US08689769B2
A method is disclosed for controlling compression-braking performance of an engine having a piston in a combustion cylinder. The method may include providing a valve in fluid communication with the combustion cylinder and at least one valve actuator operable to control the valve to perform compression-braking by opening the valve, which may include opening the valve to a first peak-valve-opening during a compression stroke of the piston and opening the valve to a second peak-valve-opening before a second half of an expansion stroke of the piston. The method may also include determining a target value for a stress in the at least one valve actuator. Additionally, the method may include designing the magnitude and timing of the first peak-valve-opening as a function of the target for the stress in the at least one valve actuator.
US08689767B1
A method for the operation of homogeneous charge compression ignition engines (HCCI) using gasoline or similar single-stage ignition fuels. Partial fuel stratification (PFS), intake pressure boosting and controlled BDC-intake temperatures, typically in the range of 95° C. to about 125° C., are used to reduce combustion pressure rise rates (PRR), and therefore, the knocking propensity of homogeneous charge compression ignition engines operating on gasoline or similar fuels.
US08689764B2
A rotary engine which provides a supplemental phase of compression between a first phase of compression and a second phase of compression.
US08689750B2
A camshaft phase adjustment device comprises a housing receiving a camshaft. A driving gear member has a first gear and a camshaft receiving portion. The driving gear member transfers motion from the driveshaft to the first gear, which is meshed with a second gear. A second and third gear are mounted on an axle parallel to the camshaft. The second gear and third gear rotate with the same angular velocity. The third gear transfers motion to a fourth gear. The fourth gear is coupled to the camshaft for transferring angular motion to the camshaft such that the camshaft rotates with the angular velocity of the fourth gear. An actuator rotates the housing about the axis of the camshaft.
US08689748B2
In a valve timing control apparatus, phase-retard and phase-advance hydraulic chambers are defined among a plurality of shoes formed in a housing and a plurality of vanes formed integral with a rotor fixed to a camshaft. The rotor has a large-diameter portion formed between a first group of adjacent vanes and a small-diameter portion formed between a second group of adjacent vanes. The innermost end of a shoe of the shoes, opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion, is configured to protrude radially inward rather than the innermost end of a shoe of the shoes, opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion. A lock pin is located in the large-diameter portion of the rotor, whereas a lock hole, with which the lock pin slides into and out of engagement, is located in the inner face of a sprocket.
US08689747B2
A valve timing control device comprises a drive-side rotational member synchronously rotatable with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; a driven-side rotational member mounted coaxially with the drive-side rotational member and synchronously rotatable with a camshaft for opening and closing a valve of the internal combustion engine; a fluid pressure chamber defined by the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member; a partition provided in at least one of the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member for dividing the fluid pressure chamber into a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber; a fluid feeding/discharging mechanism for controlling feed/discharge of working fluid relative to the fluid pressure chamber; a locking mechanism for restricting a relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotational member relative to the drive-side rotational member to a predetermined phase between a most retarded angle phase and a most advanced angle phase; and an urging mechanism for constantly exerting an urging force to the drive-side rotational member and the driven-side rotational member to displace the relative rotational phase to the side of the most retarded angle phase.
US08689745B2
A split-cycle air-hybrid engine includes a rotatable crankshaft. A compression piston is slidably received within a compression cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft. An expansion piston is slidably received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft. A crossover passage interconnects the compression and expansion cylinders. The crossover passage includes a crossover compression (XovrC) valve and a crossover expansion (XovrE) valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween. An air reservoir is operatively connected to the crossover passage. An air reservoir valve selectively controls air flow into and out of the air reservoir. The engine is operable in an Air Expander and Firing (AEF) mode. In the AEF mode, the pressure in the air reservoir is greater than or equal to approximately 5 bar absolute, preferably greater than or equal to approximately 7 bar absolute, and more preferably greater than or equal to approximately 10 bar absolute.
US08689743B2
A piston for an internal combustion engine has a piston head and a piston skirt. The piston head has a circumferential ring belt and a circumferential cooling channel. The piston skirt has a working surface assigned to its major thrust side and to its minor thrust side. A bore that proceeds from the cooling channel is provided, which ends in the working surface assigned to the major thrust side, and is disposed at an incline, in such a manner that the bore exit encloses an acute angle (α) with the center axis (M) of the piston. An opening is formed in the working surface, and a deflection surface inclined relative to the working surface is provided between the bore and the bore exit. The working surface assigned to the major thrust side has a depression which forms at least one oil capture region above the opening.
US08689740B2
A pet wash tub includes a funnel-type hair-diverter arrangement established at all corners near the drain, to slope from the front and sides of the tub, angled downwardly towards the drain. The tub is located inside a pet wash station, which includes a wash room and an equipment room. Specifically, the tub is located in the wash room that includes a floor with a slope that acts to rinse water spilled onto the floor under an opening under a dividing wall between the wash room and the equipment room. A collection trough is located in the equipment room to collect the water as it drains from the wash room. Further, the equipment room includes a control panel and hose extensions for air and washing water/soap such that a user can activate the various systems depending on preference while washing a pet.
US08689739B2
The present disclosure provides a system and method for displaying animals in temperature controlled enclosures.
US08689721B2
A vertically installed Spar-type floater for offshore wind turbine and related construction method are provided. The floating system is a gravity stabilized deep-draft floater including a plurality of vertically extending columns, each column containing a ballast material; a ballast tank coupled to the lower end of each of the columns; a top deck having a plurality of through-bores approximate its periphery coupled to the upper end of each of the columns; a wind turbine assembly supported by the top deck at the center; a plurality of mooring lines linking the floating system to the sea floor. The floating system has a temporary vertically towing configuration which allows the entire floating wind turbine system to be assembled at a quayside and towed vertically to an offshore site, and self-installed into operating configuration.
US08689717B2
An emergency repair plug for sealing an opening in a boat hull, comprises a conical body made of a solid foam, spongy cellular material that is compressible by hand and able to return to its original shape. The conical body is compressible by hand to a smaller dimension so that a portion of the conical body larger than an opening to be plugged can be inserted into the opening. The conical body is able to return to its larger size after compression, thereby to be wedged in the opening to slow down water inflow through the opening.
US08689712B2
A method including: providing a portion of double cloth including a first layer joined to a second layer, the layers being joined by a two-dimensional distribution of joining threads obtained by weaving; detaching the first layer from the second layer along an edge zone of the double cloth, to define on the first layer a band in which the first layer is separated from the second layer; cutting the band of the first layer, so that the second layer exhibits a projecting strip which projects with respect to a free edge of the first layer; arranging a further portion of fabric in contact with the second layer; joining the further portion of fabric to the second layer by a joining line arranged along the projecting strip; after the step of joining, turning the further portion of fabric, to move the further portion of fabric away from the second layer.
US08689702B2
Provided is a railway vehicle having a configuration which can sufficiently protect the cabin even when large external force is applied to the side structures and the end structures thereof. The vehicle body of the railway vehicle is formed by joining an underframe 20, side structures 30, end structures 50, and a roof structure 60 together. The lower inner face of the side post 31 of the side structure is joined to the outer face portion of a side beam 21 of the underframe. The lower inner faces of the post reinforcement members (an end post reinforcement member 57 and a corner post reinforcement member 58) for reinforcing the post members (an end post 53 and a corner post 54) of the end structure are joined to the outer face portion of an end beam 26 of the underframe.
US08689696B1
A projectile includes: (a) a cured, toughened polymer resin; and (b) a particulate filler distributed through the resin, the filler having a density greater than a density of the resin, wherein the projectile has average density less than the density of lead.
US08689684B2
A strap loading assembly for a strapping machine provides a feed path for the strap material. The loading assembly includes a first rail and a second rail movable between a deployed position and a stowed position. The second rail, when in the deployed position, confronts the first rail and defines a strap guide with the first rail. The second rail, when in the stowed position opens the strap guide. A link operably connects the first and second rails. Strap material in the strap guide, when in tension, exerts a force on the first rail to move the link which moves the second rail from the deployed position to the stowed position. A strapping machine with a strap loading assembly is also disclosed.
US08689675B2
Field adjustable piston actuators are described. An example field adjustable piston actuator includes a housing having opposing openings and a chamber. Additionally, the example piston actuator includes a first plate coupled to the housing and adjacent one of the opposing openings. Further, the example piston actuator includes a second plate coupled to a yoke and the housing. The second plate is adjacent the other one of the opposing openings. Further still, the piston actuator includes a volume adjuster to provide field adjustment to change a volume of the chamber.
US08689667B2
A reciprocating saw blade for use with a reciprocating saw includes a body defining a longitudinal axis, an attachment portion configured to couple to the reciprocating saw, and a cutting portion formed on the body. The cutting portion includes a plurality of cutting teeth. Each cutting tooth includes a tip, a rake face extending from the tip generally toward the longitudinal axis and defining a gullet, and a relief surface extending from the tip. The blade also includes a plunge point formed on the body for initiating a plunge cut. The plunge point includes a leading tooth and a second tooth. The leading tooth includes a tip and a rake face extending from the tip generally toward the longitudinal axis and defining a leading gullet. The second tooth is positioned in the leading gullet adjacent the leading tooth and is generally smaller than the leading tooth and each cutting tooth.
US08689662B2
A bottom bracket assembly (1) of a bicycle is disclosed. The bottom bracket assembly includes a shaft (2) extending along a predetermined longitudinal direction and a pair of bearings (31, 41) adapted to rotatably support the shaft (2) with respect to a housing box (10) provided in a bicycle frame, the bearings (31, 41) being mounted on the shaft (2) at opposite end portions (3, 4) of the shaft (2). The opposite end portions (3, 4) of the shaft (2) have an outer diameter (D2) between 28 mm and 37 mm, bounds being included, and the distance (D1) between the median planes (Y1, Y2) of the bearings (31, 41) along the longitudinal direction is between 80 mm and 100 mm, bounds being included.
US08689660B2
A steering device provides a driver operation feeling that lets the driver definitely feel that a movable tilt lock gear and a fixed tilt lock gear are securely engaged. Gear noise in tilt adjustment when the movable tilt lock gear and the fixed tilt lock gear are engaged halfway is prevented. As the control force of an operating lever is rapidly decreased when a fitting protrusion is fitted to a stepped part, a click and click stop feeling occur and a definite operation feeling that the clamping is securely performed is acquired. As the fitting protrusion is integrated with the operating lever and a sliding surface configured by a groove, an inclined face and the stepped part are also formed as an outside face of the fixed tilt lock gear, the number of parts and man-hours for assembly can be reduced.
US08689659B2
A steering column for a motor vehicle includes a first and a second part, which in the event of a vehicle crash can be displaced relative to each other in a displacement direction. At least one absorption element acts between the two parts for absorbing energy during the mutual displacement of the two parts, and at least one shift unit, which includes a shift component that can be shifted between a passive and an active shift position. The amount of the energy absorbed during the mutual displacement of the two parts differs in the passive and the active shift position of the shift component. During a displacement of the two parts in the event of a crash, a mutual energy-absorbing displacement takes place between the shift component being in the active shift position thereof and at least one section of the absorption element in an engagement region of the absorption element in which the shift element engages in the active shift position thereof, or between the shift component being in the active shift position thereof and one of the two parts that are mutually displaced in the event of a crash in an engagement region of said part in which the shift component engages in the active shift position thereof.
US08689644B2
A detection device for shocks on a part comprises a base intended to be fixed by a lower face onto a surface of the part where the occurrence of a shock is to be detected and comprises one or more detectors fixed at the base and protruding with respect to the base, a detector being deformed in a persistent way with a magnitude equal to or greater than a threshold magnitude when it is subjected to a shock with an energy equal to or greater than a threshold energy. Under the effect of such a shock with energy or greater, a detector is simply deformed or broken such that the visual inspection allows the occurrence of the shock to be detected.
US08689643B2
A shaft arrangement, with a rotatable shaft supported in a rolling bearing, which has rolling elements and an outer race, a torsion sensor having a permanently magnetic ring and at least one magnetic field sensor fastened to a fixed sensor bracket attached to the outer race being provided. A torsion sensor can hereby be integrated in a rotating bearing in a simple design.
