US08550145B2
A method of forming a metal matrix composite (MMC),such as a brake drum, by impregnating a preform, which is formed of ceramic particles and ceramic fibers, with a support element, such as a metal. The MMC has a wear surface defined by both the preform and the support element.
US08550134B2
The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire 1, in particular a low aspect ratio super single truck tire 1. In accordance with the invention, the tire has a crown reinforcing structure with a first breaker 9 between a carcass ply 3 and a tread 5, as well as four further breakers 11, 13, 15, 17 comprising at least one pair of working breakers between the first breaker 9 and the tread 5, wherein the first breaker 9 is a split breaker comprising two circumferential strips 9 essentially adjacent to the shoulders of the tire, each strip having an axial width comprised between 50% and 70% of the half tread width.
US08550124B2
A woven fabric with a color glitter effect is woven from plurality A directional yarn sets and B directional yarn sets perpendicular the A directional yarns, wherein each A directional yarn set includes at least one yarn, a shrinkage of which is more than 3%, and the at least one yarn at least contains two successive organizing points for a downward arrangement when it is woven, such that each B directional yarn set is compressed to form a convex structure and has at least two yarns with different colors, a central level position of one of the at least two yarns of a peak portion of the convex structure, at which the B directional yarn set is located, is higher than a top level position of a lowest yarn of a valley portion of a concave structure, at which the B directional yarn set is located.
US08550114B2
A time remaining display assembly for indicating the time remaining in a pressurized gas tank, adapted to be connected to a regulator having a flow rate adjuster for selecting one of a plurality of flow rate settings comprising an assembly coupled to the flow rate adjuster, the assembly having one or more time scales imprinted thereon, each time scale corresponding to one of the flow rate settings, each time scale indicating the time remaining in the tank as a function of gas pressure in the tank.
US08550113B1
A single stage vacuum breaker flow regulator includes a diaphragm retained in an elevated position in between atmosphere and an outlet chamber for a gaseous medium. A valve in communication with an inlet chamber is yieldingly urged to a closed position by a spring. Cam levers are movable by the diaphragm upon a reduction in pressure to sub-atmospheric in the outlet chamber. The movement of said cam levers in response to a reduction in pressure is transmitted to a yieldingly movable valve to open said valve to the flow of gas from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber.
US08550111B2
An overfill prevention device which includes a first tubular member, a cylindrical piston fitted within the first tubular member, a second tubular member having a cylindrical recess open, a plug arranged within the second tubular member, a float rod having a cam plate, a float connected with a lower end of the float rod, a valve body having a lower end engaged with the first tubular member, a pinion pivotally connected to the second tubular member by the pin, a toothed rack meshed with the pinion and engaged with the second tubular member, a control rod having an upper end extending into the valve body and a lower end secured to the toothed rack, a first magnet mounted at the upper end of the control rod, and a gauge mounted on the valve body and provided with a second permanent magnet and a needle operatively connected with the second magnet.
US08550110B2
Systems for removing water from an area where water is not desired are discussed and provided. The system can include a dam, a water collection system, and a water removal system. The dam can create a waterproof seal so that the dam is configured to define a reservoir, or retention area, capable of holding water. The water collection system can remove substantially all of the water that collects in the retention area and deposit the water in a reservoir when the water collection system is triggered by a first sensor. The water removal system can move the water collected in the reservoir to an area of safe disposal through a hose or drain when triggered by a second sensor. Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention are claimed and described.
US08550108B2
A gas pressure control valve having a valve body with a gas inlet and a gas outlet is described. An inner cap is provided bounding in part a chamber within the valve body in communication with the gas inlet. The valve body contains a spring loaded piston comprising a piston head and a piston rod. The piston rod includes a conduit providing communication between the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap and a chamber adjacent the piston head and the gas outlet. The piston is operable to move between a closed configuration in which the piston rod prevents communication between the gas inlet and the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap and an open configuration in which the piston rod permits communication between the gas inlet and the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap. The piston head is in a sealing engagement with the valve body via a first seal and the piston rod is in a sealing engagement with the inner cap via a second seal contained within the chamber bounded in part by the inner cap, the second seal being held in a fixed position within the chamber.
US08550095B2
A system to highlight the hair includes a device (10) and a composition (50). The device (10) includes a first portion movably joined to a second portion. Composition (50) includes a percentage of hydrogen peroxide and a percentage of an alkalizer by weight of the composition (50). The weight percentages of hydrogen peroxide and of an alkalizer are defined by equation (I): X+1.5Y≧15 (I). X is the percentage by weight of hydrogen peroxide by weight of the composition (50). Y is the percentage by weight of an alkalizer by weight of the composition (50). The composition (50) includes at least 2% of hydrogen peroxide by weight of the composition (50) and the alkalizer is an inorganic salt. The composition (50) allows to perform highlighting when applied with the device (10).
US08550090B2
A tapered sleeve is provided that includes a lubricating coating on an inner surface. An implant (e.g., a pre-filled silicon breast implant) is introduced into a large end of the sleeve and extruded into a surgical pocket of minimal access incision size through a small-sized end of the apparatus.
US08550087B2
Devices and methods are disclosed for the delivery of an implant into small bodily spaces. The delivery devices include an expandable portion configured for placement within such bodily spaces and subsequent expansion to facilitate the delivery of the implant.
US08550085B2
Systems and methods of visibly marking a reproductive tract, e.g., at least one ostium of the Fallopian tubes accessed transvaginally and transcervically, to indicate delivery of an occlusion device into the corresponding at least one Fallopian tube to effect contraception are disclosed. Marking is effected by delivery of a dye that stains the ostium and/or extension of the marking member from the delivered occlusion device into view in the uterine cavity or ostium. A catheter (or catheters) preferably introduced through a hysteroscope that illuminates and provides visualization of the uterine cavity and the ostia of the Fallopian tubes is employed to insert each contracted, stent-like, occluding device into each Fallopian tube and to mechanically expand or release to self-expand the occluding device.
US08550078B2
An assembly structured to inflate a retaining or pressure cuff associated with an artificial airway tube such as an endotracheal and/or tracheotomy tube and concurrently monitor pressure therein including a casing having an interior pressure chamber. A pump assembly is movably connected to the casing and structured to force fluid flow to the retaining cuff through said pressure chamber. An indicator member is disposed within the casing, is visually accessible through casing window, and is variably positionable dependent on and indicative of existing pressure within the retaining cuff. The existing pressure within the pressure chamber is substantially equivalent to that within the retaining cuff thereby facilitating the variable position of the indicator member to indicate pressure within the cuff. A junction is disposed between the casing and an inflation lumen to the restraining cuff and is structured to allow disconnection between the casing and the lumen but prevent reconnection thereto.
US08550074B2
A delivery device that includes a cutter for opening a barrier layer to provide fluid access to a dose chamber, and a diverting structure for direct air flow toward the dose chamber.
US08550071B2
Dry powder inhalers include radially-extending discrete, typically dose-specific, airway channels serially forming a portion of the inhalation pathway to deliver dry powder to a user using the inhalers.
US08550068B2
A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.
US08550047B2
A valve control synchronizing apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling opening and closing operations of an engine valve includes a synchronizing pin assembly selectively transferring pivoting movement from one or both of first and second adjacent rocker arms to a central rocker arm. The synchronizing pin assembly is received in a bore defined through the central rocker arm and at least partially into each of the first and second rocker arms. The synchronizing pin assembly bridges between the first rocker arm and the central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement of the first rocker arm to the central rocker arm and bridges between the second rocker arm and the central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement from the second rocker arm to the central rocker arm.
US08550043B2
An exhaust port and an intake port are formed across a crankshaft with a flywheel provided at one end when viewed in a direction of an axis of a cylinder at a two-stroke engine. A pair of scavenging ports is then formed between the exhaust port and the intake port. Scavenging path covers are fitted to a cylinder block of the two-stroke engine and constitute part of scavenging paths that connect the scavenging ports and a crank chamber. The scavenging path cover close to the flywheel is positioned between an axis of the crankshaft and an exhaust path connected to the exhaust port or an intake path connected to the intake port.
US08550041B2
Integrated, multi-cylinder opposed engine constructions include a unitary support structure to which cylinder liners are removeably mounted and sealed and on which crankshafts are rotatably supported. The engine constructions include a cooled piston with a resiliently deformable joint connecting crown and skirt and a cooled cylinder liner with wipers to manage lubricant in the cylindrical interstice between the cylinder bore and the piston skirts.
US08550029B2
A fluid agent applying multi-vent nozzle is capable of densely disposing ejecting vents. The multi-vent nozzle has a main body configured in a casing block, a raised surface provided at a distal end of the casing block, contoured and dimensioned corresponding to a target area to apply fluid agent to, and a plurality of ejecting vents defined in the raised surface.
US08550027B2
An improvement in a color guard flag pole weight is disclosed. The flag pole weight is inserted into one or both ends of a flag pole. For larger or heavier flag poles or when a performer is performing a great deal of spinning against the wind, weighting the pole dramatically improves the ease of rotation of the flag pole to counteract the drag created when the flag pole catches the wind and improves the ease of rotation for both the spinning and the tossing. When the weight is inserted into the flag pole, a split ring on the weight is expandable to grip the inside diameter of the pole. The weight of the insert is adjustable by screwing one or more weights into the insert. The additional weights are male-female threaded to allow for a large number of weights to be added and limited only to the length of the flag pole.
US08550026B2
The invention relates to a pointer instrument comprising a graduated disk, a contour element which is arranged in the edge region of the disk and has a visible surface, and a pointer. The invention also relates to a method for producing a pointer instrument.
US08550024B2
This invention discloses three-layer rotomolded motorboats having excellent floatability prepared from foamed polyethylene.
US08550016B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus of controlling a flow rate of a primary recirculating exhaust gas in an oxyfuel combustion boiler, capable of realizing a stable combustion by a burner in oxyfuel combustion. Weight ratio of flow rate of primary recirculating exhaust gas [ton/h] to amount of pulverized coal from a mill [ton/h] is defined as G/C, and the flow rate of primary recirculating exhaust gas is controlled so that the G/C falls within a given range.
US08550014B1
A system for setting a table that displays a plurality of items on different elevated levels using invertible stacking members, the stacking members having two forms, plate and pedestal, that form a plurality of different configurations. A pedestal base member engages a plate member in a pedestal plate configuration and inverts into a vase configuration. The pedestal base member converts into a candle holder and selectively engages the plate member, the plate member selectively displaying a decorative item surrounding the base member, the combination forming a centerpiece. The pedestal base member engages the plate member, forming a stackable pair, stacking with other pairs, another base member or another plate member. The pedestal base members selectively stack with each other. The plate members each have an interlocking rim that locks with the plate above and the plate below, forming a compact stack on a buffet table.
US08550010B2
A wagon has two side walls, two end walls and a base. At least a portion of one or each side wall has two side wall parts in the form of panels. Each panel has a respective constant wall thickness and is joined together. In some embodiments, the panels can be integrally formed. The side wall panels are also each of a different material thickness. A bridging member in the form of an angled bracket is arranged to interconnect the respective side wall panels by being separately connected to each side wall panel.
US08550004B1
An IM type steel cartridge whose base contains a central bore there through—within which bore is a steel base plug holding a primer cup, the base plug being held in place by a low melt, 220 to 250 degree F. melt eutectic solder—wherein, if the cartridge is subjected to an unforeseen thermal or kinetic event, the solder will melt, the base plug ejected, and the propellant will vent rather than explode. The solder bond between the base plug and the cartridge case within which it is held is capable of resisting the from about 72,000, to up to 90,000 psi, force generated within the firing chamber of the weapon by the ignition and firing of the cartridge.
US08550001B2
An inertial igniter including: a body having a base and three or more posts, each post having a hole; a locking ball corresponding to each post, wherein a portion of the locking balls are disposed in the hole; a striker mass movably disposed relative to the posts and having a surface corresponding to the posts, the striker mass further having a concave portion corresponding to the locking balls, wherein a second portion of each locking ball is disposed in a corresponding concave portion for retaining the striker mass relative to the posts; a collar movable relative to the posts; and a biasing element for biasing the collar in a first position which retains the striker mass, the biasing element permitting movement of the collar to a second position to release the striker mass relative to the posts upon a predetermined acceleration profile.
US08549996B2
A system for trimming a lettuce head using a digital imaging system and cutting mechanism. The lettuce head is conveyed between a lower feed conveyor and an upper feed conveyor that is disposed a fixed distance over and substantially aligned with a lower feed conveyor. The digital imaging system is configured to capture an image of the lettuce head and determine a cutting profile using the image. The cutting mechanism is disposed over the lower feed conveyor and includes: a servo motor mechanically coupled to a drive shaft; an armature with a pivot end mounted to the drive shaft and a sweep end disposed a radial distance from the pivot end; a cutting nozzle, mounted to the sweep end of the armature, configured to trim the lettuce head; and servo-control circuitry configured to articulate the cutting nozzle through a cutting arc based on the cutting profile.
US08549993B2
A food cooking device generally comprises two sections: a cooking section and a liquid removal section. The cooking section houses and/or heats liquid for cooking the food, and the liquid removal section is operable to reduce the liquid content of the food. The cooking device may further comprise a centrifugal liquid removal device locatable within the liquid removal section. The cooking device comprises a slidable drawer for moving the centrifugal liquid removal device into and out of a housing. A frame is disposed within the slidable drawer, and the frame houses the centrifugal liquid removal device. A translational motor moves the food from the cooking section to the liquid removal section when the slidable drawer positions the centrifugal liquid device in the housing. The cooking device further comprises a hinged door that is in a closed position when the centrifugal liquid removal device is in the housing.
US08549991B2
The invention concerns a nozzle (1) adaptable to the steam outlet of a coffee machine designed to froth a liquid, said nozzle is made in one single piece and comprises: an opening (3) for steam supply, a restriction (4) in the extension of said opening; and a flared zone (5) in the axis of said restriction and said opening providing an outlet for the liquid, having a cross-section substantially equal to the cross-section of the opening; and perpendicular to the opening a conduit (2) for supply of the liquid and an air inlet (40).
US08549986B2
An energy storage device a first member and a second member that is slidably engaged with the first member. There are at least two seals that slidably seal the first member to the second member and define a cavity therebetween that varies in volume with relative movement between the first member and the second member. The first member is biased toward the second member in a direction that resisted increases in volume of the cavity.
US08549985B2
A compressor reciprocates pistons via a wabble plate wabbled while being prevented from rotating. A wabble plate rotation preventing mechanism is constructed as a mechanism comprising an inner ring axially movable relative to a main shaft, an outer ring connected to the wobble plate, a plurality of balls placed between guide grooves of the inner and outer rings and performing power transmission, and a sleeve axially movably engaged with the inner ring, provided so as to be axially movable together with the inner ring, and functioning as a central member for wabbling of the wabble plate. A difference in shape is provided between the axial cross-sectional profile of a substantially concave spherical surface formed in the inner periphery of the outer ring and the axial cross-sectional profile of a substantially convex spherical surface formed on the outer periphery of the sleeve such that the closer to the axial opposite ends of the contact portion between both the surfaces the position is, the greater the clearance between the surfaces becomes. Seizure and abrasion in sliding sections in the wabble plate rotation preventing mechanism using a specified constant velocity universal joint are suppressed, and a wabble plate type variable displacement compressor exhibiting excellent durability and silent performance can be provided.
US08549976B2
An arrangement for storing and launching payloads. An elongate body includes at least one launch opening. The elongate body is configured to store the payloads in compartments. The compartments include openings. The arrangement is configured to be mounted on a vehicle with a longitudinal direction of the elongate body essentially coinciding with a direction of motion of the vehicle. The elongate body includes deflectors configured to act on an air stream and to permanently create an air covering layer across and over the compartment openings during use.
US08549973B2
A rotating blade for a cutting machine. The blade defines an arbor hole for an arbor typically having at least three sides. The preferred arbor hole includes first and second sides each of which conform to adjacent sides of the arbor, a short side joining the first and second sides, a third side connected to the first side, and a fourth side connecting the third side to the second side.
US08549962B2
A drive design for a fastening element in-stalled using screws, in particular, a screw or a nut, comprises drive surfaces (13) disposed at least approximately in radial planes and transition surfaces (15) disposed between said drive surfaces. In one embodiment of the outside of the surfaces, the surfaces form a saw shape, In this way, when rotation is in one direction in which a tool en-gages with the drive surfaces (13), torque-application results, whereas in the opposite rotational direction a force component is produced that acts on the tool without engaging with the screw drive design. A tool is designed to be complementary to the screw drive design. The screw drive design can be an inner shaping as well an outer shaping. The same applies for a nut. This drive design is intended for designing a screw connector in such a way that it can be tightened once, but cannot be loosened any longer.
US08549961B2
An adjustable wrench includes a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, and a handle, and a lock mechanism. The fixed jaw includes an adjusting mechanism and an abutting mechanism disposed therein. The adjusting mechanism includes a worm gear, with the worm gear rotatable about and movable along a fixing member. The abutting mechanism includes an abutting member pivotally fixed and including an end engagable with the worm gear. The movable jaw is engaged with the worm gear and moves linearly relative to the fixed jaw upon rotating the worm gear. The handle is pivotally fixed to the fixed jaw. The lock mechanism is installed between the fixed jaw and the handle and operable to a lock position a relative pivotal movement between the fixed jaw and the handle is obstructed and to an unlock position the fixed jaw and the handle are able to pivot relative to each other.
US08549956B2
A bicycle control device is basically provided with a base member, a shift control unit, a brake lever, a shift operating lever and a lever adjustment mechanism. The shift control unit is mounted to the base member. The brake lever is movably mounted relative to the base member. The shift operating lever is operatively coupled to the shift control unit to operate the shift control unit when the shift operating lever is moved from a rest position along a shift operating path. The shift operating lever is movable from the rest position along a non-shift movement path independently of the brake lever. The lever adjustment mechanism is operatively coupled to the shift operating lever to change a location of the rest position of the shift operating lever along the non-shift movement path.
US08549954B2
A bicycle shift control device comprises a control body supported by a mounting member and rotatable about a rotational axis (X), wherein the mounting member defines a handlebar mounting axis (HB); an operating body coupled for displacement between a home position and a shift position; a transmission which converts the displacement of the operating body into a rotational displacement of the control body; and an interface member movably mounted relative to the operating body. The interface member pivots around a pivot axis (P) for moving the operating body from the home position to the shift position, wherein the pivot axis (P) is inclined relative to a handlebar mounting axis (HB). The interface member also moves in a direction toward a plane (PL) that contains the handlebar mounting axis (HB) and is parallel with the rotational axis (X) when the operating body moves from the home position toward the shift position.
US08549950B2
A power supply unit for robots and a robot having the same. The power supply unit for robots supplies power to actuators installed within an arm, and includes a housing provided with at least two lines of bus bars in an inner reception space; and at least one power unit to branch off power transmitted to the bus bars through power supply lines.
US08549949B2
A backlash adjustment mechanism includes a first cylindrical gear fixed in an axial position, a second cylindrical gear moveable along the axis and meshed with the first cylindrical gear, and an elastic member biasing the second cylindrical gear towards the first cylindrical gear. The addendum modification coefficients in the first and second cylindrical gears are linearly changed along their axes, respectively, an end of the first cylindrical gear with higher addendum modification coefficient meshes with an end of the second cylindrical gear with correspondingly lower addendum modification coefficient, and an end of the first cylindrical gear with lower addendum modification coefficient meshes with an end of the second cylindrical gear with correspondingly higher addendum modification coefficient.
US08549939B2
Provided is a start control device capable of reducing power consumption during the driving operation of a starter motor, to thereby improve fuel efficiency of a vehicle. In the start control device, a motor drive torque estimating part (123) estimates a motor drive torque based on a battery voltage drop amount of a battery (107) that supplies an electric power to a motor (105). A start control part (122) turns off energization of a pinion pushing device (104) by a pinion driving part (120) when the motor drive torque estimated by the motor drive torque estimating part (123) is equal to or larger than a given value.
US08549938B2
With a certain pipeline, either buried or deposited on a sea/lake bottom, the formation of critical faults is determined and localized, which arise in the walls of the pipeline, or the development of an already localized fault is monitored, through sensors regularly distributed along the pipeline, and fixed to the same by means of a plate equipped with a pass-through hole in which the sensor is inserted.
US08549916B2
In an angular velocity sensor, a beam portion couples a pair of vibrators with each other and couples each of the vibrators to a substrate to enable the pair of vibrators to be movable in a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other. The driving portion vibrates the pair of vibrators in opposite phases in the first direction. The detecting portion detects displacement of the pair of vibrators in the second direction as a change in capacitance. The detecting portion includes first and second detecting electrodes. The restricting portion restricts displacement of the pair of vibrators in the second direction based on the change in capacitance. The restricting portion includes first and second restricting electrodes, and an electrode interval between the restricting electrodes is twice a width of the detecting electrodes in the second direction.
US08549906B2
A method of expanding a tubular downhole comprises mounting a sensing device in a downhole tubular to be expanded, expanding at least a portion of the tubular and then engaging the sensing device with a retrieving device. The sensing device is then translated through the expanded tubular.
US08549904B2
Disclosed herein is a device for measuring fluid dispense volumes including one or more wells adapted to receive a fluid; a tube having an internal passageway fluidly coupled to the one or more wells, wherein fluid in the wells passes into the internal passageway via capillary action to form a fluid column having a meniscus spaced from the wells; and a scale coupled to the tube, the scale calibrated to provide an indication of the volume of the fluid based upon the location of the meniscus in the fluid passageway.
US08549900B2
A time-course change (dM/dt) in the mass of air in an intake passage downstream of a throttle value is estimated through application of a mass conservation law to the air in the passage. A time-course change dTm/dt in the temperature of the air in the passage is estimated through application of an energy conservation law to the air in the passage. The pressure of the air in the passage is estimated on the basis of the mass of the air in the passage obtained through integration of dM/dt with respect to time, the intake air temperature obtained through integration of dTm/dt with respect to time, and a state equation applied to the air in the passage. Only the state equation includes a term regarding the volume of the passage. Therefore, it is possible to easily identify the volume while monitoring only a change in the intake air pressure.
US08549898B2
A sampling apparatus for sampling a fluid, the apparatus comprising a sensor and a flow regulator open to allow the continuous flow of fluid through the apparatus past the sensor.
US08549890B2
The invention refers to a method and a press tool for manufacturing a separating disk adapted to be included in a disk package of a centrifuge rotor of a centrifugal separator. The separating disk extends around an axis of rotation and has a tapering shape with an inner surface and an outer surface along the axis of rotation. A blank of a material is provided. A central opening is made in the blank. The blank is positioned in a charging position by means of a projecting central portion. The blank is pressed against the first tool part having a shape corresponding to the tapering shape of the separating disk.
US08549887B2
The invention relates to a textile product treating apparatus, in a particular washing machine (1) or a dryer, comprising a main body (4) of the apparatus including a washing and/or drying device; an ultrasonic cleaning device (30) comprising an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic wave emitting surface (36); and a treatment area (14) adapted to place a textile product to be treated thereon. According to the invention, the textile product treating apparatus is provided with a moveable tray (12), wherein the treatment area (14) is arranged on or over the moveable tray; and a moving mount connecting the movable tray (12) to the main body (4) and adapted to guide a movement of the moveable tray between a retracted position and a working position, wherein in the retracted position the moveable tray is retracted in the main body (4) and in the working position the tray is extending beyond the base area of the main body.
US08549882B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for forming complex edges on a glass member through the use of a glass slumping process are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, a method of forming a complex edge in a glass forming process includes grinding an edge of a glass member and polishing the edge of the glass member. Grinding the edge of the glass member causes the edge of the glass member to have a first level of complexity. The method also includes performing a slumping process on the glass member. Performing the slumping process causes the edge of the glass member to have a second level of complexity that is more complex than the first level of complexity.
US08549877B2
One embodiment of the present invention is a portable natural gas discharge system for discharging compressed natural gas into a receiving location. The system comprises a portable chassis for holding the natural gas discharge system and all subcomponents, an inlet port for receiving the natural gas at an inlet pressure higher than a pressure of the receiving location, an expansion valve for regulating pressure of the natural gas to a stable intermediate pressure, a heat exchanger for heating up the cooled natural gas stream as a result of cooling due to expansion, a regulator for regulating a flow of the heated natural gas stream through the heat exchanger and out of the portable natural gas discharge system, and a discharge port for discharging the heated natural gas stream into the receiving location.
US08549863B2
A fuel supply device includes a fuel supply pipe receiving fuel at a non-regulated pressure delivered by a pump, a device for measuring the flow rate of fuel in the pipe, a first controlled variable-restriction valve mounted in the supply pipe, a control system connected to the flow rate measurement device and to the first valve to control the valve to deliver fuel to the engine at a desired flow rate under normal operating conditions of the engine, a second controlled variable-restriction valve mounted in the supply pipe in series with the first valve, and a control for controlling the second valve to enable the engine to be supplied with fuel at an adjustable, reduced flow rate in response to detecting over-speed or over-thrust of the engine.
US08549859B2
A combustion apparatus in a gas turbine engine comprises a combustor shell for receiving air, a fuel injection system associated with the combustor shell, a first fuel supply structure, and a shield structure. The fuel supply structure is in fluid communication with a source of fuel for delivering fuel from the source of fuel to the fuel injection system and comprises a first fuel supply elements including a first section extending along a first path having a component in an axial direction and a second section extending from the first section along a second path having a component in a circumferential direction. The shield structure is associated with at least a portion of the second section of the first fuel supply element.
US08549848B2
The invention relates to a machinery arrangement, which comprises a combus-tion unit (3) arranged in an engine room (11), and an exhaust gas duct assem-bly (4) connected to the combustion unit (3) for receiving an exhaust gas flow and for leading the exhaust gas flow to the atmosphere through an exhaust gas cleaning system (5) provided with an exhaust gas pipe (52). In order to condi-tion the exhaust plume, the exhaust gas pipe (52) is arranged in an enclosure (114), whereby the enclosure (114) is arranged in flow connection with the en-gine room (11) in order to provide heat for the exhaust gas pipe (52) by means of a heated air flow from the engine room.
US08549836B2
A method for operating an exhaust system including at least one oxidation catalytic converter, at least one configuration for selective catalytic reduction and at least one measuring probe for determining the effectiveness of the configuration, includes at least determining a conversion effectiveness of the configuration using the at least one measuring probe and calculating an effectiveness of nitrogen monoxide conversion in the oxidation catalytic converter from the determined conversion effectiveness. In this way, an estimate of the effectiveness of the nitrogen monoxide conversion to nitrogen dioxide of an oxidation catalytic converter in the exhaust system can be obtained without additional measuring probes in or on the oxidation catalytic converter. This reduces the maintenance frequency of the exhaust gas system and at the same time enables precise regulation of the exhaust gas conversion as a whole. An exhaust system and a vehicle having an exhaust system are also provided.
US08549826B2
A robotic mower launch point system includes a user interface for an operator to enter a plurality of launch point locations, durations and frequencies, and a vehicle control unit that stores the locations, durations and frequencies, determines a sequence of launches based on the launch point frequencies, and commands the robotic mower to exit a charging station and follow a boundary wire to each launch point in the sequence where the robotic mower mows for that launch point's duration before returning to the charging station. The vehicle control determines the sequence based on the frequency of each launch point relative to a total of the launch point frequencies.
US08549823B2
Methods and machines are provided for forming a five-sided carton of packages of smoking articles. A piece of film material is applied to a plurality of packages of smoking articles such that five sides of the plurality of packages are at least partially covered by the film material, but the sixth side remains uncovered. The film material is applied such that the group of packages is sufficiently tightly bound so that none of the packages may slip free from the carton. The sixth side of the plurality of packages in the carton remains exposed so that tax stamps may be easily applied. The film of material may be applied so that a gap is formed relative to the sixth side.
US08549822B2
In one embodiment, a packaging machine includes a mechanism for compressing one or more sides of the bag to expel excess air from an open top end of the bag. In one embodiment, a packaging machine supports a top portion of a bag and a bottom portion of the bag, such that the bottom portion of the bag is moved closer to the top portion of the bag as the bag is moved from a first location to a second location. The bags may be supported from below such that additional support is provided during compression of the bag to remove excess air.
US08549799B2
A method of securing an elongate member in the ground which includes the steps of embedding the member within a matching size and shaped hole in the ground then ensnaring the member with a ground anchor that passes substantially through the member intersecting the member. The invention also applies to a member with a ground anchor positioned therein and also having a lightening nut.
US08549791B1
An improved gutter system which utilizes an anchored roof segment. The roof segment allows the attachment of a gutter body or a fascia cover via a ball and socket type joint. In order to make the system more aesthetically pleasing, a decorative molding of any color or shape may be attached to the front wall of the gutter body or the fascia cover. Preferably the decorative member resembles a crown molding commonly used in the construction industry; however, an infinite number of profiles are possible and only depend on the designer of the decorative member.
US08549788B2
A hydroponic growing system including a nutrient reservoir and a planting tray having a perimeter air channel for floating on a liquid in the reservoir. A continuous planting trough is included in the planting tray for growing multiple plants in an un-segmented arrangement which is defined by a series of laterally spaced support arms extending across and underneath an opening in a support plate for carrying plant growth materials. The planting tray floats in the reservoir so that a majority of the planting trough is disposed above the liquid in the reservoir to allow for lateral air root growth. A flexible flange is carrier around the perimeter of the planting tray engaging the reservoir to form a light barrier between the planting tray and the reservoir. An air line passes into the reservoir which is connected to an air pump for introducing air into the liquid in the reservoir.
US08549787B2
A lighting fixture for facilitating plant growth and a light emitting component. The fixture comprises a single light emission source LED device which provides at least two emission peaks in the wavelength range of 300-800 nm and at least one of the emission peaks has Full Width of Half Maximum (FWHM) at least 50 nm or higher. The emission peaks of the LED match well with a plant photosynthesis response spectrum and is therefore particularly suitable for high efficiency artificial lighting.
