from the leaves of the trees to the root and at each server along the tree the packets are aggregated using a combiner function of the key-based process. In an embodiment, if a server fails, the trees are dynamically recomputed and a recovery phase is triggered to resend any packets lost at the failed server. In some embodiments, packets are scheduled by inspecting the content of the packets.
US08499220B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and circuits for memories and utilization thereof. As one example, a memory system is disclosed that includes a flash memory device and a flash access circuit. The flash access circuit is operable to perform an error code encoding algorithm on a data set to yield an error code, to write the data set to the flash memory device at a first location, and to write the error code to the flash memory device at a second location.
US08499217B2
Memory devices and/or error control codes (ECC) decoding methods may be provided. A memory device may include a memory cell array, and a decoder to perform hard decision decoding of first data read from the memory cell array by a first read scheme, and to generate output data and error information of the output data. The memory device may also include and a control unit to determine an error rate of the output data based on the error information, and to determine whether to transmit an additional read command for soft decision decoding to the memory cell array based on the error rate. An ECC decoding time may be reduced through such a memory device.
US08499213B2
A forward error correction encoding method includes: separating a first header section from an inputted packet stream; generating a second payload section by encoding a first payload section of the packet stream, from which the first header section is separated, according to a preset code rate; generating a second header section according to the code rate; and combining the first header section, the second header section, and the second payload section.
US08499203B2
Configurable alert delivery in a distributed processing system include for each alert generated by an incident analyzer, applying active alert filters to the alert; wherein applying the active alert filters to the alert includes: creating a list of all active alert filters and a set of all active listeners; and for each active alert filter, running the active alert filter; if the active alert filter indicates that the alert should not go to one or more of the active listeners, removing the one or more active listeners from the set of all active listeners; if the active listeners set is empty, stopping processing of the alert; and if the active listeners set is not empty, selecting, by the incident analyzer, the next active alert filter from the active alert filter list.
US08499199B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for testing devices that will be connected to a computer storage media device by generating a complex test waveform that emulates operation of the computer storage media device using at least one Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and applying the generated complex test waveform to the device(s) being tested. The complex test waveform may be generated by calculating a plurality of discrete individual portions of the complex test waveform in parallel, in real-time, and continuously using the parallel processing features of the GPU(s). The discrete individual portions of the complex test waveform may be representative of various characteristics of the emulated computer storage media device operation such as operational characteristics of the computer storage media device, environmental effects on the computer storage media device, application of filters to the computer storage media device signal, etc. Various embodiments may generate the base data signal waveform from the emulated computer storage device such that the entire complex test waveform is calculated. Other embodiments may use a pre-existing base data signal waveform provided from another source and modify/alter the pre-existing base data signal waveform to generate the complex test waveform. When available, one or more Central Processing Units (CPUs) and/or CPU cores may also perform calculations in parallel with the calculations performed by the GPU(s).
US08499195B2
A failure cause estimation device includes: a database that manages the causes of failure cases, questions, and replies thereto for each of the failure cases; a condition presentation unit that presents combinations of the questions and replies managed in the database on a display screen as branch conditions used to classify the cause of a failure case; a condition selection unit that selects at least one branch condition from the presented branch conditions according selection operation; a cause estimation unit that estimates a cause satisfying the at least one branch condition from the contents of the database; and a cause presentation unit that presents the estimated cause on the display screen as a cause candidate.
US08499190B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a backup method for a portable device to back up a first data to a backup server. The backup method includes steps of determining whether the backup server can be accessed; when the backup server can be accessed, establishing a first data transmission path that the first data would be backed up to the backup server via a third party, a second data transmission path that the first data would be backed up to the backup server via a router, and a third data transmission path that the first data would directly backed up to the backup server; selecting one data transmission path among the first, second and third data transmission paths; and backing up the first data via the selected data transmission path.
US08499184B2
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.
US08499183B2
A plug assembly includes a first plug and a second plug. The first plug includes a main body whereon a first positive electrode, a first negative electrode and a first engaging portion are formed. The second plug has a chamber structure formed inside for containing the main body. A second positive electrode, a second negative electrode and a second engaging portion are formed on the chamber structure and located in positions corresponding to the first positive electrode, the first negative electrode and the first engaging structure, respectively. As the chamber structure completely contains the main body, the second positive electrode and the second negative electrode are respectively coupled to the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode, and the second engaging portion engages the first engaging portion, such that the main body is hold inside the chamber structure.
US08499165B2
Described is a method and system for providing a verified delivery of a package. First, registration information is obtained from a recipient; the registration information includes a biometric identification of the recipient. A delivery service obtains the package from a sender which is addressed to the recipient and forwards the package to the recipient. At the point of delivery, the delivery service obtains a further biometric identification from the recipient using a portable device which includes a biometric reader. The delivery service releases the package to the recipient only if the biometric identification is substantially identical to the further biometric identification.