US08689634B2
Embodiments of the present application can provide systems and methods for mode shape identification of turbine buckets. According to one embodiment, a system can be provided. The system can include a turbine bucket having numerous trigger patterns disposed at a distal end of the turbine bucket. A sensor is disposed adjacent to the distal end of the turbine bucket for detecting the trigger patterns. The trigger patterns are patterned to identify at least one mode shape of the turbine bucket.
US08689631B1
A gyroscope comprising: a multi-layer substrate, comprising drive spring and sense spring layers; a rigid support structure formed from the substrate; a plurality of drive springs formed in each drive spring layer wherein each drive spring is operatively coupled to the support structure; a drive mass formed from at least one layer of the substrate, wherein the drive mass is coupled to the support structure via the drive springs; a drive mass driver operatively coupled to the drive mass and configured to cause movement of the drive mass with respect to the support structure; a plurality of sense springs formed in each sense spring layer, wherein each sense spring is operatively coupled to the drive mass; and a sense mass formed from at least one layer, wherein the sense mass is coupled to the drive mass via the sense springs.
US08689624B2
A level sensor system according to the present invention includes a controller and a sensor assembly defined by a transducer assembly and a mounting assembly configured for a quick connection or non permanent attachment of the transducer assembly to the tank or container. The ultrasound transducer assembly emits ultrasound pulses in the tank along a detecting path, receives ultrasound echoes indicative of at least one of the first and second fluids and produces echo signals representative of the at least one of the first and second fluids. The mounting assembly is configured for receiving the ultrasound transducer assembly and for operatively mounting the ultrasound transducer assembly to the tank for ultrasound measurement. The controller is coupled to the ultrasound transducer assembly, receives the echo signals and determines the position of the fluid interface therewith; the level of the first fluid being defined by the position of the fluid interface. The fact that the sensor assembly is configured so as to be removably mounted to the tank allows replacing the tank, for example when it is empty, without having to replace the sensor assembly.
US08689617B2
Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing each of a plurality of engine cooling system components including various valves and grill shutters. Each valve may be individually closed and opened for a specified duration, and corresponding changes in coolant temperature may be monitored. If all the components are functional, the various valves may be adjusted to stagnate coolant at the engine and expedite engine warm-up during a cold-start.
US08689616B2
A sensor device where a jig is engaged to an engaging part formed in the housing, and the housing is rotated by the jig and screwed into the member to be mounted. A position in the rotating direction of the housing is configured to have a substantially constant position at the time the screw-fixing of the housing and the member to be mounted is completed. A shape of the engaging part when seen along a direction of a rotational axis X of the housing is formed into a non-regular polygon, and the engaging part and a mold IC are shifted and disposed to a side that has a margin in a space in the housing or around the mold IC so that the space around the sensor device is used effectively.
US08689612B2
A pressure-based tester for testing an integrity of a printhead integrated circuit (IC) carrier includes a housing assembly; a cradle assembly coupled to the housing assembly and adapted to receive the printhead IC carrier, the cradle assembly further defining spouts adapted to engage with the printhead IC carrier; a regulated gas supply arranged in the housing assembly; a first gas supply line in fluid communication with the regulated gas supply; a pneumatic retaining mechanism in fluid communication with the gas supply via the first gas supply line, the pneumatic retaining mechanism for retaining the carrier in fluid communication with the spouts during testing of the platform assembly; a second gas supply line in fluid communication with the regulated gas supply, the second gas supply line being separated from the first gas supply line by a pressure regulator, the second gas supply line for supplying gas to the spouts; a pressure sensor for measuring a gas pressure at each spout and generating a signal indicative of the measured gas pressure; and a control system for controlling the regulated gas supply and the pneumatic retaining mechanism. The control system is further configured to receive the signal generated by the pressure sensor to determine the presence of any decay in the gas pressure at each spout.
US08689609B2
The gas sensor includes: a cylindrical member which includes a gas detection chamber therein and extends along an axial thereof; a base member which closes an opening of a first axial end of the cylindrical member; a status sensor which is disposed at a substantially central portion of the base member, and detects at least the temperature or the humidity in the gas detection chamber; a gas detection element disposed around the status sensor on the base member; a lid member which closes an opening of a second axial end of the cylindrical member; and a gas inlet port which penetrates the lid member at a location not coinciding with the status sensor and the gas detection element when seen from the axial direction, and enables the introduction of an inspection target gas from an outside into the gas detection chamber.
US08689605B2
A method of operating a process a combustion analyzer having a measurement cell is provided. The method includes exposing the measurement cell to exhaust of a combustion process where fuel and oxygen are combined in a burner to produce a flame. The measurement cell is heated to a temperature above a flashpoint of the fuel. When a condition is detected, such as a fault or abnormal situation, gas is directed to the measurement cell to form a gaseous barrier between the measurement cell and unburned fuel while the detected condition exists. Once the condition abates, the gas flow is disengaged and process combustion gas measurements are provided.
US08689603B2
A control system and associated methods for an air treatment system. In one aspect, the present invention provides a control system and method for controlling blower speed as a function of separately determined smoke and dust concentrations. In one embodiment, the control system and method provides a variable delayed between changes in motor speed to address undesirable rapid changes between speeds. In another aspect, the present invention provides a system and method for calibrating a sensor to provide more uniform operation over time. In yet another aspect, the present invention provide a system and method for calibrating motor speed to provide more consistent and uniform motor speed over time. The present invention also provides a system and method for tracking filter life by as a function of time, motor speed and/or a sensed variable, such as particulate concentration in the environment.
US08689602B2
A hazard detector assembly for attachment to a surface within a protected zone comprises a detector unit and a test stimulus generator unit.
US08689601B2
An assembly includes a debris monitor mount, a motor, and a particle belt. The particle belt carries one or more metallic particles. The particle belt is driven by the motor. The particle belt extends proximate the debris monitor mount when driven by the motor.
US08689599B2
A system for repairing a pipe including a tool, a programmable logic controller and a patch. The tool includes a clamp base having an opening, a first jaw coupled to the clamp base with a first linkage, a second jaw coupled to the clamp base with a second linkage, an operating mechanism carried by the clamp base and operably coupled to the first and second jaws via one or more adjusting links and a junction box carried by the clamp base and operably connected to the controller, wherein the one or more adjusting links are coupled at a first end to either or both of the first and second jaws and at a second end to the operating mechanism, and wherein the first and second jaws are adapted to move, under force of the adjusting links. Methods of repairing pipes are disclosed.
US08689591B2
A safe is provided for securely storing property that may be accessed quickly. A biometric scanner is coupled to a latching mechanism which may be actuated upon input of a recognized pattern, such as a fingerprint. The safe door may be spring actuated to automatically open upon release of the locking mechanism. The latch positively locks the door so that it resists opening from sharp blows to the safe.
US08689590B2
A vandal guard for a utility enclosure includes a cover with a cover plate and a shackle cover on top of the cover plate. The shackle cover is located over a slot in the cover plate for receiving a staple. When the staple is secured with a lock, the shackle of the lock is shielded by the shackle cover to protect it from tampering.
US08689577B2
An in-ceiling embedded type air conditioner including an indoor unit having an air blower and an indoor heat exchanger accommodated in a housing a substantially box-shape, and a filtering unit including a gas-liquid contact member that is disposed at the downstream side of the indoor heat exchanger on an air blowing passage through which air sucked by the air blower flows in the indoor unit and infiltrated with electrolytic water generated by electrolyzing water, the air and the electrolytic water being brought into contact with each other in the gas-liquid contact member, whereby the air cooled or heated in the indoor heat exchanger is filtered, that is, virus, etc. contained in the air is inactivated, sterilized or the like and then blown out to a room to be air-conditioned.
US08689576B2
A refrigerated merchandiser including a refrigeration system, a first sensor in communication with the refrigerated airflow in a discharge passageway to sense a discharge airflow temperature, and a second sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow in the return passageway to sense a return airflow temperature. A controller is in electrical communication with the first sensor and the second sensor and controls a temperature of the product within a predetermined temperature range that is between about 22 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 degrees Fahrenheit based on at least one of the discharge airflow temperature and the return airflow temperature. The controller is further programmed to operate the refrigeration system such that the discharge airflow temperature is maintained above a temperature between about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 degrees Fahrenheit to regulate an evaporation temperature of the evaporator to avoid freezing the product.
US08689568B2
A gas turbine engine includes a wall having first and second wall surfaces and a cooling hole extending through the wall. The cooling hole includes an inlet located at the first wall surface, an outlet located at the second wall surface, a metering section extending downstream from the inlet and a diffusing section extending from the metering section to the outlet. The diffusing section includes a first lobe diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section, a second lobe diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section, an upstream end located at the outlet, a trailing edge located at the outlet opposite the upstream end and generally opposite first and second sidewalls. Each sidewall has an edge extending along the outlet between the upstream end and the trailing edge. Each edge diverges laterally from the upstream end and converges laterally before reaching the trailing edge.
US08689563B2
A fuel nozzle guide plate has mirror symmetry about a first plane perpendicular to the fuel nozzle guide plate and mirror symmetry about a second plane parallel to the fuel nozzle guide plate. The fuel nozzle guide plate is attached to an air swirler, which is mounted in an opening of a bulkhead for mixing air and fuel at an upstream side of a combustor.
US08689556B2
An energy producing device, for example a submersible vehicle for descending or ascending to different depths within water or ocean, is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a temperature-responsive material to which a hydraulic fluid is associated. A pressurized storage compartment stores the fluid as soon as the temperature-responsive material changes density. The storage compartment is connected with a hydraulic motor, and a valve allows fluid passage from the storage compartment to the hydraulic motor. An energy storage component, e.g. a battery, is connected with the hydraulic motor and is charged by the hydraulic motor when the hydraulic fluid passes through the hydraulic motor. Upon passage in the hydraulic motor, the fluid is stored in a further storage compartment and is then sent back to the area of the temperature-responsive material.
US08689552B2
A centrifugal compressor is provided with: a housing which houses a compressor wheel therein; a spiral scroll arranged in an outer periphery of the compressor wheel; and a diffuser portion provided as a path space communicating with the scroll from an outlet side of the compressor wheel and formed by a compressor housing and a center housing. The centrifugal compressor is also provided with a movable vane which is movable between a projecting position where the movable vane projects from the compressor housing and a housing position where the movable vane houses in a housing portion provided in compressor housing, and an actuator which drives the movable vane between the projecting position and the housing position. The actuator is provided in the center housing.
US08689545B2
A device for evaporating a predeterminable volume of fluid provides for successive addition of partial volumes of the predeterminable volume to a supply line at different adding rates, at least partially evaporating the partial volumes forming a vapor film between them and a supply line wall, conveying the partial volumes through the supply line to an evaporator surface, and applying the partial volumes to an evaporator surface region varying as a function of mass and/or volume adding rate of the partial volume, permitting effective evaporation of fluid, particularly urea/water solution. Utilization of the highest possible proportion of evaporator surfaces is achieved by mass and/or volume addition rate-dependent distribution of impingement surfaces on the evaporator surface. This heating strategy in the supply line region ensures the Leidenfrost effect when individual partial volumes are added. As even a distribution as possible is achieved using a corresponding geometrical configuration of the evaporator channel.
US08689541B2
An engine control system includes a catalyst module and a cylinder module. The catalyst module determines a catalyst temperature. The cylinder module selectively switches operation of a first cylinder from a first engine cycle having four strokes to a second engine cycle having N times four strokes, based on the catalyst temperature, wherein N is an integer greater than one. A related method is also provided.
US08689538B2
An ultra-efficient “green” aircraft propulsor utilizing an augmentor fan is disclosed. A balanced design is provided combining a fuel efficient and low-noise high bypass ratio augmentor fan and a low-noise shrouded high bypass ratio turbofan. Three mass flow streams are utilized to reduce propulsor specific fuel consumption and increase performance relative to conventional turbofans. Methods are provided for optimization of fuel efficiency, power, and noise by varying mass flow ratios of the three mass flow streams. Methods are also provided for integration of external propellers into turbofan machinery.