US08549781B2
A removable, non-permanent trigger extension that does not require gunsmithing and is operable with a firearm to provide a contact surface adapted to be manipulated by a user to actuate a trigger assembly of the firearm, wherein the contact surface is disposed a location spaced from a location of the trigger and a rifle stock operable with the trigger extension and the firearm.
US08549776B2
The interactive flap sensor activated greeting card of the present invention contains an audio module and a series of “window flaps” across the inside of the greeting card. When the greeting card is opened, a short audio prompt instructs the user to open a series of flaps inside the card to hear further audio messages or sound clips that correlate with the art work inside the card. When each flap is opened, a different audio file is played. The sound module is programmed to react to the card opening and then to trigger additional individual sounds each time one of the flaps of the card is opened. In another embodiment, the greeting card contains a series of flaps wherein opening one flap reveals another flap, and so on. Once the last flap is opened, a short audio recording is activated.
US08549775B2
A remotely operable latching system for securing an implement to a carrier mounted to a forward end of a lifting arm for pivoting about a horizontal tilt axis. The latching system is mounted to the carrier and includes a latching rod arrangement operated by an extensible and retractable linear electric motor between a retracted latching position and an extended unlatching position. A secondary latch arrangement is provided for rotating the latching rod arrangement to an arrested position preventing movement of the rod arrangement to its latching position once the latching rod is extended to its unlatching position. Movement of the rod arrangement to its arrested position is aided by a spring and by the electric motor. A microprocessor based control unit is coupled to the electric motor and acts in response to a boom height input signals to prevent operation of the motor when the boom is above a preset height.
US08549758B2
A coupling member can releasably couple a blade protector to a tool body of a gardening tool. The coupling member is movably and non-removably coupled to one of the tool body and the protector.
US08549753B2
Methods for the preparation of a pulling roll including a sleeve (800) and/or a cartridge (1330) are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for the change or repair of at least a portion of a heat resistant material of a pulling roll. Also disclosed are a sleeve and a cartridge for use with a pulling roll, each including a heat resistant material.
US08549746B2
The invention proposes a process for the surface treatment of aluminum in order to produce an electrical contact, and a corresponding component part, wherein an oxide layer on the aluminum surface is removed, for example by etching, in a first step and, in a second step, before an oxide layer is re-formed, the surface is sealed wet-chemically with a conversion layer having metal ions of zirconium or titanium.
US08549745B2
A process for fabricating process a circuit substrate having a base layer, a first patterned conductive layer, a dielectric layer, a conductive block and a second patterned conductive layer. The first patterned conductive layer is disposed on the base layer and has a first pad. The dielectric layer is disposed on the base layer and covers the first patterned conductive layer, wherein the dielectric layer has an opening and the first pad is exposed by the opening. The conductive block is disposed in the opening and covers the first pad. The second patterned conductive layer is disposed on a surface of the dielectric layer and has a second pad, wherein the second pad and the conductive block are integrally formed.
US08549732B2
A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient includes a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be repeatably placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The instruments may be precisely guided by positioning sensors near moveable portions of the instruments. Electrical sources may be electrically isolated from the patient.
US08549731B2
Ceramic inductors are made from stacked sheets of co-fired ceramic. At least one of the ceramic sheets has a slot with a conductor disposed in the slot. The conductor has a thickness equal to a thickness of the ceramic sheet containing the slot. The conductor has a large thickness (compared to prior art co-fired ceramic inductors) and therefore can carry large currents. The present ceramic inductor can be used in power electronics applications due to the ability to carry large currents. The present ceramic inductor preferably has an inductance that decreases with increasing current. A decreasing inductance characteristic tends to increase energy efficiency in a voltage regulator when the inductor is used as an output inductor. Specifically, the variable inductance tends to substantially increase energy efficiency at low current loads without adversely affecting efficiency at high loads.
US08549729B2
A method for fabricating a stator core and a back yoke of an outer rotor type BLDC motor in a direct coupling type washing machine, including the steps of providing a base metal of a circular electric sheet having a predetermined diameter, and punching the base metal to form a back yoke at a periphery of the base metal and divisional cores on an inside of the back yoke of the base metal at the same time, whereby forming the stator core and the back yoke at the same time reduces working hours and saves material.
US08549726B2
The present invention relates to a simple and easy to make snowman with a limited amount of snow. The system does not require the lifting of heavy snow balls, typically used in the making of a snowman, and provides for small children to be able to handle the snow without adult help. Further, this invention provides a quick and affective decorating system which can be reused and positioned securely anywhere on the figure.
US08549717B2
Methods are provided for manufacturing piezoelectric vibrating devices that do not contain any unwanted gas or water vapor inside the devices. In an exemplary method, a base wafer is prepared including multiple package bases each having a first main surface and a second main surface. The base wafer also includes a pair of through-holes disposed between adjacent package bases of the base wafer. A piezoelectric vibrating piece is placed on each package base. A lid wafer is prepared that includes multiple package lids. A sealing material is applied to the base wafer or lid wafer in peripheral bands used for bonding the bases and lids together and defines respective interior cavities. The band of sealing material includes a communicating groove that communicates from the inner cavity to the first through-hole. The base wafer and lid wafer are subject to heat and compression to effect bonding. Meanwhile, the cavities are allowed to ventilate through the communicating grooves and through-holes to ensure that the cavities have a desired vacuum level or inert gas contents before completion of sealing.
US08549716B2
A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator is provided. The method includes: forming a diffusion-preventive layer having an electrical conductivity on a partial surface thereof on a surface of a vibration plate formed of a metallic material; forming a piezoelectric layer on the surfaces of the diffusion-preventive layer and the vibration plate; forming an electrode in an area of the piezoelectric layer which overlaps the partial surface of the diffusion-preventive layer having the electrical conductivity; forming an extraction electrode in an area of the piezoelectric layer which does not overlap the diffusion-preventive layer; and heating the piezoelectric layer and the vibration plate after the piezoelectric layer is formed so as to diffuse metallic atoms of the metallic material of which the vibration plate is formed to the piezoelectric layer, thereby making the extraction electrode be in conduction with the partial surface of the diffusion-preventive layer having the electrical conductivity.
US08549714B1
A composite hook and loop fastener in the form of an elongated strip has an elongated loop component, a hook component permanently affixed to the loop component, and a backing layer disposed on a face of the wrap tie in a discrete region. The backing layer is used for permanent attachment of the wrap tie to a supporting surface. One end of the loop component is available for encircling an object to be wrapped and engaging the fastener elements of the hook component. The loop component has a self-supporting web of entangled fibers, the fibers forming both a sheet-form body and hook-engageable, free-standing loops extending from at least one surface of the body, and the hook component has fastener elements extending from a common base. The backing layer may be a pressure sensitive adhesive or a synthetic resin.
US08549713B2
A security zipper is provided, which includes a consumer side zipper pair and a product side zipper pair, where each zipper pair is capable of secure mating. Between the zipper pairs is an intermediate flange pair which is layered with an adhesive as well as an adhesive enhancer to securely connect the intermediate flange pair. A slider is provided over the consumer side zipper pair, the product side zipper pair and the intermediate flange pair which mates the zipper pairs and connects the intermediate flanges so that the zipper is securely closed. A bag is also disclosed, which includes the security zipper and a connected product side pouch. In addition, a method for manufacturing the bag is disclosed.
US08549708B1
A long stroke tilting hinge module for the portable terminal includes a main body which is vertically formed with an elongated hole-shaped moving hole; a cover which is slid and tilted on an upper surface of the main body; a main lever of which one end is hinged to the main body and the other end is rotatably hinged to the cover; a sub-lever of which one end is hinged to the main body and the other end is rotatably hinged to the cover; a moving shaft which is inserted into the moving hole so that one end of the sub-lever is hinged to the main body; a cam which is coupled to the moving shaft; a support member which is coupled to the main body and contacted with an outer surface of the cam; and a spring which presses the moving shaft toward the support member.
US08549703B2
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a motor coupled to a fan for generating air flow; a body with a handle; a dirty air duct with a dirty air inlet; a battery pack housing at least one rechargeable cell for powering the motor; and a dirt separating means located in a path of the air flow generated by the fan, wherein the dirt separating means comprises: a hollow substantially cylindrical dirt container with a longitudinal central axis; and an air inlet port to the dirt container, wherein the air inlet port is in communication with the dirty air duct and wherein the battery pack has a curvilinear or annular cross-sectional profile transverse to the central axis and a curvilinear inner wall embracing the dirt container.
US08549702B2
The present invention refers to a floor washing-drying machine, in particular of the drives-on-board kind, provided with at least a front driving and steering wheel (3), a pair of rear wheels (5), a brush-carrying head (4) positioned between the front driving wheel and the supporting axle of the rear wheels, and a wiping and vacuuming device (6) arranged behind the rear wheels. The brush-carrying head (4) is connected with the machine frame through a support and steering system of four-arm linkage type (X,Y,J,W; 17,19) which is driven by a gear steering device (11,12,14,15). The technical solution allows to solve efficiently the problem of collecting washing liquid and to dampen impacts of the machine against obstacles which it may encounter along its path.
US08549701B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body capable of standing and inclining, an electric blower accommodated in the cleaner body, a floor nozzle capable of cleaning a surface while the cleaner body inclines, a mode detector detecting whether the cleaner body stands or inclines, and a controller controlling a power supplied to the electric blower. The controller is operable to supply a first power the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body inclines, and to supply a second power lower than the first power to the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body stands. This vacuum cleaner prevents the electric blower from overheating.
US08549697B1
A spot cleaning apparatus has a housing, a fluid distribution system, a fluid recovery system, an agitation system, at least one UV light emitting element, an optional steam generator, and a controller to automatically monitor and control inputs and outputs to the systems for spot and stain removal and surface sanitization without attendance by a user. A suction nozzle, agitation machine, and optionally, at least one UV light emitting element are mounted to the housing for movement over the surface to be cleaned relative to a stationary housing. Optionally, the spot cleaning apparatus can be operated in manual mode.
US08549689B2
The present disclosure relates to a lawn sweeper designed to collect debris, such as grass clippings and leaves, from a surface such as a lawn, and more particularly to a lawn sweeper with a tilt-able hopper frame and hopper bag that includes a handle such that an operator may tilt the hopper frame and hopper bag, using the handle, to empty the hopper bag contents. The hopper bag and hopper frame are connected to a lawn sweeper unit using a hopper rod which is inserted into two slots at the ends of two hopper support bars and secured within the slots by two corresponding latch plates, one latch plate at each end of the two hopper support bars. The latching mechanism allows the hopper frame and hopper bag to be easily removed from the lawn sweeper unit for storage.
US08549688B2
A method for producing a shoe that can be adapted to the foot of a wearer, is made of hard, thermoplastic synthetic material and is worn for sports, includes heating a prefabricated shoe at least in sections and adapting the shoe by applying pressure from the outside and by shaping the heated area. The shoe is then cooled, a correction strip, which is made of a hard material and is taken from the foot, is introduced in to the prefabricated shoe and the heated shoe is pressed onto the correction strip by applying pressure. A strip correction and a shoe are also provided.
US08549687B1
A multi-function hand tool having a housing comprising two housing halves pivotally connected with disconnecting pliers. Each housing half contains a plurality of selectively removeable pivoting tools therein to perform a plurality of functions. Pliers having two releasable portion provides a pivotable connection between the two housing halves and are releasable to facilitate use of two tools simultaneously.
US08549684B2
A cushioning element has a first gelastic cushion element made from a flexible, resilient, gel cushioning media having shape memory. The first gelastic cushion element has a first hub section, and a first spoke and a second spoke. Each spoke has a proximal end that extends from the first hub section. Each distal end and the spoke area between the distal end and the proximal end does not interconnect to the other spoke, and/or a second gelastic cushion element having a second hub section and corresponding spokes. Each distal end is positioned near and/or contacts the second gelastic cushion element. At least one of the first hub section, the first spoke and the second spoke is capable of buckling beneath a protuberance that is located on the object.
US08549683B2
A cushioned head support device for safely and comfortably supporting a patient's head during procedures where the patient is positioned face down. The device affords easy access to the patient's face, providing multiple suitable openings for inserting medical devices as well as for viewing the patient. A mirror is provided so that medical personnel may view the patient's face conveniently and easily while working above the patient. The device is readily adjustable in multiple dimensions, providing for adjustment to accommodate any size face or head, as well as adjustments to raise or lower the height of the device or to tilt the device in any direction. The invention further comprises disposable cushions in various sizes to accommodate children as well as adults.
US08555406B2
A method and system for remote viewing of multimedia content using a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) is configured to duplicate multimedia content displayed on a first MCDN terminal device and route the duplicate multimedia content to a second MCDN terminal device. The MCDN terminal devices may be coupled to a local network at an MCDN client premises. The MCDN terminal devices may also include wireless telephony devices for mobile remote viewing functionality. The method may include transcoding of the multimedia content into a format suitable for the second MCDN terminal device.
US08555402B2
Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein for licensing applications using a preferred authorization process dynamically identified based on conditions associated with an initiation of an application. Authorization is then attempted using the preferred authorization process. In some examples, the preferred authorization process is selected from at least a keyless authorization process and a key-based authorization process.
US08555399B2
An information processing apparatus capable of preventing user's personal information from leaking even when transmission destination information managed in a user-specific address book is transferred to an apparatus users' shared address book. The apparatus is equipped with a function for managing destination information n on a destination indicative of an external apparatus to which data is to be transmitted. An apparatus users' shared address book area stored destination information available to any user. A user-specific address book area stores destination information which can be accessed only by a specific user. When the destination information stored in the user-specific address book is transferred to the apparatus users' shared address book in response to a user's operation, user's personal information included in the destination information is deleted before the transfer.
US08555396B2
Embodiments include a method, a computing device, and a computer program product. An embodiment provides a method implemented in a computing environment. The method includes receiving an indication of a selected watermark. The method also includes incorporating a human-perceivable manifestation of the selected watermark in each visual area of at least two human-visual areas displaying an output of an authorized program running in the computing environment.
US08555386B1
Instructions of an application program are emulated such that they are carried out sequentially in a first virtual execution environment that represents the user-mode data processing of the operating system. A system API call requesting execution of a user-mode system function is detected. In response, the instructions of the user-mode system function called by the API are emulated according to a second emulation mode in which the instructions of the user-mode system function are carried out sequentially in a second virtual execution environment that represents the user-mode data processing of the operating system, including tracking certain processor and memory states affected by the instructions of the user-mode system function. Results of the emulating of the application program instructions according to the first emulation mode are analyzed for any presence of malicious code.
US08555375B2
The invention relates to a configuration method for a control unit of a machine, the control unit having a data memory and being mounted in a machine control system having at least one already configured control unit with a data memory, the to-be-configured control unit communicating via a data connection with the already configured control unit of the machine control system and retrieving therefrom configuration data for its own configuration.
US08555371B1
The present invention is directed generally to systems and methods for management of nodes, such as multimedia communication endpoints and/or intermediary devices, residing across disparate networks. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for managing by a centralized management system nodes residing on disparate protected networks, such as for managing such operations as scheduling, configuring, updating software, etc., nodes such as multimedia communication endpoints (e.g., videoconferencing endpoint devices and/or other multimedia communication devices) and/or intermediary devices (e.g., routers, switches, hubs, etc.). Further, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for transmitting management data between a centralized management system and nodes on disparate protected networks without sacrificing security desired by each network and in a manner that is not administratively burdensome.
US08555370B2
A microchip for a computer configured to connect to at least one network of computers. The microchip includes at least a first internal hardware firewall configured to deny access to at least a first protected portion of said microchip from said network, and at least one general purpose microprocessor including at least two general purpose core or general purpose processing units. At least a first core or processing unit is located within the first protected portion of the microchip. At least a second core or processing unit is located within a second portion of the microchip that is not protected by at least said first internal hardware firewall. At least the second core or processing unit is separated from the first core or processing unit by at least the first internal hardware firewall and is located between at least the first internal hardware firewall and the at least one network.
US08555369B2
A kernel extension is configured to intercept a call to associate a socket with a port of a node in a network. The call originates from a kernel of the node. The kernel extension is configured to determine the port from the call. The kernel extension is configured to determine that the port is one of a plurality of ports for which the node has authority to modify firewall rules of a firewall of the network. The kernel extension is configured to modify firewall rules maintained by the firewall to allow communications for the port to the node through the firewall.
US08555362B2
Two factor LDAP authentication systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, implementation of a method for authenticating a user through a two factor process includes: at an LDAP proxy server, receiving a BIND request from a client, wherein the BIND request is for authenticating a user associated with a username to an LDAP server, and wherein the BIND request comprises a password comprising a first factor security code and a second factor security code; stripping the second factor security code from the password; reconfiguring the BIND request with the password that is stripped of the second factor security code; forwarding the reconfigured BIND request to the LDAP server for authentication of the username using the first factor security code; performing authentication of the second factor security code; and positively authenticating the username to the LDAP server when the first factor security code and the second factor security code are authenticated in connection with the username.
US08555358B2
A secure electronic payment system and method for conducting a secure transaction using voice authentication is provided. A merchant's computer transmits an authorization request to an access control server. The access control server places a telephone call to the purchaser and performs voice authentication to confirm the identity of the purchaser. The access control server then transmits a response to the merchant's computer. If the purchaser is authorized to access the account, payment is processed by the merchant and the transaction is completed.
US08555353B2
Methods and apparatuses for controlling access to computer systems and for annotating media files. One embodiment includes a method including generating a challenge to a user, wherein the challenge includes a verify part and a read part. The methods also includes prompting the user to solve both the verify part of the challenge and the read part of the challenge; receiving input from the user; determining if the input from the user relative to the verify part of the challenge corresponds with the known answer for the verify part of the challenge; and identifying the input from the user relative to the read part of the challenge as an answer to the read part of the challenge, if the input from the user relative to the verify part of the challenge corresponds with the known answer for the verify part of the challenge.
US08555339B2
A technique that identifies registered or guest users in web meetings of the type wherein users must follow a supplied URL to attend the meeting. Registered and guest users are provided different forms of the meeting invite URL. Each registered user receives a common web meeting link (a URL) that he must follow to join the meeting. This link forces the registered user to authenticate to the service when used. A guest user invitee receives a unique URL for the meeting that is generated with a nonce value associated with the guess user's contact information. The nonce value does not expose the contact information. To join the meeting, each registered user must follow the common web meeting link and authenticate to the service. True identities of the web meeting participants are displayed.
US08555338B2
The subject matter discloses a computerized apparatus having a processor configured for providing an access to an authentication token, the authentication token is generated by a remote computing device, wherein a link to the remote computing device is embedded in a message sent to the computerized apparatus. the apparatus comprises a message detecting module configured for detecting the message; a transmitting module configured for sending a request to the remote computing device for receiving the authentication token, wherein the request is according to the link being extracted; a downloading module configured for downloading the authentication token being returned from the remote computing device; a storing module configured for storing the authentication token downloaded by the downloading module in a storage of the computerized device; and an access module configured for accessing the authentication token, stored in the storage, according to predetermined rules.
US08555337B2
The present invention relates to fraud prevention and authentication of a device to a user. The method of authenticating a personal device according to the invention comprises a set up sequence, wherein at least a first preferred output format is selected by the user, and a device configuration verification sequence. In the device configuration verification sequence a checksum is calculated and converted to a user friendly output format based on the user selected preferred output format. In addition the checksum may be calculated based on variable, and user selectable, keying material. The personal device, after being authenticated according to the above, may be used to authenticate a second device.
US08555330B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Media Content Processor (MCP) having a controller to detect a communication device roaming into a personal area network, receive a communication identifier from the communication device, authenticate the communication device responsive to validating the communication identifier, and enable the communication device to manage operations of the MCP according to a profile of a subscriber of said communication device responsive to a successful authentication of said communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08555325B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are described for testing a data connection provided over a power supply line. A testing apparatus is coupled to a socket of the power supply line. The AC power supply line communicatively couples the testing apparatus to a communication device or another testing apparatus. The testing apparatus identifies the signal strengths of signals received by the testing apparatus and identifies the signal strengths of signals received by the communication device. The testing apparatus outputs an indicator of the first signal strength and the second signal strength to a user and this information may be utilized to detect noise or other problems in the data connection provided over the AC power supply line.
US08555321B2
An interactive media guidance system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. Options may be provided that allow the user to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all or selected channels for some or all episodes including reruns, new episodes, network or syndicated episodes, on all or only on selected days.
US08555311B2
Methods and devices for presenting guide listings and guidance data in three dimensions in an interactive media guidance application are provided. In some embodiments, methods for presenting guide listings and guidance data in three dimensions in an interactive media guidance application are provided, the methods comprising: presenting guide listings in a two-dimensional configuration; receiving a user selection of at least one of the guide listings in the two-dimensional configuration; identifying guidance data related to the selection; and presenting the guidance data so that the guidance data appears to be in a third dimension relative to the two-dimensional configuration.
US08555307B2
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US08555305B2
Providing a reward as an incentive for a person to become an audience member of at least one program being performed by reproduction equipment. A programming signal used for broadcasting the program with a programming signal source is encoded with discrete code signals, such that a preset number of the code signals occur within a given period of time, to produce an output signal which is broadcast. The broadcast output signal is received, and the code signals therein are detected. The number of the code signals detected while the person is an audience member of the at least one program is compared with predetermined reward issuance criteria. A reward is issued when the reward issuance criteria are met by the number of detected code signals.
US08555304B2
Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation are described herein. In an example method includes counting a first number of individuals proximate to a media presentation device, counting a second number of signals received from one or more portable devices, each of which is associated with a respective one of one or more monitored individuals, comparing the first number of individuals to the second number of signals, and determining a third number of unidentified ones of the individuals proximate to the media presentation device based on the comparison of the first number of individuals to the second number of signals.
US08555297B1
Described are techniques for performing remote procedure calls (RPCs). An RPC API is described which provides for using an optimized technique and an unoptimized technique for performing RPCs. The optimized technique includes a client container performing a call to obtain RPC configuration information which is then stored by the client container and may be used by the client container in connection with multiple RPC invocations. Techniques are also described for communicating parameter information between containers executing in different address spaces by forming parameter information on the client side using embedded lists, encoding the parameter information on the client side prior to transmission to the server, and transmitting the encoded parameter information to the server which determines output parameters and returns the output parameters to the client.
US08555296B2
A system and method for collecting runtime resource information generated by an active software application is provided and includes identifying an occurrence of a function event generated for a software application operating on a predetermined platform, determining a duration of a monitored function called in response to the function event, comparing the duration with a threshold to determine if the duration exceeds the threshold, wherein if the duration is greater than or equal to the threshold then collecting runtime resource information responsive to the monitored function and processing the runtime resource information responsive to the monitored function.
US08555292B2
Two threads may communicate via shared memory using two different modes. In a polling mode, a receiving thread may poll an indicator set by the sending thread to determine if a message is present. In a blocking mode, the receiving thread may wait until a synchronization object is set by the sending thread which may cause the receiving thread to return to the polling mode. The polling mode may have low latency buy may use processor activity of the receiving thread to repetitively check the indictor. The blocking mode may have a higher latency but may allow the receiving thread to enter a sleep mode or perform other activities.
US08555280B2
Provided is a terminal device having a VM-based layer structure for executing heterogeneous applications. The terminal device includes: an application layer module including a first application and a second application; a platform layer module connected to a terminal processor and configured to operate the first application; and a middleware module configured to connect the platform layer module and the second application.
US08555277B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for activating virtual machines in a virtual solution, including: for each virtual machine, activating activation items in a first activation item set independently of other virtual machines; and for at least one virtual machine, activating activation items in a second activation item set in coordination with activation of activation items of at least another virtual machine. There is further provided an apparatus for activating virtual machines in a virtual solution, including: a first activator for activating, for each virtual machine, activation items in a first activation item set independently of other virtual machines; and a second activator for activating, for at least one virtual machine, activation items in a second activation item set in coordination with activation of activation items of at least another virtual machine.
US08555275B1
A method and system are introduced to enable an application in a virtualized environment to communicate with multiple types of virtual servers (e.g., VMware ESX server, Microsoft Virtual Server, etc.), yet without making any source code change to the application. An interface is provided so that an application (e.g., a storage management application) running in a virtual machine is able to communicate with the underlying virtual server to receive information regarding some physical hardware that are not virtualized by the virtual server. For example, such physical hardware may be an iSCSI Host Bus Adapter (iSCSI HBA) or a Fiber Channel Protocol Host Bus Adapter (Fcp HBA). After receiving such information, the application can access the physical hardware to provide services to other applications, such as storage management services.
US08555267B2
A mechanism for performing register allocation based on priority spills and assignments is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes repetitively detecting fat points during a compilation process of a software program running on a virtual machine of a computer system, each fat point representing a program point having a high register pressure, the high register pressure occurs when a number of live program variables of the software program living at a given program point of the software program is greater than a number of available processor registers of the computer system. The method further includes choosing a fat point with a highest register pressure, selecting a live program variable having a lowest priority at the chosen fat point, and spilling the lowest priority live program variable to memory of the computer system.
US08555261B1
A system and method for parsing XML is provided. The method includes associating an input stream with a pull model parser, accepting requests to selectively parse out XML items from the input stream and retrieving metadata information associated with the parsed out XML items. The method further includes checking the pulled XML item to determine whether it conforms to XML syntax and/or semantic standards and validating the pulled XML item to determine whether it conforms to a selected DTD.
US08555260B1
In some embodiments, the execution of load and store instructions for internal fields of data structures is accelerated by using on-chip template registers and appropriate machine code instructions. A load/store machine code instruction comprises an identifier of a memory address offset of an internal field word relative to a base address of the data structure, an identifier of an intra-word start bit of the internal field, and an identifier of an intra-word length of the internal field. The three identifiers may coincide, for example if the three identifiers are represented by an identity of a template register storing a template entry including the memory address offset, the start position, and the field length. The three identifiers may also be provided as part of a machine code instruction itself. Further provided are compilers, compiler methods, and hardware systems for implementing accelerated internal-field load and store operations.
US08555258B2
A system, method, and computer program for analyzing code execution and software performance characteristics are disclosed. Samples of code during run-time or from crash logs can be displayed as both a top-down tree of calls from a particular function and a bottom-up tree of calls to the particular function. Data mining techniques, including filtering and focusing, remove code that is not of interest and display code that is more relevant to performance analysis. In particular, functions contained in libraries such as system libraries can be stripped from view. The cost associated with an excluded function can be propagated to a calling function, in either the top-down or bottom-up tree.
US08555256B2
A method and device for pass-by breakpoint setting and debugging. The pass-by breakpoint setting method comprises: receiving a breakpoint setting command; determining an instruction at a breakpoint in a source program code according to the breakpoint setting command; if one of the instruction at the breakpoint and an instruction prior to the instruction at the breakpoint is a relative jump instruction, setting an instruction duplicate, and setting the instruction at the breakpoint in the source program code as a first abnormal instruction.
US08555251B2
A signal processing apparatus for performing signal processing including a plurality of steps in data units by software signal processing includes signal processing modules performing the steps, a circuit configuration information storing and managing unit storing the signal processing modules and circuit configuration information, a signal processing order determining unit determining a signal processing order by performing path routing, a signal processing executing unit executing the signal processing in the determined order, and a circuit configuration changing unit changing circuit configuration information and causing the signal processing order determining unit to re-execute path routing to determine a signal processing order for the changed circuit configuration information during a period from the end of the software signal processing in the data unit to the beginning of the subsequent data unit. Software signal processing from the beginning of the subsequent data unit is performed with the changed circuit configuration.
US08555242B2
A Decentralized System Services (DSS) architecture defines a framework for building fault-tolerant distributed applications across decentralized and heterogeneous systems. DSS enables “complexity through composition” by defining distributed designs as compositions of limited function and observable services which may be quickly and dynamically assembled to perform higher level functions. DSS defines a standardized interaction between distributed services using sessionless, asynchronous communications with explicit failure semantics. Accounting for latency, failure and state management all become a natural part of the design process. DSS includes a runtime implementation for managing concurrent services—the Common Concurrency Runtime (CCR), a protocol for service interactions—the Web Services Application Protocol (WSAP), and a set of required service behaviors which provide for composibility, location independence, and fault tolerance—Distributed Protocol Oriented Programming (DPOP). DSS also includes a set of base level infrastructure services which make it easy to communicate, secure, distribute, debug, and store content across devices.
US08555238B2
Programming and development infrastructure for an autonomic element is provided. The system includes a control plane (ISAC), a host server, a management console, and a module development environment. The ISAC contains an Autonomic Controller Engine (ACE) and management module(s). The management module is comprised of a set of scenarios. The ISAC is embedded in a control plane.
US08555237B1
An apparatus and method for reporting design rule violations of an integrated circuit design includes collecting data from a design rule checker module, processing the data, and displaying design rule violations onto the layout. The display of the design rule violations may be interactive by including hypertext links to specifications, text bubbles with violation explanations, measurements, highlighting areas of the layout corresponding to a particular rule, and providing hierarchically expandable nodes for constraint violations in a browser.
US08555227B2
The invention concerns a computer implemented method of circuit conception of a clock tree (200) comprising: a plurality of pulse generators (202) each being coupled to the input of one or more pulsed latches and being arranged to generate a pulsed signal (PS); and a tree of buffers (204) for supplying a clock signal (CLK) to the pulse generators, the method comprising: the conception of the clock tree without pulse generators based on a timing analysis by the computer of the propagation of clock edges in the clock tree; and replacing by the computer in the clock tree at least one buffer, coupled to the input of each pulsed latch, by a pulse generator.
US08555224B2
The present disclosure provides a method of performing circuit simulation of electrical characteristics of a transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate using calculators, each of which includes a memory. A first calculator receives mask layout data and distance-dependent data indicating a distance from the target transistor. Then, a second calculator calculates an area ratio of a layout pattern of a predetermined mask from the received mask layout data, and calculates a parameter α based on the area ratio and the distance-dependent data. Then, the second calculator B calculates a change ΔP in the electrical characteristics of the transistor based on the parameter α. This configuration provides highly accurate circuit simulation of the electrical characteristics of the transistor, which depend on variations in temperature distribution of the semiconductor substrate during heat treatment due to the mask layout pattern around the transistor.