US08499164B2
A method and system for the authentication of a user at a point of entry. Biometric data can be provided after preliminary identification of the user based on identification information wirelessly provided from a portable electronic device carried with the user when the user is located near a point of entry, such as, for example, a border crossing or access point to a secure facility. Such a method and system can incorporate RFID tags, cellular wireless communications data and links, and/or Bluetooth communications link, etc.
US08499163B2
A processing system (60) includes an input interface (62), a first processor (64), a second processor (66), and an output interface (68) arranged in a serial configuration. Each of the input interface (62), first processor (64), second processor (66), and output interface (68) computes a digest (92, 100, 110, and 114) using information, e.g., a unique parameter (94, 102, 112, 118), known only by that element (62, 64, 66, 68) and using information generated by that element (62, 64, 66, 68). The digests (92, 100, 110, and 114) are used to validate the integrity of payload data (86) processed by the system (60) to form processed data (104) and the system (60) only outputs the processed data (104) upon validation of data integrity. The serial configuration of system (60) may be implemented to provide high bit rate, redundant cryptographic services.
US08499161B2
A method and apparatus to establish a trustworthy local time based on trusted computing methods are described. The concepts are scaling because they may be graded by the frequency and accuracy with which a reliable external time source is available for correction and/or reset, and how trustworthy this external source is in a commercial scenario. The techniques also take into account that the number of different paths and number of hops between the device and the trusted external time source may vary. A local clock related value which is protected by a TPM securely bound to an external clock. A system of Accuracy Statements (AS) is added to introduce time references to the audit data provided by other maybe cheaper sources than the time source providing the initial time.
US08499157B1
A first device (e.g. smartphone) manages a first key (e.g. password) required for a security operation with a second device (e.g., WWW server) by calculating and storing a key seed using the first key and a second key shared with a third device (e.g., wireless headset). Later (e.g., upon losing communication with the third device), at least a portion of the first and second keys is/are erased to prevent the security operation. Subsequently (e.g., when communication with third device is reestablished), the first key is regenerated by (1) receiving a key hint from the third device, (2) regenerating the second key using the key hint and a known message used to create the key hint, and (3) regenerating the first key using the key seed and the regenerated second key.
US08499153B2
A system, device, computer program product, and method provide authentication of a user to a service provider. The system includes a service provider, a terminal, and a network that allows communication between the service provider and the terminal. The terminal includes a memory, a communication interface, a processor, and an Identity Provider (IDP) application. The communication interface is configured to receive an authentication request from a service provider wherein the authentication request includes an acceptable identity provider and to send the authentication request to the acceptable identity provider if the acceptable identity provider matches a supported identity provider stored in the memory of the terminal. The processor is coupled to the communication interface and to the memory and executes the IDP application. The IDP application is configured to compare the acceptable identity provider with the supported identity provider stored in the memory.
US08499145B2
A device setting apparatus performs setting operation with respect to a counterpart apparatus using secure communication even when the counterpart apparatus is not previously provided with information required for secure communication. The device setting apparatus detects an error when the error occurs during the setting operation, and executes a browser to request a user to correct the error during the setting operation.
US08499142B1
A UEFI compliant firmware is disclosed that includes a UEFI legacy boot loader. The UEFI legacy boot loader provides functionality for loading operating systems that are non-UEFI compliant in a performant manner. In particular, the UEFI legacy boot loader provided in one embodiment disclosed herein is configured to utilize UEFI disk services to load an O/S kernel and other O/S components. Once the UEFI legacy boot loader has completed loading the O/S components, the UEFI legacy boot loader enables interrupt handling by the O/S, relocates O/S real mode kernel setup code to a low memory region (below 1 MB), and switches a processor to a real mode of operation. The UEFI legacy boot loader then causes the real mode kernel setup code to be executed on the processor, to thereby complete the loading of the operating system.
US08499122B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for asynchronously binding data from a data source to a data target. A user interface thread and a separate thread are used to enable the user interface thread to continue execution rather than blocking to obtain updated data, to which elements of a user interface that the user interface thread is managing, are bound. The separate thread obtains updated data from a data source, stores the updated data in a local cache, and notifies the user interface thread of the updated data's presence in the local cache. The user interface thread, upon detecting the notification, accesses the updated data in the local cache and populates the updated data into the user interface.
US08499121B2
Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to access data are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves generating a key-value association table in a non-volatile memory to store physical addresses of a data cache storing data previously retrieved from a data structure. The example method also involves storing recovery metadata in the non-volatile memory. The recovery metadata includes a first address of the key-value association table in the non-volatile memory. In addition, following a re-boot process, the locations of the key-value association table and the data cache are retrieved using the recovery metadata without needing to access the data structure to re-generate the key-value association table and the data cache.