US08689537B1
It is disclosed herein a breakthrough concept for in-space propulsion for future Air Force, NASA and commercial systems. The invention combines the fields of micro-electrical-mechanical (MEMs) devices, optical physics, and nonequilibrium plasmadynamics to reduce dramatically the size of electric thrusters by 1-2 orders of magnitude, which when coupled with electrodeless operation and high thruster efficiency, will enable scalable, low-cost, long-life distributable propulsion for control of microsats, nanosats, and space structures. The concept is scalable from power levels of 1 W to tens of kilowatts with thrust efficiency exceeding 60%. Ultimate specific impulse would be 500 seconds with helium, with lower values for heavier gases.
US08689535B2
Disclosed herein are screw shaft turbine compressors having (i) a compressor section, (ii) a turbine section, (iii) a combustion section coupling to the compressor section and the turbine section, and (iv) a grooved shaft. The grooved shaft can include one or more grooves for providing fuel from the compressor section to the combustion section and for allowing exhaust to leave the combustion section and exit the turbine section. A method for generating different speed to torque ratios on the shaft and a system for generating torque on the shaft are further disclosed.
US08689519B2
The Multi-Hole Concealer Strip conceals any exposed holes in cabinetry designs. It is a decorative strip that accents any cabinet with a smooth appearance to leave a finished look to the cabinetry.
US08689505B2
A panel frame for suspended ceiling, at least one side of this frame having, when seen in section, a top wall and a side wall. The top wall is provided with a fitted flat section, this flat section having at least two through-holes for the passage of an assembly mechanism such as screws, one of the through-holes being ovalized or oblong.
US08689502B2
A duct bank assembly may include an elongate extending conduit with a length for receiving and passing through a cable or wire and an encasing body encasing the conduit along its longitudinal extent between a first mating end and an opposed second mating end of the body. Each mating end has a shear transfer mechanism associated therewith for engagement with a corresponding shear transfer mechanism of an adjacent duct bank assembly.
US08689501B2
A gabion includes panels of metal meshes that can be assembled so as to form a casing for receiving a bulk of filler material such as pebbles, natural rock fragments, wood chips or the like and/or a mixture of said materials. The gabion further includes at least one flexible sealed pouch provided with gripping members and configured to be inserted between the assembled panels.
US08689499B2
A double glazed window glass structure includes a frame defining an outer perimeter of the window glass structure, and first and second sheet glasses mounted on respective sides of the frame to define a heat insulation space therebetween. The frame includes an outer frame portion and an inner frame portion extending from an inner surface of the outer frame portion toward an inside of the frame. The inner frame portion has first and second sheet glass receiving surfaces bonded to the first and second sheet glasses, respectively. The inner frame portion is provided with a groove having an opening that opens in the second sheet glass receiving surface, the groove containing a drying agent therein, and a communication passage allowing only a fluid to flow between the groove and the heat insulation space. The opening of the groove is closed by the second sheet glass.
US08689487B2
A panel, preferably made of plastic, for a vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle comprises a U-shaped passage for the reception of a seal which has a first sealing lip which contacts a first limb of the U-shaped passage in an uninterrupted manner and comprises a second sealing lip which contacts the second limb of the U-shaped passage. To improve the sealing effect, the second sealing lip contacts the second limb of the U-shaped passage in an uninterrupted manner.
US08689486B2
A chassis for a barrier operator is provided. The barrier operator includes a motor and a transmission configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier. The chassis includes a unibody frame having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is configured to receive and secure the motor to the unibody frame. The second portion is configured to receive and secure the transmission to the unibody frame. The third portion is configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the unibody frame. The first, second, and third portions are formed as a single, integral component.
US08689483B2
An apparatus for controlling the growth of an organism includes a parameter control system, a remote control center, a control box, at least one environment-regulating device and at least one sensor. The parameter control system is stored with a plurality of operation modes, and environmental parameters that correspond to the respective operation modes and govern a variety of growth conditions for different species of organisms. The apparatus can automatically change the environmental conditions from one state to another, so as to meet the user's requirements and enhance the productivity without being limited by the ambient conditions.
US08689478B2
In embodiments, a modular rifle includes a lower receiver assembly, an upper receiver assembly housing a barrel, and a coupling mechanism. Upper receiver assembly has two portions, an aft portion and fore portion, commonly comprising a hand guard. The barrel is releasably attached to the upper receiver first portion by a hand-tightenable barrel nut sleeve connector. Upper receiver second portion is both releasably attached to the barrel nut connector sleeve and to the upper receiver first portion to prevent the barrel nut connector sleeve from rotating during firing of the rifle and to keep the second portion from detaching during firing of the rifle. Attachment of upper receiver second portion to the barrel nut connector sleeve is accomplished by a removable take-down pin and common screw clamp, which secure the barrel nut connector sleeve. Upper receiver first and second portions are connected by an attachment tab and receptacle.
US08689477B2
An improved Rail Adaptor System/Rail Accessory System (RAS) which attaches to a firearm. The rail is top opening, modular, and free floats the barrel. Provided is a rigid, lightweight, strong platform for mounting firearm accessories. Heat transmission from the barrel assembly to the user is limited. The user is also protected from ventilated gases originating from the operating system. A quick detachable top rail section is provided so that the gas system may be easily accessed. This removable top section of the rail is what makes this device unique because the RAS may be installed without removing the barrel, gas system, front sight base, flash hider or the barrel nut. The herein described RAS is adaptable to a wide variety of firearms with the use of conversion parts. The top tail “returns to zero” on reinstallation allowing the remounting of various optics and electronic gun sites without the need to realign them.
US08689472B2
A wear assembly for excavating equipment which includes a wear member and a base each with upper and lower stabilizing surfaces that are offset and at overlapping depths to reduce the overall depth of the assembly while maintaining high strength and a stable coupling. The nose and socket each includes a generally triangular-shaped front stabilizing end to provide a highly stable front connection between the nose and wear member for both vertical and side loading. The lock is movable between hold and release positions to accommodate replacing of the wear member when needed, and secured to the wear member for shipping and storage purposes.
US08689470B2
An excavator (1) includes an excavator main body (7), an apron (2) for the receipt of excavated material and a conveyor (3), the apron being located at or in proximity to the front of the main body, the conveyor extending from the apron to the rear of the main body. In use, the conveyor moves excavated material from the front to the rear of the main body, the excavator further includes an arm (11) having an attachment (5) for excavating material and moving the excavating material towards the apron (2). The excavator has a support associated with the front of the main body, the support being movable from a first position in which the support is in resilient contact with the ground to a second position in which there is substantially no contact between the support and the ground. The support includes one or both of the apron and conveyor.
US08689466B2
Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.
US08689465B2
Impact-attenuation members include: (a) an impact-attenuating member and (b) a shear resistant member engaged with the impact-attenuating member. Another example impact-attenuation member includes a shear resistant member having a continuous wall that bulges outward on opposing sides when in an uncompressed base orientation. The shear resistant members may be structured and arranged to allow bending or compression against impact forces in one direction (e.g., when landing a step or a jump), but remain highly stable against shear or lateral forces in another direction (e.g., in a side-to-side direction). Such impact-attenuation members may be used in footwear products, including in athletic footwear.
US08689450B2
A knife comprising a housing and a rotating blade carriage pivotably associated with the housing. The knife further includes a compartment in which a plurality of blades can be stored and later advanced from the housing for performing a cutting action, the first end of the blade being exposed. The rotating blade carriage can be rotated with respect to the housing and placed in a second position so that the opposite end of the same blade is exposed for performing a cutting action when advanced. The rotating blade carriage can be selectively locked in the first or second position. A carriage locking lever can be accessible for unlocking the rotating blade carriage for blade reversal. When removal of the used or worn blade is desired, the knife can have one or more blade release members that allow the disengagement of the blade from the knife so that the user can manually remove the blade without the requirement of disassembly or partial disassembly of the knife. Automatic reloading of subsequent blades is possible. If desired, the knife can be configured to automatically load subsequent blades after removal of previous used or worn blades.
US08689448B2
An outer frame of a razor head includes two side parts, a front part and a rear part connecting the side parts. An inner side wall of each side part provides a positioning block which has a first plane for mounting and supporting razor blade assemblies. Resilient arms are connected with side walls of the positioning blocks. Each resilient arm includes a leg part connecting the positioning block and a head part connecting an end of the leg part. An inclination angle between the leg part and the first plane is in the range of 25°˜30°. The head part is extended out of the first plane. The resilient arm can provide a suitable supporting force to a razor blade holder within its allowable range to be prevented from being fractured easily, and in turn improve the using performance of the outer frame and extend its lifetime.
US08689445B2
An axle spindle and wheel end assembly includes a precision-formed axle spindle, wheel hub, and axle spindle nut. The axle spindle is formed with parallel inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, a shoulder that is perpendicular to the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces, and threads for a spindle nut that are aligned with the inboard and outboard bearing surfaces. The wheel hub is formed with inboard and outboard bearing surfaces that are in parallel alignment with one another, and bearing axial stop surfaces that are perpendicular to the wheel hub bearing surfaces. The spindle nut is formed with threads on its inner periphery and a flat inboard surface that is perpendicular to the threads. The axle spindle, wheel hub, and spindle nut cooperate to enable an axle spindle nut assembly to consistently provide a light preload on a bearing cone and spacer group of the wheel end assembly.
US08689444B2
A method for adjusting a valve clearance in a cylinder head using a rocker arm of a support point adjustable type. In the method, an adjustment screw is rotated in one direction until a camshaft comes in contact with a cam shaft contact section to make the amount of valve opening zero, then further rotated until the valve is released with a certain valve opening amount, and after that, rotated in a reverse direction by a certain rotation angle and accordingly loosened until a desired valve clearance value is obtained. In the process above, the method determines a first rotation angle of the adjustment screw necessary for the adjustment screw to move from a position where the valve is released with the certain valve opening amount to a position where the camshaft comes in contact with the camshaft contact section. Then, the method determines a second rotation angle of the adjustment screw necessary for the adjustment screw to move from the position where the camshaft comes in contact with the camshaft contact section to a position where the desired valve clearance value can be obtained. After that, the method rotates the adjustment screw in the reverse direction by a given rotation angle that is a sum of the first and second rotation angles.
US08689443B1
The invention apparatus and method is practiced in large steam surface condensers and in one aspect comprises relatively narrow horizontal trays installed between the vertical tube bundles to drain the condensate from the upper bundle around the lower ones and thereby improve the heat transfer coefficient of the lower bundle(s). A second aspect of the invention apparatus comprises relatively narrow horizontal trays installed slightly below the lowest bundle to improve reheating of falling condensate up toward the saturation temperature of the condenser thereby reducing subcooling and the level of dissolved oxygen in that condensate. A third aspect of the invention apparatus comprises a partial hood retrofitted at the top of the central tubesheet air off-take entrance which is a unique element of the starburst/core pipe condenser design to thereby improve the air removal capability and consequently the performance of the condenser.
US08689437B2
A method for forming an integrated circuit assembly comprises forming first solder bumps on a first die, and forming a first structure comprising the first die, the first solder bumps, a first flux, and a first substratum. The first die is placed upon the first substratum. The first solder bumps are between the first die and the first substratum. The first flux holds the first die substantially flat and onto the first substratum.
US08689436B2
An align fixture for aligning an electronic component having a receptacle adapted to receive the electronic component and having a first abutting section and a second abutting section, the align fixture further having a first elastic unit and a second elastic unit, the first abutting section is flexibly mounted via the first elastic unit, and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the second elastic unit, and the first abutting section and the second abutting section are together adapted to floatingly engage the electronic component.
US08689433B1
An electric screwdriver is coupled to an automatic screw feeding adaptor defining a screw path having a proximal end, a middle region and a distal end. A first screw is received within the screw feeding adaptor and held at a driving position near the distal end of the screw path by applying a distal partial vacuum within the screw feeding adaptor. The first screw is driven, and a torque applied to the first screw is detected. The torque is compared to a minimum torque threshold, and a second screw is moved along the screw path based at least in part upon the comparison.