US08555223B1
Disclosed are methods and systems for providing a constraint-driven environment for implementing a physical design of an electronic circuit with automatic snapping. In some embodiments, the method identifies or creates an incomplete layout. The method identifies an object and constraints for the object. The method then identifies an approximate position for the object in the layout and automatically snaps the object to a drop location based on the approximate position while complying with relevant constraint(s). The method may further align an object with another object with some spacing in between in some embodiments. The method may also perform automatic layer-to-layer snapping between two sets of objects such as cell instances, each having at least one object on multiple layers.
US08555222B2
The invention provides a method for performing statistical static timing analysis using a novel on-chip variation model, referred to as Sensitivity-based Complex Statistical On-Chip Variation (SCS-OCV). SCS-OCV introduces complex variation concept to resolve the blocking technical issue of combining local random variations, enabling accurate calculation of statistical variations with correlations, such as common-path pessimism removal (CPPR). SCS-OCV proposes practical statistical min/max operations for random variations that can guarantee pessimism at nominal and targeted N-sigma corner, and extends the method to handle complex variations, enabling graph-based full arrival/required time propagation under variable compaction. SCS-OCV provides a statistical corner evaluation method for complex random variables that can transform vector-based parametric timing information to the single-value corner-based timing report, and based on the method derives equations to bridge POCV/SSTA with LOCV. This significantly reduces the learning curve and increases the usage of the technology, being more easily adopted by the industry.
US08555218B2
An abstract decision module primitive for placement within a logical representation (i.e., a netlist) of a circuit design is described. The decision module primitive receives as inputs alternative solutions for a given function or segment of a netlist. The alternative solutions include functionally equivalent, but structurally different implementations of the function or segment of the netlist. The decision module primitive alternatively selects between connecting one of the inputs to the netlist to provide a complete functional definition for the netlist based on constraint information. The selected input of the decision module may be updated as additional constraint information is determined throughout the various stages of the design process. In addition, alternative solutions for a given function or segment of the netlist may be added to and/or removed from the inputs of a decision module as additional constraint information is identified.
US08555212B2
Techniques are disclosed for modifying an existing microdevice design to improve its manufacturability. With these techniques, a designer receives manufacturing criteria associated with data in a design. The associated design data then is identified and provided to the microdevice designer, who may choose to modify the design based upon the manufacturing criteria. In this manner, the designer can directly incorporate manufacturing criteria from the foundry in the original design of the microdevice.
US08555210B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for a stochastic model of mask process variability of a photolithography process, such as for semiconductor manufacturing. In one embodiment, a stochastic error model may be based on a probability distribution of mask process error. The stochastic error model may generate a plurality of mask layouts having stochastic errors, such as random and non-uniform variations of contacts. In other embodiments, the stochastic model may be applied to critical dimension uniformity (CDU) optimization or design rule (DR) sophistication.
US08555207B2
Enhanced input using recognized gestures, in which a user's gesture is recognized from first and second images, and a representation of the user is displayed in a central region of a control that further includes interaction elements disposed radially in relation to the central region. The enhanced input also includes interacting with the control based on the recognized user's gesture, and controlling an application based on interacting with the control.
US08555201B2
A wireless communication device that has one or more applications resident on a computer platform, a wireless communication interface, a display, and a user interface that, at least, appears on the display and through which a user of the wireless communication device interacts with the computer platform. The display is configured to be selectively controlled by the specific user interfaces of one or more applications resident on the computer platform, and the one or more applications and/or an arbiter that is resident on the computer platform will determine which user interface of the one or more applications resident on the computer platform controls the display based upon a predetermined criteria when the user interfaces compete for control of the display.
US08555197B2
An information-processing device stores information as assignment information to assign associated hardware or software to each window that displays processing details of an application. An association between a window and hardware or software is different for each application (in other words, for each window). If plural overlapping windows are displayed, the information-processing device determines a window to be displayed in the foreground, on a basis of the association. For example, in a case where window w1 of a game and window w2 of another game overlap each other, if the information-processing device has hardware or software associated with game A, window w1 is displayed at the front; and meanwhile if the device has hardware or software associated with game B, window w2 is displayed at the front.
US08555181B2
Methods and systems for constructing rules enable a simultaneous display of multiple windows on a display screen of a computer system. The multiple windows include a first window configured as a library and a second window configured as a canvas. Custom configuration of tiles in the library is enabled, and each tile corresponds to a term. Further, selection of the tiles from the library for placement in the canvas is enabled, and the placement reflects a logical statement, which corresponds to one or more instructions capable of being executed by a computer to perform a business function.
US08555180B2
A new peripheral architecture is provided that allows a UI document to be embedded into a peripheral. The UI document is sent to a portable media player when the peripheral is plugged into the portable media player. The portable media player interprets this UI document to allow a user to interact with the accessory. The peripheral does not interpret this UI document but it does respond to interactions with the portable media player as the portable media player interprets the documents in response to user interactions.
US08555171B2
A portable virtual input control device and a method thereof are provided, which can achieve a purpose of human-machine interaction and remote control. The portable virtual input control device comprises a main body, an operation interface display unit connected to the main body, an image capturing module adjacent to the main body, and a central processing module, built in the main body. The operation interface display unit is movably disposed in front of a head of the user for displaying an operation interface corresponding to a controlled device. The image capturing module captures a position image of a hand of the user outside the operation interface display unit. The central processing module transmits display data to the operation interface display unit to display the operation interface, and connected to the image capturing module for receiving the position image of the hand of the user captured by the image capturing module, and determining a control command input by the user according to the display data and the position image of the hand of the user.
US08555170B2
Some embodiments provide a storyboard tool for displaying and editing a storyboard representation of a set of clips that forms a composite presentation in a media-editing application. For the set of clips in a composite display area, the tool displays a set of thumbnails corresponding to the clips in a storyboard display area. Each thumbnail in the storyboard display area respectively represents a particular clip of the composite presentation and is respectively associated with the particular clip in the composite display area. The tool allows a user to visualize the entire context of the composite presentation as a storyboard representation of the clips in the composite display area. Some embodiments provide for non-destructive editing that modify the order of the thumbnails in the storyboard display area without affecting the clips in the composite display area. The storyboard tool can synchronize the edited order of clips to the composite display area.
US08555164B2
The present invention, a method for a customizing and determining how a multimedia character or avatar is animated. The method provides a user with interaction with the avatar that involves animation of the face of the multimedia character. In addition, the method further comprises offering the multimedia character or avatar with a default setting for a mechanism of muscle movement and interacting with the mechanism of muscle movement. Further, the method is preferably used in a stand-alone mode and with multimedia communication, such as Internet, email and wireless applications. Furthermore, the method comprises a set rules and intelligent systems for analyzing, displaying and capturing messages and alerting the user to these messages in real time.
US08555160B2
A file editing apparatus is provided that edits a color-image processing file in which limitations can be imparted on the display of edit history information that corresponds to a new shooting mode. The apparatus includes an editing unit that edits a color processing file; a display control unit; and a storage unit that stores the color-image processing file including edit history information of the color processing file edited by the editing unit, and edit history display control information for the display control unit to control display of the edit history information.
US08555152B2
An electronic pasting method for pasting electronic data in consideration of printed and written data, including updating pasted data when electronic data is updated after it is pasted. The electronic pasting method uses a detecting unit and a paste information updating unit. The detecting unit detects a paste stroke made over two print sheets filled to denote a user's pasting action with which part or whole of a printed matter of electronic document information is pasted on printed matter, then detects the pasting action from a set of paste strokes, thereby obtaining a paste-from document, a paste-to document, and a paste position according to the pasting action detected by the detecting unit. The paste information updating unit updates the e-document, the printed matter information, and the written information according to the above paste information.
US08555149B2
Systems and methods for protecting DSL systems against impulse noise are provided. Disclosed herein are example embodiments of a retransmission technique located above the gamma interface (i.e., in the network processing layer). Such a retransmission technique can be combined with standard RS coding with standard erasure-decoding & triangular interleaving at the PMS-TC layer. Example embodiments of the technique involve using the RS code to protect against REIN noise, and using γ-layer retransmission for protecting against error events not corrected by the RS code, e.g. a SHINE noise in the presence of REIN. Both techniques are used jointly in the case of combined REIN and SHINE noise.
US08555142B2
A method for verifying integrity of data stored in dispersed storage memory begins by a processing module retrieving integrity information of the data that is stored as a set of forward error correction (FEC) encoded words in the dispersed storage memory and continues with the processing module receiving FEC encoded words of the set of FEC encoded words from the dispersed storage memory to produce received FEC encoded words and decoding a unique subset of the received FEC encoded words to produce recovered data. The method continues with the processing module generating recovered integrity information from the recovered data and comparing the recovered integrity information with the integrity information. The method continues with the processing module indicating that at least one of the received FEC encoded words of the unique subset of the received FEC encoded words is corrupt when the recovered integrity information compares unfavorably with the integrity information.
US08555130B2
A method begins by a processing module receiving a write request that includes a batch of encoded data slices and a corresponding batch of slice names, wherein the batch of encoded data slices includes encoded data slices that have slices names that have a common data object storage name, a common slice storage name, and a different data segment storage name. The method continues with the processing module determining whether a storage file exists based on the common data object storage name. The method continues with the processing module creating the storage file based on the common data object storage name when the storage file does not exist. The method continues with the processing module storing the batch of encoded data slices in the storage file based on the corresponding batch of slice names.
US08555113B2
A method includes receiving a problem report from a customer via an access interface of a plurality of access interfaces at a first horizontal layer of a problem management system, wherein the problem report indicates that the customer is having a problem with one of the network-based services, receiving a request from the customer for self-service problem resolution via the access interface, identifying a workflow related to the problem, obtaining the workflow from a second layer of the problem management system, providing a diagnostic tool to the customer via the access interface, according to the workflow, and providing the diagnostic tool to an agent via another access interface after the customer contacts the agent.
US08555108B2
A disk drive system and method capable of dynamically allocating data is provided. The disk drive system may include a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage, for example a page pool of storage that maintains a free list of RAIDs, or a matrix of disk storage blocks that maintain a null list of RAIDs, and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller. The RAID subsystem and disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. The RAID subsystem and disk manager determine whether additional disk drives are required, and a notification is sent if the additional disk drives are required. Dynamic data allocation and data progression allow a user to acquire a disk drive later in time when it is needed. Dynamic data allocation also allows efficient data storage of snapshots/point-in-time copies of virtual volume pool of storage, instant data replay and data instant fusion for data backup, recovery etc., remote data storage, and data progression, etc.
US08555105B2
The method determines whether a particular node of a high availability cluster is functioning properly or is a failed node. The method dumps node process state information as a dump data for the failed or crashed node in a shared storage area of the high availability cluster. A high availability cluster manager identifies the dump data that corresponds to the failed node as the most recent dump data for that failed node. The high availability cluster manager interrogates the dump data using kernel debugger services to identify a process trace and thereby identify the crash-causing application for the failed node. The method determines if the dump data includes a process match for the failed node process. The high availability cluster manager may initiate a crash-causing application notification to administrators or other entities of the high availability cluster. The method provides relocation and restoration capability of applications from the failed node to a fallover node and returns those application resources to the user and other entities using the high availability cluster.
US08555102B2
A method for managing the operation of an information sensor for a meter, includes putting the sensor into a deep standby mode, in which a battery of the sensor does not supply electrical power in particular to a module for demodulating signals from the meter; connecting the sensor to the meter; detecting, using a detection module of the sensor, an information signal from the meter; removing the sensor from the deep standby mode in order to put same into an operative mode in which the battery supplies electrical power in particular to the demodulation module.
US08555099B2
Many computing device may now include two or more graphics subsystems. The multiple graphics subsystems may have different abilities, and may, for example, consume differing amount of electrical power, with one subsystem consuming more average power than the others. The higher power consuming graphics subsystem may be coupled to the device and used instead of, or in addition to, the lower power consuming graphics subsystem, resulting in higher performance or additional capabilities, but increased overall power consumption. By transitioning from the use of the higher power consuming graphics subsystem to the lower power consuming graphics subsystem, while placing the higher power consuming graphics subsystem in a lower power consumption mode, overall power consumption is reduced.
US08555098B2
A circuit block operates while receiving a clock from an external circuit. A load balance circuit is connected to a shared power supply terminal together with the circuit block, and provides predetermined power consumption. A clock detection unit detects input of the clock from an external circuit. When the clock detection unit detects stopping of input of the clock, the load balance circuit is switched to the active state.
US08555085B2
Methods, computer-readable media, and systems for enhancing useability of mobile devices that securely store data. An input to transfer a computer software application executing on a mobile device from a foreground state of the mobile device to a background state of the mobile device is received. In response, noise data based on application data associated with the application is generated. Both the application data and the noise data are encrypted using the same encryption mechanism, but using different keys. When another input to transfer the application from the background state to the foreground state is received, then the encryption mechanism is executed on the application data and the noise data using a key requested in response to the other input. The application is transferred to the foreground state if the received key matches the key with which the application data was previously encrypted. Other items of data are discarded.
US08555072B2
A method and apparatus for attesting the configuration of a computing platform to a verifier. A signature key (SK) is bound to the platform and bound to a defined configuration of the platform. A credential (C(SK), CDAA(SK)) for the signature key (SK) is obtained from an evaluator. This credential (C(SK), CDAA(SK)) certifies that the signature key (SK) is bound to an unspecified trusted platform configuration. The platform can then demonstrate to the verifier the ability to sign a challenge from the verifier using the signature key (SK), and demonstrate possession of the credential (C(SK), CDAA(SK)) to the verifier, thereby attesting that the platform has a trusted configuration without disclosing the platform configuration to the verifier.
US08555067B2
Methods and apparatus enabling programming of electronic identification information of a wireless apparatus. In one embodiment, a previously purchased or deployed wireless apparatus is activated by a cellular network. The wireless apparatus connects to the cellular network using an access module to download operating system components and/or access control client components. The described methods and apparatus enable updates, additions and replacement of various components including Electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) data, OS components. One exemplary implementation of the invention utilizes a trusted key exchange between the device and the cellular network to maintain security.
US08555060B2
A managing method for an application program is disclosed, which includes that: a first terminal converts a file of a specified application program stored by the first terminal per se into an intermediate file in a predetermined intermediate format, wherein the intermediate format can be identified by other terminals having a running environment of the application program (S101); and the first terminal performs backup management on the specified application program by storing the intermediate file into a specified storage location, so as to enable a second terminal to recover the application program that has been made a backup, wherein both the second terminal and the first terminal have the running environment of the application program (S103). A managing device for an application program and a terminal are further disclosed. By means of the solution of the disclosure, performing universal backup management on an application program is realized, such that terminals that need to recover the application program convert a file in the intermediate format into a format required by each terminal, so as to recover and normally use the application program.
US08555044B2
A method to lock an electronic device comprising an operating system comprises placing the electronic device in a disable state in which the processor is blocked from accessing the operating system, receiving a first unlock password from a remote source during a power-up operation of the electronic device, and placing the electronic device in a temporary unlock state which allows the processor to boot the operating system for a predetermined period of time when the first unlock password matches a password stored in the electronic device. Other embodiments may be described.
US08555043B1
Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer-readable media for customizing a computer system firmware image utilizing a firmware configuration data structure. At least one firmware configuration data structure is created in a firmware image. Each data structure contains configuration data stored within a data field. A data structure signature identifying the data structure is stored within a data field of the data structure. A pointer to the configuration data within the data structure is stored in at least one firmware program module. An application may search for a firmware configuration data structure according to the data structure signature and content signatures corresponding to specific data entries, retrieve the applicable data structure and data entry, and store modifications to data stored therein.
US08555040B2
In one embodiment, a processor implements an indirect branch target predictor to predict target addresses of indirect branch instructions. The indirect branch target predictor may store target addresses generated during previous executions of indirect branches, and may use the stored target addresses as predictions for current indirect branches. The indirect branch target predictor may also store a validation tag corresponding to each stored target address. The validation tag may be compared to similar data corresponding to the current indirect branch being predicted. If the validation tag does not match, the indirect branch is presumed to be mispredicted (since the branch target address actually belongs to a different instruction). The indirect branch target predictor may inhibit speculative execution subsequent to the mispredicted indirect branch until the redirect is signalled for the mispredicted indirect branch.
US08555038B2
A processor including instruction support for large-operand instructions that use multiple register windows may issue, for execution, programmer-selectable instructions from a defined instruction set architecture (ISA). The processor may also include an instruction execution unit that, during operation, receives instructions for execution from the instruction fetch unit and executes a large-operand instruction defined within the ISA, where execution of the large-operand instruction is dependent upon a plurality of registers arranged within a plurality of register windows. The processor may further include control circuitry (which may be included within the fetch unit, the execution unit, or elsewhere within the processor) that determines whether one or more of the register windows depended upon by the large-operand instruction are not present. In response to determining that one or more of these register windows are not present, the control circuitry causes them to be restored.
US08555036B1
A system includes a processor having an instruction register for storing an instruction having a predefined opcode, a predicate register for storing a predicate condition to select an output register for a result of the instruction, a first output register, and a second output register. The processor further includes processor circuitry operable to execute the instruction to produce a result, and processor circuitry operable to store the result of the instruction in the first output register if the predicate condition to select the output is true, and to store the second output register if the predicate condition to select the output is false. A single instruction is used to produce the result, and to store the result of the instruction.
US08555034B2
A processing unit executes a vector width instruction in a program and the processing unit obtains and supplies the width of an appropriate vector register that will be used to process variable vector processing instructions. Then, when the processing unit executes variable vector processing instructions in the program, the processing unit processes the variable vector processing instructions using the appropriate vector register with the instructions having the same width as the appropriate vector register. The width that the processing unit obtains may be less than an actual width of the appropriate vector register and may set by the processing unit. In this way, many different vector widths can be supported using a single set of instructions for vector processing. New instructions are not required if vector widths are changed and processing units having vector registers of differing widths do not require different code.
US08555033B2
A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for extending operations of an application in a data processing system. A primary operation is executed. All extended operations of the primary operation are cached and pre and post operation identifiers are identified. For each pre operation identifier, a pre operation instance is created and executed. For each post operation identifier, a post operation instance is created and executed.
US08555030B2
A device identifies array accesses of variables in a program code that includes multiple arrays, and identifies array access patterns for one of the array accesses. The device also determines an order of the array access patterns identified for the array accesses, and calculates, based on the order, distances between the array access patterns. The device further shares address calculations amongst the array accesses associated with array access patterns with one or more of the distances that are equivalent.
US08555027B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory controlling device includes a write control unit that writes a predetermined number of pieces of first data and redundant information calculated by using the predetermined number of pieces of the first data and used for correcting an error in the first data into different semiconductor storage drives, respectively; a constructing unit that constructs a storage area for storing therein a table by using driver information, the table showing an association between a logical address and a physical address of the first data and identification information for associating the predetermined number of pieces of first data with the redundant information; and a table controlling unit that stores, into the storage area, the table associated with the identification information, the physical address and the logical address of the predetermined number of pieces of the first data, and a physical address of the redundant information.
US08555023B2
Methods and systems for managing large write-once tables are described. In some embodiments, a relational database management system includes a space allocation module that utilizes both a logical space allocation scheme, as well as a physical space allocation scheme, to allocate space in units (e.g., pages) having two different sizes—small pages and big pages. For instance, small pages are logically allocated with a conventional converter module, which manages a converter table for mapping logical pages to physical pages, while big pages are physically allocated with an object directory manager, which manages big objects comprised of big pages.
US08555020B2
In a method for reclaiming space occupied by an expired variable record in a non-volatile record storage, a reclaim state data that includes a state of a reclaim operation is maintained. In addition, the state of the reclaim operation is marked to indicate a progress of the reclaim operation at a plurality of stages of the reclaim operation. The reclaim operation is implemented by sliding, one section at a time, the data in a first direction along the plurality of sections and by sliding, one section at a time, the variable records, excluding the expired variable record, in a second direction along the plurality of sections, to thereby remove the expired variable record.
US08555019B2
Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for using a migration cache to cache tracks during migration. Indication is made in an extent list of tracks in an extent in a source storage subject to Input/Output (I/O) requests. A migration operation is initiated to migrate the extent from the source storage to a destination storage. In response to initiating the migration operation, a determination is made of a first set of tracks in the extent in the source storage indicated in the extent list. A determination is also made of a second set of tracks in the extent. The tracks in the source storage in the first set are copied to a migration cache, wherein updates to the tracks in the migration cache during the migration operation are applied to the migration cache. The tracks in the second set are copied directly from the source storage to the destination storage without buffering in the migration cache. The tracks in the first set are copied from the migration cache to the destination storage. The migration operation is completed in response to copying the first set of tracks from the migration cache to the destination storage and copying the second set of tracks from the source storage to the destination storage, wherein after the migration the tracks in the extent are located in the destination storage.
US08555011B1
A method of and apparatus for arbitrating a memory access conflict to a memory array. The apparatus may include selection logic coupled with a plurality of ports and a memory array to arbitrate among a plurality of contending memory access requests and to conditionally block write data from accessing the memory array when write data arrives late in time.
US08555004B2
It is desired to reduce the danger of leakage of data stored in a logical storage device. A storage system has a detection unit and a security processing unit. The detection unit detects a system change, during which it is not possible to perform I/O for a first logical storage device, among a plurality of logical storage devices in the storage system. And the security processing unit takes this type of system change as the opportunity for performing security processing, i.e. formatting or shredding, upon the first logical storage device.
US08555002B2
Main memory is managed by receiving a command from an application to read data associated with a virtual address that is mapped to the main memory. A memory controller determines that the virtual address is mapped to one of the symmetric memory components of the main memory, and accesses memory use characteristics indicating how the data associated with the virtual address has been accessed, The memory controller determines that the data associated with the virtual address has access characteristics suited to an asymmetric memory component of the main memory and loads the data associated with the virtual address to the asymmetric memory component of the main memory. After the loading and using the memory management unit, a command is received from the application to read the data associated with the virtual address, and the data associated with the virtual address is retrieved from the asymmetric memory component.
US08555001B2
A cache memory includes: a plurality of MSHRs (Miss Status/Information Holding Registers); a memory access identification unit that identifies a memory access included in an accepted memory access request; and a memory access association unit that associates a given memory access with the MSHR that is used when the memory access turns out to be a cache miss and determines, on the basis of the association, a candidate for the MSHR that is used by the memory access identified by the access identification unit.
US08554999B2
A method, computer readable medium, and system for generating a response includes determining from which of a plurality of levels of cache to retrieve a response. The determination is based on a number of matches between current user session data associated with a current request and stored user session data rewritten into each of one or more metadata data variables for the response when a current request for the response matches at least one prior stored request for the response. The response from the determined level of the plurality of levels of cache is provided.
US08554998B2
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for managing digital media in a memory storage device associated with a mobile smart device are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for configuring a rewriteable non-volatile memory for presentation of media by a selected media presentation device model. The method includes providing a rewriteable non-volatile memory configuration interface through which a user can select at least one media file and one of a plurality of media presentation device models. and providing a rewriteable non-volatile memory configuration manager, which, in response to selection of the at least one media file and the one media presentation device model via the configuration interface, accesses a database including entries corresponding to the plurality of media presentation device models and configures a rewriteable non-volatile memory according to information retrieved from the database to allow presentation of the at least one media file when the rewriteable non-volatile memory is present in the selected media presentation device model.
US08554993B2
Distributed content storage and retrieval is disclosed. A set of features associated with a content object is determined. A storage location is selected to perform an operation with respect to the content object, from a plurality of storage locations comprising a distributed content storage system, based at least in part on probability data indicating a degree to which the selected storage location is associated statistically with a feature comprising the set of features determined to be associated with the content object.
US08554991B2
An interface for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) includes an interface element coupled to a DRAM chip using a first attachment structure, a first portion of the first attachment structure being used to form a wide bandwidth, low speed, parallel interface, a second portion of the first attachment structure, a routing element and a through silicon via (TSV) associated with the DRAM chip being used to form a narrow bandwidth, high speed, serial interface, the interface element configured to convert parallel information to serial information and configured to convert serial information to parallel information.
US08554989B2
A method according to one embodiment includes gathering information about monitor data from a plurality of memory devices having finite endurance and/or retention, the monitor data being (i) data of known content stored in dedicated memory cells of known write cycle count, and (ii) write protected for preventing the monitor data from being overwritten with user data; analyzing the monitor data information; and taking an action relating to at least one of the devices based on the analyzing. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also disclosed.
US08554978B2
An automation appliance (6) having at least one field bus interface (12) for connection to a field bus (2) and transmission of data packets (DP) with process data (PD) via the field bus (2) and having at least one local bus interface (21) for connection to a local bus (7) and transmission of process data (PD) between field devices (9a, 9b, 9c) connected to the local bus (7) and the automation appliance (6), and having means for converting the data packets (DP) coming from the field bus (2) into a data stream (DS) for the local bus (7) and for converting the data stream (DS) sent from the local bus (7) to the automation appliance (6) into data packets (DP) for the field bus (2) is described. The automation appliance (6) has an acceleration unit (10) for selecting process data (PDS) that are to be converted in accelerated fashion and for separately converting the selected process data (PDS), which acceleration unit is set up such that the selected process data (PDS) are output at an earlier time than unselected process data (PDN) which are transmitted as well in combination with the selected process data (PDS).
US08554976B2
A method for processing an incoming command destined for a target is provided, comprising: determining if the incoming command is a data command or a management command; forwarding the incoming command to a storage management component of the target when the incoming command is a management command; when the incoming command is a data command: determining if a disk command queue on the target is full; sending the incoming command to the disk command queue when the disk command queue is not full; when the disk command queue is full: starting a timer, the timer having a predetermined length; sending the incoming command to the disk command queue when the disk command queue becomes not full prior to the expiration of the timer; and sending a rejection of the incoming command to the host only if, upon expiration of the timer, if the disk command queue is still full.
US08554975B2
There is disclosed a mass storage device (such as a hard disk drive) comprising an input connector for electrically receiving both a first set of data signals and a second set of data signals. The first set of data signals are used to store or retrieve information on the mass storage device, whereas the second set of data signals are electrically conducted to an output connector on the mass storage device. When an adjacent mass storage device is connected to the output connector, the second set of data signals are used to store or retrieve information on this adjacent mass storage device.
US08554972B2
A logic chip has a plurality of individually-addressable resource blocks, each comprising logic circuitry. The logic chip also has a bus comprising a plurality of bus information lines. A first of the resource blocks has a coupling between a first strict sub-set of the bus information lines and the logic circuitry of the first resource block. A second of the resource blocks, which is adjacent to the first resource block, has a coupling between a second strict sub-set of the bus information lines and the logic circuitry of the second resource blocks. The first and second sub-sets have different bus lines.
US08554969B2
An electronic device includes an enclosure and a motherboard arranged at a middle portion in the enclosure. A first conversion card and a second conversion card are electrically connected to the motherboard. A first expansion card is electrically connected to the first conversion card and above the motherboard. A second expansion card is electrically connected to the second conversion card and below the motherboard.
US08554966B2
A method for data exchange via a bus system, wherein an amount of data determined for data exchange is composed of a plurality of data packets, which data packets are to be transmitted in a predetermined sequence from a second participant of the bus system to a first participant of the bus system, wherein, for data exchange, a first data query is sent from the first participant to the second participant, and wherein, as a reply to the first data query, a first data packet is sent from the second participant to the first participant. Especially after the first participant has received the first data packet, a second data query is sent from the first participant to the second participant via the bus system, and as a reply to the second data query, a second data packet is sent from the second participant to the first participant. The second data packet is either the first data packet or a data packet following the first data packet in the predetermined sequence. The first and the second data query contains, in each case, a parameter with a first or a second parameter value, and in the case in which the parameter values of the first and second data query agree, the first data packet is sent, while, in the case in which the parameter values of the first and second data query differ, the data packet following the first data packet in the predetermined sequence is sent.
US08554963B1
A system and method for clients, a control module, and storage modules to participate in a unified address space in order to and read and write data efficiently using direct-memory access. The method for reading data includes determining a first location in a first memory to write a first copy of the data, a second location in a second memory to write a second copy of the data, where the first memory is located in a first storage module including a first persistent storage and the second memory is located in a second storage module including a second persistent storage. The method further includes programming a direct memory access engine to read the data from client memory and issue a first write request to a multicast address, where the first location, the second location, and a third location are associated with the multicast address.
US08554960B2
In an input device, a controller for controlling an input portion and acquiring data is connected to a bus. The bus can be connected with an external expansion device via an expansion connector. The connection of the bus from the expansion connector to the controller is switched on and off by a switcher. Data acquired from a sensor having a function equivalent to that of the external expansion device is transmitted to the controller via the bus by a sensor controller which is connected to each of a side of the controller and a side of the expansion connector of the bus without interposing the switcher. The sensor controller switches the connection of the switcher off when an access to itself is made from the controller.
US08554957B1
All steps required to create and operate a peripheral device of an electronic device can be performed without the need to plug in the peripheral device to the electronic device. Setup information for a peripheral device is extracted, modified and stored to fit to a physical existent peripheral device. The modified setup information is used to create a data structure that is passed to the peripheral bus driver. As the data structure contains a hot plug notification the reception causes the peripheral bus driver to initiate the setup process for the peripheral device. As the data structure is built from setup information that is available at the electronic device no additional user action is required. The invention also allows the creation of a device object for existing signed driver packets that may not be altered.
US08554948B2
Methods for identifying wanted traffic on the Internet are provided. The methods include determining a traffic history for a user of the Internet; identifying wanted traffic in a stream of Internet traffic based on the determined traffic history; and prioritizing the identified wanted traffic such that unwanted traffic is assigned a lower priority than the wanted traffic. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
US08554932B1
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a computer-implemented system and method for data exchange management. The method may incorporate a physical data exchange management system and/or a logical data exchange management system. The method may include storing a data exchange profile for each communicating entity, receiving a request for data exchange from one of the communicating entities, and processing the request through a request handler for handling receipt of data exchange requests from the communicating entities, wherein the request handler accesses a relevant data exchange profile for the requesting communicating entity. The method may additionally include formatting data for exchange in accordance with the relevant data exchange profile and delivering the formatted data to a destination in accordance with the relevant data exchange profile.