US08499119B2
Aspects relate to systems and methods for providing the ability to customize content delivery. A device can cache multiple presentations. The device can establish a cache depth upon initiation of the subscription service. The device can provide an interface to select a cache depth. The cache depth can be the number of presentations the device will maintain on the device at a given time.
US08499118B2
Portable electronic devices typically have reduced computing resources, including reduced screen size. The method, apparatus and system of the present specification provides, amongst other things, an intermediation server configured to access network content that is requested by a portable electronic device and to analyze the content including analyzing images in that content. The intermediation server is further configured to accommodate the computing resources of the portable electronic device as part of fulfilling content requests from the portable electronic device.
US08499117B2
A method for writing and reading data in memory cells, comprises the steps of: defining a virtual memory, defining write commands and read commands of data (DT) in the virtual memory, providing a first nonvolatile physical memory zone (A1), providing a second nonvolatile physical memory zone (A2), and, in response to a write command of an initial data, searching for a first erased location in the first memory zone, writing the initial data (DT1a) in the first location (PB1(DPP0)), and writing, in the metadata (DSC0) an information (DS(PB1)) allowing the first location to be found and an information (LPA, DS(PB1)) forming a link between the first location and the location of the data in the virtual memory.
US08499113B2
In a method for controlling a data exchange between at least one set of data sinks and at least one set of data sources in circuit configurations and circuit sequences, which circuit configurations have at least one arbitration unit, the arbitration unit selects a first data sink (data sink arbitration) and a first data source (data source arbitration) according to a predefined sequence, and outputs an address of a first data source and a request signal and an address of a first data sink and a validity signal. Data of the first data source are stored in the first data sink.
US08499110B2
Provided is a method of generating electromagnetic waves using software. The method includes setting electromagnetic wave pattern data in consideration of a number of a bus (140, 150) connecting a central processing unit (CPU, 110) with a main memory (130) and transmission characteristics of the bus, storing the electromagnetic wave pattern data in a register of the CPU (110), setting an address in the main memory (130) at which the electromagnetic wave pattern data will be recorded, and transferring the electromagnetic wave pattern data to the set address in the main memory (130) through all the lines of the bus (140, 150). Here, electromagnetic waves corresponding to the electromagnetic wave pattern data are generated while the electromagnetic wave pattern data is transferred to the main memory through the bus.
US08499086B2
Systems and methods for providing an efficient partitioned resource server. In one embodiment, the partitioned resource server comprises a plurality of individual servers, and the individual servers appear to be equivalent to a client. Each of the individual servers may include a routing table that includes a reference for each resource that is maintained on the partitioned resource server. Requests from a client are processed as a function of the routing table to route the request to the individual server that maintains or has control over the resource of interest.
US08499085B2
A method is provided in which the present invention is for a method in which a telecommunications terminal determines whether its user is available to accept an incoming invitation to participate in a telecommunications session based on: (1) a characteristic of the use of a software application, (2) a characteristic of the use of a resource of a terminal, (3) a sensor input, (4) a characteristic of the incoming invitation or (5) any combination of (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5).
US08499082B2
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing services in a telecommunications network using an IOS/SIP adapter. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a method for providing supplementary services to IMS devices and non-IMS devices using common IMS network components is provided. The method includes providing an interoperability specification/session initiation protocol (IOS/SIP) adapter configured to communicate with a base station subsystem and an IMS network. The method further includes, at the IOS/SIP adapter, receiving, from the base station subsystem a request for providing a supplementary service to a non-IMS device in communication with the base station subsystem. In response to the request, the method includes sending a message to an IMS node in the IMS network that provides the supplementary service to the non-IMS device and to IMS devices.
US08499074B2
A method and apparatus for file access in a storage access network (SAN) wherein a portion of a first file is accessed and an access rate computed based on time and amount of data accessed. If the computed access rate is less than an expected rate, a problem is identified and analysis performed. A first analysis accesses the first file through a second link to determine if the link is the problem. If the first file is accessed at an expected rate, the first link is identified as the problem and the file is accessed through an alternate link. A second analysis accesses a second file through the first link. If the second file is accessed at an expected rate, the first file is identified as the problem and the second file is accessed through the first link.
US08499063B1
Installation events associated with a software application are received from a plurality of clients. A rate at which the software application was uninstalled on the plurality of clients is determined based on the installation events. A reputation score is generated based on the rate at which the software application was uninstalled on the plurality of clients. A reputation score is generated for the software application responsive to the installation event and the performance data. The reputation score storied in association with the software application.