US08689430B1
A method and system for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head are disclosed. A PMR pole having a bottom and a top wider than the bottom is provided. The PMR pole may be formed by depositing a PMR pole layer, then removing part of the PMR pole layer, leaving the PMR pole. The PMR pole may also be provided by forming a trench having the desired profile in a photoresist layer, depositing the PMR pole layer, then removing the photoresist layer, leaving the PMR pole in the location of the trench. A side gap is deposited over the PMR pole. A side shield is provided on the side gap. A planarization that removes part of the side shield on the PMR pole is performed. A top gap is provided on the PMR pole, substantially covering the entire PMR pole. A top shield is provided on the top gap.
US08689428B2
A method for manufacture of an electronic interface card including defining a pair of apertures in a substrate layer, associating an antenna with the substrate layer such that opposite ends of the antenna terminate at the apertures, placing a conductor in each of the apertures, connecting the antenna to the conductor, forming a recess in the substrate layer, attaching continuous connection wires to a plurality of chip modules, attaching the continuous connection wires to a plurality of conductors on a corresponding plurality of the substrate layers, cutting the continuous connection wires so as to retain portions thereof which connect each chip module to a corresponding pair of conductors and sealing the chip module in the recess.
US08689420B2
A wheel stud installing and removing system includes a C-frame; a forcing screw configured to communicate with the C-frame to move laterally through the C-frame; a swivel mounted on an end on the forcing screw; an adapter receiver mounted on an opposite end of the C-frame from the forcing screw, and configured to receive at least one of either a stud installing adapter and a stud removing adapter. A method of moving a stud includes: inserting one of either an installing adapter or a removing adapter into an adapter receiver on a C-frame; aligning a longitudinal axis of the adapter with a longitudinal axis of the stud; aligning the longitudinal axis of the stud with a longitudinal axis of a forcing screw; and turning the forcing screw.
US08689415B2
In an exemplary method for manufacturing a piezoelectric device, a lid wafer, a piezoelectric wafer, and a base wafer are prepared. Each wafer defines multiple lids, multiple piezoelectric vibrating pieces, and multiple bases, respectively. The piezoelectric vibrating pieces comprise respective first and second electrodes, and the base wafer is made of glass. The bases comprise respective first and second metal wires extending therethrough, each wire having a respective end and a respective side surface at the end that protrudes at least partially from the first surface. A wafer sandwich is formed with the three wafers co-aligned with each other, with the protruding ends of the wires contacting respective first and second electrodes. The layers are anodic bonded together, which also bonds the protruding ends of the first and second wires to the respective first and second electrodes. The bonded wafer sandwich is cut into separate individual piezoelectric devices thus formed in the sandwich from each other.
US08689408B2
A continuous-coil type waterproof slide fastener includes two support tapes each having opposing first face and second face, two rows of coupling elements respectively formed of a continuous length of monofilament and respectively secured to along the inner longitudinal edge of the second face of each of the two support tapes, a high polymer elastic member bonded to the vertical wall of the inner longitudinal edge of each support tape and transversely extending from the vertical wall of the inner longitudinal edge to a predetermined distance, each high polymer elastic member further having a covering portion on the inner longitudinal edge of the second face of the associating support tape and a filling portion penetrates into inner chinks in the associating row of coupling elements, and a fluid impervious film covered at least on the first face of each support tape and the associating high polymer elastic member.
US08689401B2
A vacuum cleaner including a dirt cup assembly including a first stage cyclonic separator operable to at least partially separate debris from an airflow, a second stage cyclonic separator downstream from the first stage cyclonic separator and operable to at least partially separate the debris from the airflow, a container having a sidewall that at least partially defines the first stage cyclonic separator, and a shroud having a lower perforated portion located within the container, and an upper portion that surrounds and receives the second stage cyclonic separator. The upper portion is located outside of the first container such that the upper portion forms an outside wall of the dirt cup above the sidewall of the container. The shroud further includes an intermediate portion between the lower portion and the upper portion, and the intermediate portion is coupled to the sidewall of the first container.
US08689384B2
A pig receiver and method retrieve pigs in pipeline pigging operations. In one embodiment, a pig receiver includes a pig receiver unit. The pig receiver also includes a pig gate valve assembly disposed on the pig receiving unit. The pig gate valve assembly includes a gate valve. The pig gate valve assembly also includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The pig gate valve assembly further includes a cylinder guide. In addition, the pig gate valve assembly includes a tie bar. Actuation of the tie bar actuates the gate valve. An end of the tie bar is attached to the first actuator, and an opposing end of the tie bar is attached to the second actuator.
US08689382B2
A method of manufacturing an upper made of a composite material for an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes associating a layer of carbon fiber material and a flexible substrate to form the composite material. A thin outer coating of TPU is applied to an outer surface of the carbon fiber material of the composite material. The method forms an article of footwear having an upper that is generally flexible and lightweight.
US08689371B2
A hygienic bench towel for covering an exercise bench before a user sits on the bench to protect the user from sweat, germs and contamination left by a previous user. The bench towel has a semi rigid handle which enables a user to move the towel form one bench to another without touching the contaminated side of the towel. Another advantage provided by the handle is that the user always knows which side of the towel should be placed against the workout bench The towel is provided with spaced apart tabs at that end of the towel which is draped over the back of the bench to allow the towel to conform to framework which may be present at the center of the back of the bench. The handle is located on the towel so that the tabs don't become contaminated when the towel is moved using the handle. When the user is finished with the towel, the user folds the towel using the uncontaminated tabs and places the towel in a bag for transport to laundry services. One embodiment of the bench towel contains ties for rigidly securing the towel to a bench.
US08689369B2
A swimming pool skimmer formed to include an integral disinfectant dispenser. The disinfectant dispenser is adapted to enable infinite adjustment to the level of disinfectant dispensed into the normal flow of the pool water. The skimmer includes a valve that is used to adjust the flow of water distributed to the disinfectant dispenser. The flow rate of water entering the dispensing chamber is controlled by the valve, which controls the water level within the dispensing chamber. The amount of water exiting the dispensing chamber is controlled by a vertically extending elongated flow slit. The higher the water level in the dispensing chamber causes more exposure to the chlorine tablets, increasing the chlorine level in the dispensing water. Chlorinated water exits the flow slit and enters the skimmer main chamber.
US08689362B2
An ultraviolet protective garment is provided for wear to protect the user's neck, chest, upper back, chin, and portions of the shoulders. The sun protective neckwear garment is provided for wear primarily during outdoor activity, wherein the user engages in activity which exposes the user's neck, upper chest, upper back, chin, and shoulders to the ultraviolet rays of the sun whether in hot weather climate or cold weather climate, and can be used during indoor activity, or when a user is driving in a vehicle; and provides a secondary wicking utility. The neckwear garment is a single body tubular unit, with a unique generally ship decanter shape, comprising a chin-collar portion; a neck portion; bib portion having shoulder portions. The neckwear garment is manufactured from flexible, elasticized, fabric with ultraviolet blocking capability. The neckwear garment can reduce the wearer's risk of developing various types of skin damage.
US08695105B2
Systems and methods for authenticating the identity of a user prior to giving access to confidential data at a user interface via a network. In an embodiment, a user provides initial data as part of a request to access the confidential data. At least one database having the confidential data stored therein is accessed by the server to retrieve confidential data relating to the user based on the initial data. An exam creation function causes creation of an exam comprising at least one question based at least in part on a portion of the confidential data relating to the user. This function creates the exam based on at least one exam definition. An exam administration function causes transmitting of the exam to the client interface for presentation to the user. The user is granted access to the confidential data subsequent to determination that the user successfully passed the exam.
US08695100B1
In some embodiments, a phishing detection method includes computing a first phishing indicator of a target webpage; when the target webpage is considered suspicious of phishing according to the first phishing indicator, computing a second phishing indicator of the target webpage, and deciding whether the webpage is a phishing site according to the first and second phishing indicators. Computing the second phishing indicator comprises comparing a word content (semantic content) of the target webpage to a word content of each of a plurality of reference webpages. Comparing the word contents may include counting the number of visible words which are common to the target and reference webpages, and/or computing a ratio of a number of words which are common to the target and reference webpages to the total number of words in both the target and reference webpages.
US08695092B2
Various embodiments described above are directed to identifying abuse-hosting services at their source, rather than using such intermediaries as URLs and associated domains. In one or more embodiments, threats can be blocked by using the Internet protocol (IP) address of an identified attacker that is hosting content associated with abuse.
US08695089B2
A system and method for packet traceback in a network includes maintaining an identity number (ID) for each node in a network and generating a signature (e.g., a message authentication code (MAC)) using a secret key shared between each node on a forwarding path and a sink. Each forwarding node leaves a mark by appending its ID and a signature in the packet, either in a deterministic manner or with a probability. Upon receiving a packet at the sink, correctness of the signatures included in each packet is verified in the reverse order by which these signatures were appended. A last valid MAC is determined in the forwarding path to determine the locations of compromised nodes that collude in false data injection attacks.
US08695085B2
A method and apparatus for managing passwords for accessing data in a storage is provided. The method comprises generating and storing a password, generating and providing to the storage a request to access data in response to receiving a first request to access data in the storage, retrieving and providing the password to the storage in response to the request for a password. The apparatus comprises an initialization module and a storage access module. The initialization module is configured to generate and store a password. The storage access module is configured to generate and provide a request to access data in response to receiving a first request to access data in the storage, receive a request for a password, retrieve the password in response to the request for a password, and provide the password to the storage to obtain access to the data in the storage.
US08695082B2
A method for accessing a wireless communication network is described, comprising collocating a Proxy Agent apparatus with an Access apparatus and determining in a Mobile Gateway apparatus an address of the Access apparatus. The Proxy Agent apparatus comprises information about a Master apparatus, the Master apparatus being adapted for executing a master function. The method further comprises indicating a message, to be handled by the master function, as a master function message and sending the master function message to the address of the Access apparatus. Furthermore, the method comprises diverting in the Access apparatus the master function message to the Proxy Agent apparatus and forwarding the master function message to a Proxy Relay apparatus for relaying the master function message to the Master apparatus.
US08695078B2
A number of devices co-located at a geographic location can broadcast and receive tokens. Tokens can be exchanged using a communication link having limited communication range. Tokens that are received by a device can be stored locally on the device and/or transmitted to a trusted service operating remotely on a network. In some implementations, the tokens can be stored with corresponding timestamps to assist a trusted service in matching or otherwise correlating the tokens with other tokens provided by other devices. The trusted service can perform an analysis on the tokens and timestamps to identify devices that were co-located at the geographic location at or around a contact time which can be defined by the timestamps. A group can be created based on results of the analysis. Users can be identified as members of the group and invited to join the group.
US08695073B2
A computer-readable medium, a service controller, and a method for obtaining one or more credentials from a device communicatively coupled to the service controller over a network, the credentials identifying an aspect of the device; determining, using the credentials, that a user of the device has not selected a service plan for the device; identifying one or more candidate service plans, at least one of the plans identified based on the one or more credentials; establishing a secure link between the service controller and a service processor of the device over an ambient services connection enabling the user to select one of the candidate service plans for the device; sending, to the service processor over the secure link, information about the candidate service plans; and obtaining, from the service processor over the secure link, a response identifying a service plan selected by the user.
US08695072B2
A user identification method and a system thereof. A user device delivers a certificate packet with a unique serial number to a certificate server, and receives a reply packet with a password from a password server. The user device then uses the password and the unique serial number to produce a user terminal identification code, and then delivers an identification packet with the user terminal identification code to the certificate server. After receiving the certificate packet, the certificate server delivers an inquiry packet with the unique serial number to the password server, and then the password server inquires about password and expiration time thereof according to the unique serial number. After receiving the identification packet, the certificate server verifies the validity of the user terminal identification code and the expiration time with a database to determine if the user is admitted to proceed to the subsequent transaction.
US08695070B2
A user identification method and a system thereof are provided. A user device delivers a certificate packet with a user identification number to a certificate server, and receives a reply packet with a code from a password server. The user device uses the code to produce a user terminal identification code, and delivers an identification packet with the user terminal identification code to the certificate server. After having received the certificate packet, the certificate server delivers an inquiry packet with the user identification number to the password server, for the password server to inquire about the password and expiration time according to the user identification number. After having received the identification packet, the certificate server verifies the validity of the user terminal identification code and the expiration time with a database to determine whether the user is allowed to proceed to the subsequent transaction.