US08554929B1
Each service in a computer network may have a connection rate limit. The number of new connections per time period may be limited by using a series of rules. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a counter is increased each time a server is selected to handle a connection request. For each service, connections coming in are tracked. Therefore, the source of connection-request packets need not be examined. Only the destination service is important. This saves significant time in the examination of the incoming requests. Each service may have its own set of rules to best handle the new traffic for its particular situation. For server load balancing, a reset may be sent to the source address of the new connection request. For transparent cache switching, the connection request may be forwarded to the Internet.
US08554928B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing origin routing at a Diameter node are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving, at a Diameter message processor associated with a DSR, a Diameter message from a first Diameter node. The method further includes accessing, using the Diameter message processor, Diameter peer routing information that includes Diameter origination information to determine a second Diameter node that is a peer of the DSR and to which the Diameter message is to be forwarded. The method also includes forwarding the Diameter message to the determined second Diameter node.
US08554926B2
Method for establishing data connection on mobile network, mobile network, and policy control entity
A method for establishing data connections on a mobile network, a mobile network, and a policy control entity are disclosed. The method includes: establishing a data channel between a user equipment (UE) and a gateway (GW), and allocating an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the UE according to an address allocation request or a data channel setup request sent from the UE; and triggering the policy control entity to establish or update a policy control session according to the IP address. By using the mobile network and the policy control entity under the present invention, after the data channel is established between the UE and the GW, the GW may trigger the policy control entity to establish or update a policy control session.
US08554925B2
The invention relates to a method and to a device for the bidirectional address conversion in SIP-controlled data streams between IPv4 data devices (T2) and IPv6 data terminals (T1) in mixed IPv4 and IPv6 data networks using an address converter (AU) and an address converter (AU) integrated in a SIP server (S1 or S2).
US08554919B2
Placing an application on a node in a cluster. A method includes determining that a first application cannot be placed on a first node in the first node's current running state. The method further includes determining that the first application may be able to be placed on the first node by shutting down or moving one or more other applications running on the first node. The method further includes attempting to shut down or move the one or more other applications on the first node to place the first application.
US08554917B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide performance isolation for storage clouds. Under one embodiment, workloads across a storage cloud architecture are grouped into clusters based on administrator or system input. A performance isolation domain is then created for each of the clusters, with each of the performance isolation domains comprising a set of data stores associated with a set of storage subsystems and a set of data paths that connect the set of data stores to a set of clients. Thereafter, performance isolation is provided among a set of layers of the performance isolation domains. Such performance isolation is provided by (among other things): pooling data stores from separate performance isolation domains into separate pools; assigning the pools to device adapters, RAID controller, and the set of storage subsystems; preventing workloads on the device adapters from exceeding capacities of the device adapters; mapping the set of data stores to a set of Input/Output (I/O) servers based on an I/O capacity and I/O load of the set of I/O servers; and/or pairing ports of the set of I/O servers with ports of the set of storage subsystems, the pairing being based upon availability, connectivity, I/O load, and I/O capacity.
US08554915B2
A network element or server that manages name, address and identifying information of network devices that contain at least one Bluetooth interface is described. A Bluetooth Device Address may be queried by a first network device of a second network device to the server and the server may provide additional name, address and identifying information on the queried second network device to the first network device such that the first network device may establish a preferred connection with the second network device.
US08554913B2
A device may include first logic configured to receive a data unit and to receive a network policy. The device may include second logic configured to identify how the data unit will be handled by the network policy and to generate a result that includes information about how the data unit will be handled by the network policy.
US08554905B2
A network system includes printers as terminals interconnected via a network. Each of the printers can obtain information on the others, and transmit the obtained information together with information on itself to a browser computer as a controller. Therefore, by obtaining the information only from one of the printers, the computer can obtain together with it the information on the others. In this system, it is possible to obtain the information on the printers efficiently without using a server computer.
US08554901B2
Described are mechanisms for verifying configuration information in 2547 BGP VPNs. An originating PE generates a first knowledge digest encoding first configuration information associated with a current set of information advertised for a VRF. The originating PE also generates a second knowledge digest encoding second configuration information associated with cumulative information advertised for the VRF. The originating PE is capable of receiving a message from a user PE, the message including a third knowledge digest encoding third configuration information related to the user VRF. The originating PE is capable of comparing the first knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest and producing a first indication if the third configuration information encoded in the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the first configuration information encoded in the first knowledge digest.
US08554895B2
Described herein are systems and methods for providing dual control functionality in a networked digital media device. In overview, a networked digital media device advertises a standard digital media device, which is discoverable and controllable by a standard control device in accordance with a standard media control protocol (also referred to as a Device Control Protocol, or DCP). The networked digital media device also advertises a non-standard digital media playback device, the non-standard device being discoverable and controllable by a non-standard control device in accordance with a non-standard media control protocol. These two devices are manifested in the same device hardware, essentially allowing the device to implement dual-control such that it is able to be controlled both as a standard device and a non-standard device.
US08554885B2
Techniques for evaluating and managing cloud networks via political and natural events are provided. Geographical locations for cloud processing environments are combined with attributes and usage metrics to form associations between each cloud processing environment's geographical location and that cloud's corresponding attributes and usage metrics. Some associations and attributes relate to political and natural events. The political and natural events are used to update a proper selection of a particular cloud processing environment to handle targeted services.
US08554880B2
A server (1) transmits playlists, each playlist including a description of content acquisition information, and playlist configuration data represented between playlists in numerical values. A terminal device (2) receives playlists and playlist configuration data from the server (1), and for a reproduction of content, changes a playlist to be used in accordance with playlist configuration data to reproduce a content of playlist after change. This allows the terminal device (2) to reproduce content in accordance with a state of mind a user may have, based on the playlist configuration data.
US08554875B1
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed which include receiving, from a user operating a user interface on a computing device, an indication of a first future date; identifying one or more friends of the user, for each of the one or more friends, gathering future trip information from the social network, determining based on the gathered trip information, whether each of the one or more friends are going to be physically present at the future locations on one of the second future dates that matches the first future date, displaying a geographic map on the user interface including displaying a friend representation corresponding to each of the respective future locations where one or more friends are going to be physically present on the first future date, and dynamically updating the friend representations respectively on the geographic map based on a third future date received.
US08554871B2
A method and system for exchanging location content data in different data formats is disclosed. A third-party system makes a request to retrieve, add, modify, or delete location content. The request is made in a first data format. A data exchange system receives the request, converts the request to a second data format supported by a location reference system, and sends the request to the location reference system. The location reference system prepares a response to the request and sends the response to the data exchange system. The data exchange system converts the response to the first data format and sends the response to the third-party system.
US08554866B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for measurement in data forwarding storage. A method includes, in a network of interconnected computer system nodes, receiving a request from a source system to store data, directing the data to a computer memory, storing information about the data in a store associated with a central server, and continuously forwarding the data and the store from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes without storing on any physical storage device in the network.
US08554863B2
A communication system including a master device and one or more slave devices enables parameters of the slave devices to be set in an efficient manner. A master device (2) transmits a parameter setting command as a broadcast command. A slave device (1) receives the parameter setting command, and compares the received parameter value with a parameter value stored in a parameter display unit, and transmits a parameter setting command to which the comparison result has been added. The master device (2) receives the parameter setting command transmitted from the slave device (1) and determines that the parameter setting has been completed.
US08554853B2
A method of delivering an electronic mail message. A mail server receives and stores a rule from a first user. Thereafter the mail server receives the electronic mail message from a second user comprising a sender. The mail server compares the rule with an email address in a field of the electronic mail message. Responsive to the rule being satisfied the email server takes an action with respect to the email address or the field to form a modified electronic mail message. Thereafter, the email server delivers the modified electronic mail message to a third user comprising a recipient. The first, second, and third users may all be different from each other.
US08554845B2
A telecommunications method includes setting a media server greeting automatically responsive to detection of a change in setting of an e-mail system default message. The e-mail system default message may be an “out of office” outgoing message. The media server greeting may be a voice greeting.
US08554841B2
A dialog server which provides dialogs made by at least one user through their respective avatars in a virtual space. A method and a computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the steps of the method are also provided. The dialog server includes: a position storage unit which stores positional information on the avatars; an utterance receiver which receives at least one utterance of avatars and utterance strength representing an importance or attention level of the utterance; an interest level calculator which calculates interest levels between avatars based on their positional information; a message processor which generates a message based on the utterance in accordance with a value calculated from the interest levels and the utterance strength; and a message transmitter which transmits the message to the avatars.
US08554839B2
A method for intercommunicating address book information between different networks is provided, which includes the following steps: an interworking request carrying address book information is received, in which the interworking request comes from a network address book system other than a Converged Address Book (CAB) system; the address book information is converted according to an address book format supported by a server of the CAB system; the converted address book information is sent to the CAB system. A device and a system for implementing the method are further provided.
US08554837B2
In one embodiment, a method comprises registering content providers, each content provider having a corresponding independent moderation policy configured for selectively providing network access to a media content item supplied by a user; receiving, from a first of the content providers, a first notification that a first media content item has been moderated by the first content provider; and sending a second notification to at least a second of the content providers, the second notification identifying that the first content provider has moderated the first media content item, the second notification enabling the second content provider to moderate the first media content item based on the second notification and according to the corresponding independent moderation policy of the second content provider.
US08554834B2
The present description refers in particular, to a method, a system, and a computer program product for processing messages in an Outsourcing (BPO) Environment. The method may comprise installing and executing one or more computer programs. The method may also comprise obtaining messages from a shared folder using a network interface. The method may further comprise displaying messages using a display interface. In addition, the method may comprise providing access control, including controlling access to messages and dissemination of messages. The BPO environment may comprise at least one user computer. The network interface and the display interface may be executed separately on the user computer.
US08554818B2
The present invention discloses a signal processing method and a data processing method and apparatus. A time-domain to frequency-domain signal processing method includes: pre-processing time-domain data; pre-rotating the pre-processed data by using a rotation factor a·WNn+0.5; performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of N/4 points on the pre-rotated data; and post-rotating the data transformed by the DFT by using a rotation factor b·WNk+0.5 to obtain frequency-domain data. A frequency-domain to time-domain signal processing method includes: twiddling frequency-domain data; pre-rotating the twiddled data by using a rotation factor c·WNk+0.5; performing a DFT of N/4 points on the pre-rotated data; and post-rotating the data transformed by the DFT by using a rotation factor d·WNn+0.5; and post-processing the post-rotated data to obtain time-domain data. The present invention increases the efficiency of signal processing.
US08554811B2
Program profile data is used to prepare temporal cost-incurrence fingerprints, which show when a given method or method frame incurred specified cost(s) during a period of interest while a program was/is executing. Relationships between methods can be elicited by studying their temporal cost-incurrence fingerprints. Methods which are often good candidates for optimization can be automatically selected by identifying a small set of methods whose amount of cost lies within specified bounds relative to the most costly method, or in absolute terms, and whose respective fingerprints differ from one another.
US08554809B1
An online tree quota check tool computes quota usage of files in a directory tree while the structure of the directory tree keeps changing due to concurrent write access by other applications and clients. The quota check tool computes the quota usage without interfering with the ongoing file access operations that change the directory content and quota usage. A quota check database keeps track of which files have been checked and which have not, so that each file is checked and its quota usage is accumulated once and only once while directories are moved and directory scans are restarted as a result of the changing directory content. File system operations are modified to synchronize with the online tree quota check. The quota check tool can be single threaded or multi-threaded. A multi-threaded tool dispatches idle directory iteration threads to scan subdirectories in the directory tree.
US08554803B2
Systems and methods are provided to facilitate access to documents via a set of content selection tags. According to one embodiment, information is received from a content reader. For example, a content controller may receive information from a content reader via a Web site. A set of content selection tags are then established based on the received information, each content selection tag being associated with a hierarchical tag domain. It is then arranged for the content reader to receive an indication of a document tag in accordance with the set of content selection tags. For example, a content controller may retrieve one or more documents based on a set of content selection tags and document tags and transmit indications of the retrieved documents to a content reader via a Web site.
US08554799B2
A method of adding and analyzing metadata to discrete variables, such as time intervals and a system to implement to method is disclosed. The metadata can be aggregated and analyzed using analysis operations such as intersection, union, subtraction and inversion.
US08554795B2
A method of writing data into identification media of various types (IM-X, IM-Y) via assigned write/read stations WR in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a step wherein, a virtual, identification media-independent reference file system RFS is defined. All access keys RKi are replaced by a file system key FSK and all access rights ACi of subsections Bi are suspended and a file system FS, corresponding to the reference file system RFS, is initialized or written into the identification media: (FS(IM-X), FS(IM-Y)). In doing so, a file system starting point (FS-S(IM-X), FS-S(IM-Y)) is defined in the identification media (IM(FS) and in the assigned read/write stations WR(RFS) so that applications (App(RFS) corresponding to the virtual reference file system RFS can be written into the identification media and executed. The method allows for the writing into or execution of generally defined applications (App(RFS) into initialized identification media of various types (IM-X(FS), IM-Y(FS)) without adapting them.
US08554793B2
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for providing custom settings in an on-demand service environment. In an embodiment and by way of example, a method providing custom settings in an on-demand service environment is provided. The method embodiment includes naming the custom object, creating fields for the custom object, assigning a behavior for each field, setting the custom object to a specified type, and if the custom object is of a hierarchical type, then assigning permissions to users with regarding the created fields.
US08554786B2
A document information management system in which a search-engine-compatible interface unit makes a word in a document displayed on the screen to be specified, transfers the specified word to a search engine as a keyword to be used in the search engine, receives a search result from the search engine, and displays the search result on the screen, while a browser-compatible interface unit performs a search (a keyword search and/or global search) by using the keyword transferred from a browser and transfers a search result to the browser.
US08554769B1
This specification describes technologies relating to providing search results. One aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a network resource, the network resource including text content; generating a language model score for the resource including applying a language model to the text content of the resource; generating a query stuffing score for the reference, the query stuffing score being a function of term frequency in the resource content and a query index; calculating a gibberish score for the resource using the language model score and the query stuffing score; and using the calculated gibberish score to determine whether to modify a ranking score of the resource.
US08554765B2
A mobile communication device for identifying a location to be named comprising a position locator component configured to determine a location of a user and a communication interface component configured to provide the location for use in determining user-specific location information including at least one of a number of times and an amount of time the user is present at or near the location. The location naming component is configured to receive an identification of the location as a location of interest. The location naming component is configured to provide a prompt for naming the location of interest for presentation by a graphical user interface component in association with received suggested name information. The location naming component is configured to receive name information for naming the location. The graphical user interface component is configured to present the name information for the location of interest on the mobile communication device.
US08554761B1
Methods, computing devices, and computer-readable media are provided for transforming an initial query with a single-table outer join predicate to a second, semantically equivalent query that includes a multi-table predicate instead of the single-table outer join predicate. Because the second query does not include the single-table outer join predicate, the second query may be available for further transformations or optimization techniques, may produce a more efficient or otherwise different execution plan, or may be executed more efficiently or differently. The single-table outer join predicate may be in a full outer join ON clause of the initial query or nested in a left outer-joined LATERAL VIEW of the initial query. The multi-table predicate may be in a WHERE clause of the second query. Unlike the initial query, the second query allows use of a temporary organization of data from multiple tables for evaluation of multiple rows of the left outer join.
US08554758B1
Method and apparatus for monitoring and maintaining group health and membership in a searchable data service. The searchable data service may provide a searchable index to a backend data store, and an interface to build and query the searchable index, that enables client applications to search for and retrieve locators for stored entities in the backend data store. Embodiments of the searchable data service may implement a group health mechanism that may allow one or more components of the searchable data service to identify sets of nodes that the components may monitor. A group health component may be queried by the other components for automatically-refreshed health information about those nodes. The group health component may perform as a node failure detection mechanism. Node health information may be communicated among nodes at least in part using a gossip protocol.
US08554754B2
A computer-based on-line skills/résumé management system, the system comprising: (a) a relational database having a plurality of fields wherein a portion of the fields are arranged in a hierarchical relationship; (b) database population mechanism for populating the database with information, the population mechanism interfacing with a first user and prompting the first user for information for at least a portion of the fields arranged in the hierarchical relationship; (c) query generation mechanism for interfacing with a second user and prompting the second user to select a combination of the fields in the hierarchical relationship to form at least a portion of a query for searching the database; (d) search mechanism operatively connected to database for applying the query to the relational database; and (e) output mechanism for providing the second user with results of the search.
US08554746B2
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for compressing data generated by multiple data sources. The method includes steps of partitioning data generated by the multiple data sources into data partitions, the data included in each data partition containing inter-data-source redundancies and, for each data partition, compressing the data in the data partition to remove the inter-data-source redundancies.
US08554745B2
A storage server is configured to receive a request to store a data block from a client. The request to store the data block is serviced by the storage server by compressing the data block into a compression group, which includes a number of compressed data blocks. The storage server stores the compression group in a non-volatile memory and flushes the compression group from the non-volatile memory to a physical storage device in response to reaching a consistency point. By compressing data to be stored in system memory of a storage server, the amount of data that can be processed during a given time period by a data storage system is increased. Furthermore, an increase in performance can be achieved at a lower cost, since the cost of additional physical system memory modules can be avoided.
US08554742B2
A system and process for record duplication analysis that relies on a multi-membership Bayesian analysis to determine the probability that records within a data set are matches. The Bayesian calculation may rely on objective data describing the data set as well as subjective assessments of the data set. In addition, a system and process for record duplication analysis may rely on the predetermination of probabilistic patterns, where the system only searches for patterns exceeding a chosen threshold. Work flow may include selecting which fields within each record should be analyzed, normalizing the values within those fields and removing default data, calculating possible patterns and their match probabilities, analyzing record pairs to determine which have patterns exceeding a chosen threshold to determine the presence of duplicates, and merging duplicates, closing transactions reflecting non-duplicates, identifying records having insufficient data to determine the existence or lack of a match, and/or rolling back accidental merges.
US08554733B2
A disaster recovery technology capable of achieving the high-speed FO and correctly reading the logs even if the unit of logs written in the main site is large is provided. In the disaster recovery system comprising a main site and a sub-site, when the writing in units of a log block consisting of a plurality of log records is performed in the main site and the logs are applied in the sub-site, the log blocks are read from the sub-storage to verify the consistency, and it is determined whether the reading process conflicts with the writing process through the remote copy operation when reading the logs. Then, only the log blocks in which the reading process does not conflict with the writing process as a result of the determination are applied to the database. Thereby, the logs are applied in the sub-site independently to recover the database.
US08554729B2
A background page script is executing on a device. A plurality of webpages are executing on the device. The plurality of webpages register with the background page script. An action generated by one of the plurality of webpages is cached in a database. In response to a determination that the device is in an online state and that the one of the plurality of webpages is no longer registered, the background page script retrieves the action from the database and transmits the action.
US08554719B2
Entity resolution in a database comprises receiving imported data comprising imported data entities each having properties each having values; receiving first user input that selects the imported data entities for resolution to existing data entities in a database; receiving second user input that specifies matching criteria for matching the imported data entities to the existing data entities, wherein each of the matching criteria comprises a matching technique; matching the imported data entities to the existing data entities using the matching criteria, resulting in creating and storing matched entity information, wherein the matched entity information is organized in matched entity data sets associated with subsets of the matching criteria that were matched; consolidating the imported data entities into the existing data entities; storing the first user input and second user input as a named criteria set for use in subsequent entity resolution operations.
US08554702B2
One embodiment is directed to a method of optimally packing items into at least one resource. The method includes receiving at least one of items, resources, and parameters, and setting up a set partitioning mixed integer programming (MIP) using the received items, resources, and parameters. The method further includes solving liner programming (LP) relaxation of the MIP, generating new packings, and checking whether new packings have been generated. When no new packings have been generated, solving the final MIP and creating a model of at least one resource packed according to the final MIP.
US08554696B2
In one embodiment, generating an ontology includes accessing an inverted index comprising a plurality of inverted index lists. An inverted index list may correspond to a term of a language. Each inverted index list may comprise a term identifier of the term and one or more document identifiers indicating one or more documents of a document set in which the term appears. The embodiment also includes generating a term identifier index according to the inverted index. The term identifier index comprises a plurality of sections and each section corresponds to a document. Each section may comprise one or more term identifiers of one or more terms that appear in the document.
US08554693B2
A method of notifying consumers of available content in a content distribution system. The method includes determining the existence of a content event related to content. The content event is associated with a community. A consumer who is a member of the community is notified of the content event by sending a notification to the consumer. Access to content related to the content event is provided upon request by the consumer.
US08554691B2
A user enters into a subscription to receive footwear having one or more specified performance characteristics. As the user finishes wearing one set of footwear, the user can obtain a replacement set of footwear that also will have one or more specified performance characteristics. The performance characteristics may be consistent for each set of footwear provided according to the subscription. Alternately, the footwear performance characteristics may vary over the life of the subscription. Thus, the footwear provider may periodically obtain biometric information describing the user's athletic activities or performance. The footwear provider then can tailor the performance characteristics of footwear provided under the subscription to match the user's athletic activities or performance.
US08554690B2
Techniques for processing media data. Techniques are provided for using media keys that have been created for media data. A media key may be used to access media data for which the media key has been created. A media key has information associated with it that may be used to access the media data corresponding to the media key. Various operations may be performed using the accessed media data.
US08554684B2
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a utilization permit key may be pre-defined to permit at least one of displaying, editing, storing, copying, and/or transferring of digital data.
US08554678B2
A Globally Unique IDentifier (GUID) is used to match an authorization request with an authorization response for a transaction between a merchant and a consumer upon an account within a payment processing system where the payment amount is unknown until after the merchant receives the authorization response that includes the GUID. After receiving the authorization response and when the payment amount is known, the merchant forms a transmission that has information for delivery to an issuer of the account. This information is sufficient for the issuer to forward the payment amount from the account to pay the merchant for the transaction. While including the GUID and the payment amount, the information does not include an identifier of the account.
US08554675B2
A network-based transaction processing system allows users to flexibly and efficiently make payments using a combination of different payment instruments. The system includes a user interface through which a user can define one or more payment plans, each of which may specify a plurality of payment instruments and associated rules for dividing payment amounts among these payment instruments. These rules may be non-transaction-specific, such that a user can re-use a payment plan over time to complete multiple transactions. When placing an order or otherwise initiating a payment transaction, the user can select a payment plan for use in completing the transaction.
US08554670B1
Identifying missed electronic check-ins and crediting missed check-ins to members of a social network by utilizing transaction data from an intermediate computer other than a computer of the social network. Missed check-ins are identified using transaction data resulting from an activity of the member at a check-in location, e.g., when the member purchased an item from a merchant at a check-in location or made a call from the location. Transaction data is sent from a computer that stores the data to the social network computer that manages check-ins. Transaction location is compared with check-in locations to determine whether the member should receive credit for the missed check-in, which may count towards rewards or benefits of the social network even though the member is not currently at the check-in location since the missed check-in is validated by a trusted source of transaction data.
US08554668B2
There is provided a financial transaction payment method and system for processing a transaction conducted using a financial transaction card. The financial transaction card has associated therewith a financial account in a financial institution and one or more transaction criteria. The financial transaction payment system includes a processing unit and an application program for execution on the processing unit. The method includes the step of determining by the application program whether a transaction activates an installment loan on the financial account based on the one or more transaction criteria.
US08554666B2
The present invention generally relates to financial data processing, and in particular it relates to credit scoring, consumer profiling, consumer behavior analysis and modeling. More specifically, it relates to risk modeling using the inputs of credit bureau data, size of wallet data, and, optionally, internal data.
US08554663B2
A user can submit an order to buy or sell a tradeable object, only the order does not get sent to the matching engine. Instead, the order is placed in temporary storage and it is displayed to the user in the form of a virtual order icon. The virtual order icon indicates that an order request is waiting for an event to occur before it is automatically released to the matching engine. The virtual order icon can be managed by the user, which might include moving the icon to a different price level or deleting it. The system continuously monitors for an event to take place. In response to detecting the event, the order is released to the matching engine. As such, the virtual order icon is transformed or removed and a real order icon is displayed indicating that the order has now been sent to the matching engine.
US08554662B2
In an Exchange which assigns only a whole number/integer approximate of a computed number of futures contracts to a covered order for one or more option contracts, the disclosed embodiments relate to factoring a residual number of futures contracts, remaining after fulfillment of an incoming covered order counter to a resting covered order for a quantity of options contracts less than the resting quantity and approximation of the computed number of futures contracts assigned thereto, into the approximation of the computed number of futures contracts assigned to fulfillment of a subsequent order from the same trader counter to the same resting order for less than or equal to the remaining resting quantity of options contracts. This may have the effect of increasing or decreasing the number of futures contracts assigned to the subsequent order.
US08554655B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for social networking services integrated with gift card services. In general, a profile of a member of a social networking service may be presented with one or more merchant credit services for prepaid merchant account credit, data characterizing a request to provide a credit service from the merchant credit services and a mobile phone number associated with an intended recipient of the first credit service may be received, and a message may be caused to be sent to the mobile phone number, where the message characterizes provision of the first credit service to the intended recipient. Interest in the credit service may be tracked and associated with a loyalty indicator associated with the member.
US08554647B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for providing suggested transaction categories based on location. The system includes a computer apparatus including a processor and a memory; and a software module stored in the memory. The software module includes executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to determine a location of a user; access a database including a plurality of locations and associated transaction categories; determine at least one category associated with the location of the user using the database; and provide the at least one category to the user so that the user may categorize a transaction. In some embodiments, the system determines the category based on a combination of the location and a characteristic of the transaction or a previous input by the user. The system assists users in categorizing transactions so that the user is better able to track spending.
US08554645B1
A method and system for determining business expenditures with vendors and automatically generating and submitting required forms whereby vendor identification data and/or contact information is obtained. Data representing current vendor reporting requirements and/or contact information for any associated reporting agency is obtained and stored along with data representing one or more associated reporting forms. Financial transaction data associated with a business is then obtained and analyzed using the current vendor reporting requirement data to identify/match one or more vendors used by the business that are subject to the reporting requirement. At least part of the identification data associated with subject vendors, and at least part of the financial transaction data associated with the business, is used to auto-fill one or more forms associated with the reporting requirement for each of the identified subject vendors and the auto-filled forms are then sent to the respective vendors, and/or the appropriate reporting agency automatically.
US08554644B1
A method for managing inventory information that includes displaying the inventory information in a graphical user interface of a mobile device, and adding an item as part of the inventory information, using the mobile device, where adding the item includes adding descriptive metadata about the item to the inventory information.
US08554643B2
A method and equipment to stack palletless and as to their size variable packages (1) on warehouse rack (15) and to retrieve them from the rack and to control the logistics of packages, in which the warehouse rack is furnished with an automatic packages stacking and retrieving robot, and in which the control of warehouse data and logistics takes place by a data system. Equipment (5) receives package (1), for instance, onto conveyor belt (2), equipment (5) carries out weighing of package (1), determination for the necessary space requirement, reading of remote code connected to package (1), as RFID code (20) in order to choose the rack space determined for it on basis of previous functions, and package (1) is retrieved from the rack steered either by the order of the user or of the data system, and the data from above mentioned stacking and retrieving functions are transmitted to the data system.
US08554641B2
Various embodiments are described herein that provide one or more of a systems, methods, software, and data structures within an Internet marketplace context that are useful to promote products that may be associated with an event occurrence. Some embodiments further utilize collaborative filtering to augment event-based product recommendations.
US08554638B2
The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can provide a non-invasive comparative shopping tool, such as a browser plug-in. For example, the plug-in can determine whether a web user is currently visiting a purchase page, thus indicating that the web user is likely to be interested in purchasing items online. Upon making this determination, the plug-in can display a non-invasive listing (that can be quickly and conveniently dismissed) of comparable items at favorable prices (or with favorable features, etc.) that are available for purchase at other web sites. In addition, the plug-in can communicate with a data store, e.g., by way of the web, in order to help make various determination as well as to receive the listing of comparable items.
US08554636B1
A method and system for facilitating the transfer of intellectual property are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of facilitating the transfer of intellectual property includes obtaining at a computer system of a first entity information concerning intellectual property in which an interest is available for transfer (the “available intellectual property”) from a second entity. The method further includes transferring the interest in the available intellectual property by concluding an agreement between the first and second entities. The agreement is representative of an acceptance of an offer concerning the transferring of the interest in the available intellectual property and consideration for the transferring of the interest. At least a portion of the interest in the available intellectual property that is transferred to the first entity is intended to be transferred from the first entity to a third entity.
US08554629B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing advertisements on websites. In an embodiment, a method for providing an advertisement on a website includes obtaining purchase information submitted by a user making a purchase on the website, determining at least one advertisement for a product or service related to the purchase but of a different type than the purchase, and displaying the at least one advertisement on the website when the purchase is completed. In another embodiment, a system for providing an advertisement on a website includes a purchase server, an advertisement source, an analyzer, and an advertisement server.
US08554628B1
Advertisement delivery capable of providing data to satisfy advertising requests for displaying information to a user accessing an online computer system, generally includes using a first server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a first region of a display, and a second server that is structured and arranged to deliver advertisements to a second region of a display that is different from the first region. Advertisement delivery may also include a display server that sends input based on demographic data to the servers, where the display server receives instructions from at least one of the first and second servers based on the region controlled by the server, and a configuration system that generates and sends a first configuration file to the first server and a second configuration file to the second server, where the first configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the first region, and the second configuration file includes instructions for displaying advertisements to the second region.
US08554625B2
The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for a mobile advertising and content caching mechanism for mobile devices and a method for using such a mechanism. In one example, the method includes monitoring a mobile device for activity indicating user interest in an advertising area. The method detects an application launch request corresponding to the monitored activity and intercepts the application launch request. The method provides multimedia advertising content to an output component of the mobile device, and launches the application corresponding to the application launch request after the multimedia advertising content has finished playing on the output component.