US08499051B2
Systems and methods for use with a communication system. A plurality of devices employing a plurality of messaging modalities may be used to send or receive message data. In any regard, message data may comprise a plurality of portions of message data in machine readable form. The plurality of portions of message data may be indexed. The indexing may include storing representations (e.g., vectors or other mathematical constructs) representing the content of the plurality of portions of message data in a message data index. The representations of the content of the plurality of portions of message data may be compared to one another to determine a relationship between the various representations. If the relationship between a first representation (e.g., a first vector) and a second representation (e.g., a second vector) exceeds a predetermined threshold, the portions of message data corresponding to the first and second vectors may be determined to be related. A notification and/or alert may be presented to a user regarding the related portions of message data. In one embodiment, the related portions of message data or messages from which the portions derive may be accessed by a user.
US08499049B2
A system for accumulating social relation information for social network services, includes a user location profile management unit for collecting at preset periods location profile information of a user; a user profile management unit for collecting and storing user profiles preset by the user; and a social activity tracking unit for collecting profiles from social activities of the user. Further, the system for accumulating the social relation information for the social network services includes a social relation information generation unit for collecting pieces of information received from the user location profile management unit, the user profile management unit, the email tracking unit, the chatting tracking unit and the Internet phone call tracking unit, and extracting new social relation information based on correlations between the pieces of collected information to generate a social relation ontology.
US08499045B2
Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein facilitate the transmitting, receiving, and processing of encoded messages wherein the header fields in the message header are protected. In one embodiment, the contents of the header fields to be protected are inserted into the message body as one or more additional lines of text, for example, prior to encoding and transmitting the message to a message recipient. Upon receipt of the message, the message recipient processes the encoded message such that the contents of the protected header fields can be extracted from the message body. Accordingly, by inserting the contents of the header fields to be protected into the message body, the header fields may be protected using existing standards and protocols for facilitating secure message communication.
US08499043B2
One implementation provides a method for providing display information that represents a quantity of received email messages that have been held for processing by a specific entity for a predefined time period in an electronic mail (email) response management system. In this implementation, the method includes determining a first value associated with a first quantity of received email messages that have been held for processing by the specific entity for a first predefined time period, wherein each email message has been sent from one end user. Upon determination of the first value, the method further includes causing to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) a first representation of the first value in spatial relation to representations of the specific entity and the first predefined time period.
US08499019B2
Apparatus and methods for electronic hardware resource management in video processing are provided. A hybrid filter is controllable to apply either Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filtering or Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filtering for vertical filtering of a video image during a resizing process. A scale factor by which the video image is to be resized in the resizing process is determined, and the hybrid filter is controlled to apply FIR filtering for the vertical filtering where the determined scale factor satisfies a first condition relative to a threshold value ST or to apply IIR filtering for the vertical filtering where the determined scale factor satisfies a second condition relative to the threshold value ST. The first and second conditions are different and exclusive, such that only one type of filtering is applied. This hybrid filtering approach uses each type of filtering to avoid defects of the other.
US08499018B2
The invention comprises methods for manipulating floating point numbers on a microprocessor where the numbers are sortable. That is, the numbers obey lexicographical ordering. Hence, the numbers may be quickly compared using bit-wise comparison functions such as memcmp( ). Conversion may result in a sortable floating point number in the form of a sign, leading bits of the exponent, and sets of digit triples in the form of declets (sets of 10 bits). In a variable-length version, numbers may be compressed by storing the number of trailing zero declets in lieu of storing the zero declets themselves.
US08499012B1
A system and method are provided for stacking storage drives in a network attached storage (NAS) system. The method provides a NAS stacking network including at least a first and second stackable building block (SBB), where each SBB includes a head, with an embedded processor and storage application, and a storage drive including client files. The method connects a first interface of the first SBB to a client computer device via a LAN switch, and connects a second interface of the first SBB to the first interface of the second SBB. A directory is built of client files stored in the first and second SBBs. The directory is maintained in both the first and second SBBs. In one aspect, the first SBB, acting as a primary SBB, provides access to NAS stacking network directory structure in response to an inquiry from a client computer connected to the LAN switch.
US08499006B2
In a system for migrating data between document management applications, if an inheritance setting of an access right to a folder in a source document management application is a first inheritance setting for inheriting an access right to a parent folder, the inheritance setting of the access right is changed to a second inheritance setting for setting an access right exclusively for the folder while the same access right as the access right to the parent folder is set. Then, the folder is migrated to the destination document management application. If a hierarchy including the folder to be migrated exceeds an upper limit on the number of hierarchies in the destination document management application, the folder is stored in a shallower hierarchy in the destination document management application.