US08695069B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that facilitates session management between a web application and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. During operation, the system receives, at a proxy, a service call intended for a CRM system. Next, the system modifies a header of the service call to include authentication credentials for the CRM system. The system then determines if an available session token for the CRM system exists at the proxy. If so, the system modifies the header of the service call to include the session token. Next, the system forwards the service call with the modified header to the CRM system. The system then receives a response to the service call, which includes the session token. Upon receiving the response, the system stores the session token at the proxy for a subsequent service call. Finally, the system forwards the response to the web application.
US08695067B2
A method to authenticate a device and service, and a system thereof, the authentication method including: requesting device authentication information from a device provider in order to receive a service from a service provider, distinct from the device provider, and receiving the device authentication information from the device provider, the device authentication information being used by the service provider to authenticate the device. Therefore, it is possible to perform a device authentication process and service authentication process more simply.
US08695059B2
An approach is provided for performing cloud based computer network security services. Security policies are established for each of a number of subscribers. The subscribers are provided access to the security services via a common network cloud managed by the service provider. The security services are administered according to a multi-tenancy format, which enables the subscribers' data communications to be separately processed. The security services include network firewalling and filtering of content originating from or destined to one or more networks associated with the subscribers.
US08695048B1
A method includes receiving closed captioning data at a computing device. The closed captioning data is associated with a video on demand asset and is represented in a first format. The method also includes converting the closed captioning data from the first format to a platform-independent format and converting the closed captioning data from the platform-independent format to a second format. The method further includes transmitting the closed captioning data in the second format to a destination device.
US08695040B2
A digital television (DTV) data stream includes an event information table (EIT), the EIT including: a descriptor including: a descriptor tag identifying the descriptor as a genre descriptor, a descriptor length field, and at least one category code for an associated event in a DTV data stream.
US08695031B2
A system and method for delivery of multimedia data includes a plurality of media devices coupled to each other via a network. Each of the media devices is configured to retrieve multimedia data and advertisement data from an external source such as a public and/or private network. The multimedia data may include a number of video clips and the advertisement data includes a number of advertisements. Each media device is also configured to associate an advertisement of the advertisement data to a video clip of the multimedia data based on one of a number of criteria and transmit the associated video clip and advertisement to a playback device for viewing thereon.
US08695030B2
A content processing device is provided. Media content is selectively received by the content processing device for display on a media playback device. A software application is included on the content processing device and is configured to perform at least one of (a) receiving message content from a remote computer and providing the message content for display on the media playback device, and (b) receiving, from the media playback device, input for a message and sending the input to the remote computer.
US08695025B2
A media transportation mechanism has: a storage unit that stores disc-shaped media with a center hole in a stack; a transportation arm that moves vertically and has a gripping member to hold a medium stored in the storage unit, and a separating member that moves radially to the medium from the hole of the medium; and a transportation arm drive member that sets the ascent speed of the transportation arm to a first speed, and to a second speed that is slower than the first speed, when moving the transportation arm vertically up while the gripping member holds the medium.
US08695020B2
A method for customizing the functionality of a web-browser extension by installing widgets in the web-browser extension. The method comprises obtaining a manifest file of a new widget from a web server hosting the new widget; extracting an address designating a location in a secured repository of source files of the new widget; retrieving the source files of the new widget; and loading the source files of the new widget to the web-browser extension.
US08695016B2
A method for recovering and requeueing lost messages is disclosed. The lost messages are intended for delivery from a first computer program to a second computer program but are instead stranded in locations internal to the first program. The method extracts one or more of these stranded messages from the location internal to the first program, determines the original destination of each stranded message and delivers that message to the second program. Delivery of each message to the second program is facilitated by using message queues provided by middleware type software programs. The desired middleware program can be selected by the user of the method, and the method provides for the necessary formatting of each recovered message according to the selected middleware. Absent use of the present method, these stranded messages would not be routed to their original destinations.
US08695013B2
A method performed by a system including one or more data processing systems. The method includes receiving a plurality of requesting process calls for a target process from one or more requesting processes, and identifying dependencies between the requesting process calls. The method includes sending the requesting process call to the target process for execution on multiple threads, including sending thread execution parameters corresponding to the requesting process calls. The method includes receiving results, corresponding to the requesting process calls, from the target process. The method includes sending the results to the requesting processes corresponding to the respective requesting process calls.
US08695010B2
Multiple machine state registers are included in a processor core to permit distinction between use of hardware facilities by applications, supervisory threads and the hypervisor. All facilities are initially disabled by the hypervisor when a partition is initialized. When any access is made to a disabled facility, the hypervisor receives an indication of which facility was accessed and sets a corresponding hardware flag in the hypervisor's machine state register. When an application attempts to access a disabled facility, the supervisor managing the operating system image receives an indication of which facility was accessed and sets a corresponding hardware flag in the supervisor's machine state register. The multiple register implementation permits the supervisor to determine whether particular hardware facilities need to have their state saved when an application context swap occurs and the hypervisor can determine which hardware facilities need to have their state saved when a partition swap occurs.
US08695006B2
There is provided a method of managing a resource within a computer system using a configuration wrapper, the method comprising: providing a configuration file comprising configuration data for the resource; generating metadata related to the configuration data; and automatically processing the metadata to produce a configuration wrapper for the resource. The configuration wrapper may be a java object with management attributes and methods.
US08695005B2
The described method/system/apparatus uses intelligence to better allocate tasks/work items among the processors and computers in the cloud. A priority score may be calculated for each task/work unit for each specific processor. The priority score may indicate how well suited a task/work item is for a processor. The result is that tasks/work items may be more efficiently executed by being assigned to processors in the cloud that are better prepared to execute the tasks/work items.
US08695003B2
Multiple types of executable agents operating within a domain. The domain includes mutable shared state and immutable shared state, with agents internal to the domain only operating on the shared state. Writer agents are defined to be agents that have read access and write access to mutable shared state and read access only to immutable shared state. General reader agents have read access to both mutable shared state and immutable shared state and have no write access. Immutable reader agents have read access to only immutable shared state and have no write access. By appropriate scheduling of the different types of agents, data races may be reduced or eliminated.
US08694997B2
A hardware and/or software facility for controlling the order of operations performed by threads of a multithreaded application on a multiprocessing system is provided. The facility may serialize or selectively-serialize execution of the multithreaded application such that, given the same input to the multithreaded application, the multiprocessing system deterministically interleaves operations, thereby producing the same output each time the multithreaded application is executed. The facility divides the execution of the multithreaded application code into two or more quantum specifying a deterministic number of operations, and the facility specifies a deterministic order in which the threads execute the two or more quantum. The facility may operate together with a transactional memory system. When the facility operates together with a transactional memory system, each quantum is encapsulated in a transaction that, may be executed concurrently with other transactions, and is committed according to the specified deterministic order.
US08694996B2
A hypervisor negotiates to reserve at least one available local resource in a host system that meets a performance parameter for at least one resource specified in a reservation request by a particular logical partition from among one or more logical partitions of virtualized pools of resources managed by the hypervisor in the host system, wherein the at least one performance parameter is specified by a particular application initiating the reservation request. The hypervisor, responsive to determining that the at least one available resource is not available in the host system, negotiates for offers to migrate the particular logical partition to at least one other host system comprising at least one available remote resource that meets the performance parameter, wherein the at least one other host system is managed by at least one other hypervisor that manages one or more other logical partitions of virtualized pools of resources.
US08694995B2
A hypervisor negotiates to reserve at least one available local resource in a host system that meets a performance parameter for at least one resource specified in a reservation request by a particular logical partition from among one or more logical partitions of virtualized pools of resources managed by the hypervisor in the host system, wherein the at least one performance parameter is specified by a particular application initiating the reservation request. The hypervisor, responsive to determining that the at least one available resource is not available in the host system, negotiates for offers to migrate the particular logical partition to at least one other host system comprising at least one available remote resource that meets the performance parameter, wherein the at least one other host system is managed by at least one other hypervisor that manages one or more other logical partitions of virtualized pools of resources.
US08694994B1
Some embodiments facilitate high performance packet-processing by enabling one or more processors that perform packet-processing to determine whether to enter an idle state or similar state. As network packets usually arrive or are transmitted in batches, the processors of some embodiments determine that more packets may be coming down a multi-stage pipeline upon receiving a first packet for processing. As a result, the processors may stay awake for a duration of time in anticipation of an incoming packet. Some embodiments keep track of the last packet that entered the first stage of the pipeline and compare that with a packet that the processor just processed in a pipeline stage to determine whether there may be more packets coming that need processing. In some embodiments, a processor may also look at a queue length of a queue associated with an upstream stage to determine whether more packets may be coming.
US08694992B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for acquiring guest operating system instrumentation information in a hypervisor. Embodiments include receiving from a platform management application, by a hypervisor communication module of the hypervisor, a platform request for guest operating system instrumentation information associated with at least one guest operating system executing within the hypervisor; in response to receiving the platform request for the guest operating system instrumentation information, retrieving through shared memory between the hypervisor and the guest operating system, by the hypervisor communication module, the guest operating system instrumentation information associated with the at least one guest operating system; and transmitting, by the hypervisor communication module, the guest operating system instrumentation information to the platform management application.
US08694988B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, provide a technique for supporting native program code extensions for managed code environments. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of: obtaining a package of information defining an extension to an application program interface of a runtime, the package of information including native program code and descriptors that identify different computing platforms supported by the extension; obtaining a declaration of a target computing platform for an application program that employs the extension; comparing the declaration of the target computing platform for the application program with the descriptors that identify the different computing platforms supported by the extension; if the target computing platform is supported by the extension, generating an installable package for the application program; and if the target computing platform is not supported by the extension, providing a notification corresponding thereto.
US08694986B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing update notifications on distributed application objects. When a new version of an object is created that another object depends on, a notification can be added to the dependent object to alert a person that manages the dependent object of the creation of the updated object. Dependent objects can include template objects, such as virtual machine template objects that refer to virtual disk objects and service template objects that refer to one or more virtual machine template objects, as well as service instance objects that represent service instances that are instantiated from template objects. Versions of objects within a family can be identified by sharing a family name and having different releases. A timestamp is used to represent when an object is released to determine which version of an object is the newest version in a family.
US08694985B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for managing digital content in hierarchies are described. A first version of a digital image is received from an external device which tracks changes to the first version. It is determined that a second version of the digital image, changes to which have been tracked, exists. Based on comparing the tracked changes of both versions, the versions are combined. The first version is created by splitting the second version, which is stored in a master hierarchy, and transmitting the split version to the external device. During splitting, a child hierarchy of information is split from the master hierarchy, the child hierarchy including portions of the master hierarchy to access the second version such that the second version can be accessed independent of the master hierarchy. Changes to the versions are tracked in change tables, for example, using values that are mashed into a single record.
US08694984B2
A method of updating firmware that is included in a memory apparatus that includes first and second volatile memories and a non-volatile memory, can be provided by storing new firmware in the second volatile memory when old firmware is loaded into the first volatile memory and determining on a component basis which of a plurality of components of the old firmware is an updated component in the new firmware.
US08694983B1
A computer-implemented method for determining the impact of a software change on the health of a computing system or an application installed on the computing system may comprise identifying the software change, performing a first health evaluation, allowing the software change to occur, performing a second health evaluation, and then determining the impact of the new application by comparing the results of the second health evaluation with the results of the first health evaluation. Exemplary methods for providing guidance on the potential impact of a software change and for determining the health impact of a software change based on information obtained from a plurality of computing systems are also disclosed. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08694979B2
An embodiment of the invention pertains to a weighted directed graph comprising multiple nodes and edges that each extends between two nodes. The embodiment includes processing edges to generate a forward and reverse edge corresponding to each edge. Forward and reverse edges are processed to generate indirect edges, each comprising two edge components, and extending between two nodes. One node associated with each forward edge, each reverse edge, and each indirect edge is selected to be the key node of its associated edge. All forward, reverse and indirect edges having a particular node as their respective key nodes are placed into a group. All edges of the group are then selectively processed to provide information pertaining to an egonet of the graph that has the particular node as its egonode.