US08554624B2
A system and method for advertising and negotiating services for commercial and general aviation are provided. A pilot of an aircraft may enter into a computing device specific information about a desired service the pilot wishes to have available upon arrival at an airport. This information is transmitted to an airport bartering system that barters with fixed based operator (FBO) computing systems at the airport for the desired services. The airport bartering system ranks the latest quotes from the FBOs based on criteria identified by the pilot in the original request. Advertisements for the top ranked FBOs are generated and transmitted to the aircraft computer system. The advertisements are displayed for viewing by the pilot. The pilot selects an advertisement, which generates an order for the desired service. The order is transmitted to the airport bartering system, which forwards the order to the FBO computer system associated with the selected advertisement.
US08554613B2
A device is configured to receive, from a first mobile device of a first user of a group of users, information identifying a first location of the first mobile device and to receive, from a second mobile device of a second user of the group, a second location of the second mobile device. The device is further configured to determine a geographic area of a venue associated with a coupon. The device is also configured to match the coupon to the group when the first location and the second location are within the geographic area, and transmit information associated with the matched coupon to the first mobile device and the second mobile device. The group is organized by the first user or the second user for a plurality of users to receive coupons for a particular type of service associated with the matched coupon.
US08554606B2
A system and method for managing sponsorships by a sponsor, in which the party requesting the sponsorship requests to use content owned and protected by the sponsor, such as trademarks, logos, and copyrighted material. An embodiment of the method involves receiving, at a computer network site, a request for sponsorship from a requestor and responding to the request by sending either an approval or a rejection. If an approval is sent, the method further involves providing the requestor with access to content of the sponsor through the site. As part of providing this access, the method can involve requiring the requestor to accept an agreement posted on the site. The method can also include monitoring the requestor's actual use of the content.
US08554603B1
Systems and methods for analyzing legal service providers and unit or ratio costs are provided. Billing data from legal services providers is analyzed to identify common tasks based on task codes. The common tasks are then analyzed to determine a unit cost or ratio cost for the tasks or a ratio cost for the tasks compared to the total costs for a matter. Analysis constraints are applied to the billing data to generate a cost model, which can be output in a variety of different graphical formats. This output, which identifying at least some of the total matter costs on a unit cost or ratio cost basis, allows for comparison of legal services provided by a number of different legal services providers. It also allows for comparing price quotes from a number of legal services providers against each other and against historical cost information.
US08554598B2
An international transaction system for operation over the internet/intranet provides a pre-transactional calculation of all charges involved in any international transaction. Upon the option of the customer, the goods can be viewed on catalogue sheets translated to a language of the customer's choice, and the price provided in a currency selected by the customer. The customer also has the option of initiating the order with automatic credit authorization, generation of an electronic title or commercial invoice and arrangements and payment of shipping charges and any taxes and import/export duties.
US08554596B2
The invention allows for the integration of structured and unstructured human activities in the context of delivering one or more service. The systems and method described improve efficiency and quality of service delivery by increasing overall productivity and by providing better accountability for the actual cost of delivery.
US08554588B2
In the present invention, an insurance product, rating system and method generally relates to a rating and pricing system for quantifying the risk that the annual savings will not fall below specified levels associated with implementing and maintaining economic improvements. The product, system and method can be applied to various industries, including, power generation, petro-chemical, manufacturing and refining facilities. Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and products for providing a computer implemented insurance product.
US08554587B1
A rich-media system allows a user to illustrate damage and request payment in accordance with an insurance policy or another arrangement. The rich-media system includes network servers that may operate and appear to remote client applications and remote computers as if the network servers were a single computer. A damage indicator tool resident to one of the network servers enables a remote user to visually illustrate damage to an item through a rich-media application. The damage indicator may support a relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device. An incident animator tool linked to the damage indicator tool in some rich media systems enables the remote user to visually recreate an event in a second rich media application. An optional scheduler linked to the incident animator tool and the damage indicator tool may enable the remote user to schedule an appointment to have the damage inspected or repaired.
US08554584B2
The interactive credential system and method has a database containing employee-employer-applicant surveyed information, industry specific criteria, such as insurance loss history and account performance, an authorization code for authorizing access to the database and a control device, operatively associated with the database, for presenting weighted scores. The system further includes a surveyed party processor operatively associated with the control device, and wherein the surveyed party processor is capable of transmitting the authorization code to view the surveyed information. The system also has a participant processor that is capable of requesting authorization to download the employee-employer-applicant information, including weighted scores computed from the system's algorithms processed from industry specific parameters.
US08554567B2
An interactive voice response (IVR) platform running a voice application for use with a voice client is extended to support text messaging clients and other clients of other media types on other channels. An application-to-text messaging interface interfaces with text messaging clients via a text messaging protocol transport and interfaces with the IVR via an API. It includes a user/application manager to handle user and application accounts and a state/session manager to handle state information required by the text messaging operations and to handle sessions maintained by the IVR. Text modules are implemented having text synthesis and text recognition with a dictionary/grammar. These allow voice-specific application scripts to be interpreted in a text channel. The extended multi-channel platform supports an open source text messaging network and also through a transport gateways to other types of text messaging clients.
US08554566B2
Techniques for training and applying prosody models for speech synthesis are provided. A speech recognition engine processes audible speech to produce text annotated with prosody information. A prosody model is trained with this annotated text. After initial training, the model is applied during speech synthesis to generate speech with non-standard prosody from input text. Multiple prosody models can be used to represent different prosody styles.
US08554565B2
According to one embodiment, a speech synthesizer generates a speech segment sequence and synthesizes speech by connecting speech segments of the generated speech segment sequence. If a speech segment of a synthesized first speech segment sequence is different from the speech segment of a synthesized second speech segment sequence having the same synthesis unit as the first speech segment sequence, the speech synthesizer disables the speech segment of the first speech segment sequence that is different from the speech segment of the second speech segment sequence.
US08554562B2
A method and system for speaker diarization are provided. Pre-trained acoustic models of individual speaker and/or groups of speakers are obtained. Speech data with multiple speakers is received and divided into frames. For a frame, an acoustic feature vector is determined extended to include log-likelihood ratios of the pre-trained models in relation to a background population model. The extended acoustic feature vector is used in segmentation and clustering algorithms.
US08554556B2
A dual microphone voice activity detector system is presented. A voice activity detector system estimates the signal level and noise level at each microphone. A level differential between the two microphones of nearby sounds such as the signal is greater than the level differential of more distant sounds such as the noise. Thus, the voice activity detector detects the presence of nearby sounds.
US08554554B2
Methods, systems, and media for determining a response to be generated in an environment are provided. The methods, systems, and media monitor the environment for a voice activity of an individual. The voice activity of the individual is detected and analyzed. A content descriptor of the voice activity is determined based on the voice activity of the individual. A demographic descriptor of the individual is determined based on the voice activity of the individual. The content descriptor, the demographic descriptor, and known information are correlated to determine the response to be generated in the environment.
US08554544B2
Incoming e-mails, instant messages, SMS, and MMS, are scanned for new language objects such as words, abbreviations, text shortcuts and, in appropriate languages, ideograms, that are placed in a list for use by a text input process of a handheld electronic device to facilitate the generation of text. Systems and methods consistent with the present invention may gather new language objects from sources of text external to the handheld electronic device, and may ignore new language objects that are not considered to be in a current language of the handheld electronic device.
US08554539B2
A method of performing a morpheme analysis by utilizing additional information is provided. The method includes acquiring an analysis target phrase and additional information associated with the target phrase. A term is obtained form the additional information. And the phrase is analyzed to extract a key term or keyword by using the term extracted from the additional data.
US08554536B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided for creation of a network training environment that simulates a large network as a training target and using simulation and virtual network technologies together with actual network resources to teach computer network exploitation and computer network attack techniques in training exercises for persons responsible for safeguarding networks and for probing and attacking others' networks. The system, method, and computer program product further support integration of real hosts for more realistic exercises.
US08554530B1
Systems and methods for simulating and verifying a design are contemplated. Various embodiments determine a set of verification rules for a design, wherein the verification rules use a PSL or SVA syntax in a SPICE netlist to describ a property of the circuit design. The state of a circuit at a simulated first time, t1, can be determined. The state at the first time, t1, may be analyzed to determine if a triggering event has occurred. Based on the occurrence of the triggering event, the systems and methods can verify the state at the first time, t1, against the set of verification rules. Some embodiments of the systems and methods described herein can include a mixed-signal circuit including an analog portion and a digital portion, and the analog portion, the mixed-signal portion, or both, may be simulated and verified.
US08554528B2
Systems and methods for simulating operations of a Fieldbus system (FS). The FS (200) includes a Fieldbus interface module (FIM) coupled to field devices. The methods involve creating a simulation computer model (SCM) of the FS, generating simulation data records (SDRs), and running simulation software (SS). The SS is installed on a computer system (242), FIM (232, 234), or embedded device (222, 226). The SS simulates at least one operation of the FS. The SS uses at least a portion of the SCM and at least one of the SDRs. The SCM includes functional blocks and interconnections between the functional blocks. The functional blocks represent the FIM and/or field devices. The SDRs include data defining the SCM, a control strategy of the FS, and communication links between the FIM and field devices. The SDRs also include data defining the operating characteristics of the FIM and field devices.
US08554525B2
A method is provided for creating or evolving a virtual environment with a computer system. Steps of the method include: forming a plurality of layers of data, including a first layer and a second layer, each layer including a plurality of cells containing data corresponding to a variable; operating on the data from the cells in the first layer with a function to yield target data; distributing the target data to corresponding cells in the second layer; and altering the data in at least one of the plurality of cells in each layer according to a rule.
US08554522B2
Augmented-domain simulation, such as ternary-based simulation may be utilized to approximate a reachability analysis of a model being model checked. The approximated reachability analysis may be utilized to detect design redundancies and modify the model to remove such redundancies. Design redundancies may include unobservable variables, mergeable variables and utilization of surplus domains.
US08554521B2
An embodiment of a method for designing an assembly of objects in a system of computer-aided design can include:(i) selecting a first object and a second object of the assembly, each of the first object and the second object having interface information; (ii) computing a set of positions of the first object relatively to the second object of the assembly, and (iii) displaying simultaneously representations of the computed positions of the first object relatively to the second object.
US08554516B2
A system and methods to provide appliance field support personnel with a tool that, together with proper interface modules, simplifies the execution of diagnostic procedures and provides an easy way to configure, reconfigure, or update electronic boards in the home on a client side of an enterprise wide system. The electronic boards serve as electronic controllers in the appliances and are programmable generic service boards. With such a system, it is possible to update and re-configure electronic boards and interact directly with an electronic controller of an appliance while an appliance is operating. Software, configuration data, and control data are downloaded from a server-side configuration of the enterprise wide system to update the electronic boards.
US08554514B2
A data signal is transmitted synchronously with a clock signal, and contains n phases (n represents an integer of 2 or more) of data for each cycle of the clock signal. A first time to digital converter generates clock change point information which represents the change timing of the clock signal. A second time to digital converter receives a data sequence in increments of cycles of the clock signal, and generates data change point information items which represent the change timing of the data in increments of phases of the data. A calculation unit calculates difference data between the change timing represented by the data change point information and the change point timing represented by the clock change point information in increments of phases. A judgment unit judges a DUT based upon the difference data received from the calculation unit.
US08554513B2
A method of testing and proving fuel efficiency improvements includes installing a telematic device in each of a first plurality of vehicles and a second plurality of vehicles. The telematic devices collect baseline fuel consumption data during a first time period and collect test fuel consumption data during a second time period. Between the first and second time periods, at least one operating parameter of the second plurality of vehicles is modified such that the baseline fuel consumption data and the test fuel consumption data can be analyzed to determine any fuel efficiency improvements caused by the modified operating parameter. To ensure reliable and statistically-significant results, each plurality of vehicles may include 15 vehicles and each time period may include 60 days.
US08554509B2
A system and method for determining the magnitude of linear and rotational acceleration of and direction of impact to a body part. In one version, protective sports equipment is worn by a player engaged in a sporting activity. The equipment includes a padding assembly that resides against the player during the sporting activity; a band removably positioned within the padding assembly, the band including a control unit having a plurality of sensing devices, a processor and a wireless transmitter that collectively interact to transmit data detected by the sensing devices, the control unit further having an encoder that encodes data from the sensing devices with a unique identifier prior to transmission.
US08554499B2
A method for detecting a defect in an electric link, which transmits, at a first moment, an electric signal having a predetermined propagation speed from an end of the electric link, and detects, at a second moment, reception of an echo of the electric signal. The method further establishes a model of the variation of the electric signal propagation speed in the electric link on the basis of the length of the link through which the signal flows, and estimates a first location of the defect based on the difference between the first and second moments, on the predetermined propagation speed at the start, and on the speed variation model in the link.
US08554496B2
A system and method for monitoring utilization and waste of a natural resource, such as water. Data is received indicating natural resource consumption by a facility. An indication of at least one period of natural resource usage by the facility is received. Natural resource usage corresponding to utilization of the natural resource for a useful purpose. Quantities of the natural resource consumed by the facility during the at least one period of water usage is recorded as a utilized quantity.
US08554490B2
A computer system and method are disclosed for automatically generating a vascular model of a blood vessel to support, for example, identification of mechanical factors corresponding to the blood vessel. The method includes interpolating data points corresponding to a contour of the blood vessel; generating a structural model representing three-dimensional structural characteristics of the blood vessel based on interpolated contours; generating a fluid model representing three-dimensional characteristics of fluid flow within the vessel; and generating a vascular model based on the structural model and the fluid model. The method may also include performing a mechanical analysis of the vascular model to identify a mechanical factor associated with the vessel, for example, a factor associated with a potential plaque rupture within the vessel. Embodiments of the invention are applicable to the diagnosis, assessment, or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
US08554486B2
The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing selective memory restoration of a simulation based on an indexing scheme. The present invention executes a block diagram model of a biological process to generate simulations results using a simulation engine. An indexing scheme is used for registering memory locations used by a simulation context for a subsystem in the block diagram model. Experimental data is gathered from an in situ experimental device. A simulation environment is used to compare expected simulation results with experimental data. The block diagram model is then updated based on the results of the comparison to create a modified block diagram model, which is then used to selectively restore the simulation to a steady-state.
US08554479B2
A possibility for simplifying the inputting of the destination in a motor vehicle navigation system by providing the user with useful additional items of information for the specification of ambiguous destination indications. Such a navigation system includes means for destination input, a navigation module for route planning, and means for displaying information, in particular indications of location, additional items of information concerning the indications of location, and route information, the means for destination input supporting a hierarchical, interactive inputting of the destination, by providing the user, in the case of ambiguous textual destination indications, with a choice of destination alternatives, including additional items of specifying information, until an unambiguous destination indication is made. The textual destination indications are stored together with corresponding geographic coordinates. The geographic coordinates are used for the determination of the additional items of information for the specification of destination alternatives.
US08554474B2
A method, navigation unit and map update server for updating navigation map data are disclosed. Navigation map update data is received from a navigation unit using mobile communications. The navigation map update data is obtained by detecting the position of a vehicle, calculating a route for the vehicle to a destination using the navigation map data and detecting when the calculated route to the destination is left. If so, the method begins storing position data until the vehicle is back on the calculated route, on a recalculated route to the destination from an actual position, or when it has reached the destination. Furthermore, the method comprises evaluating the stored position data to obtain navigation map update data. Navigation map update data is kept local for a geographically limited area corresponding to an area serviced by a network node in the cellular communication network.
US08554470B2
A movable terminal stores previously a travel time schedule in a regular travel state of a public transportation. The movable terminal executes a route retrieval from candidates containing route sections traveled by using the public transportation and route sections traveled by using different transportation (i.e., foot, vehicle) other than the public transportation. As a result of the route retrieval, when it is determined that the route using the public transportation is more suitable, a request for a multi-modal retrieval based on actual present travel state of the public transportation is transmitted to a center. A center route received thereafter from the center is recorded as a guidance route used for executing route guidance.
US08554457B2
Described herein are systems and methods for surface management of an airport. One embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a method including receiving airport data from an airport network, receiving surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight. Another embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a system comprising a user interface displaying information related to flight plan data and airport data received from an airport network, and a surface management module receiving the airport data and surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight.
US08554441B1
A traction control system and methodology that utilize a phase-out and phase-in of maximum drive torque and/or a regenerative brake torque based on vehicle speed and road slope.
US08554438B2
A vehicular lane departure prevention control apparatus calculates first and second departure amounts based on lane line position information and obstacle position information, sets braking forces for lane departure prevention control based thereon, and outputs the braking forces to a brake control unit, the braking forces for generating a yaw moment and a deceleration to a subject vehicle and preventing the vehicle from departing with respect to the lane line and obstacle, while setting a departure level for target pump motor rotation speed setting based on a vehicle speed, a difference of the steering wheel angle from a crossing angle and the first departure amount, setting a target rotation speed for a pump motor of a hydraulic unit in a brake control unit based thereon, and then outputting the target rotation speed to the brake control unit so as to variably control the rotation speed of the pump motor.
US08554436B2
A vehicle driving assist system has a controller configured to calculate a risk potential indicative of the degree of convergence between a host vehicle in which the system is installed and a preceding obstacle. Then, the controller performs a driver notification controlling operation that produces a driver notification stimulus based on the risk potential. Considering the acceleration of the preceding obstacle, the speed of the host vehicle, and the following distance between the host vehicle and the preceding obstacle, the controller calculates a threshold value for determining when to commence the control of the driver notification controlling operation.
US08554432B2
A power transfer mechanism control device that controls a power transfer mechanism which is mounted on a vehicle including an automatically stoppable and automatically startable motor and which transfers power from the motor to an axle side via a friction engagement element actuated by a fluid pressure from a fluid pressure actuator, wherein during neutral control performed while the motor is in operation, a neutral control amount, which is a control amount for causing the friction engagement element to stand by in a neutral state with pressure lower than a complete engagement pressure, is set on the basis of a power transfer state of the power transfer mechanism to control the fluid pressure actuator, and learned, and while the motor is automatically stopped, the fluid pressure actuator is controlled using the learned neutral control amount such that the friction engagement element stands by in the neutral state.
US08554431B2
A method for adapting gear selection in a vehicle, the vehicle including an engine with an engine output shaft connected to an automated mechanical transmission via a clutch, a transmission output shaft connected to at least one driven wheel of the vehicle, an arrangement for registering whether a towed vehicle is connected to said vehicle, and at least one control unit for receiving input signals including signals indicative of the towed vehicle connection, and for processing the signals in accordance with programmed logic rules to issue gear selection command output signals to the transmission for gear shifting, where the control unit, when sensing that a towed vehicle has been connected to the vehicle, changes an originally selected first gear to a lower second gear having a higher starting gear ratio compared to the first gear. The towed vehicle connection registering arrangement registers at least bounce from when the vehicle bounces into the towed vehicle for connecting the towed vehicle to the vehicle. A more sure registration of whether a towed vehicle is connected to the vehicle or not is obtained.
US08554430B2
A method for anticipating downshifting upon uphill driving on a vehicle including an automatic transmission and including change laws imposing a change to a lower gear based on pre-established downshifting curves. The method imposes a change to the lower gear to the transmission independently from the gear set point established by the change laws when the acceleration that can be reached at the maximum torque on the current gear is lower than an acceleration threshold necessary for maintaining the vehicle speed.
US08554416B2
The present invention provides a rear wheel steering angle controlling device for vehicles comprising: a rear wheel steering mechanism (5R, 5L) for changing a rear wheel steering angle; a front wheel steering angle detector (9) for detecting a front wheel steering angle (δf); a vehicle velocity detector (10R, 10L) for detecting a vehicle velocity (V); a feedforward rear wheel steering angle control target value setting unit (21) for setting a feedforward control target value (δrFF) of said rear wheel steering angle according to said front wheel steering angle, said vehicle velocity, a steering yaw rate transfer function property (Gγ0) of the vehicle without a rear wheel steering angle control, and a prescribed reference steering yaw rate transfer function property (Gideal); and a controlling device (11) for controlling said rear wheel steering mechanism according to said feedforward rear wheel steering angle control target value; wherein a steady-state property of said reference steering yaw rate transfer function property is configured to be identical to said steering yaw rate transfer function property without said rear wheel steering angle control.
US08554415B2
A steering system for a motor vehicle equipped with a cargo-handling machine including a pair of left and right loading portions is provided. The steering system includes a turning actuator that turns a steered wheel according to an operation of a steering member, and a side shift actuator that shifts the pair of loading portions in the left-right direction. A control unit that controls driving of the side shift actuator includes a target side shift amount calculating section that calculates a target side shift amount of the pair of loading portions based on lateral acceleration detected by a lateral acceleration sensor.
US08554412B2
Provided are: an electric motor that applies steering assist force to a steering wheel; a target current determination unit 25 that calculates a target current to be supplied to the electric motor on the basis of steering torque of the steering wheel; and a correction unit 27 that, when a rotation speed of the electric motor is less than a predetermined rotation speed, corrects the target current calculated by the target current determination unit 25 to be reduced on the basis of an actual current supplied to the electric motor and a time during which the actual current is supplied. Thereby a technique is provided to suppress a failure of the electric motor due to an excessive current flowing through the electric motor with higher accuracy.
US08554410B2
A device and a method for route guidance assistance in a vehicle that is connected to a navigation system. In order to make it easier for the driver to follow a route calculated by a navigation system, an assisting device is provided for route guidance. The assisting device includes a control unit for generating a control signal for haptic feedback to the driver of the vehicle. As haptic feedback, the control unit can output an additional moment on the steering system of the vehicle, for example, the additional moment being negative when the vehicle departs from the travel route while being positive when the vehicle follows the calculated direction of the navigation route.
US08554408B2
A control wheel for controlling at least one function of a system by a user includes a moveable engagement wheel for engagement by the user and an actuator coupled to the engagement wheel for providing force or haptic feedback to the engagement wheel in response to movement of the engagement wheel. A sensor for sensing movement of the engagement wheel is provided and a control system is coupled to the sensor for receiving information about positioning and movement of the engagement wheel, and is also coupled to the actuator for controlling force to the engagement wheel. The control system also provides control of the at least one function of the system.
US08554407B2
Implementing an optimized waste heat recovery system includes calculating a temperature and a rate of change in temperature of a heat exchanger of a waste heat recovery system, and predicting a temperature and a rate of change in temperature of a material flowing through a channel of the waste heat recovery system. Upon determining the rate of change in the temperature of the material is predicted to be higher than the rate of change in the temperature of the heat exchanger, the optimized waste heat recovery system calculates a valve position and timing for the channel that is configurable for achieving a rate of material flow that is determined to produce and maintain a defined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger, and actuates the valve according to the calculated valve position and calculated timing.
US08554390B2
A heat exchanger system having an IT container having an inner chamber containing the media from which heat is to be pulled, and further having an outer surface to which is attached corrugated columns of thermally conducting material, cooling water pipes through the corrugated columns supplied with cooling water, at least the outer surface of the container and the corrugated columns is composed of metal and the outer surface of the container is separated from the inner surface by insulator material. It also contains a temperature monitor and controller for controlling the cooling system based upon the environment temperature to save energy.
US08554384B2
A method for presenting saving opportunities for electronic devices is disclosed. Experience based data learned from past power behavior of one or more devices is received. One or more power saving opportunities are generated based on the experience based data. Estimated cost savings is calculated. A notification message is presented to a user that describes the power saving opportunities and associated cost savings for the opportunities.
US08554380B2
A weather based irrigation controller has a thermometer that provides a temperature signal to the controller and a rain gauge that provides a rainfall signal to the controller, for adjusting irrigation schedules. A default mode is initiated when either sensor fails, and introduces an adjustment to the maximum irrigation duration based on historical stored data.
US08554379B2
The present invention discloses an irrigation system comprising a plurality of valve stations that are operatively coupled with a controller operative to control the operation of the plurality of valve stations. The valve stations are grouped into a plurality of valve station groups, each group comprising at least two valve stations. The at least two valve stations are operatively coupled in parallel with a hotwire to a respective output port of the controller; and the at least two valve stations respective of the plurality of valve station groups are operatively coupled in parallel with a common wire to a corresponding input port of the controller. The controller is operative to change the operational mode of a selected one of the valve stations.
US08554373B2
The present disclosure provides methods of synthesizing alkylating agents and methods of use.
US08554371B2
The vision aided case/bulk palletizer system of this invention is a process and apparatus for: providing a camera positioned over the dunnage supply line; initiating a frame grab of the dunnage supply line with the camera; using the frame grab to determine the position of the dunnage; using the frame grab to position the programmable robot over the dunnage; feeding the dunnage from the dunnage supply line to the load building area; and controlling the steps with the single programmable robot, microprocessor and software. This system provides for transfer of the dunnage when the position of the dunnage is skewed by using the frame grab to position the programmable robot over the skewed dunnage. In another embodiment, the camera is used to determine any void in the tier of product during the build of a tier of product, and also provides for error-proofing the transfer of dunnage.
US08554370B2
A system and method is disclosed for predicting a fall of a robot having at least two legs. A learned representation, such as a decision list, generated by a supervised learning algorithm is received. This learned representation may have been generated based on trajectories of a simulated robot when various forces are applied to the simulated robot. The learned representation takes as inputs a plurality of features of the robot and outputs a classification indicating whether the current state of the robot is balanced or falling. A plurality of features of the current state of the robot, such as the height of the center of mass of the robot, are determined based on current values of a joint angle or joint velocity of the robot. The current state of the robot is classified as being either balanced or falling by evaluating the learned representation with the plurality of features of the current state of the robot.
US08554365B2
A storage device, method, and computer program product is provided that includes a number of drawer-level display devices. Each drawer-level display device may be associated with and disposed on a particular drawer. Each drawer-level display device may be configured to present a user with medication information for a selected medication stored in the associated drawer. Thus, a user can have direct access to information required for completing a dispensing or restocking operation at the accessed drawer and does not need to refer back to the cabinet-level display device for information. The drawer-level display devices may be main drawer-level display devices, located near a leading end of each drawer, and/or secondary drawer-level display devices located at the pockets defined by the drawer. Thus, the information needed to complete a dispensing or restocking operation that is in progress can be found at the drawer-level, where the user's attention is already focused.
US08554364B2
A cabinet having a plurality of drawers, each drawer having at least one compartment. The cabinet includes a computer and a panel pivotally coupled to one of the drawers. The panel is disposed in a covering relationship with the compartments within the drawer and includes at least one opening. The opening corresponds with the compartment. A cover is pivotally connected to the panel and covers the opening. A locking mechanism is interconnected with the drawer and the cover. The locking mechanism receives a signal from the computer to position it in one of a locked and unlocked position.
US08554363B2
An apparatus configured to dispense a plurality of connected inflatable structures is provided. The apparatus may include a motor which is configured to advance a dispensing device to thereby advance the connected inflatable structures. A sensor is configured to detect a pulling force applied to the dispensing device and configured to output a signal corresponding to the pulling force. A controller is configured to receive the signal and output a control signal to direct the motor to advance the dispensing device in response to the signal to thereby dispense the connected inflatable structures. A related system includes the apparatus in addition to an inflation device configured to inflate the connected inflatable structures and an accumulation bin configured to store the connected inflatable structures. A related method is also provided.
US08554359B2
A transfer apparatus includes a container that contains workpieces to be transferred, a sensor that detects a position and a posture of the workpiece existing in a predetermined detection area, and a robot that takes out the workpiece and transfers the workpiece to a transfer destination on the basis of a detection result of the sensor. The sensor includes an area storage that stores a plurality of detection areas, a condition storage that stores a switching condition for switching the detection areas, and a controller that switches the detection areas in a predetermined order when the switching condition is satisfied.
US08554354B1
A method of adaptive guiding of a web on a roller is disclosed. The method includes computing an output of a reference model, reading an output of a sensor that indicates a web position, determining a difference between the output of the reference model and the output of the sensor, and updating a set off controller parameters for the roller based on the difference.
US08554347B2
An apparatus is provided for remotely monitoring a plurality of amplifiers on a display device. The amplifiers are provided to process audio signals and directly or indirectly connected to a network. In the apparatus, a collecting section collects a group code from each of the amplifiers through the network. The group code is allocated to each amplifier according to a grouping system for grouping the plurality of the amplifiers. A display control section displays a tree diagram of the amplifiers according to the collected group codes on the display device as a graphical representation of the grouping system.
US08554345B2
A technique to automatically provide assistance with the selection of an app for an electronic game is described. An apparatus may comprise an app rating application arranged to receive as input game performance information representing gameplay of an electronic game. The app rating application may process the game performance information and output an app rating indicator of an app corresponding to the app identifier parameter based on the performance information to assist a user in selecting the app. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08554328B2
The present invention is a non-destructive method of inspecting a bond, particularly a braze bond, in a hermetic package. The invention involves a unique hermetic package design adapted for ultrasonic inspection and a method of inspecting the package. This package and non-destructive inspection process are particularly useful in implantable neural stimulators such as visual prostheses.
US08554326B2
Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal cord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side effects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.
US08554321B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for determining whether a patient is a responder to cardiac resynchronization therapy. The beginning and ending of the intrinsic ventricular depolarization are determined through signals measured from one or more electrodes implanted in the patient's heart. An interval between the beginning and ending of the intrinsic ventricular depolarization is computed and is compared to a threshold. The threshold may be determined empirically. The pacing parameters of a heart stimulation device, such as a pacemaker, may then be configured, for example, by setting the paced atrio-ventricular delay based on whether the patient responds positively to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
US08554320B2
The invention relates to a medical implantable lead for monitoring and/or controlling an organ inside a human or animal body. The lead comprises a conducting arrangement having a first conducting coil of at least one electrically conducting wire for connecting a first electrode electrically to a connector to receive and/or transmit electric signals from and to the tissue, respectively. The lead is tapered in a distal portion and has a smaller cross sectional dimension at the distal portion than at the rest of the lead. The first conducting coil is terminated at a termination point on a distance from the distal end. The conducting arrangement has a first end conductor in the form of a non-coiled electric conductor or an eccentrically positioned small diameter coil which connects the first electrode electrically with the coil.