US08499004B2
A method for performing I/O operations on a file stored in a file system utilizing a shared data storage system and accessible by a plurality of host computers is disclosed. A host computer receives from a process executing on it, a request to read data stored in the file. The host computer then requests the data stored in the file without acquiring a lock from the file system. The host computer also maintains a timeout value associated with the file while reading the data. The host computer receives at least a portion of the data prior to an expiration of time, and if all the data has not been received before the expiration of time, it then assesses whether another of the host computers has acquired a lock on the file, and, if so, invalidates the received data without providing it to the requesting process.
US08499001B1
Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a genetic algorithm to search for an index configuration for a collection of data such as, e.g., a database. Genetic algorithms can include stochastic search heuristics that mimic processes of natural evolution including inheritance, mutation, crossover, and selection. A population of chromosomes representing candidate index configurations can evolve to increase or optimize the fitness of the population and to identify the best (e.g., most fit) index configuration. Fitness of a chromosome may be measured based at least in part on the cost of computer resources used for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) statements in the indexed database. In various implementations, virtual indexing may be used to simulate building an index, chromosomes may be encoded using non-bitmapped representations of index configurations, chromosomes may include genes representing a column in a table in a database, dropping an index from a table in a database, or a composite index for a database, and/or a participation pool may be used to select fitter genes for an initial population of chromosomes.
US08498995B1
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for retrieving event data. The method includes receiving, by an event management device, an event query requesting event data corresponding to a filtering parameter, the filtering parameter being a non-indexed database parameter of an Internet Protocol database (IPDB). The method includes generating, by the event manager device, a Bloom filter value based upon the filtering parameter included in the event query. The method includes comparing, by the event manager device, the Bloom filter value with a Bloom filter index entry of an index file of the IPDB, the index file corresponding to the requested event data, the Bloom filter index entry indicating existence of the filtering parameter as part of the IPDB and reading, by the event manager device, the entry from the index file database when the Bloom filter value matches the Bloom filter index entry.
US08498987B1
Indexing data is disclosed. A plurality of subunits of data is determined within received data. For a first subunit, a first mapping between the first subunit and a first dictionary entry is determined. For a second subunit, a second mapping between the second subunit and a second dictionary entry is determined. At least the first and second dictionary entries are aggregated into an aggregation and stored in an index. Searching data is also disclosed. A plurality of subunits of data is determined within a received query. For a first subunit, a first mapping is determined between the first subunit and a first dictionary entry. For a second subunit, a second mapping is determined between the second subunit and a second dictionary entry. The first and second dictionary entries are aggregated and used to search an index.
US08498984B1
A server is configured to receive a search query from a client device; identify documents as search results relevant to the search query, where each of the search results has a respective first score; rank the search results, based on the respective first scores, to form a ranked list of search results, where each of the search results has a respective position, within the ranked list, that is based on the ranking; determine a selection rate corresponding to each of the positions in the ranked list; identify categories with which the search results are associated; generate second scores for the categories based on the selection rates; select search results for the selected categories; generate a search result document that includes information regarding the selected categories and information regarding the selected search results; and provide the search result document for display on the client device.
US08498981B2
In a method of searching for data objects in a computer system, a content-based search of a first database generates a first domain-specific search result stream and a metadata-based search of a second database generates a second domain-specific search result stream. The first and second domain-specific search result streams are aggregated into a primary search result stream, and search results from the primary search result stream are displayed.
US08498979B1
There is described a method implemented on a social search server for presenting names of members of a social network who shared information about a commercial item to a user performing a search from a user interface of a user device. The user is registered on the social network and has connections thereon. The method comprises: indexing data representative of activities of the members on the social network; extracting commercial items from the indexed activity data; receiving a search query along with a user identifier; identifying a commercial item within the search query; using the search query and the user identifier, performing a search on the extracted commercial items specific to the user's connections to obtain names of members who shared information about the commercial item; and returning the names of the members who shared information about the commercial item to the user device.
US08498967B1
Techniques for maintaining mirrored storage cluster data consistency on systems with two-node, highly available storage solutions can employ an initiator-side agent operable to prevent split-brain scenarios. Split brain syndrome can be avoided, information identifying changes of synchronization states can be maintained, and both graceful and ungraceful shutdowns (or failures) of either one of the nodes or of the intelligent initiator itself can be mitigated. Technology presented herein supports load balancing and hot failover/failback in systems that may feature redundant network connectivity. Moreover, a method is supported for communicating storage cluster status between the storage nodes and the initiator.
US08498941B2
A data security apparatus and method for controlling access to records provided within automated electronic databases, each record having an associated set of access rules, comprising: receiving, by a security processor, a request for access to records associated with at least one of an entity, attribute, and datum from a requestor; determining a set of records associated with the requested entity, attribute, or datum, contained in the automated electronic databases; authorizing access to the records within the determined set of records based on compliance with the associated set of access rules; defining an economic compensation rule, satisfaction of which is required for qualification for access to the set of records; selectively permitting access to records in dependence on satisfaction of the compensation rule; communicating the access permissions to the host automated electronic databases; and logging the request for retrieval and a respective access of each record.