US08694975B2
A first compiler generates one or more object codes from a program code for a first processor included in an arithmetic processing system to which a plurality of processors are mutually connected. A first linker links the generated one or more object codes to generate an execution file for the first processor. A parameter information generation unit generates, based on the information acquired from the first linker, parameter information used in a second processor included in the arithmetic processing system. A second compiler refers to a program code and the parameter information for the second processor to generate one or more object codes. A second linker links the generated one or more object codes to generate an execution file for the second processor.
US08694966B2
An aspect of the present invention facilitates identification of test cases to be run after changes to modules of a software application. In one embodiment, a reference data is generated by inspecting the instructions (static analysis) forming the modules of the software application, with the reference data specifying a corresponding set of modules in the application that are referenced by each of the modules in the application. The reference data is then examined to find a referencing set of modules which reference any of the changed modules either as immediate reference or multi-level reference through other modules. Test cases invoking any of the modules in the referencing set are identified as suitable test cases to be run.
US08694953B2
A system for creating and viewing simulation models that are used for managing requirements and design specifications for complex systems. Users simultaneously collaborate on the description of a complex system such as an enterprise software project throughout its life cycle. User interfaces, designed to assist in the visualization of a particular form of knowledge, allow users to describe the complex system with simple interactive elements. Information in all perspectives is presented so that it is legible and discernable to a non-technical audience. Multi-dimensional data structures record all the resulting information, creating a simulation model of the complex system, and the tasks required for construction and maintenance. Tasks are driven from the specifications not as a separate activity, but as part of the same activity to facilitate project management by allowing decisions to be tracked virtually throughout the simulation model.
US08694944B1
Methods, computer program products, and systems are disclosed associated with calculating a routability metric for a second IC design using inputs from the compilation to a first IC design. The first and second IC designs are alternative implementation options for a user circuit design, such as FPGA and structured ASIC options. Information about user design demands on routing resources of one IC design are considered along with information about the projected supply of routing resources in another IC design, to produce a routing metric. The routing metric may be mapped to a degree of difficulty indicator, and either may be used to condition a compile of the user circuit to the second IC design or be used in other ways.
US08694942B2
A system and method are provided for laying out an integrated circuit design into a plurality of circuit layout cells having gaps therebetween, and inserting into each given one of at least a subset of the gaps, a corresponding filler cell selected from a predefined database in dependence upon a desired effect on a performance parameter of at least one circuit cell adjacent to the given gap. The circuit layout cells may be arranged in rows, and in some embodiments the selection of an appropriate filler cell for a given gap depends upon effects desired on a performance parameter of both circuit cells adjacent to the given gap. The predefined filler cells can include, for example, dummy diffusion regions, dummy poly lines, N-well boundary shifts and etch stop layer boundary shifts. In an embodiment, circuit layout cells can be moved in order to accommodate a selected filler cell.
US08694941B1
A system and method for optimizing a design layout by identifying features for abutment where the shapes that trigger the abutment are overlapping, within a predefined proximity of each other, or are interface elements for features having a short circuit. The abutment process may identify shapes for abutment that are not connected to a netlist of the design or are otherwise not associated with a connection pin. The abutment process may adjust a shape or feature including, for example by resizing, moving, inserting, or removing one or more shapes from the layout in accordance with predefined layout rules. After the shapes and features have been adjusted abutments may be formed between the features.
US08694940B2
A system and method for designing circuits, such as integrated circuits, that allow a designer to employ mixed cell libraries. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a cell placement EDA tool configured to transform a logical circuit representation into a physical circuit representation by placing cells from mixed cell libraries into clusters corresponding to the mixed cell libraries and (2) an interconnect routing EDA tool associated with the cell placement EDA tool and configured to route interconnects in buffer zones separating the clusters.
US08694939B1
A method for determining a critical junction temperature for a user-design implemented in a field programmable gate array (programmable device), includes: obtaining a static power vs. temperature curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device; obtaining a system thermal curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device; and using the static power vs. temperature curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device and the system thermal curve for the user-design implemented in the programmable device to determine the critical junction temperature.
US08694932B2
A device includes a processor and a computer-readable medium including computer-readable instructions. Upon execution by the processor, the computer-readable instructions cause the device to receive a first request from a second device, where the first request is a layout request that includes an identification of a space. The computer-readable instructions also cause the device to provide a second request to a third device, where the second request includes the identification of the space. The computer-readable instructions also cause the device to receive one or more dimension corresponding to the space, and to provide the one or more dimension to the third device. The computer-readable instructions further cause the device to receive a generated layout from the third device, and to provide the generated layout to the second device.
US08694931B1
In one embodiment of the invention, a method is disclosed including receiving a netlist of an integrated circuit design; executing a first copy of an integrated circuit design program with a first processor associated with a first memory space to independently perform work on a first portion of the integrated circuit design; and executing a second copy of the integrated circuit design program with a second processor associated with a second memory space to independently perform work on a second portion of the integrated circuit design; wherein the second memory space is independent of the first memory space.
US08694926B2
A technique for computer-aided design layer checking of an integrated circuit design includes generating a representation of a device (e.g., a parameterized cell). Computer-aided design (CAD) layers are sequentially removed from the parameterized cell and a determination is made as to whether expected errors are detected or missed by an associated deck. The associated deck is then modified to detect the expected errors that are missed.
US08694918B2
Techniques are disclosed for generating a view of a data flow model. One or more groupings of data flow objects in the data flow model is determined, based on an ontology. At least a first one of the groupings is collapsed in the view. The view is output for display in a user interface configured to selectively expand and collapse the first group based on user input.
US08694913B2
An apparatus and method for managing the layout of a window is provided. The apparatus includes a display unit that displays the window on a screen; the screen is divided into a plurality of display areas; a pointer-position-checking unit that checks the coordinate position of a pointer moved by a user and determines the one display area corresponding to the position of the checked pointer; and a window-size-adjusting unit that moves the window to the one display area where the pointer is positioned and adjusts the size of the window in proportion to the size of the one display area.
US08694909B2
The device (D) is dedicated to the analysis of time varying quantities. It comprises a tool for managing display windows (MA) each for displaying the representation of a selected quantity and each associated with a first quantity selection tool (01) and a second time reference(s) selection tool (02) coupled to the management tool (MA). The device (D) further includes a third linking tool (03a-03c) which i) allows a user, who has selected several quantities and related time references, to select at least two of the display windows and the selected quantities, and ii) connects together the first tools (01) and/or second tools (02) of the selected display windows so that the selection of a quantity by the user using one of the first related tools (01), or master tool, of a master window results in the selection of the same quantity by the management tool (MA) at each so-called slave display window, and/or so that the selection of a time reference by one of the second related tools (02) results in the selection of the same time reference by the management tool (MA) at each slave display window.
US08694907B2
An automated system manages completion of a medical imaging study having one or more different reports associated with one or more different personnel. A user interface provides multiple display images. A configuration processor enables a user, using a display image, to assign a predetermined completion status to a report. The predetermined completion status is used to indicate a report is complete as required for an associated imaging study to be designated complete. A monitoring processor monitors stored indicators indicating current status of corresponding reports associated with the imaging study. A decision processor, in response to the monitoring of the stored indicators, automatically determines whether a current status of a report matches a corresponding predetermined completion status of a report for individual reports associated with the imaging study and in response to a match for the individual reports, initiates generation of a message indicating the imaging study is complete.
US08694904B2
A full-featured cross-browser hybrid rich text editor for editing webpage content. The hybrid editor is integrated with a user interface (e.g., toolbar, menu bar), and provides the appropriate context-sensitive behavior when users interact with the user interface and the interface contents. The hybrid editor responds immediately to basic commands (e.g., cursor movements, inserts, selections, repeated key presses, etc.), and employs behaviors and effects that are more aligned with familiar editor experiences, such as in a word processor. The editor architecture leverages the strengths of both the current browser content editability and JavaScript, limits the browser-based content editing to the insertion pointer, paste, processes content as the content is entered or when cursor is moved around, and implements an abstraction layer that maps browser-specific functions independent of the browser to the underlying support of the hybrid editor.
US08694902B2
A method includes: displaying simultaneously a plurality of columns in a multi-column application that comprises: a first column that includes user-modifiable content items; and a second column that includes user-selectable items; detecting a first input that corresponds to a request to enter an edit mode for the first column; in response to detecting the first input: entering the edit mode for the first column; and deactivating the user-selectable items in the second column; while in the edit mode for the first column: detecting one or more edit inputs; and in response to detecting the edit inputs, editing one or more of the user-modifiable content items in the first column; detecting a second input that corresponds to a request to exit the edit mode for the first column; and in response to detecting the second input: exiting the edit mode, and reactivating the user-selectable items in the second column.
US08694895B2
The embodiments described herein generally relate to systems and methods for providing human interaction with a business application from an email client. To complete a business process, individuals often must provide information to a business application. However, it may be difficult for the individual to interact with the application if the user is not familiar with the application's user interface (UI) or if it is necessary to navigate to the application's UI. Accordingly, it may be more efficient to interact with the application using a UI within an email client. User input for an automated business process can be submitted from a general-purpose email client. Benefits from such include providing input to a business application while working within the familiar email interface; not needing to switch contexts to complete work for the application; and completing work for the application while being offline or having limited corporate network connectivity.
US08694893B2
A constraint based product configurator determines a structure that is adapted to be associated with one or more components and determines if an arbitrary association is possible for the structure. If an arbitrary association is possible, the configurator associates a component with the structure and generates a component association choice for the association. The component association choice is an identity of the structure and the corresponding first component.
US08694882B2
A recording device is made to record text after suitably correlating universal character code characters to font data that is actually stored in the printer. A printer 20 stores a plurality of code pages CP each storing font data for a plurality of characters that is used when recording text on a recording medium. Based on the plural code pages CP stored by the printer 20, a character code conversion table 18 that stores Unicode characters correlated to information identifying a code page CP containing font data corresponding to the Unicode character and information denoting the storage address of the font data on the code page CP is created or updated.
US08694865B2
A method is provided for performing a write operation in a data storage device comprising a storage medium, a processing unit, and a buffer memory storing data to be transferred to the storage medium under control of the processing unit. The method comprises aggregating data in the buffer memory as a strip group comprising multiple data strips, transferring data strips in at least one strip group to the storage medium, calculating a parity strip based on the transferred data strips of the at least one strip group without additional access to the buffer memory, and transferring the parity strip to the storage medium.
US08694862B2
A data processing apparatus is provided having error code generation circuitry configured to generate an error code associated with a received data value, such that a bit change in the received data value can be known about by reference to the error code. Stored data values are stored in a data store and associated error codes are stored in an error code store. Error checking circuitry performs a verification operation on a stored data value and an associated error code to determine if an error has occurred in at least one of the stored data value and the associated error code during storage. The received data value comprises at least one additional bit with respect to the stored data value and the error checking circuitry is configured to reconstruct the at least one additional bit by reference to the stored data value and the associated error code.
US08694854B1
A method for data storage includes storing data in analog memory cells by programming the memory cells with respective analog input values. After storing the data, respective analog output values are read from the memory cells using multiple read thresholds, which define multiple ranges of the analog output values. Respective numbers of read errors in the data, corresponding to the analog output values falling in the ranges, are assessed. The stored data is recovered based on respective numbers of the read errors assessed in the ranges.
US08694852B2
Integrated circuit memory systems include a nonvolatile memory device having an array of nonvolatile memory cells therein and a memory controller, which is electrically coupled to the nonvolatile memory device. The memory controller is configured to apply signals to the nonvolatile memory device that cause the nonvolatile memory device to modify how data is read from the array of nonvolatile memory cells. This modification occurs in response to detecting an increase in an age of the nonvolatile memory device. The age of the nonvolatile memory device may be determined by keeping a count of how many times the nonvolatile memory device has undergone a program/erase cycle.
US08694849B1
A data storage device stores a data unit in a memory page of a storage block along with an error correction code unit for the data unit. Additionally, the data storage device stores an error correction code unit for the data unit in a memory page of another storage block. In various embodiments, one or both of the error correction code units form an error correction code for correcting data bit errors in the data unit. Because the memory page containing the data unit does not have a storage capacity for simultaneously storing the error correction code and the data unit, the data storage device is capable of correcting a greater number of data bit errors in the data unit by using the error correction code in comparison to using an error correction code that would fit in the memory page.