US08554317B2
A method of treating a patient with a microneedle array having an active agent disposed on at least a portion of one or more of the microneedles, wherein the array with active agent is characterized by a first optical response when probed with a selected incident light spectrum. The array with active agent is applied to a skin surface, optionally allowed to remain on the skin surface for a specified time, and removed. The used array is probed with the selected incident light spectrum, a second optical response is sensed, and the difference between the first optical response and the second optical response is determined and compared to a predetermined threshold value.
US08554315B2
Apparatus using one or more modes of statistical analysis with one or more monitored parameters of a patient's heart to identify and/or assess arrhythmias. Through use of the one or more modes of statistical analysis, a medical professional can be aided during evaluation of patient data for diagnosis of the patient. At least one of the monitored parameters may include one or more values used representatively for storage intervals of a selected length. As such, for each storage interval, a value may be determined for the one monitored parameter occurring at an upper percentile and a lower percentile. In addition, a median value may be determined for the one monitored parameter for each storage interval. Over a plurality of the storage intervals, these determined values can be used in one or more modes of statistical analysis to better identify and assess the arrhythmias.
US08554313B2
A device for the analysis of an endocardiac signal of acceleration. The device preprocesses the acquired endocardiac acceleration (EA) signal by cutting the signal EA collected into sub-signals EA, each one have a duration of one cardiac cycle; separating the cut signals to isolate in each sub-signal EA at least one component EAx, associated with a major cardiac sound, and preferably into components EA1 and EA2 associated with the two major cardiac sounds S1 and S2; and performing a correlation on each component EA1 and EA2, to readjust each sub-signal in relation to a maximum of correlation, so as to deliver a readjusted component EA1 and a readjusted component EA2. The device further determines, starting from the isolated correlated components EA1 and EA2, a component average EA1 and a component average EA2, and to combine these components EA1 and average EA2 so as to produce an average global signal EA for one cycle. The device extracts from these information temporal markers of characteristic moments in the cardiac cycle, in particular markers of the moment of opening and closing of the aortic valve.
US08554305B2
Prior approaches have delivered 17O2 to a subject by inhalation, but the relationship between local signal changes and metabolism has been complicated by H217O created in non-cerebral tissues. During a brief pulse of 17O2 inhalation, this arterial input function for H217O is negligible due to convective transport delays. Additional delays in the arterial input function due to restricted diffusion of water makes pulsed inhalation of 17O2 even more effective. Accordingly, ventilator system are provided to deliver 17O2 as a brief pulse to a subject. Subsequent MR imaging demonstrates delayed appearance of H217O in the cerebral ventricles, suggesting that the arterial input function of H217O is delayed by restricted water diffusion in addition to convective transit delays. Delivery as a brief pulse therefore offers significant advantages in relating MR signal changes directly to metabolism.
US08554291B2
A sliding portable telephone in which a second display section is provided on a surface exposed when an upper housing is slid, enabling self-shooting by a built-in camera. Further, in the telephone, a mechanism for stopping the upper housing before a fully opened position is provided so that, when a fingerprint sensor is built-in in an end section of a lower housing, fingerprint authentication is enabled without fully opening the telephone. Also, a recess is formed between sliding surfaces of the upper and lower housings, a flexible circuit board is received in the recess, the flexible circuit board is inserted and led through a slit that is provided only in one end surface of the recess, the insertion section is sealed, and as a result, there is no problem even if water droplets are splashed on the sliding portable telephone in an extended state.
US08554287B1
A multifunction cover with touch screen display, icons, and a keyboard is described. A multifunction touch screen enabled mobile device may be configured to be connected to the separate cover, which may be attached to the device and detached from the device. The mobile device may be enabled with a cellular voice and data communication, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, and Internet Protocol connectivity. The mobile device may be enabled to play videos, capture photos, and stream multimedia content.
US08554281B2
A method of automatically establishing an input language for a handheld electronic device includes receiving a request to initiate the composition of a new message, receiving a selection of a particular contact that is the intended recipient of the message, and determining whether the particular contact has a stored preferred input language. If a preferred input language is stored, the method includes determining whether the preferred input language is different than the current input language (which may be a pre-established default input language). If the preferred input language is different, the method further includes switching the current input language to the preferred input language. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method. Also provided is a method of indicating a preferred language in association with a call received by or placed to the device.
US08554277B2
A microwave transmission assembly comprising a combiner comprising first and second input ports and internal and external output a ports; the combiner being adapted to transfer a signal received at microwave frequency f1 at the first input port to the external output port and signals received at other frequencies to the internal output port; the combiner being further adapted to transfer a signal at a microwave frequency f2 at the second input port to the external output port and signals received at the other frequencies to the internal output port; a resistive load connected to the internal output port; and, a power dependent reflective load connected in series with the resistive load, the power dependent reflective load comprising a reactive element, the reactive element comprising an inductive component and a capacitive component and being adapted to resonate at a load frequency; the impedance of the capacitive component being adapted to drop when the incident microwave power received by the power dependent reflective load exceeds a power limit so switching the power dependent load from a low impedance state to a high impedance state.
US08554274B2
The invention provides a cell phone projector including a housing, a circuit device, a power supply, a projector module, wherein the circuit device and the power supply are disposed in the housing, and the projector module is displaced at one end of the housing, and wherein the housing is provided with a fence-type slot for insertion of a cell phone. The cell phone is inserted into the slot to thereby achieve to connect the cell phone with a projector. In use, a video signal within the cell phone can be easily output through the projector, to bring a better visual effect for users, and it is convenient for people to watch the video.
US08554268B2
A control method for a communication device is provided. The control method includes the steps of: determining whether the communication device is in a wrong communication state when a call of a communication function is made from the communication device, and if the communication device is in the wrong communication state, prohibiting the communication function from being performed by the communication device after the call is finished.
US08554264B1
Optimizing a power level for a transmission so that the transmission is receivable at or near a destination, but no farther, is useful for reduced-power transmissions. Taking into account known distance for the transmission as determined by onboard GPS and geographic databases, a power level may be set more precisely. Accounting for atmospheric conditions which may impact transmission as determined by onboard or received measurements of temperature, solar or other conditions may also permit a power level to be set more precisely. An obstruction database may be consulted to determine whether transmissions will degrade due to objects in between the transmitter and receiver, permitting power level, frequency, bandwidth or transmit/receive location to be adjusted accordingly. The techniques may be implemented in any signal transmission scenario including mobile telephones, aircraft, marine or other vehicle radios, mobile devices with Wi-Fi radios for network computing, stationary radios, and other situations requiring communications.
US08554249B2
A location service for wireless devices is described. In embodiments, a connection identifier is received that indicates a wireless device is linked to a communication node for wireless communication. Additional wireless devices are also linked to the communication node for wireless communication, and the additional wireless devices can each identify its geographic location. Location data is received from the additional wireless devices, where the location data indicates the respective geographic locations of the additional wireless devices. A location of the communication node can be determined from the location data that is received from the additional wireless devices, and a current location can then be assigned to the wireless device based on the determined location of the communication node.
US08554228B2
To perform a handover of a mobile station from a source base station to a target base station, the source base station determines a delay of a connection between the source base station and the target base station. The source base station computes an action time taking into account the determined delay, the action time specifying a time when the target base station is able to allocate resources to the mobile station for the handover.
US08554227B2
A wireless communication system includes: at least one base station that forms a plurality of cells of different frequencies such that the cells partially or completely overlap with each other; and a terminal that is capable of recognizing the cells of the different frequencies. The base station determines priority factors of the different frequencies of the cells, and transmits the priority factors to the terminal that has set a cell formed by the base station as a serving cell. The terminal receives the priority factors from the base station forming the serving cell, and selects a cell to be set as the serving cell next from among the cells based on the priority factors.
US08554224B2
Various arrangements for managing wireless network communication are described. Two cells using different radio access technologies (RATs), such as a 3G cell and a 4G cell, may provide overlapping coverage. A first cell using a first RAT, under certain circumstances, may be permitted to enter a powered down state such that less power is consumed. User equipment may communicate with the cell using the second RAT as the preferred network and only communicate with the cell using the first RAT when a service available through the first RAT but not the second RAT has been requested. Upon a request from the second cell, the first cell may enter a powered up state.
US08554219B2
A method is provided for selecting an available network by a mobile apparatus, such as a mobile phone. As a subscriber moves from country to country he needs to switch from network to network, with limited control over the network chosen and the services provided by the network. The mobile phone is provided with parameter sets, providing connection parameters for more than one network based upon the geographic location that the mobile phone is in. The mobile phone may provide for automatic selection of an available network.
US08554211B2
A method, user equipment, network device, and software product employ indicators from a plurality of respective cells to indicate a difference, if any, regarding allocation in the respective cell as compared to neighbor cells. Mobility measurements are then performed according to the indicators, and also on the basis of configuration of a cell where the measurements are performed.
US08554210B2
An apparatus for storing handover information in a mobile communication system is provided. The apparatus includes an estimation unit configured to estimate a direction of arrival (DOA) of a received signal with respect to a first base station based on the received signal, the received signal being received from a terminal belonging to the first base station, and a storage unit to store the estimated DOA as handover information associated with a second base station when the terminal is handed over to the second base station.
US08554209B2
A propagated control channel signal for use in a shared radio access network is disclosed. The control channel signal comprises common control data for use by mobile terminals authorized to access the shared radio access network and operator-specific data for use by those of the mobile terminals that are associated with a first mobile operator. The common control data may comprise handover-related data for handovers within the shared radio access network and the operator-specific data may comprise handover-related data for handovers from the shared radio access network to an unshared radio access network having overlapping coverage with the shared radio access network. The common control data and the operator-specific data may comprise values for one or more mobile terminal settings, wherein the operator-specific values are for use instead of the common values by those of the mobile terminals that are associated with the first mobile operator. Methods and apparatus for using and generating the disclosed propagated control channel signals are also disclosed.
US08554197B2
A system and method to interrupt a component of a mobile communication device based on a mute command and a monitored operating condition is disclosed. In another particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a mute command at a mobile communication device while the mobile communication device is performing audio content processing. The method also includes monitoring an operating condition of the mobile communication device in response to receiving the mute command. The method includes determining whether to interrupt a component used to perform the audio content processing based on the monitored operating condition.
US08554196B2
Technologies and implementations for providing network coverage by cycling through beam shape coverage configurations are generally disclosed.
US08554194B2
Provided are a method and a system for providing a virtual messenger service between a mobile communication terminal and a computer. The method includes executing a virtual messenger program for controlling a function of a mobile communication terminal, and receiving a telephone directory provided within the mobile communication terminal; displaying a messenger window when receiving a request for activating the messenger window that collectively includes the telephone directory and menus; generating a communication event message related with a selected telephone number of the other party; and transmitting the generated event message to the mobile communication terminal, and displaying a notification of a communication event to an other party.
US08554193B2
A mobile terminal for reporting an exception or error and a method thereof, by which an exception of the mobile terminal can be transmitted to a server in a transmission mode appropriate for a status of a network. Exception information, such as information of a register of the mobile terminal if the exception is generated, information of a task performed by the mobile terminal before the generation of the exception, and history information before the generation of exception, are stored in a memory. The exception information is transmitted to the server.
US08554187B2
An apparatus and method for testing communication capabilities of networks and devices are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between a first and a second device comprises an input, logic, and an output. The input of the interface device receives data in a first format from the first device. The logic identifies the second device for receiving the data and identifies a second format compatible with the second device. The data is then translated to the second format. The logic may also determine a status of the interface device by testing components of the interface device to determine if the components are accessible and functioning. The output of the interface device then transmits the translated data to the second device.
US08554181B2
A portable communication terminal transmits a request signal that requests voice data representing an email message, to a server apparatus when the portable communication terminal receives the email that has been sent to the portable communication terminal, and the portable communication terminal transmits the voice data received from the server apparatus, to an in-vehicle equipment. A server apparatus converts an email message that has been sent to a portable communication terminal, into voice data in response to a request signal received from the portable communication terminal, and the server apparatus returns the voice data to the portable communication terminal. The in-vehicle equipment detects a position of a portable communication terminal in a cabin, and the in-vehicle equipment outputs a voice message converted only from voice data representing an email message received by the portable communication terminal located in a specific position in the cabin, inside the cabin of the vehicle.
US08554177B2
An apparatus and method for unlocking a mobile device using pattern recognition are provided. The apparatus includes a touch sensor unit sensing a predetermined pattern touch-input to a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit, a pattern recognition unit recognizing information about the input pattern sensed by the touch sensor unit, a pattern comparison unit comparing information about the input pattern recognized by the pattern recognition unit with information about a predetermined pattern set by a user, and a controller controlling supply of power to the LCD unit to enable the user to use the mobile device if the input pattern and the predetermined pattern are equal to each other as compared by the pattern comparison unit.
US08554176B2
Method and systems for protecting data on a mobile handset when remotely activated by a user involve encrypting the data using an encryption key, storing the encrypted data, and deleting the non-encrypted data along with the encryption key. Data may also be uploaded to a server to via a cellular data call for use in backing up the mobile handset. A mobile handset application configures the handset to receive activation commands from a server to encrypt, upload or download data. The encryption key is either received from the server or generated by the mobile handset and communicated to the server. Mock data files may be generated and stored on the mobile handset to enable handset applications to function normally after the data files have been encrypted.
US08554171B2
Systems and methods for identifying a geographical area in a commercial mobile alert service message
Geographical locations can be encoded in alert messages and the encoded geographical locations can be processed are disclosed. Emergency alerts can be received from an emergency provider or governmental agency comprising a geographical code. The code can be evaluated to determine a geographical location by determining a primary location, such as a state or region, and a secondary location such as a county. This information can be used to determine the devices within a wireless network that should receive the alert message.
US08554162B2
A power amplifier circuit utilizes a cross-coupled tapped cascade topology together with a technique of applying an RF injection current into a wideband node to provide a single-stage power amplifier with improved PAE, output power, and gain over a wide RF band. The amplifier circuit comprises a cross-coupled cascade transistor unit comprising a pair of cross-coupled cascode transistors, a cross-coupled switching transistor unit comprising a pair of cross-coupled switching transistors, and an RF current generator. RF current generator generates a differential RF injection current, while switching transistor unit amplifies the injection current to generate an amplified injection current at the wideband node of the amplifier circuit and the cascode transistor unit further amplifies the injection current to generate the desired amplified signal at the output of the amplifier circuit. The output signal amplitude generally depends on the differential injection current and the supply voltage VDD applied to the power amplifier circuit.
US08554161B2
A circuit for biasing a gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier includes a reference voltage generator circuit implemented in a gallium arsenide (GaAs) material system, a field effect transistor (FET) bias circuit implemented in the gallium arsenide material system and adapted to receive an output of the reference voltage generator circuit and adapted to provide an output to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier stage.
US08554155B2
A device for multiple band frequency communication may include a chassis, a transceiver for receiving and transmitting voice and data communications over any one of multiple frequency bands, an antenna assembly comprising a single radiator and an antenna matching unit, and an antenna connector provided on the chassis for mounting the antenna assembly to the device and connecting the antenna assembly to the transceiver via a transmission line, wherein the antenna matching unit is provided between the radiator and the antenna connector and comprises a reactive circuit to filter the communications and transform an impedance between the radiator and the antenna connector to match an impedance between the transceiver and the antenna connector for each of the multiple frequency bands. A method and system is disclosed for communicating voice and data communications over multiple frequency bands.
US08554154B1
An electronic device is provided. The device comprises a radio transceiver, a processor, a memory, a connector, and an application stored in the memory. The connector is for coupling a radio frequency signal between the radio transceiver and an external antenna and for coupling a baseband signal between the first processor and an external processor. The application, when executed by the processor, manages the radio transceiver based on baseband messages received over the connector from the external processor, wherein the application managing the radio transceiver comprises causing the radio transceiver to transmit the radio frequency signal over the connector to the external antenna and causing the radio transceiver to receive the radio frequency signal over the connector from the external antenna.
US08554152B2
An apparatus and a method for estimating a channel in a mobile communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a channel estimation unit for determining a channel estimation value using a channel power for each of a plurality of fingers, and a noise estimation unit for selecting a scheme for estimating a thermal noise power according to a channel environment among schemes for determining a plurality of thermal noise powers, and for estimating a noise using the channel estimation value in the selected scheme.
US08554148B2
Provided are apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data for a wireless communication system. The method includes generating a first aggregation packet by controlling the number of preambles or by controlling a size of a packet according to a channel state of a channel formed to at least one reception terminal or according to a state of the reception terminal, and transmitting the first aggregation packet to the reception terminal.
US08554146B2
Operators of wireless communication systems operating in the same geographic area are able to build networks on neighboring/adjacent bands, even if one of the systems is using a TDD mode and the other systems is using a FDD mode without using excessive large guard bands. A beaconing mechanism with signaling is used to impose an exclusion zone and power restriction, antenna direction, and other operational parameters. A newcomer operator is able to get an accurate knowledge of the interference to and from the sites of the AP of the existing operator so that the newcomer can deploy his APs without causing interference to the existing APs.
US08554144B2
A system, device and method for placing a call in a telecommunications network is disclosed. In the method, a target address of a target station in a telecommunications network is received through a short range wireless connection. The method includes providing an alert that the target address was received, receiving a calling station off-hook confirmation, and establishing a connection through the telecommunications network between the calling station and the target station.
US08554135B2
A method and system for controlling power dissipation in a base station of a navigation satellite system (NSS) is disclosed. One method utilizes a sensor to monitor one or more components of the base station. Then, based on information from the sensor, a transmission bit rate is increased from a pre-defined bit rate to an increased transmission bit rate for an NSS message transmitted from the base station without reducing transmission power level of the base station. The method also periodically provides a bit rate update signal at the pre-defined bit rate, the bit rate update signal informing a rover utilizing the base station of the increased transmission bit rate for the NSS message transmitted from the base station.
US08554122B2
A fixing device is provided in which a rotation member and a roller are caused to rotate pressing against each other, a recording paper is sandwiched and transported in a nip region between the rotation member and the roller, a leading edge of a peeling plate is positioned with respect to a peripheral surface of the rotation member, and the recording paper is separated from the rotation member by the peeling plate. In this fixing device, a surface of the peeling plate faces a transport route of the recording paper. Furthermore, in this fixing device, a contact member is provided that contacts a rear surface of the peeling plate displaced in a direction in which the leading edge of the peeling plate approaches the peripheral surface of the rotation member and prohibits displacement of the peeling plate after contact of the peeling plate to the contact member.
US08554119B2
A developing system includes a first developer carrier to carry and supply two-component developer including toner and carrier to a latent image formed on an image bearer. A first magnetic field generator having plural first magnetic poles is rotatably installed in the first developer carrier and causes the two-component developer to put forth ears and conveys the two-component developer on the developer carrier. A cross-sectional center of the first magnetic field generator is deviated from that of the first developer carrier toward the image bearer by a prescribed length. A developer peel-off device including a second magnetic field generator is provided in the vicinity of the surface of the first developer carrier to peel off the developer not supplied to the image bearer and remaining on the surface of the first developer carrier.
US08554115B2
A developing device includes a developer tank and a developing roller. An internal space of the developer tank is divided into an upper conveying path, a lower conveying path, a communication path, a main pumping conveying path section, and a developer supply path, by a partition wall. A developer pumping conveying section conveys a developer inside the main pumping conveying path section in a conveyance direction Z, and includes an inner spiral blade, a rotational tube, a first outer spiral blade, a second outer spiral blade, a pumping rotation shaft member, and a pumping gear. An attracting magnet is located in a position horizontally spaced from the rotational tube.
US08554111B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a recording medium cassette storing recording medium; an image forming unit, a feed unit; an upper frame that supports the image forming unit and the feed unit; and a lower frame in which the recording medium cassette is detachably attached, the upper frame being disposed on the lower frame, and the lower frame having rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, the lower frame including a rail for guiding the recording medium cassette to a predetermined receiving position, wherein the feed unit has a groove portion formed along a direction parallel to a horizontal direction, the recording medium cassette has a first convex portion which is fitted in the groove portion when the recording medium cassette is attached in the lower frame, the recording medium cassette having a second convex portion which is contact with a portion of the rail of the lower frame.
US08554108B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body on which a visible image is developed by developer, an intermediate transfer belt to which developer of the photosensitive body is transferred, and a first transfer roller to transfer the developer from the photosensitive body to the intermediate transfer belt, wherein since a developing unit housing at which the photosensitive body is mounted is provided with position regulating guides to support a shaft of the first transfer roller, the intermediate transfer belt comes into contact with the photosensitive body at a uniform angle. As a result, uniform print quality may be obtained.
US08554105B2
A wet type image forming apparatus has a primary transfer unit that transfers to an intermediate transfer body a coloring particle image formed on the surface of an image bearing member by using liquid developer. A secondary transfer unit transfers onto a recording medium the coloring particle image transferred to the intermediate transfer body. A cleaning unit recovers liquid developer remaining on the intermediate transfer body after transfer by the second transfer unit. An aggregation promoting agent addition unit is disposed on a downstream side of the secondary transfer unit in a direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer body and on an upstream side of the cleaning unit in a direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer body and adds to the surface of the intermediate transfer body an aggregation promoting agent that promotes aggregation of resin contained in the liquid developer.
US08554102B2
A developing device includes a development roller that holds developer containing toner and carrier, rotates and transports the developer to a development area, and develops a latent image using the toner; a housing that has a first opening that opens towards the image holding member, and that holds the development roller; an airflow path that has a second opening that opens towards the image holding member at a location below the first opening; a blower that causes air in the airflow path to be sent in a direction in which the toner scattered between the housing and the image holding member is sucked from the second opening; and a magnetic plate opposing an end portion of the development roller in a direction of an axis of rotation of the development roller and extending so as to surround the development roller in a direction of rotation of the development roller.
US08554095B2
An image forming apparatus, which is capable of bringing an output density close to a target density even if a charge amount of toner particles changes, includes an image forming unit having an image carrier and a developing unit, a storage unit storing a saturation charge amount of toner particles, and a control unit. The control unit forms a patch image using the image forming unit, measures the density of the patch image to obtain a first potential that is a contrast potential corresponding to a target density, estimates the charge amount of the toner particles in the developing unit to obtain a first charge amount, obtains a second potential from the first potential, the first charge amount and the saturation charge amount, and sets the second potential as the contrast potential.
US08554085B1
A spread spectrum waveform generator has a photonic oscillator and an optical heterodyne synthesizer. The photonic oscillator is a multi-tone optical comb generator for generating a series of RF comb lines on an optical carrier. The optical heterodyne synthesizer includes first and second phase-locked lasers, where the first laser feeds the multi-tone optical comb generator and the second laser is a single tone laser whose output light provides a frequency translation reference. At least one photodetector is provided for heterodyning the frequency translation reference with the optical output of the photonic oscillator to generate a spread spectrum waveform. A receiver pre-processor may be provided to operate on the spread spectrum waveform.
US08554075B2
Switching process at the occurrence of a path trouble is performed more quickly to reduce the number of packet discards during a traffic transition from a currently used system path to a standby system path within a section to be protected. An OLT (210-W) refers to the DBA information of a PON section and, if receiving no CCM frame at a timing at which the same should be received, then determines that some trouble has occurred on the path (S801) and transmits, to an OAM-compliant NE (200-Z), an application-for-switching frame (1501) to notify the OAM-compliant NE (200-Z) of the abnormal condition. The OAM-compliant NE (200-Z) monitors the occurrence of the trouble within the PON section nearly in real time, starts a switching process (S802) and generates and transmits a standby-system delivery request (321) (S302, S803). An OAM-compliant NE (200-A) switches the communication path to the standby-system passing through an OLT (210-P).
US08554073B2
The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for migrating a Sub-Network Connection Protection (SNCP) service. The method comprises: receiving a migration request of an SNCP service, wherein the migration request comprises one of: Permanent Connection (PC) to Soft Permanent Connection (SPC) migration, SPC to PC migration; respectively setting cross status control bits of a current operation connection and a correlative connection thereof according to the received migration request, and performing collective migration of the current operation connection and the correlative connection thereof according to the set cross status control bits; respectively modifying the cross status control bits of the current connection and the correlative connection thereof according to the migration result. The consistency of cross management authorities of a working connection and a protection connection of the SNCP service migration can be ensured by the present invention.
US08554068B2
In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
US08554066B2
To provide a driving mechanism with which a reduction in size is possible. A driving mechanism comprising: an optical component that is provided to be movable; a first driving member that is movable in a first direction; a second driving member that is movable in the first direction independently of the first driving member; and an abutting portion that is provided at the optical component and abuts against the first driving member and the second driving member, wherein, the optical component is moved by driving force of the first driving member and the second driving member abutting against the abutting portion.
US08554056B2
One embodiment, among others, includes a method for editing video. The method comprises receiving a plurality of media files and receiving specified special effects corresponding to each of the plurality of media files. Based on the received plurality of media files and the specified special effects for each of the plurality of media files, a single output is generated whereby the special effects are incorporated and where the plurality of media files are unmodified.
US08554046B2
A system may receive an enhanced media stream that includes media content and interactive content relating to the media content, present the media content for display on a video display device, detect initiation of a trick mode during presentation of the media content, and present information, relating to the interactive content, superimposed on the media content presented for display on the video display device during the trick mode.
US08554034B2
An optical-electrical hybrid transmission cable (100), comprises an insulative layer (2); a shielding layer located on an inner side of the insulative layer; an optical cable (5) disposed in the shielding layer and comprising two optical fibers (51) and an insulative sheath (52) enclosing the two optical fibers; a pair of signal wires (6) twisted together and disposed in the shielding layer; and a pair of power wires disposed in the shielding layer. And the optical cable, the pair of signal wires and the pair of power wires are arranged along a circumferential direction.
US08554029B2
The present invention is a limited rotation through-bore optical slip ring. This will enable one or more optical signals to pass across a rotational interface while leaving a center bore free. The present invention is passive, unlike many off axis or through bore optical slip rings and is low loss by nature.
US08554028B2
A fiber optic coupler includes a housing that receives upstream optical signals from drop optical fibers that are optically coupled to optical network units in a power splitting passive optical network and provides an aggregate upstream optical signal to a trunk optical fiber that is optically coupled to an optical line terminal in the power splitting passive optical network, without having passed through a power splitter. At least one reflector and/or refractor in the housing is oriented to reflect and/or refract at least one upstream optical signal from at least one of the drop optical fibers, so as to produce the aggregate upstream optical signal for the trunk optical fiber. Various configurations of reflectors and/or refractors may be provided. Relative methods are also disclosed.
US08554025B2
An optical connector is described. This optical connector spatially segregates optical coupling between an optical fiber and an optical component, which relaxes the associated mechanical-alignment requirements. In particular, the optical connector includes an optical spreader component disposed on a substrate. This optical spreader component is optically coupled to the optical fiber at a first coupling region, and is configured to optically couple to the optical component at a second coupling region that is at a different location on the substrate than the first coupling region. Moreover, the first coupling region and the second coupling region are optically coupled by an optical waveguide.
US08554021B2
Visual fingerprinting is used to provide a robust and highly effective method of finding similar content in a large document collection of rich document content composed of multiple text, line-art, and photo image objects. The visual fingerprints capture unique two-dimensional localized aspects of document appearance. The visual fingerprints are highly distinctive; fast for lookup; compact for storage requirements; and scalable to large document collections.
US08554019B2
An image processing apparatus for generating an enlarged image obtained by enlarging an original image. The image processing apparatus includes a change rate calculation unit which calculates a first pixel change rate at a first pixel position of the original image and a second pixel change rate at a second pixel position of the original image; and a pixel value calculation unit which calculates a pixel value at an interpolation position to be interpolated between the first pixel position and the second pixel position of the original image according to an enlargement of the original image, based on the first pixel change rate weighted by a first weight according to the interpolation position and the second pixel change rate weighted by a second weight according to the interpolation position.
US08553999B2
The system according to the present invention includes a server including a map data storage device, which stores digital map data, a plurality of tile map data generated from the digital map data, and solid-compressed map data compressed by solid compression from the plurality of tile map data, a solid-compressed map data generation device, which generates the plurality of tile map data from the digital map data stored in the map data storage device, generates the solid-compressed map data by compressing the plurality of tile map data by solid compression, and stores the generated solid-compressed map data in the map data storage device, and a solid-compressed map data providing device, which transmits the solid-compressed map data to a client through a network in response to a request from the client. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the frequency of network access and the amount of data transmitted.
US08553995B2
In a method of embedding a binary sequence in a video sequence or a compressed video stream, said stream being able to be decomposed into several types of objects, the method is applied to at least one image contained in said video sequence The method includes analyzing the video sequence in the compressed domain so as to determine one or more zones of interest, generating a watermarking map containing the image blocks available for the watermarking, excluding from the watermarking map, for the current compressed image, the blocks that are not eligible according to a defined criterion, and applying a digital watermarking function to each available block.
US08553983B2
A personal authentication system according to the present invention includes a matrix generation unit, a feature extraction unit, a feature transformation unit, a processing unit, and a data matching unit. The matrix generation unit classifies a plurality of feature amounts of face image data, which are recorded in advance, into classes and calculates as a mapping matrix, coefficients of a linear discriminant equation which uses the recorded plurality of feature amounts as variables. The feature extraction unit extracts a first feature amount from first face image data and extracts a second feature amount from second face image data. The feature transformation unit, by using the mapping matrix, transforms the first feature amount into a first transformed feature amount and transforms the second feature amount into a second transformed feature amount. The processing unit calculates as a similarity, a normalized correlation value between the first transformed feature amount and the second transformed feature amount. The data matching unit judges that the first face image data and the second face image data are image data of same person when the similarity exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08553975B2
In one embodiment, an imaging method may include receiving an intensity value of a first spectral channel associated with a pixel location. The intensity value of the first spectral channel may be based on electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object after being emitted from a narrow-band electromagnetic radiation source. The method may further include defining an intensity value of a second spectral channel based on the intensity value of the first spectral channel. The second spectral channel may be associated with a spectral region of electromagnetic radiation different from a spectral region of electromagnetic radiation associated with the first spectral channel. The method may also include associating the intensity value of the second spectral channel with the pixel location.