US08498928B2
A system and method directed to improving efforts to plan for investor life goals. The method combines unique approaches of assessing investor risk tolerance using utility theory and investor preferences using conjoint analysis, Analytic Hierarchy Process (“AHP”), or the like in combination with existing industry financial projection methods using linear projections, Monte Carlo simulation, or the like. Further, the method improves upon existing financial projection approaches with the addition of regression techniques to streamline adjustments to the plan objectives, resources, and constraints. The method includes a means of determining an optimal combination of attribute preferences that have an acceptable probability of achieving plan goals while maximizing investor satisfaction as measured by total utility.
US08498927B2
A position associated with a synthetic spread order may be managed where a status of a synthetic spread order is identified as legged. The synthetic spread order may have at least one child hedge order pending at an electronic exchange and in response, a bracket order is submitted to an electronic exchange for the tradeable object associated with a filled leg of the synthetic spread. In response to execution of the bracket order, the child hedge order may be cancelled.
US08498922B2
Systems and methods for electronic trading that provide incentives to users of a trading system. The systems and methods may monitor a trading activity of the user and determine that the orders submitted by the user over a period of time exceed a first pre-determined threshold. Systems and methods also determine that a spread of the plurality of orders exceeds a second pre-determined threshold. Based on these determinations, the user is designated as qualifying for a special status, which entitles the user to incentives in trading. Systems and methods apply the incentives to an order submitted by the user. One such incentive provides the user with a priority in a trading queue, where orders submitted by the user are executed in advance of other orders in the trading queue.
US08498913B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for facilitating financial advising and planning for a user. The system includes a portfolio integration module that integrates goals, assets, savings, and risk tolerance to develop a customized strategy for financial portfolio planning. A portfolio reconciler module facilitates comparison of the customized strategy to other strategies and projected user financial decisions in order to further facilitate the financial portfolio planning. A stochastic modeling module uses data from the portfolio integration module and the portfolio reconciler module in a stochastic modeling analysis using a synchronous stationary bootstrap sampling method to construct a proposed situation portfolio. A simulator module forecasts the effects of the proposed situation portfolio on the user's portfolio, and monitoring, simulating, designing, and testing the portfolio integration module, the portfolio reconciler module, and the stochastic modeling module.
US08498910B1
The invention relates to a method for payroll notification. The method steps include obtaining, by a processor, a payroll rule comprising a message and a condition requiring a payroll dollar amount, obtaining, by the processor, the payroll dollar amount from a first paystub having a first gross pay and a first net pay for an employee evaluating, by the processor, the condition of the payroll rule, where the first gross pay equals a second gross pay on a second paystub having a second net pay for the employee, and outputting, by the processor and in response to the condition being satisfied, the message of the payroll rule onto the first paystub explaining a non-zero difference between the first net pay and the second net pay.
US08498907B1
An online textbook exchange apparatus an associated methodology for receiving seller course material information from a seller including a first set of parameters and a course material survey, and generating a probability score. The online textbook exchange apparatus generates a course material profile containing the first set of parameters and the probability score and stores the course material profile in a memory. Buyer course material information is them received from a prospective buyer where the buyer course material information includes a second set of parameters. The online textbook exchange apparatus compares the one or more of the course material profiles to the second set of parameters and generates a set of comparison results. The one or more course material profiles and the respective probability score are then output to the prospective buyer based on the set of comparison results.
US08498906B2
A method forms a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation by starting with or defining a base taxonomy instantiation and collaborating between trading parties to negotiate a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The taxonomy instantiation comprises a set of characteristics and values of a desired product. The method assigns a set of characters to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The method uses the set of alphanumeric characters in an electronic trade exchange between a buyer software application and a seller software application. The seller software application may determine whether it has a product that is equivalent to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation.
US08498898B1
A system and method that allows a group of organizations, e.g. a group of transit agencies, to provide their users with a stored value smart card payment method that rewards them for actual use. The system and method include a card interface device and a smart card for storing respective reward applications, wherein the card interface device reward application retrieves transaction and reward data from the smart card and processes the data within the card interface device in order to determine a transaction reward.
US08498897B2
A broadcast signal having reward and broadcast (programming and/or advertising) content is broadcast, and viewers provide reward responses in response to queries in the broadcast content. Viewers also provide consumer data associated with the reward response provided. Rewards may then be awarded based on the accuracy of the reward response as well as the utilization of the associated consumer data provided.