US08694843B2
In an embodiment of the invention, a pipelined memory bank is tested by scanning test patterns into an integrated circuit. Test data is formed from the test patterns and shifted into a scan-in chain in the pipelined memory bank. The test data in the scan-in chain is launched into the inputs of the pipelined memory bank during a first clock cycle. Data from the outputs of the pipelined memory bank is captured in a scan-out chain during a second cycle where the time between the first and second clock cycles is equal to or greater than the read latency of the memory bank.
US08694841B1
A method to enable defect margining of a disk drive may comprise executing a data access command on a target sector on the disk drive. Upon encountering a data access error at the target sector, an address of the target sector may be added to an error list. The address of the target sector in the error list may then be converted to a physical location on the disk drive. A thermal asperity scan may be performed at and around the physical location and, upon detecting a thermal asperity, and at least sectors around the detected thermal asperity may be margined, and the data stored within the margined sectors may be relocated. Instead of sectors, entire tracks may be margined and the data stored therein relocated to a spare or reserve location, one track at a time.
US08694839B2
A chip operating method is provided which includes enabling a transmission mechanism or a receiving mechanism of the chip while normally operating the chip. The method further includes enabling both of the transmission mechanism and the receiving mechanism of the chip while testing the chip.
US08694838B2
A cache memory built in a processor comprising a plurality of independent memory blocks, pass/fail information memory unit memorizing a presence/absence of a failure occurring in each of the memory blocks, and a screening control function substituting a sound memory block for a failed memory block based on a memory content in the pass/fail information memory unit.
US08694835B2
An apparatus for health monitoring includes a settings module, a field data module, a settings update module, and a monitoring module. The settings module is configured to store health monitoring settings for a plurality of monitored subsystems. The field data module is configured to receive field data, the field data comprising failure data of one or more systems of the same type as at least one of the monitored subsystems. The settings update module is configured to update the health monitoring settings stored by the settings module, wherein the health monitoring settings are updated based at least in part on the field data. The monitoring module is configured to perform one or more health monitoring tasks according to the health monitoring settings.
US08694830B2
A method and apparatus of stopping a functional block of an integrated circuit (IC) for debugging purposes is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a number of functional units accessible by an external debugger via a debug port (DP). During a debug operation, a power controller in the IC may power down a functional unit. When the functional unit is powered off, a first register may be programmed. Responsive to the programming of the first register, a first signal may be asserted and provided to the functional unit. When power is restored to the functional unit, operation of the functional unit may be halted prior to execution of instructions or other operations, responsive to the signal.
US08694826B2
A SAS method to control host controller failure that includes, in response to receipt of a failure signal indicating that a host controller has failed, sending a wakeup signal to a host cache module of the failed host controller to cause the host cache module to determine whether there is trapped data in the host cache module that has not been transferred to a storage system. In response to receipt of a cache state signal indicating that there is trapped data in the host cache module that has not been transferred to the storage system, initiating transfer of the trapped data from the host cache module of the failed host controller to a host cache module of another host controller.
US08694824B2
In one embodiment, an intelligent communications device for operating in a network is disclosed. The device includes a storage device having a plurality of partitions storing images for performing boot operations. The device also includes a detection module that is operative to detect a boot failure, and a first restoration module that is operative to restore an active image with a first backup image, in response to a detected boot failure from an active image. The device further includes a second restoration module that is operative to restore a second backup image in response to a detected boot failure after restoration from a first backup image. The device also includes a programmable processor that is programmed to cause execution of boot operations and functions performed by the detection module, first restoration module, and second restoration module.
US08694821B2
Embodiments that generate checkpoint images of an application for use as warm standby are contemplated. The embodiments may monitor accesses of external references by threads. An external reference may comprise a connection or use of services of an entity that is external to the set of processes that constitute the application, to which a process of the application attempts to connect by means of a socket or inter-process communication (IPC). Various embodiments comprise two or more computing devices, such as two or more servers. One of the computing devices may generate a checkpoint image of an application at a suitable point in time during initialization, when the state of the application is not yet dependent on interactions with external references. The second computing device may preload checkpoint image for the application and activate the checkpoint images when needed, following the specific resource management rules of the distributed subsystem.
US08694820B2
The reliability is improved at a low cost even in a virtualized server environment. The number of spare servers is reduced for improving the reliability and for saving a licensing fee for software on the spare servers. A server system comprises a plurality of physical servers on which a plurality of virtual servers run, a single standby server, a module for detecting an active virtual server, and a module for switching the correspondence of boot disks of virtualization modules for controlling virtual servers to the physical servers. When a physical server fails, the boot disk of the associated virtualization module is connected to a spare server to automatically activate on the spare server those virtual servers which have been active upon occurrence of the failure.
US08694819B2
A system and corresponding method virtualizes a real-time clock in the presence of a time-disrupting event. The real-time clock is used with physical machines and includes a single time source within each of the physical machines. The system is implemented in one or more programmable devices, which may be hardware and/or software devices, or a combination of hardware and software devices. The physical machines include one or more virtual machines. The system includes an offset module that determines a time difference offset between a virtual interrupt timer counter (ITCV) associated with a virtual machine and a physical interrupt timer counter (ITCP) associated with a physical machine. The system also includes a virtual machine monitor that computes one or more first time adjustments based on the offset and applies the adjustments to eliminate at least a first part of the offset.
US08694814B1
A method for data storage includes, in a host system that operates alternately in a normal state and a hibernation state, reserving a hibernation storage space in a non-volatile storage device for storage of hibernation-related information in preparation for entering the hibernation state. While the host system is operating in the normal state, a storage task other than storage of the hibernation-related information is performed using at least a portion of the reserved hibernation storage space.
US08694812B2
A method for providing reduced power consumption in a computer memory system is provided. The method includes calibrating, by a processor, a volatile memory of the computer memory system at a first and a second operating speed, where the second operating speed is higher than the first operating speed. The method also includes operating, by a memory controller coupled to the processor and the volatile memory, the volatile memory at the second operating speed if a main power source provides power to the computer memory system. The method further includes operating, by the memory controller, the volatile memory at the first operating speed if a backup power source provides power to the memory controller and the volatile memory. The backup power source provides power to the memory controller and the volatile memory when there is a loss of main power to the computer memory system.
US08694809B2
Disclosed is a physical processor. The processor is connected to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a rechargeable battery, a connector, and operation unit. The processor is configured to: determine whether an external device is a predetermined power supply apparatus; control communication with the external device so that the rechargeable battery is charged by a first current from the external device when the external device is the predetermined power supply apparatus; and control communication with the external device so that the rechargeable battery is charged by a second current from the external device when the external device is not the predetermined power supply apparatus. The second current is greater than the first current. The processor is further configured to control to playback content data stored in the electronic device based on a command from the operation unit by using power of the rechargeable battery.
US08694807B2
A load control device includes a power supply that supplies power to a microprocessor and a load circuit (e.g., a light-emitting diode and/or a communication circuit). The power supply comprises an energy storage element, e.g., a capacitor, for producing a DC voltage for powering the microprocessor and the load circuit. The microprocessor is operable to monitor the power supply and to control the amount of power delivered to an electrical load connected to the load control device in response to the monitoring of the power supply. In addition, the microprocessor is operable to cause the load circuit to draw less current in response to determining that the energy storage capacitor does not have enough time to charge during each half-cycle of the AC voltage.
US08694800B2
A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided.
US08694798B2
A method and apparatus for generating multiple keys for a set of archives or portions of a set of archives. The process includes receiving a passphrase from a user and an indicator of a set of archives to be modified or created. An archive key generation process can be based on a random value generation, an algorithm for generating keys with specific characteristics, an indexing scheme, a progressive enciphering scheme or a shared secret scheme. The generated keys are enciphered using an enciphering algorithm in combination with the passphrase. The archive keys are stored with the archives in their enciphered form. Other intermediate key information is also stored with the archive to enable deciphering of the set of archives using the passphrase as needed.
US08694796B2
A data storage application encrypts one or more data pages using a first initialization vector and one or more encryption keys. In addition, the data storage application encrypts one or more converter pages using a second initialization vector and the encryption key(s). The first initialization vector uses the converter page(s) to encrypt the data page(s). The encrypted data page(s) and the converter page(s) are stored to physical storage. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US08694792B2
A biometric authorization method, system, and program product Biometric data associated with a subject can be detected and acquired. Thereafter, particular biometric features can be segmented and extracted from the biometric data. These particular biometric features are then compared to biometric data previously stored in a database in order to determine if the particular biometric features match the biometric data previously stored in the database and thereby rapidly and automatically determine if the subject comprises a repeat visitor.
US08694790B2
A first storage device provides a host device with access to a private memory area by communicating a password between the first storage device and a second storage device via the host device using a double-encryption scheme. In one embodiment, a host device receives a twice-encrypted password from a first storage device, sends the twice-encrypted password to a second storage device, receives a once-encrypted password from the second storage device, decrypts the once-encrypted password to obtain the password, and sends the password to the first storage device. In another embodiment, a first storage device sends a twice-encrypted password to a host device, receives the password from the host device after the twice-encrypted password is decrypted by a second storage device and the host device, and provides the host device with access to the private memory area only if the password matches one that is stored in the first storage device.
US08694770B1
An auditable cryptographic protected cloud computing communication system, wherein the system can include a plurality of industrial devices. Each industrial device can have an individualized messaging protocol enabling each industrial device to receive commands and transmit status and measurement data using the individualized messaging protocol for each industrial device.
US08694769B2
A system and method for controlling data communications between a server and a client device, such as a mobile device. Embodiments relate generally to a technique where stop data is provided to the client device. This stop data can be transmitted (e.g. by the client device) to the server. When processed by the server, the stop data indicates to the server that at least some of the encrypted data received by the client device from the server was not decrypted using the second key (e.g. as may be the case when the second key has been deleted). Upon receiving the stop data, the server may, for example, withhold the transmission of data encrypted with the first key to the client device until the second key is restored on the client device. In one embodiment, the stop data is provided to the client device in an encoded (e.g. encrypted) form.
US08694764B2
Resume of a computing device from hibernation may be performed in multiple phases. Each phase may partially restore a state of the computing device to an operational state and may establish an environment in which another phase of the resume is performed. The hibernation information may be partitioned to store separately data to be used at each resume phase. The information may be stored in a compressed form. In a first phase, a boot-level resume loader may restore a portion of the operating system based on a portion of the hibernation information. The restored portion may be used in a second phase to retrieve hibernation information from another portion through the operating system (OS). Multiple processors supported by the OS may read and decompress the hibernation information that is then moved back to operational memory. The operating system may support asynchronous disk input/output or other functions that accelerate the resume process.
US08694762B2
Disclosed is a method that includes providing at least two platform configuration registers, where a first platform configuration register is a measurement platform configuration register and where a second platform configuration register is a resettable binding configuration platform configuration register. The method further includes during an authorization of a device, such as a mobile device, including a value of the measurement platform configuration register as a precondition and extending the binding platform configuration register with a value enforced by the authorization. The method further includes monitoring a validation result of the binding platform configuration register. If the validation result indicates success then the measurement platform configuration register can be extended with a reference value, while if the validation result instead indicates a failure then the measurement platform configuration register can be extended with a predetermined error value. Apparatus and computer program instructions that implement the method are also disclosed.
US08694757B2
Tracing command execution in a data processing system having a host processor and a co-processor. The host processor maintains a record of a plurality of commands for the co-processor, storing each of the plurality of commands is stored in a command queue. Hardware trace logic is provided to store one or more events based, at least in part, on transfer of the plurality of commands to a small memory. Software is executed to store the one or more events to a main memory, wherein the one or more events are aggregated into a single memory trace within the main memory.
US08694755B1
An apparatus comprising an arbiter circuit, a translation circuit and a controller circuit. The arbiter circuit may be configured to generate one or more first control signals and a data write signal in response to an input signal and a read data signal. The translation circuit may be configured to generate a one or more second control signals in response to the one or more first control signals and the write address signal. The controller circuit may be configured to generate an address signal in response to the one or more second control signals.