US08553963B2
A motion compensated digitally subtracted Angiography (DSA) image processing system includes an interface for acquiring a sequence of images of patient vessels both prior to and following introduction of contrast agent into the vessels. An image data processor automatically, (a) determines a first shift vector for a first image of the sequence for compensating for shift between the first image and a first reference image of the sequence, (b) applies the determined first shift vector to the first image of the sequence to produce a shifted image, (c) subtracts the first reference image from the shifted image to produce a subtracted image enhancing vessel structure, (d) determines a second shift vector for compensating for shift between the subtracted image and a second reference image and (e) shifts content of the subtracted image relative to the second reference image in response to the second shift vector, to provide a shifted subtracted image enhancing and aligning vessel structure.
US08553950B2
Systems for remotely verifying the identity of an image include an identity capture device adapted to communicate with a computing device and a database. The identity capture device captures an image, and the computing device searches the database for information to authenticate and verify the image. For remotely connected computing devices, a communications network provides communication between the computing devices and the database. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US08553942B2
One or more systems, devices, and/or methods for emphasizing objects in an image, such as a panoramic image, are disclosed. For example, a method includes receiving a depthmap generated from an optical distancing system, wherein the depthmap includes position data and depth data for each of a plurality of points. The optical distancing system measures physical data. The depthmap is overlaid on the panoramic image according to the position data. Data is received that indicates a location on the panoramic image and, accordingly, a first point of the plurality of points that is associated with the location. The depth data of the first point is compared to depth data of surrounding points to identify an area on the panoramic image corresponding to a subset of the surrounding points. The panoramic image is altered with a graphical effect that indicates the location.
US08553940B2
A method of forming a time-varying signal representative of at least variations in a value based on pixel values from a sequence of images, the signal corresponding in length to the sequence of images, the method includes acts of obtaining the sequence of images. A plurality of groups of sub-sets of pixel values are formed by selecting a sub-set of at least one pixel value from each of at least two images defining an interval to form a group of associated sub-sets. For any pair of groups with only sub-sets from the same images, the sub-sets from more than one image are different. Groups of sub-sets are selected to form the signal in accordance with at least one selection criterion. The selected groups of sub-sets cover different intervals, shorter than a length of the sequence.
US08553930B1
Crowd source editing of digital images to reduce errors in a digital images includes receiving a proposed modification to a content portion of a digital image. A determination is made as the whether the occurrence of the proposed modification to the content portions meets a modification threshold. Accordingly, the proposed modification to the content portion of the digital image is adopted when the occurrence of the specific modification meets the modification threshold.
US08553924B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a speaker for use in audio/video apparatuses and a small-sized speaker device capable of realizing preferable reproduction a bass sounds. In order to attain this, in the present invention, a pressure adjusting body is coupled to a portion of a magnetic circuit or a frame, which is a component of a speaker unit, to constitute the speaker unit. The speaker unit is mounted to a small-sized cabinet to constitute a speaker device, which enables realization of preferable reproduction of bass sounds.
US08553920B2
An arrangement includes a circuit carrier and a housed microphone. A mounting side of the housed microphone is mounted on a top side of the circuit carrier. The housed microphone includes solderable contacts on the mounting side and a sound entry opening facing the circuit carrier. An acoustic channel connects the sound entry opening and surroundings above the circuit carrier.
US08553908B2
An amplification apparatus comprises: an amplifier circuit that amplifies an input audio signal and outputs an output audio signal; a first signal level determining unit that determines whether or not a signal level of the output audio signal outputted from the amplifier circuit is lower than a silence determination reference value; and a power-supply control unit that shifts the amplification apparatus from a power-on state to a power-off state, when it is determined that the signal level of the output audio signal outputted from the amplifier circuit is lower than the silence determination reference value.
US08553900B2
A noise reduction circuit 200 for a headphone 100 is disclosed herein. In a described embodiment, the headphone 100 includes a speaker driver 110 and the circuit 200 comprises a microphone 112 configured to convert ambient sound into a corresponding electrical ambient signal and which is disposed adjacent to the speaker driver's diaphragm. The circuit 200 further includes an active noise reduction path configured to provide active noise reduction of the ambient sound based on the corresponding electrical ambient signal and a vocal signal compensation path configured to restore attenuated signals within the vocal range of the corresponding electrical ambient signal to increase audibility of vocal signals of the ambient sound. The circuit 200 also includes a switching device 204,210 arranged to selectively deliver the corresponding electrical ambient signal to the active noise reduction path or to the vocal signal compensation path.
US08553892B2
Systems, methods, and devices for processing an audio signal with two or more channels into a monaural signal are provided. For example, an electronic device configured to perform such techniques may include audio signal processing circuitry, which may receive a first audio channel signal and a second audio channel signal. Based on these signals, the audio signal processing circuitry may output a monaural signal as a sum or a difference of the first and second audio channel signals, or as a combination thereof, depending at least in part on a phase relationship between the first and second audio channel signals. Additionally or alternatively, the audio signal processing circuitry may adjust a timing relationship between the first and second audio channel signals depending at least in part on the phase relationship, before combining a proportion of the first and second audio channel signals.
US08553882B2
Methods and apparatus for connecting, e.g., bridging, a cable network to other networks and/or devices is described. A bridge device facilitates the distribution of cable provider content to end users operating IP based devices. The bridge device performs one of more of the following: interface protocol conversions, user device controlled tuner selection, transcoding of data, transrating of a data stream, decryption in accordance with a conditional access protocol and re-encryption in accordance with an authorized service domain protocol.
US08553881B2
Composite masking system and method for improving invisibility of high-definition video watermarking
A composite masking system and method for improving the invisibility of high-definition video watermarking. The composite masking system includes a watermark generation module, a mask generation module, and watermark embedment means. The watermark generation module generates a basic watermark pattern using a private key, and generate a watermark pattern by repeatedly extending the basic watermark pattern. The mask generation module generates a Noise Visibility Function (NVF) mask using NVF masking means, an adaptive dithering mask using adaptive dithering masking means, and a contour mask using contour masking means. The watermark embedment means generates a composite mask by multiplying the NVF mask, the adaptive dithering mask and the contour mask together, multiplying the composite mask and the extended watermark pattern together, and embedding the result of the second multiplication in the luminance channel of an original image.
US08553873B1
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating an outbound forecast. In particular embodiments, campaign parameters are defined for at least two outbound call campaigns that include for each campaign a time period over which the campaign is to be carried out, a target value identifying a number of an outbound communication result to occur over the time period, and sources for handling outbound communications. Further, a historical dataset is selected that includes historical data on the corresponding outbound communication result for each campaign based on past outbound communications. In various embodiments, an outbound forecast is generated based on the historical dataset and campaign parameters for the outbound call campaigns. The forecast provides a number of the outbound communication result forecasted to be achieved over the time period for each campaign in an attempt to meet the target value for the corresponding campaign.
US08553865B2
A multi-point to multi-point intercom system, formed by at least one intercom server and a plurality of intercom terminals, the intercom terminals registered as talking or listening intercom terminals in an intercom session table. The intercom server sends to listening intercom terminals some or all of the unmixed audio packets received by talking intercom terminals according to the intensity signal value found in the header of the unmixed audio packets.
US08553850B2
A method for operating a directory assistance process adapted to provide a targeted message to incoming callers totally or substantially free of one or more 411-type directory assistance calling charges. The method includes receiving a phone call from an incoming caller and receiving a voice based request for information associated with directory assistance from the caller. The method also includes determining phone number information in response to the request through one or more first databases and identifying a phone number associated with the incoming caller using a caller identification process. The method further includes querying at least one database to ascertain a match between the phone number associated with the incoming caller and at least one of a plurality of identifiers in the at least one database, determining at least one message, transmitting the determined message to the incoming caller, and transmitting the phone number information to the incoming caller.
US08553849B2
The present invention is directed to a method and device for assigning a telephone number to a browsing session and for providing physical location information to a public safety answering point in association with a web-based chat or relay session.
US08553848B1
Systems and methods can provide for preventing a false alarm generated during a planned network outage during a maintenance window. Security systems can generate and report alarms to a security center through a communications network. Intruders are known to disable the communication network thereby preventing reporting of an alarm to the security center. Security systems can generate local alarms upon detecting loss of the communications network. It is advantageous for a communications network operator to prevent false alarm generation during periods of planned network outages.
US08553843B2
The present invention refers to hybrid anode disk structures for use in X-ray tubes of the rotary anode type and is concerned more particularly with a novel light weight anode disk structure (RA) which comprises an adhesion promoting protective silicon carbide (SiC) interlayer (SCI) deposited onto a rotary X-ray tube's anode target (AT), wherein the latter may e.g. be made of a carbon-carbon composite substrate (SUB′). Moreover, a manufacturing method for robustly attaching a coating layer (CL) consisting of a high-Z material (e.g. a layer made of a tungsten-rhenium alloy) on the surface of said anode target is provided, whereupon according to said method it may be foreseen to apply a refractory metal overcoating layer (RML), such as given e.g. by a tantalum (Ta), hafnium (Hf), vanadium (V) or rhenium (Re) layer, to the silicon carbide interlayer (SCI) prior to the deposition of the tungsten-rhenium alloy. The invention thus leverages the tendency for cracking of the silicon carbide coated carbon composite substrate (SUB′) during thermal cycling and enhances adhesion of the silicon carbide/refractory metal interlayers to the carbon-carbon composite substrate (SUB′) and focal track coating layer (CL) by an interlocking mechanism. Key aspects of the proposed invention are: a) controlled formation of coating cracks (SC) in the silicon carbide layer (SCI) and b) conformal filling of SiC crack openings with a refractory metal.
US08553835B2
A computed tomography scanner may include a component mounting assembly, an x-ray tube, a filter assembly, and a detector assembly. The filter assembly filters an x-ray fan or cone beam generated by the x-ray tube such that the x-ray beam comprises a high dose portion and one or more low dose portions. The filter assembly reduces the photon count of the low dose portions. The x-ray tube may be coupled to the component mounting assembly at a first end and the detector assembly coupled at a second end that is opposite from the first end. The component mounting assembly is rotatable about a rotation axis. The detector assembly includes an array of individual detector elements capable of detecting x-ray photons of the x-ray beam. The high dose portion strikes a high resolution region of the detector assembly and the low dose portion strikes a low resolution region of the detector assembly.
US08553815B2
A receiver in an OFDM communication system includes a power detector and a gain controller. The power detector detects for total received power of a received OFDM signal, e.g., by computing the power of the data samples from an ADC and averaging the power. The gain controller adjusts the gain of the receiver in discrete gain steps and in one direction, e.g., from the lowest gain state to the highest gain state, based on the detected total received power. The gain controller initializes the receiver to the lowest gain state. Thereafter, the gain controller detects for low total received power, e.g., by comparing the detected total received power against a predetermined threshold. The gain controller transitions to a higher gain state if low total received power is detected and maintains the current gain state otherwise.
US08553813B2
The present invention relates to a method for computing correlation of a PN sequence and a circuit thereof. A plurality of input values of an input sequence is summed up to give a first sum. A PN sequence comprising a plurality of first values and a plurality of second values, which correspond to the plurality of input values, are received. Summing up the plurality of input values corresponding to the plurality of first input values in the PN sequence gives a second sum. According to the first sum and the second sum, a correlation value is given. The present invention uses a simple method for computing correlation of a PN sequence. Hence, the operation efficiency is enhanced and the time to give the correlation of the PN sequence is shortened.
US08553798B2
This disclosure relates a method and apparatus for generating pre-coding matrix codebook. The method for generating pre-coding matrix codebook, comprising: acquiring a universal set of pre-coding matrixes in a first format; acquiring a universal set of pre-coding matrixes in a second format; selecting a first predetermined number of pre-coding matrixes in the first format from the universal set of pre-coding matrixes in the first format; and selecting a second predetermined number of pre-coding matrixes in the second format from the universal set of pre-coding matrixes in the second format, according to the selected first predetermined number of pre-coding matrixes in the first format.
US08553797B2
Provided is a channel information prediction system (10) which calculates a MIMO CSI prediction value as a predicted value of the MIMO CSI in the future by using the MIMO CSI and the transformation matrix indicating a transmission path characteristic between a transmitter (100) and a receiver (200) in an multi-antenna transmission system (1) using an antenna array formed by transmission antennas (#1 to #T) or reception antennas (#1 to #R) in the transmitter (100) and the receiver (200). The channel information prediction system (10) calculates the transformation matrix according to an array response or an array weight of the antenna array correlated with the arrival direction or the departure direction by using a direction estimation technique for estimating the arrival direction or the departure direction of the radio signal.
US08553790B2
Low-power transmitter and/or receiver devices are provided by sacrificing time and/or frequency diversity in exchange for lower power consumption. When channel conditions indicate that time and/or frequency spreading are unnecessary for transmissions, a transmitter may enter into a power-conservation mode in which transmissions are performed using a time gating scheme or a time repetition scheme. In the time gating scheme, symbols are transmitting just once, rather than a plurality of times, but with increased transmission power. In the time repetition scheme, copies of the same symbol are transmitted a plurality of times on the same frequency on different symbol transmission periods, instead of being retransmitted on different frequencies on different symbol transmission periods. Consequently, the symbol can be generated once and stored for subsequent retransmission, thereby allowing some of the transmitter/receiver chain components can be operated at a lower duty cycle or processing speed to conserve power.
US08553781B2
There are provided methods and apparatus for decoded picture buffer (DPB) management in single loop decoding for multi-view video. An apparatus includes a decoder (200) for decoding a picture corresponding to at least one view of at least two views of multi-view video content. The picture is decoded in support of decoded picture buffer management for single loop decoding using inter-view prediction.
US08553778B2
An invention for generating a coding schema for identifying a spatial location of an event within video image data is provided. In one embodiment, there is a spatial representation tool, including a compression component configured to receive trajectory data of an event within video image data, generate a lossless compressed contour-coded blob to encode the trajectory data of the event within video image data, and generate a lossy searchable code to enable searching of a relational database based on the trajectory data of the event within the video image data.
US08553774B2
In the method for predicting an image, a reference image block for a current image block of a moving picture is obtained using motion vector information, and a variable weight factor is applied to the reference image block to form a product value of the weight factor and the reference image block. The current image block of the moving picture is predicted using the product value.
US08553771B2
Provided are a bS derivation process and a deblocking filtering method and apparatus using illumination compensation and/or chrominance compensation, such as a multi-view video coding, in a picture coding/decoding process in which a prediction coding is performed. If neither of the two blocks are intra-coded, neither of the two blocks do contain a none-zero transformed coefficient, and motion compensation for the two blocks is performed based on the identical reference frame and the absolute difference between the horizontal or vertical components of the two motion vectors of the two blocks is less than 1, the bS of the two blocks is derived by considering whether the two blocks are coded by illumination compensation (IC) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, if both of the two blocks are coded by IC mode or neither of the two blocks are coded by IC mode, bS is set as such a value that filtering is unnecessary. On the other hand, if both of the two blocks are coded by IC mode and the blocks have different illumination change values, or only one of the blocks is coded by IC mode, the bS is derived using difference of illumination change values or the illumination change value.
US08553768B2
An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus, in which at least one of a plurality of color component images except a first color component image is predicted from motion estimation information or a reconstructed color component image of the first color component images using correlation among the plurality of color component images. The image encoding method includes performing predictive-encoding on the first color component image among the plurality of color component images forming a single image using a general encoding method, and performing motion estimation and compensation on the at least one of the other color component images or predicting the at least one of the other color component images using a reconstructed first color component image.
US08553767B2
A video decoding apparatus includes a decoder to decode video encoded data using a predictive picture signal for a video signal, a compression device compressing the decoded picture signal, a first memory storing the decoded picture signal, a second memory storing the compressed picture signal, a decompression device decompressing the compressed picture signal read from the second memory, a selector selecting one of a decoded picture signal read from the first memory and a compressed/decompressed picture signal from the compression device as a reference picture signal according to at least one of a coding type of the video encoded data in picture unit and a prediction mode in block unit, and a motion compensator performing motion compensation on the reference picture signal to generate a predictive picture signal.
US08553766B2
An image decoding apparatus for decoding a bit stream includes a receiving unit that receives the bit stream and a weight parameter that is added to a luma quantization parameter. Further, the image decoding apparatus includes a decoding unit that decodes the bit stream and generates a chroma component of quantized coefficients. The image decoding apparatus also includes a setting unit that sets a chroma quantization parameter calculated on the basis of the luma quantization parameter weighted by an addition operation that adds the weight parameter. Additionally, the image decoding apparatus includes a dequantization unit that performs dequantization on the chroma component of quantized coefficients using the chroma quantization parameter. In addition, the image decoding apparatus includes a transform unit that performs an inverse orthogonal transform.
US08553762B1
In video decoding using the H.264/AVC standard, the computation of an inverse 4×4 integer transform of a coefficient matrix derived by variable length decoding may be carried out using data reduction techniques to reduce the computation load. If the index value of the highest-indexed nonzero coefficient in the matrix is three or higher, the transform is computed conventionally, using two 1D transform operations separated by a transpose operation, and followed by rounding and shifting. If the index value of the highest-indexed nonzero coefficient in the matrix is zero (including the case where there is no nonzero coefficient), the inverse integer transform operation includes only rounding and shifting of that coefficient. If the index value of the highest-indexed nonzero coefficient in the matrix is one or two, then the inverse integer transform operation can be performed using a single integrated 2D transform followed by rounding and shifting.
US08553759B2
Data compression and decompression methods for compressing and decompressing data based on an actual or expected throughput (bandwidth) of a system. In one embodiment, a controller tracks and monitors the throughput (data storage and retrieval) of a data compression system and generates control signals to enable/disable different compression algorithms when, e.g., a bottleneck occurs so as to increase the throughput and eliminate the bottleneck.
US08553757B2
A “Media Transmission Optimizer” provides a media transmission optimization framework for lossy or bursty networks such as the Internet. This optimization framework provides a novel form of dynamic Forward Error Correction (FEC) that focuses on the perceived quality of a recovered media signal rather than on the absolute accuracy of the recovered media signal. In general, the Media Transmission Optimizer provides an encoder that optimizes the transmission of redundant frames of electronic media information encoded at different bit rates, and provides optimized playback quality by providing a decoder that automatically selects an optimal path through one or more available representations of each frame as a function of overall rate/distortion criteria.
US08553754B2
A decision feedback equalization (DFE) receiver and method are provided. The DFE receiver is configured to sample data bits from a data bus. The DFE receiver includes a data sampler configured to sample a current data bit from the data bus using one of a first, second and third voltage reference. The DFE receiver also includes multiplexing logic configured to select one of the first, second and third voltage references based on a prior data bus level. The wherein the first voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic zero. The second voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic one. The third voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was tri-state.
US08553751B2
A radio equipment controller includes a calculator that calculates a delay amount by subtracting from a given maximum delay amount an internal delay amount of a radio equipment and a delay amount of a cable, the radio equipment modulating and transmitting orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, and the cable connecting the radio equipment and the radio equipment controller that creates the OFDM symbols, a detector that detects a beginning of the OFDM symbols from data that is inputted into a buffer that stores data of the OFDM symbols, and a delay controller that determines a transmission timing of the OFDM symbols so that the transmission timing of the beginning of the OFDM symbols becomes a timing that is delayed by the calculated delay amount after a reference signal with a specific period.
US08553747B2
The present invention relates to a method for connecting a base station and a repeater for a spatial division multiple access, and a repeating method thereof. In order to provide efficient spatial division by using a repeater, data streams are repeated by using a repeating system including at least one repeater for performing wireless communication with a terminal located in a repeating region controlled by using at least one repeating antenna and a base station including a plurality of base station antennas corresponding to the repeating antenna. In this instance, the terminal detects location information on the repeating region to which the terminal belongs by using the pilot signal transmitted by the base station or repeated by the repeater. Location information detected by the terminal is fed back to the base station so that the base station may use it for the spatial division multiple access for simultaneous transmission to many terminals. Therefore, the spatial division multiple access for increasing sector capacity by efficiently combining the base station including multiple antennas and the repeater is available.
US08553740B2
A method of driving a GaN-based semiconductor light emitting element formed by laminating a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer having a first conductive type, an active layer having a well layer, a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer having a second conductive type, includes the steps of: starting light emission by the start of the injection of carrier; and then stopping the injection of the carrier before a light emission luminance value becomes constant.
US08553735B2
In a device for material processing by means of laser radiation, said device comprising a source of laser radiation emitting pulsed laser radiation for interaction with the material; optics focusing the pulsed processing laser radiation to a center of interaction in the material; a scanning unit shifting the positions of the center of interaction within the material, wherein each processing laser pulse interacts with the material in a zone surrounding the center of interaction assigned to said laser pulse so that material is separated in the zones of interaction; and a control unit which controls the scanning unit and the source of laser radiation such that a cut surface is produced in the material by sequential arrangement of zones of interaction, it is envisaged that the control unit controls the source of laser radiation and the scanning unit such that adjacent centers of interaction are located at a spatial distance a ≦10 μm from each other.
US08553728B2
Methods, devices and computer program products are disclosed that allow for wireless communication devices to operate more robustly in the slotted mode of operation in the event of network system loss. Specifically, present aspects require the wireless device to move to or remain in the slotted mode of operation as opposed to immediately entering into a system determination/acquisition mode upon failing to acquire an active set pilot during a slotted wake-up. By moving to the slotted mode of operation or providing for additional slotted-wake-ups, a number of attempts at acquiring the active set pilot can be performed before declaring the system as lost, thereby allowing for fading channel conditions to prevail without the need to re-acquire the lost system or otherwise acquire another system. Since the performance of the slotted mode is less power intensive than acquiring or re-acquiring a system, a substantial power savings is realized.
US08553724B2
The present invention is directed towards compressing and decompressing data transmitted between an end terminal (12) and a network server (20) controlling compression in communication sessions involving the end terminal. States related to the end terminal that are created and used for compressing and decompressing data transmitted between the end terminal and the network server when the end terminal is first registered to the first network server are saved as the end terminal deregisters from the first network server. When the end terminal again registers to the network server these saved states are directly used. In this way it is possible to start compressing data using the saved states immediately after a following registering for providing a more effective dynamic compression.
US08553718B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for adaptively assigning a number of parallel Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) channels based on system parameters such as channel conditions and pending HARQ processes. The channel conditions may comprise at least one of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) received from a User Equipment (UE), a number of retransmissions in one or more of the parallel HARQ channels, and a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR).
US08553717B2
An information processing device includes a transmission portion that transmits repeatedly, at a specified time interval, one combination packet that is created such that it includes, within a packet that is compatible with one format, a packet that is compatible with another format. It is therefore possible for the information processing device to perform non-contact communication in a plurality of formats without repeatedly transmitting in succession a plurality of copies of the same packet, each copy being compatible with a different format.
US08553716B2
An audiovisual signal is converted from a native format to a digital, packetized interchange format and transported between a capture node and a display node through a switch. The display node converts the audiovisual signal from the interchange format to a displayable format and causes display of the audiovisual signal. The use of a switch for video routing and distribution allows one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many distribution. The use of a device-independent interchange format allows concurrent distribution of multiple heterogeneous audiovisual signals.
US08553701B2
Keep-alive processing for NAT devices and reducing power consumption in wireless clients. A server driven keep-alive mechanism facilitates keep-alive messages to a NAT device currently providing a connection to a mobile client to refresh the NAT state, thereby reducing or eliminating power consumption in a wireless device to respond to the connection with keep-alive packets. In one instance, keep-alive packets are sent to the NAT device to reset the NAT timeout timer, and then to the mobile client. The client responds only when expected keep-alive packets are not received at the client. In another instance, keep-alive packets reset the NAT timer to maintain the connection but are dropped or self-destruct before reaching the mobile client thereby providing the optimum power conservation in the mobile device. Thus, the client is not forced into extra client activity to send or receive wireless data, thereby draining the battery.
US08553692B2
In one embodiment, data for a plurality of sessions is received. For example, a plurality of packets for voice data may be received from a plurality of end points. A destination for each of the connections is then determined. For example, the voice data may be destined for different gateways (and other end points). In some cases, the voice data for the sessions may be destined for the same destination. In this case, a plurality of packets is multiplexed into a multiplexed packet. The multiplexed packet includes a layer three network header. Also, each of the packets in the multiplexed packet includes a transport packet header. The multiplexed packet is then sent to the single destination. Each of the packets in the multiplexed packet can be extracted and processed as if a single one of the packets was received individually.
US08553689B2
In node management in a packet-switched network, a first node acts as a proxy for a second node. Both nodes have network-layer addresses at the network layer and link-layer addresses at the link layer. The first node receives a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address. The same network-layer address is associated with the first and the second node, and the first and the second node have distinct link-layer addresses. The first node advertises to nodes attached to the packet-switched network the first node's link-layer address as a destination address for the second node's network-layer address; the second node does not advertise. The first node receives in response to advertising, packets destined to the second node's network-layer address having the first node's link-layer address and forwards packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address to the second node using its link-layer address.
US08553688B2
In one embodiment, routable traffic through one or more border routers between a local computer network and a global computer network is monitored in order to characterize use of one or more global prefixes of the traffic. A particular set of the global prefixes, up to a maximum number, that are most frequently used may be mapped into a set of context identifiers (IDs) having a shorter bit-length than the global prefixes. The context IDs may then be distributed into the local computer network, and the one or more border routers convert between the context IDs and the global prefixes, accordingly.
US08553681B2
A system and method for providing telephone type services over the internetwork commonly known as the Internet. Public switched telephone networks utilizing program controlled switching systems are arranged in an architecture with the Internet to provide a methodology for facilitating telephone use of the Internet by customers on an impromptu basis. Provision is made to permit a caller to set-up and carry out a telephone call over the Internet from telephone station to telephone station without access to computer equipment, without the necessity of maintaining a subscription to any Internet service, and without the requiring Internet literacy or knowledge. Calls may be made on an inter or intra LATA, region or state, nationwide or worldwide basis. Billing may be implemented on a per call, timed, time and distance or other basis. Usage may be made of common channel interoffice signaling to set up the call and establish the necessary Internet connections and addressing. Calls may be made from telephone station to telephone station, from telephone station to computer or computer to telephone station.
US08553680B2
A method and a system is described for controlling a service in a service provisioning network. The method including the steps of: a serving network node associated with a user terminal receiving a registration message, the user terminal having one or more of services, preferably VoIP services; and, the serving network node retrieving in response to the registration message service routing information associated with the first user terminal, the service routing information being arranged to route service messages associated with the first user terminal via a stateless application server, the stateless application server being adapted to perform control actions on said service messages.
US08553676B2
The present invention provides a wireless communication system which can reduce the probability that a latency before data transmission increases when a mobile station that is actually in sync is judged to be out of sync based on a timeout of the timer used for judging whether a mobile station is in a deemed in-sync state or in a deemed out-of-sync state. A base station of a wireless communication system which performs communication between a mobile station and the base station, includes a timer unit which sets a period for judging whether an uplink signal from the mobile station is synchronized; and a timer control unit which is capable of determining the period for each of mobile stations and notifies the period to each of the mobile station upon RRC establishment or RRC re-establishment.
US08553659B2
Aspects of a method and system for optimal beamforming in a wireless network are presented. Aspects of the system may include one or more processors for use in a requesting communication device wherein the one or more processors may be operable to request a transmission time slot allocation. A determination may be made by a coordinating communication device as whether to assign a sector transmission time slot and/or beamforming transmission time slot to the requesting communication device based on the transmission time slot allocation request. The one or more processors may be operable to receive the assigned sector transmission time slot and/or beamforming transmission time slot.
US08553656B2
Systems and methods for providing a low power receiver device using fine grained time division are provided. In one embodiment, the receiver device comprises a tuner, a demodulator configured to demodulate at least one sampled signal, a payload processor configured to process at least one demodulated signal into an output format, and a time division control logic configured to generate a control signal to switch at least one component within the receiver device between modes to conserve power. The at least one component may be switched between an active mode, a standby mode, a power off mode, and a low power mode. In further embodiments, the at least one component may be switched between staggered modes.
US08553651B2
A wireless terminal roams from a first access point to a second access point. The wireless terminal can set a predetermined time period to determine whether to roam between different access points. Upon receiving signals from the second access point, the wireless terminal decodes signals received from the first access point and the second access point to get a correct probability of each bit of the signals. The wireless terminal then calculates mean values, a variance value and a difference in the mean values of the first access point and the second access point. If the difference in the mean value exceeds a product of the variance value and a roaming weight, the wireless terminal switches the wireless terminal from the first access point to the second access point to access the network.
US08553649B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method which base stations send informational messages to neighbor base stations when conditions change, so that the neighbor base stations can update its database to keep itself current on the parameters (including availability, traffic load, modulation scheme, etc.) to use in effecting efficient base station to base station handoffs. In one embodiment, the receiving base station marks the time of the received message from a neighbor base station and if a new updated message is not received within a time window then the receiving base station assumes that there is a problem with that neighbor.
US08553646B2
System(s), method(s), and device(s) that incorporate a current physical location value associated with a communication device as part of internet protocol (IP) are presented. An IP management component obtains current physical location information of a wireless communication device and modifies the IP address to incorporate the current physical location value corresponding to the current physical location of the communication device as part of the IP address of the communication device to prevent undesired intrusions by hackers, as communications associated with the communication device are routed to/from the communication device that is at the current physical location. If the communication device moves to a new location, the IP management component can perform a new IP address modification to modify the IP address to incorporate a new physical location value associated with the communication device.
US08553644B2
A wireless terminal supports both peer to peer communications and access node based communications. The wireless terminal considers and evaluates communications link alternatives and selects between (i) communication using a peer to peer link and (ii) communications using a link with a base station serving as an access node. Received signals corresponding to each of the link alternatives are used in performing link quality determinations. In one example, a received user beacon signal from a peer wireless terminal is the received signal used for the peer to peer link evaluation and a base station beacon signal is the received signal used for the access node link evaluation. A link is selected as a function of quality determination, predicted data throughput, link maintenance energy requirements, and/or least cost routing determination information.