US08498890B2
A method and information processing system manage workflow instance migration. An initial workflow process model is compared with a new workflow process model. A set of differences between the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model are determined. At least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model that is migrateable to the new workflow process model is identified based on the set of differences. A migration plan associated with the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model is generated. The migration plan includes the at least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model. The migration plan is then used to evaluate a set of workflow instances associated with the initial workflow process model and migrate one or more of these workflow instances to the new workflow process model based thereon.
US08498881B2
In general, a computer-implemented method is described for retrieving by one or more computers an appointment schedule associated with a physician, the appointment schedule including one or more names of patients scheduled for a medical visit with the physician, receiving a first request to view appointment information for a selected patient, retrieving by one or more computers a first list comprising instruments completed by the selected patient, and receiving a second request to send one or more instruments completed by the selected patient to the physician.
US08498879B2
A system and method for assessing the immunological status of one or more individuals in a patient population is presented. The method includes establishing a database comprising a plurality of records of information each representative of the immune status of an individual in the population, each of said records including (1) current information from one or more assays for the presence of a biochemical, and (2) individual specific information comprising one or more of said individual's medical history, said individual's doctors' observations and historical, demographic, lifestyle, and familial information relating to said individual. The method further includes processing the information in said database to find trends or patterns relating to the immune status of individuals in said patient population; and using the said trends or patterns as part of a health care related decision making process.
US08498878B2
A method of capturing and processing medical charts of a health care facility includes building a document capture template for types of documents used by the health care facility, forming a batch of medical charts including at least one medical chart that includes at least one document comprising at least one page. The pages of the medical chart are undivided from each other. The method includes scanning the pages of the batch of medical charts, recognizing characters of text marked on the pages of the medical charts, analyzing the text of the pages of the medical charts using the document capture template, dividing the scanned pages into at least two documents, assigning a document type to each of the at least two documents, and creating an index of the pages using the document types assigned to each of the at least two documents.
US08498871B2
A system for facilitating free form dictation, including directed dictation and constrained recognition and/or structured transcription among users having heterogeneous protocols for generating, transcribing, and exchanging recognized and transcribed speech. The system includes a system transaction manager having a “system protocol,” to receive a speech information request from an authorized user. The speech information request is generated using a user interface capable of bi-directional communication with the system transaction manager and supporting dictation applications. A speech recognition and/or transcription engine (ASR), in communication with the systems transaction manager, receives the speech information request generates a transcribed response, and transmits the response to the system transaction manager. The system transaction manager routes the response to one or more of the users. In another embodiment, the system employs a virtual sound driver for streaming free form dictation to any ASR.
US08498863B2
The present invention relates to co-channel audio source separation. In one embodiment a first frequency-related representation of plural regions of the acoustic signal is prepared over time, and a two-dimensional transform of plural two-dimensional localized regions of the first frequency-related representation, each less than an entire frequency range of the first frequency related representation, is obtained to provide a two-dimensional compressed frequency-related representation with respect to each two dimensional localized region. For each of the plural regions, at least one pitch is identified. The pitch from the plural regions is processed to provide multiple pitch estimates over time. In another embodiment, a mixed acoustic signal is processed by localizing multiple time-frequency regions of a spectrogram of the mixed acoustic signal to obtain one or more acoustic properties. A separate pitch estimate of each of the multiple acoustic signals at a time point are provided by combining the one or more acoustic properties. At least one of the multiple acoustic signals is recovered using the separate pitch estimates.
US08498862B2
A speech signal processing apparatus includes a control signal output unit configured to receive as an input signal either one of a first speech signal corresponding to a sound uttered by a user and a second speech signal corresponding to a sound output from an eardrum of the user when the user utters a sound, and output a control signal corresponding to a noise level of the input signal, and a speech signal output unit configured to output either one of the first speech signal and the second speech signal according to the control signal.
US08498859B2
A language-processing system has an input for language in text or audio, as a message, an extractor operating to separate words and phrases from the input, to consult a knowledge base, and to assign a concept to individual ones of the words or phrases, and a connector operating to link the concepts to form a statement. In some cases there is a situation model updated as language is processed. The system may be used for controlling technical systems, such as robotic systems.
US08498847B2
A system and method for grading gemstones, based on creation and analysis of an ordered plurality of data sets, which convey information about the gemstone's cut symmetry and proportion quality and quantity. In one embodiment of the system and method, light propagation through a 3D faceted gemstone is simulated. Facets are associated with layers by rules for grouping facets. Light movement through the gemstone tagged by layer combinations along the propagation trajectory is collected, to enable rearrangement of the simulation output data in a proposed new order. An efficient analysis of the ordered plurality of data sets is provided for cut grading the symmetry and proportion of gemstones.