US08553635B2
An uplink ACK/NACK signaling method and apparatus in carrier aggregation environment are disclosed. The method for performing a HARQ procedure by a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes receiving one or more control channels carrying downlink scheduling information from a base station (BS), wherein each control channel carries information indicating a total number of control channels transmitted from the BS to the UE, and determining whether the total number of control channels transmitted to the UE is identical to the number of control channels received at the UE.
US08553634B2
A bandwidth request procedure is performed in a wireless communication system by transmitting a bandwidth request indicator and a bandwidth request message through a bandwidth request channel; receiving an uplink grant message indicating uplink radio resource in response to the bandwidth request indicator and the bandwidth request message; and transmitting uplink data after receiving the uplink grant message, wherein the uplink grant message includes information regarding the type of the uplink grant message.
US08553624B2
Methods and apparatus for transmitting Asynchronous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) process identities in a wireless communication system. A linking scheme is established between at least two sets of process identities of two respective corresponding codewords. When a first process identity is selected from among a first set of process identities of a first codeword, a second process identity may be derived in dependence upon the first process identity and the established linking scheme. Finally, a first packet from the first codeword is transmitted using a first transmission channel indicated by the first process identity, and a second packet is transmitted from the second codeword using a second transmission channel indicated by the second process identity. In addition, a control message including only the first process identity is transmitted.
US08553623B2
A wireless mobile communication (WMC) device may discover available networks, and available local and/or remote resources. The WMC device may configure routes utilizing one or more of discovered resources and one or more available networks. The routes may be utilized to performed operations requested via the WMC device. A standardized language and/or protocol may be utilized in discovering and/or communicating with available resources and/or networks. The standardized language and/or protocol may enable commonality among the discovered networks and/or resources, and encryption of data communicated through the established routes. The standardized language and/or protocol may be updated and/or modified to incorporate new resources either by direct interactions between the new resources and the WMC device, or via existing available resources and/or networks. The discovery of resources and/or establishment of routes may be user-triggered, or it may be based on user preference information.
US08553619B2
Time synchronization between a control center and transmitters in a single frequency network is provided by generating and receiving a first reference time signal with a high time and frequency accuracy in a short and long time horizon and a second reference time signal supplied to the control center with a low time and frequency accuracy in the short time horizon and a high time and frequency accuracy in the long time horizon. A transport data stream is generated and supplied to the transmitters with a time-variable data rate through the control center corresponding to a frequency of the second reference time signal. Time displacement of the transport data stream received from the control center is performed by a respective transmitter until the data packets of the transport data stream each containing a transmission time are transmitted at a correct transmission time.
US08553599B2
A mobile communication system in which a home cell limits access from a first mobile station, and when the first mobile station communicating via a macro cell using the same frequency as the home cell enters a predetermined area near the home cell, the first mobile station is caused to perform handover to a different-frequency macro cell selected from among macro cells covering the predetermined area and using frequencies different from that used in the home cell.
US08553598B2
A method of operating a wireless communication system comprises making a determination which of plural transmission modes is to be a selected transmission mode for transmitting plural entities to a receiving node over a radio interface, and then (at a network coding node (24)) in accordance with the determination implementing the selected transmission mode with respect to the plural input entities. The plural transmission modes include at least two of: (1) an analog network-coded mode wherein plural input signals provided to a network coding node are network-combined by signal interference at a signal level at the network coding node into one analog network-combined output entity; (2) a digital network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node are network-combined by operation at a bit level at the network coding node into one or plural digital network-combined output entities; (3) a symbol level network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities are already modulated and network coding is performed on the already modulated plural input entities; and (4) a separate transmission mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node leave the network coding node as respective plural uncombined output entities.
US08553596B1
A method of selecting a set of download data providers in a wireless network is disclosed. A request to download a data file from a wireless device is received. A set of potential providers that can provide one or more parts of the data file is determined. The set of potential providers is ranked based on a plurality of indicators that correspond to each of the set of potential provider. The plurality of indicators are each based on one or more wireless network operating conditions. The set of download data providers are selected based on the ranking of the set of potential providers. The data file is transferred to the wireless device by transferring one or more parts of the data file from each of the set of download data providers to the wireless device.
US08553594B2
A method and apparatus for performing resource allocation with lower required overhead is provided herein. Resource allocations for data transmissions are chosen in such a way as to provide channel quality information for various parts of the channel bandwidth (frequency selective channel quality information), such as allocating two different resource blocks (on different sets of subcarriers) to a mobile unit for two different transmissions. These data transmissions are used to estimate frequency selective channel quality information, thereby eliminating or greatly reducing the need for channel sounding with a broadband pilot. As a result, the overhead on the uplink of the communication system may be significantly reduced.
US08553584B2
A method in an Ethernet Bridge for improved load distribution in an Ethernet network that includes the Ethernet Bridge including determining a first set of one or more shortest paths between each Ethernet Bridge pair in the Ethernet network, selecting at least a first shortest path, calculating a link utilization value for each link of the Ethernet network, determining a second set of one or more shortest paths between each Ethernet Bridge pair in the Ethernet network, generating a path utilization value for each shortest path, selecting a second shortest path on the basis of said path utilization value, whereby the selection of the second shortest in light of path utilization minimizes the standard deviation of load distribution across the entire Ethernet network.
US08553573B2
One embodiment of a method of throttling network traffic comprises obtaining traffic rate data from available peer network nodes; computing a maximum permissible rate for a network node based on the traffic rate data from the peer network nodes, wherein the maximum permissible rate represents a maximum number of transactions permitted to pass into that network node for processing during a current period; and employing the maximum permissible rate to govern a number of transactions admitted for processing by the network node in the current period.
US08553569B2
A method of connection re-establishment for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system includes starting a radio link monitoring timer or a radio link monitoring counter, and stopping the radio link monitoring timer or the radio link monitoring counter if it is still running when a radio resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment procedure is triggered.
US08553568B2
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for BFD to Y.1731 internetworking are described. In one embodiment, a method of processing defect conditions in a maintenance endpoint (MEP) of a first domain, the MEP a component of a bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) to Y.1731 interworking interface (IWF) in a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network is described.
US08553564B2
A management apparatus for managing a computer system stores configuration information of multiple management-target apparatuses based on multiple first information received from multiple management-target apparatuses. The management apparatus, based on the configuration information and multiple additional component application condition information, determines whether or not to use multiple additional component information to acquire multiple second information from the multiple management-target apparatuses. The management apparatus, in a case where a determination to carry out acquisition is made, uses the multiple additional component information to receive the multiple second information from the multiple management-target apparatuses, and based on the multiple second information, either creates or updates the management information of the multiple management-target apparatuses.
US08553559B2
Methods and apparatus to manage bypass paths in an Internet protocol (IP) network are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein includes identifying an aggregation router source bandwidth to a first Internet protocol router exceeding a source threshold value, identifying a first value of the aggregation router bandwidth directed to a first destination, identifying a second value of the aggregation router bandwidth directed to a plurality of second destinations, and bypassing the Internet protocol router with a Layer-2 Open systems Interconnection Reference device via a routerless bypass path when the first value of the aggregation router bandwidth exceeds a first threshold value.
US08553555B2
Methods and apparatus for an efficient multicast file distribution system. A method for transmitting a file over a distribution network includes encoding the file with a selected encoding scheme to form encoded packets, generating file delivery protocol (FDP) packets from the encoded packets, generating a file delivery control protocol (FDCP) packet that comprises control information associated with the FDP packets, and transmitting the FDCP packet and the FDP packets over the distribution network. A method for receiving a file over a distribution network includes receiving a FDCP packet and FDP packets, decoding the FDP packets based on the FDCP packet to generate encoded packets, and generating at least a portion of the file from the encoded packets.
US08553551B2
Methods for dynamic bandwidth allocation among optical networks units for upstream transmission, performed by an optical line terminal of a passive optical network, which compensate for unused guaranteed bandwidth, which compensate for inability to use allocated bandwidth due to lack of data frame fragmentation, and which provide fair bandwidth allocation between mixed high transmission rate and low transmission rate optical network units.
US08553546B2
A technique for determining in a fading channel environment a scaling factor for soft bit quantization is proposed. In a method realisation, the technique includes repeatedly determining an SNR value for the fading channel, calculating a weighted average based on a plurality of the SNR values, wherein weighting is performed such that contributions of extremal SNR values are attenuated, and determining the scaling factor for soft bit quantization dependent on the weighted average.
US08553544B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to characterizing reliability associated with a network. To characterize the reliability, an edge-pair reliability metric is determined for service edge point pairs. An end-to-end reliability metric is computed based on a distribution of the edge-pair reliability metric for the service edge point pairs and a threshold value.
US08553538B2
A packet relay device including a plurality of queues which store packets waiting to be transmitted, a congestion detection unit which detects a congestion state of the plurality of queues and selects one or more queues from among the plurality of queues based on the congestion state, a distribution unit which separates a packet addressed to one or more of the queues selected by the congestion detection unit from a sequence of packets before being stored in the plurality of queues, and a discard unit which discards, at a prescribed probability, a packet addressed to one or more of the queues separated by the distribution unit.
US08553535B2
A method includes sending a data packet, or a copy of the data packet, from a first video distribution hub to a second video distribution hub. The first video distribution hub is coupled to a first link and to a second link. The method also includes, in response to the second link being intact, sending the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second video distribution hub via a primary network path that includes the second link and excludes the first link. The method also includes, in response to a failure of the second link, sending the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second video distribution hub via a backup network path that includes the first link and that does not include the second link.
US08553529B2
A method of performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) of a user equipment (UE) in a multiple-carrier system is provided. The UE transmits uplink data on an uplink carrier. The UE receives acknowledgement (ACK)/not-acknowledgement (NACK) for the uplink data on a downlink carrier associated with the uplink carrier. Accordingly, HARQ can be supported in a multiple-carrier system.
US08553528B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for the connection of at least one electronic device (30) to a telecommunication network comprising a fixed telecommunication network (40) and a mobile telecommunication network (41). The apparatus (100) comprises connecting means (20) for connecting said at least one electronic device (30) and a first interface (21) able to exchange data/voice with a fixed telecommunication network (40). The apparatus (100) further comprises a second interface (22) able to exchange data/voice with a mobile telecommunication network (41), a connection manager (60) for establishing a communication between said connecting means (20) with said first interface (21) and/or said second interface (22), and control means (61) in signal communication with said connection manager (60) and able to generate a control signal to control said connection manager (61), so as to determine the exchange of data/voice between the electronic device (30) connected to the connecting means (20) and the fixed telecommunication network (40) and/or the mobile telecommunication network (41).
US08553526B2
Methods and apparatus for determining the quality of service of a network are disclosed. A disclosed methodology for determining quality of service for a network includes determining at least two metrics reflective of network parameters in at least two different protocol layers of the communication network. The metrics are then compared with respective threshold values, and quality of service for the network is determined based on the comparison of the metrics with the respective threshold values. Corresponding apparatus executing the methodology are also disclosed.
US08553525B2
A method of transmitting data is provided. The method includes generating a frame, the frame comprising a data burst, a submap and a map wherein the submap indicates a resource allocation state of the data burst, and the map indicates a differential adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) level for the submap, and transmitting data using the frame, wherein the differential AMC level is information on change in an AMC level applied to the submap comparing with other submap in a different frame. High-speed data transmission is realized and limited radio resources can be more efficiently used.
US08553523B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for resource mapping and code division multiplexing. In the present disclosure, each cell selects a mapping scheme among at least two mapping schemes to implement resource mapping, which effectively reduces interference imposed on reference signal symbols of users at the edge of a cell; vector switching is performed for an orthogonal matrix to obtain multiple different codeword sequences and implement codeword design, so that a problem that the output power of reference signal symbols is unbalanced can be effectively alleviated.
US08553518B1
A disc spindle provides removal of particulates generated by internal parts of mechanisms, including the disc clamping mechanism, air bearing rotor, and other moving parts provides a port that is coupled to a vacuum system to remove particulate from the areas in which they are generated. In other aspects of the invention, vacuum evacuation of rotary and other bearings in a mechanical system employed in a clean room environment are prevented from contaminating the environment by removing particulate at the locations in which it is generated by friction, contact, or other means such as being introduced from the pressure channel in an air bearing feed.
US08553515B2
A method for servoing when reading out a recorded holographic disk or recording in a preformatted disk includes detecting a primary signal of a reflected primary beam from a target data track of a target data layer of the disk, wherein the primary beam of radiation has a first wavelength; comparing a power measurement of the primary signal with a threshold value of power; detecting a tracking signal of a reflected tracking beam from a reference layer of the disk in an event that the power measurement of the primary signal is below the threshold value, wherein the tracking beam of radiation has a second wavelength; generating a servo error signal based upon the primary signal or the tracking signal; actuating an optical sub-system based upon either of the primary servo error signal or the tracking servo error signal such that the primary beam focuses on the target data layer.
US08553514B2
An optical recording medium includes: N recording layers (where N≧4); a number of kinds of layer intervals between the recording layers adjacent to each other being an integer M equal to or less than a minimum integer equal to or more than log2(N); and one or more AB blocks including four recording layers with a first layer interval A, a second layer interval B, and the first layer interval A formed in order in the one or more AB blocks. When the M as the number of kinds of layer intervals is M≧3, the optical recording medium has a part of a third layer interval C as a layer interval between a recording layer forming an AB block and a recording layer adjacent to the recording layer, the adjacent recording layer being included in other than the AB block including the recording layer.
US08553508B2
A focus servo control device includes a first detector, first controller, second detector, and second controller. The first detector detects a first focus error signal. The first controller controls the objective lens based on the first focus error signal, so that a focal point of the first laser agrees with the guide layer. The second detector detects a second focus error signal. The second controller changes a relative distance between the focal point of the second laser and the focal point of the first laser, so that the focal point of the second laser agrees with a target recording/reproducing layer.
US08553506B2
An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a near-field transducer positioned towards an air bearing surface side of the apparatus; and at least one conductor or circuit for causing heating of the near-field transducer. A method according to one embodiment includes heating the near-field transducer by passing a current through the at least one conductor or circuit; and illuminating the near-field transducer during a write operation, wherein the current does not pass through the at least one conductor or circuit for at least a majority of a time of illumination. Additional embodiments are also presented.
US08553499B2
According to a preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided herein a system and method for extending zero-offset or stacked wave-equation illumination analysis into the angle-gather domain, where it becomes an appropriate tool for assessing the effects of complex overburden on AVA response. A preferred method for doing this involves first creating an angle gather that has a perfect AVA response (i.e. a constant amplitude as a function of angle). This gather is then preferably used as a reflectivity map that is fed into a demigration process which creates modeled data that by construction carries with it a completely flat reflectivity signature. Remigration of such a data set then results in a gather on which any amplitude variation is more likely to be a measure of illumination effects alone. The resulting AVA signature on the gather can then be used to assess the validity of the AVA response on modeled or actual data, resulting in a useful AVA risk analysis.
US08553498B2
Method for reconstructing subsurface Q models (110) from seismic data (10) by performing ray-based (60), centroid frequency shift (50) Q tomography. The seismic source waveform's amplitude spectrum is approximated by a frequency-weighted exponential function of frequency (40), having two parameters to adjust to fit the frequency shift data, thereby providing a better fit to various asymmetric source amplitude spectra. Box constraints may be used in the optimization routine, and a multi-index active-set method used in velocity tomography is a preferred technique for implementing the box constraints (100).
US08553497B2
The invention is a method to predict surface-wave waveforms (306) and subtract them (307) from seismic data. Prediction is done by estimating a set of surface-consistent components (transfer functions in the frequency domain or impulse responses in time domain) that best represent changes in the waveforms for propagation along the surface from source to receiver (303). The prediction uses a mathematical expression, or model, of the earth's filtering effects, both amplitude and phase, as a function of frequency. The desired surface-consistent components are model parameters, and model optimization is used to solve for the surface-consistent components. The surface-consistent components may include filter transfer functions for each source location, each receiver location, and for propagation (302) through each region (301) of the surface that exhibits lateral variation.
US08553495B2
In some aspects of the disclosure, a method and an apparatus is disclosed for investigating material surrounding the borehole. The method includes generating within a borehole an intermittent low frequency vibration that propagates as a tube wave longitudinally to the borehole and induces a nonlinear response in one or more features in the material that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the borehole; generating within the borehole a sequence of high frequency pulses directed such that they travel longitudinally to the borehole within the surrounding material; and receiving, at one or more receivers positionable in the borehole, a signal that includes components from the low frequency vibration and the sequence of high frequency pulses during intermittent generation of the low frequency vibration, to investigate the material surrounding the borehole.
US08553485B2
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device has an array of DRAM cells of rows by columns. Each DRAM cell of the array is coupled with a wordline of a corresponding row and a bitline of a corresponding column. Entry into and an exit from the self-refresh mode is detected by a mode detector and a self-refresh mode signal is provided. An oscillation circuit generates in response to the self-refresh mode signal a basic time period. A first frequency divider/time period multiplier changes the basic time period in accordance with a process variation factor relating to the DRAM device. A second frequency divider/time period multiplier further changes the changed time period in accordance with a temperature change factor. In the self-refresh mode, data stored in the DRAM cells is refreshed. In accordance with the two factors, the DRAM devices perform and achieve reliable self-refresh for variable DRAM cell retention time.
US08553483B2
A semiconductor memory device has: memory blocks; and a local bus connected to the memory blocks. Each memory block has: switches respectively provided between bit line pairs and the local bus and each of which is turned ON in response to a selection signal; a dummy local bus; first and second control circuits. The local bus and the dummy local bus are precharged to a first potential before a read operation. In the read operation, the first control circuit outputs the selection signal to a selected switch to electrically connect a selected bit line pair and the local bus, while the second control circuit supplies a second potential lower than the first potential to the dummy local bus. The first control circuit stops outputting the selection signal when a potential of the dummy local bus is decreased to a predetermined set potential that is between the first and second potentials.
US08553472B2
A memory includes a shared I/O unit that is shared between multiple storage arrays provides output data from the arrays. The shared I/O includes an output latch with an integrated output clamp. The I/O unit may be configured to provide output data from the storage arrays via data output signal paths. The I/O unit includes an output latch configured to force a valid logic level on the data output signal paths in response to a power down condition.
US08553463B1
In one embodiment, a voltage discharge (VD) system has a slow VD subsystem that provides two concurrent discharge current paths to at least begin to discharge both positive and negative voltages: a first path from the positive-voltage node to ground and a second path from the positive-voltage node to the negative-voltage node. In addition to this relatively slow VD subsystem, the VD system can also have a conventional fast VD subsystem that is turned on after the slow VD subsystem has reduced the positive and negative voltages to some degree (e.g., half of each charge removed). Such a VD system can eliminate dangerous overshoot conditions, even when control-signal skew is present.
US08553443B2
Provided is a memory device in which the circuit structure is simplified while the functions of a memory including an OTP memory and a memory including a pseudo-MTP memory are maintained. A memory device includes a plurality of memory sets each including a mark bit storage area for storing a mark bit, which indicates that an object is deleted data, and a data bit storage area for storing data, the memory device being built from an OTP memory including an OTP memory block and a pseudo-MTP memory block, the OTP memory block containing a given number of memory sets to operate as an OTP memory, the pseudo-MTP memory block containing the rest of the memory sets operates as a pseudo-MTP memory. The mark bit is written in advance in the mark bit storage area of the OTP memory block.
US08553437B2
A method for controlling power flow within a DC power flow within a DC power transmission network includes two or more interconnected converter stations. The method includes the steps of: establishing a common feedback signal (Ud,common, Ũd,common) to the converter stations, the common feedback signal (Ud,common, Ũd,common) being based on an overall voltage level in the DC transmission, power network; providing, in the converter stations, a control signal (S1, S2, S3, S4) based on the common feedback signal (Ud,common) and a drooped error signal (Pe,droop, Ue,droop); and controlling the power flow within the DC power transmission network towards set operating points (Udref, PCCref) by using the control signal (S1, S2, S3, S4). A control device and computer program product is also described.
US08553434B2
A method of controlling the grid-side current of a single-phase grid-connected converter having an LCL filter connected between the output of the converter and the grid includes measuring a grid voltage and at least one signal in a group of signals consisting of a grid-side current, a converter-side current and a capacitor voltage, estimating the fundamental component of the grid voltage, forming a grid-side current reference, a converter-side current reference and a capacitor voltage reference for the grid-side current of the LCL filter, forming estimates for the non-measured signals in the group of signals, forming a grid-side current difference term, a converter-side current difference term and a capacitor voltage difference term, and controlling the output voltage of the converter based on the grid voltage, a formed injection term and a formed estimate of the harmonic distortion term to produce a grid side current corresponding to the current reference.
US08553431B2
In a switching power converter, no-load condition is detected based on a variety of parameters including the output current, primary current, transformer reset time, and switching period. Once the no-load condition is detected, the switching power converter enters stand-by mode, in which the reference voltage corresponding to the target regulated output voltage of the switching power converter is lowered to a low stand-by value or the switching power converter is shut down for a predetermined duration. As a result, power loss during the stand-by mode of the switching power converter can be reduced significantly.
US08553428B2
A component for mounting on a PCB, intended to support an electronics component, with an extension in the longitudinal, lateral and vertical directions. The component has a first and a second main surface, the second main surface being intended for mounting on the PCB. The component is made in a non conducting material, with a first layer of conducting material arranged on its first main surface, the conducting layer being connected to a conducting layer on the second main surface of the component by electrically conducting means. The component's extension in the vertical direction is smaller than its extension in either the longitudinal or lateral direction.
US08553427B2
A motherboard includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and wiring. The first circuit board includes at least a programmable chip, a programming interface, a first data interface, and at least one jumper corresponding to the programmable chip. The second circuit board includes a CPU (central processing unit), a RAM unit, and at least a second data interface corresponding to the programmable chip. The motherboard of the present disclosure concentrates programmable chips on the first circuit board, thereby providing a unified programming interface to enhance the convenience of programming multiple programmable chips.
US08553420B2
A microelectronic assembly includes a dielectric element having oppositely-facing first and second surfaces and one or more apertures extending between the surfaces, the dielectric element further having conductive elements thereon; a first microelectronic element having a rear surface and a front surface facing the first surface of the dielectric element, the first microelectronic element having a first edge and a plurality of contacts exposed at the front surface thereof; a second microelectronic element including having a rear surface and a front surface facing the rear surface of the first microelectronic element, a projecting portion of the front surface of the second microelectronic element extending beyond the first edge of the first microelectronic element, the projecting portion being spaced from the first surface of the dielectric element, the second microelectronic element having a plurality of contacts exposed at the projecting portion of the front surface; leads extending from contacts of the microelectronic elements through the at least one aperture to at least some of the conductive elements; and a heat spreader thermally coupled to at least one of the first microelectronic element or the second microelectronic element.
US08553414B2
The present invention provides a modular circuit card configuration for distributing heat among a plurality of circuit cards. Each circuit card includes a housing adapted to dissipate heat in response to gas flow over the housing. In one aspect, a gas-cooled inverter includes a plurality of inverter circuit cards, and a plurality of circuit card housings, each of which encloses one of the plurality of inverter cards.
US08553406B2
A fixing mechanism for fixing a detachable module is disclosed. The fixing mechanism includes a cage having a first bent portion, and a sliding base installed inside the cage in a slidable manner for supporting the detachable module. The sliding base includes a rack, and at least one first resilient hook for engaging with the first bent portion when the sliding base is installed inside the cage so as to prevent the sliding base from separating from the cage in a first direction. The fixing mechanism further includes at least one spring module installed on the cage and engaged with the rack on the sliding base for driving the rack so as to slide the sliding base relative to the cage. The fixing mechanism further includes a latch module installed on the sliding base for latching the detachable module when the detachable module is installed inside the sliding base.
US08553403B2
An exemplary foldable electronic device includes a processing portion, a keyboard, and a latching member. The processing portion includes a main housing. The keyboard is rotatably connected to the processing portion. The keyboard includes a metal housing. The latching member is arranged in the main housing. The latching member includes a magnet. When the keyboard abuts against the processing portion, the attraction force between the magnet and the metal housing is greater than the force of the gravity acting on the keyboard, the keyboard is attached to the processing portion.
US08553394B2
Embodiments provide a circuit breaker racking apparatus having a frame configured to couple to a switchgear section configured to receive a circuit breaker; a coupling operable to couple to a racking handle of the circuit breaker to be racked to or from the switchgear section; and a drive member coupled to the coupling and remotely operable to rotate the coupling and racking handle to accomplish racking of the circuit breaker. System and method aspects are provided, as are other aspects.
US08553387B2
This invention provides an electronic device including a casing and a circuit board. The casing has an opening. The circuit board is located in the casing and at least includes a conductive layer and a surface insulating layer. The conductive layer includes a signal transmission portion and a static induction portion. The static induction portion is electrically disconnected with the signal transmission portion at the conductive layer, and the static induction portion is closer to the opening than the signal transmission portion. The surface insulating layer covers the signal transmission portion on the circuit board and exposes the static induction portion.
US08553386B2
A surge suppression device may include a housing having a cavity, a center conductor positioned within the cavity, a spiral inductor having an inner curve coupled to the center conductor and an outer curve, a coil capture device connected to the outer curve of the spiral inductor, and a ring assembly having a first ring connected to the coil capture device, a second ring connected to the housing, and a voltage limiting device positioned between the first ring and the second ring.
US08553385B2
A release for an electrical switching arrangement includes at least two switching contacts, which are arranged in a housing and are isolated if the current flowing via the switching contacts has exceeded a predetermined threshold value. The release includes an actuating element, which responds, counter to the force of a restraining apparatus, to a pressure which is generated by an arc occurring in an isolating zone of the switching contacts. The isolating zone is surrounded by the housing, and actuates a shutdown mechanism which brings about automatic interruption of the current path. The actuating element has a movable element, which forms a blocking element in a flow channel, which is connected to the isolating zone. The blocking element performs a predetermined control movement at the pressure which is intended to result in shutdown.
US08553374B2
A modular circuit arrangement for switching electrical power includes a relay socket, an adapter and a relay. The adapter is detachably connectable to the relay socket and includes a semiconductor relay and a control unit electrically connected to the semiconductor relay. The relay includes a mechanical switch and is electrically and mechanically detachably connectable to the adapter so as to connect the semiconductor relay of the adapter in parallel to the mechanical switch. The control unit is configured to actuate the relay and the semiconductor switch at different times.
US08553368B2
A high-aspect ratio motion limiter of a microactuator and a method for fabrication are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least one low-aspect ratio gap is created in a substrate of a microactuator of a hard disk drive. The low-aspect ratio gap is then utilized to facilitate the creation of a high-aspect ratio motion limiter in the substrate of the microactuator.
US08553353B2
Methods and apparatus are provided related to magnetic recording tape. One or more ion emitters are disposed in non-contacting proximity to a passing recording tape. Static electric charges born on the tape are neutralized prior to passing the tape in contact with a read-write head. Migration of chemical constituency from the tape to the head is prevented or significantly reduced with a corresponding elimination or reduction of related problems.
US08553346B2
A method, apparatus, and system for implementing spin-torque oscillator (STO) sensing with an enhanced delay control feedback circuit for hard disk drives. A detector receives an input signal from a STO read sensor having an oscillation frequency related to the strength of the detected magnetic signal field. The received input signal is mixed with a time delayed input signal for providing a detector output signal. A low frequency component signal of the detector output signal is monitored and a delay control feedback is applied to an adjustable time delay to bias the DC signal of the detector output signal.
US08553341B2
An optical device includes a soft polymer film having a first and second surface. A first compliant electrode is connected to the first surface and a second compliant electrode is connected to the second surface. A rigid optical element is connected on the first and/or second surface or integrated into the polymer film.
US08553315B2
An electrophoretic device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; an electrophoretic layer including colored particles that is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate; first electrodes; first transistors connected to the first electrodes; opposing electrodes that have larger areas than the first electrodes and have transparency; and a reflecting layer that has a larger area than the first electrodes, wherein the gradation is controlled by the area of the colored particles that is visible when the electrophoretic layer is seen from the second substrate side.
US08553314B2
The invention relates to a display device having at least one electrically controllable display element comprising a first and at least one further liquid, a plurality of fluidically closed volumes and at least one voltage source which is connected to an electrode array, wherein said volumes include flat visible subvolumes which stacked upon another along their shortest dimension, having associated second subvolumes which pass through those flat visible subvolumes which are underlying that flat visible subvolume which is associated with the respective second subvolume.
US08553311B2
A method of accomplishing high-speed intensity variation of a polarized output laser beam includes securing an angle of light incidence sensitive optical element to a galvanometer system that provides high-speed transitioning of the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element between different angular positions. The high-speed transitioning provided by the galvanometer system varies an angle of incidence between an input laser beam and the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element to thereby provide high-speed variation of an intensity of a polarized output laser beam produced by the angle of light incidence sensitive optical element.
US08553306B2
An optical deflector includes a plurality of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) that cause a reflecting plate (1) to oscillate rotationally, centering upon a pair of flexible support units (2a and 2b). The optical deflector forms a single structure of the oscillating plates (23a to 23b), the reflecting plate (1), the flexible support units (2a and 2b), and a support body (9), by connecting one set of the terminals of the oscillating plates (23a to 23d) of the suite of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) to the flexible support units (2a and 2b), and connecting the other set of terminals to the support body (9). Furthermore, the plurality of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) each respectively comprise a plurality of parallel oscillating bodies (23a1 to 23a-3, 23b-1 to 23b-3, 23c-1 to 23c-3), and (23d-1 to 23d-3), and a suite of parallel actuators (28a-1 to 28a-3, 28c-1 to 28c-3, and 28d-1 to 28d-3).
US08553300B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section; a first density sensor; a second density sensor; and a control section to control the image forming section to form a first gradation pattern image including patches having different densities on the image carrier, to execute gradation correction of the image forming section based on a detection result obtained with the first density sensor, to control the image forming section to print a second gradation pattern image including patches having different densities on the sheet, and to execute the gradation correction based on a detection result obtained with the second density sensor, and wherein the control section adds a gradation correction result by the first density sensor to a gradation correction result by the second density sensor according to a predetermined ratio, and executes the gradation correction based on an addition result.