US08498845B2
Method for transforming electromagnetic survey data acquired from a subsurface region to a subsurface resistivity model indicative of hydrocarbon accumulations or lack thereof. In one embodiment, data are selected for two or more non-zero frequencies (100), and a structural model of the region is developed based on available geological or geophysical information. An initial resistivity model of the region is developed based on the structural model (101), and the selected data are inverted to update the resistivity model (106) by iterative forward modeling (103) and minimizing an objective function (105) including a term measuring mismatch between model synthesized data and measured survey data, and another term being a diffusive regularization term that smoothes the resistivity model (104). The regularization term can involve a structure or geology constraint, such as an anisotropic resistivity symmetry axis or a structure axis, determined from the a priori information (102).
US08498844B2
A first model expression having a first order and representing a relationship between evaluation indicators and the design parameters and a second model expression having a second order higher than the first order and representing a relationship between them are generated. Then, according to a quantifier elimination method, values of the design parameters, which realize an optimum solution of the first model expression, are calculated. And, a design parameter whose value is identical to an upper limit value or a lower limit value is identified, and the second model expression is transformed by substituting the upper limit value or the lower limit value, as a value of the identified design parameter, for the second model expression. Finally, according to the quantifier elimination method, values of the design parameters in the transformed second model expression, which realize an optimum solution of the transformed second model expression, is calculated.
US08498840B2
A method of measuring the maximum thickness of a mailpiece while it is moving through a mail-handling machine. The method includes: acquiring a thickness measurement; recording the measured value in a register; determining a maximum value and a minimum value of the register; determining a difference between said maximum value and minimum value, and comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold value; and if the difference is less than the threshold value, and if the maximum value is greater than a current maximum thickness value, taking the maximum value as the new current maximum thickness value for the mailpiece.
US08498831B2
To include one or a plurality of internal signal lines that electrically connects an interface chip to a core chip. The interface chip includes a first circuit that outputs a current to an internal wiring and the core chip includes a second circuit that outputs a current to the first internal signal line. The interface chip includes a determination circuit that has a first input terminal connected to the internal wiring through which the current outputted by the first circuit flows and a second input terminal connected to an end of the first internal signal line in the interface chip, and outputs a voltage according to a potential difference between a voltage of the first input terminal and a voltage of the second input terminal.
US08498826B2
A method and system for monitoring a condition of a machine are provided. The machine monitoring system includes a housing mounted to a surface of a machine, a plurality of sensors configured to generate respective output signals for a parameter indicative of a condition of the machine, and a voting module positioned within the housing and configured to generate a corrected output based on the respective output signals. The machine monitoring system also includes a memory device including a store location configured to store manual input functions relating to a construction of the machine, a life calculator communicatively coupled to the voting module and the memory device wherein the life calculator is configured to determine a life remaining in the machine using the corrected output and the manual input functions, and a display positioned within the housing and configured to display the life remaining in the machine.
US08498825B2
Methods for genotyping polymorphisms using allele specific probes are disclosed. A training set is used to generate a model for each polymorphism to be interrogated. The training set is used to obtain an estimate of the asymmetry between an intensity measurement for a first allele and an intensity measurement for a second allele of the same polymorphism. The intensity measurement obtained for a test sample is adjusted using the estimate of asymmetry prior to using the intensity measurements to make a genotyping call. In preferred embodiments the adjustment is applied to polymorphisms that have a likelihood of being heterozygous that is above a specified threshold.
US08498820B2
The invention is directed to methods and kits that allow for classification of non-small cell lung carcinoma tumors and cell lines according to genomic profiles, and methods of diagnosing, predicting clinical outcomes, and stratifying patient populations for clinical testing and treatment using the same.
US08498815B2
A method on a computer unit for calculating and transmitting position data is disclosed. The method includes monitoring motion of the unit. If motion of the unit is detected, the method further includes initiating a start sequence of the unit, calculating current position data of the unit using the Global Positioning System (GPS), calculating a difference between the current position data of the unit and a previous position data of the unit and transmitting the current position data of the unit if the difference is greater than a threshold value.
US08498814B2
A system and method for executing user-definable events triggered through geolocational data describing zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence are defined. Each zone of influence is described by stored geolocational data and forms a logically enclosed physical space. One or more user-definable events are associated with each zone of influence. Each user-definable event specifies a trigger condition based on the stored geolocational data for the associated zone of influence. A location of a user device is identified based on further geolocational data and at least one user-definable event is triggered when the location of the user device substantially correlates to the stored geolocational data for the trigger condition of the at least one user-definable event.
US08498805B2
A system and method for automatically storing a geographic position, without requiring user interaction, makes use of the ability of a location-aware mobile device to detect its state of motion using velocity or type of movement information. A transition between motion states is used to determine a parking location of a vehicle.