US08694754B2
A non-volatile solid state memory-based mass storage device having at least one non-volatile memory component and methods of operating the storage device. In one aspect of the invention, the one or more memory components define a memory space partitioned into user memory and over-provisioning pools based on a P/E cycle count stored in a block information record. The storage device transfers the P/E cycle count of erased blocks to a host and the host stores the P/E cycle count in a content addressable memory. During a host write to the storage device, the host issues a low P/E cycle count number as a primary address to the content addressable memory, which returns available block addresses of blocks within the over-provisioning pool as a first dimension in a multidimensional address space. Changed files are preferably updated in append mode and the previous version can be maintained for version control.
US08694751B2
Automatic memory management with a generational copy collector garbage collection algorithm running on parallel threads to perform simultaneous and independent copying and scanning. An object is scanned. It is determined whether an object referenced within the slot of the object being scanned may be copied to the same generation as the scanned object. A mark may be made to indicate that the referenced object may be copied to a different generation than the scanned object. The mark defers the copying of the referenced object.
US08694748B2
A data merging method for merging valid data of one logical block in a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided. The method includes assigning a plurality of log physical blocks for the logical block. The method also includes performing a data arrangement operation and a data move operation with a partial synchronization manner to copy the valid data of the logical block into the lower physical pages of the log physical blocks from a first data physical block and at least one spare physical block while programming the valid data of the logical block into a second data physical block from the lower physical pages of the log physical blocks in units of each physical page group. The method further includes remapping the logical block to the second physical block. Accordingly, the method can effectively shorten the time of merging valid data and improving the reliability of data writing.
US08694746B2
In order to synchronize copies of a virtual disk, a virtualization layer maintains a first record of file system blocks of a first copy of the virtual disk that are modified during an access session by a virtual machine using the first copy of the virtual disk. The file system blocks correspond to a file system of the virtual disk. During an attempt to synchronize the first copy with a second copy of the virtual disk, (i) a second record of file system blocks that are currently used by the file system is obtained from the guest operating system, and (ii) file system blocks in the first copy of the virtual disk that are present in both the first record and the second record are copied into the second copy of the virtual disk.
US08694737B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system of one or more processors that includes persistent memory.
US08694725B2
In a storage system in which computers are connected via a network, in order to avoid a state where communication quality is degraded due to poor performance of an apparatus constituting the network, for a transfer data amount, an amount of data sent out from a storage apparatus is suppressed. Moreover, the storage apparatus inhibits a read-ahead process, in accordance with the suppression of the sending out of the data. Furthermore, proper load allocation is realized by migrating a logical storage unit provided by the storage, to another network interface or a second storage apparatus, without changing a configuration of the network.
US08694724B1
There is disclosed a technique for use in managing data storage. In one embodiment, the technique comprises managing data storage in a data storage system comprising a cache and data storage devices arranged in a RAID configuration. The technique also comprises detecting the state of the data storage devices and provisioning at least a portion of the cache as a virtual hot spare device in response to detecting a failure state in connection with a data storage device.
US08694720B2
A method programming multi-bit data to multi-level non-volatile memory cells (MLC) includes; programming a first page of data to the MLC, programming a first page flag to an initial first flag state in response in the programming of the first page, programming a second page of data to the MLC, in response to programming the second page, determining whether the first page has been programmed and if the first page has been programmed, programming the first page flag to a final first flag state different from the initial first flag state in response to programming of the second page, and if the first page has not been programmed, inhibiting programming of the first page flag during programming of the second page.
US08694718B2
In accordance with some embodiments, wear leveling may be done based on the difference in age of discarded blocks and engaged blocks. Data is moved to an older discarded block from a younger engaged block. Two wear leveling bits may be used for each logical block, such that the wear leveling bits are used in alternating cycles.
US08694702B2
A method for detecting an input command including configuring a sensor to determine whether a user is within a proximity of a computing machine, configuring an input device to detect an input command entered by the user when the user is within the proximity of the computing machine, and transmitting the input command for the computing machine to process.
US08694697B1
A system and method dispatches commands from multiple instruction streams to processing engines, allowing for some of the dispatched commands to be rescinded before they are executed by the processing engines. The dispatching enables several of the processing engines to execute commands concurrently. Dispatched commands may be rescinded to quickly switch processing from one instruction stream to another instruction stream.
US08694694B2
A system and method for transporting the look, feel, and function of one's personalized computer preferences across multiple host computers, including the appearance, settings, programs, and user data. This system and method uses a portable memory device and a data management system that maintains a consistent interface and data file structure on multiple host computers, including a common visual desktop interface. The portable memory solution also provides mobile access to the user's applications and personal data files. The memory device is capable of being connected to multiple host computers via a standard interface such as a USB port.
US08694690B2
An input tracker learns relationships between end user inputs made at a computer and external environment conditions sensed at the computer by external environment sensors integrated in the computer, such as a camera, microphone, hard disk drive motion detector, display ambient light sensor and display orientation accelerometer. An input predictor interfaced with the input tracker applies current external environment conditions sensed by the external environment sensors to the relationships defined by the input tracker to predict future user input and initiates actions by the computer responsive to the predicted future user input before the input is detected to have results responsive to the input prepared for the user upon detection of the input.
US08694685B2
A method, data processing system, and computer program product for managing images. A processor unit divides an image for a virtual machine into blocks. The processor unit determines whether to compress the blocks prior to transmitting the blocks to a destination for the image. In response to a determination to compress the blocks, the processor unit compresses the blocks to form a compressed set of blocks. The processor unit sends the compressed set of blocks and any uncompressed blocks remaining in the blocks to the destination for the image.
US08694680B2
A method system for interactive communication with a web site using a mobile communicator having the following functionalities: receiving, at a server, an http request from a mobile communicator being used by a user, the http request identifying a website and should the mobile communicator not support a client-side script employed by the website, causing the server to emulate the script so as to enable the user to interact with the website.
US08694675B2
A networking system comprising a content router for an information-centric network (ICN) comprising a content store (CS), a pending interest table (PIT), a forwarding information base (FIB), and a plurality of interfaces, and configured to receive and forward interest from one or more users and data from one or more applications via the interfaces using a dual-mode data forwarding plane, and a plurality of next hop nodes of the ICN coupled to the content router and configured to forward the interest and data to the content router via the interfaces, wherein the dual-mode forwarding plane forwards the interest and data using the FIB without the CS and PIT for conversational traffic and using the CS, PIT, and FIB for content dissemination traffic.
US08694670B2
Techniques are described for synchronizing multiple time-based data streams with independent clocks wherein relationships between clock rates of timing devices associated with the time-based data streams are determined, and based on these relationships, times in at least one of the time-based data streams may be translated to times in any of the other time-based data streams despite the data streams having independent clocks.
US08694668B2
A client computer streams a digital media presentation from a dispersed data storage network including a plurality of slice servers. A dispersed data storage network access component streams data directly from the dispersed data storage network and passes data to a media player, also residing on the client computer.
US08694665B2
A novel process and system for flexibly adding supplemental digital program content such as, for example, transactional advertising content, games, polls, contests, interactive music videos, and e-commerce content generally and the like, into pre-prepared digital media files, such as an MP3 audio file or the like, for playback by digital playback apparatus, wherein the pre-prepared media file is modified by embedding therein executable code representing such supplemental program content, and enabling the playback apparatus to decode and execute the presentation of the supplemental program material as an addition to the playback of the pre-prepared media file content.
US08694661B2
A communication apparatus, which allows a user to communicate via a network, carries out a switch off step (SOA) in response to a switch off command. In the switch off step (SOA), the communication apparatus allows the user to select (SM2, SM3) a detach message from a list of detach messages (DML). The communication apparatus conveys (SM6, SM7) a detach message identification (MID) to the network and, subsequently, switches off (SM8). The detach message identification (MID) represents the detach message that the user has selected. The network carries out a call handling step in which the network conveys the detach message to another communication apparatus from which a call emanates that is destined for the communication apparatus that is switched off.
US08694660B2
A method in a user agent (UA) is provided. The method includes sending a SIP REGISTER request, and receiving a SIP REGISTER response message. The SIP REGISTER response message has a first header field that includes an identifier associated with a trusted network node. The method also includes receiving a SIP message having a second header field for indicating a URI, and sending a SIP communication if the URI matches the identifier associated with the trusted network node.
US08694658B2
A method is provided in one example implementation and the method includes receiving a query for a policy (e.g., a multi-media session) that pertains to a selected one of first and second endpoints. Each endpoint interfaces with their respective session initiation protocol entity, which interacts with a session border controller (SBC). The method further includes negotiating credentials via a policy element and a selected SBC and determining, via a selected policy within the policy element, whether a requested communication session is prohibited or conducted between the endpoints. In more specific embodiments, each SBC makes a mapping between signaling entity information and pre-configured SBC virtual private network (VPN) information used for dynamic configuration of the communication session, and wherein a SIP [or other communication protocol] adjacency configuration is created, where adjacency characteristics are defined for each enterprise in which the endpoints reside.
US08694650B2
A system and method for distributing information from a host service in communication with a computer network to a mobile station in communication with a wireless network is provided. A data item associated with the mobile station is received at the host service. The host service then determines whether a network resource of the wireless network is currently associated with the mobile station. If the network resource of the wireless network is not currently associated with the mobile station, then the host service transmits a resource request message to the mobile station to instruct the mobile station to acquire the network resource. Subsequently to acquiring the network resource, the host service is then able to transmit the data item to the mobile station using the network resource.
US08694647B2
Embodiments are directed to processing read-only operations without storing the operations persistently, determining a processing order for read-only requests, and to directing read-only requests to nodes best able to handle the requests. In an embodiment, a quorum leader receives various read-only requests. The quorum leader controls process ordering for replicas in the leader's quorum. The quorum leader determines an appropriate order for processing the read-only operations, without clock-based synchronization. The quorum leader sends the read-only request to an appropriate replica in the quorum and executes the read-only request at the appropriate replica without storing the operation persistently.
US08694640B2
Communication protocols, systems, and methods that facilitate communication between disaggregated elements, and also to devices adapted to function as such disaggregated elements, particularly across peer-to-peer (masterless) and include one or more unique features such as packet atomicity, blind ACKs, NAT bridging, locking, multicast spanning and mirroring, and authentication.
US08694634B2
A system and method for capacity planning for enterprise networks, such as identifying bottlenecks and removing or replacing the bottleneck device are provided. The device utilization for one or more network devices are measured or read from measured data. A relative load is calculated from the device utilization data and device utilization is compared to a device threshold to determine the bottleneck device. A method is also provided for determining network utilizations, network populations and a relative response times based on only limited measurable device usage data.
US08694633B2
A computer-implemented method includes notifying a first person that a significant event is going to occur with respect to a second person; receiving from the first person, the second person, or another person a communication that relates to the significant event and to the first person and that has been curated at least in part from information that has been accumulated automatically from online resources; and sending the curated communication to the communication target.
US08694624B2
This invention describes systems and methods for combining the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) infrastructure and Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS) by leveraging a common radio platform equipped with more than one WLAN radio and a unified management system. The invention provides all the benefits of the WLAN, without sacrificing the 24×7 dedicated security monitoring and performance troubleshooting available from an overlay WIPS system, while reducing the deployment cost and management complexity, by sharing a common hardware platform for the WLAN Access Point (AP) and WIPS sensor and leveraging an integrated management system.
US08694615B2
A hostname configuration unit associates a display hostname with a regular hostname of a host, where the regular hostname identifies the host and the display hostname identifies a service associated with the host, where the service is provided by a client application. The hostname configuration unit further associates a graphical representation with the display hostname. A hostname query unit is configured to provide the client application the regular hostname, the display hostname, and the graphical representation in response to a request for hostname data received from the client application. The regular hostname, the display hostname, and the graphical representation are used by the client application to advertise a service to allow a remote node to access the advertised service of the application over a network.
US08694614B2
A method and apparatus for shortcut sets to data sources, such as web sites, is disclosed. The shortcut sets may be associated with a controlled environment. A controlled environment might be a home, corporation, business, etc. As an example, an information technology (IT) manager configures shortcuts for the employees of the company. As another example, a family member configures shortcuts that are common to all family members, when at home. A user may enter a shortcut into a search box of a web browser to be directed to a data source. If the shortcut indicates a search at the data source is desired, then a search is automatically performed at the data source.
US08694601B2
A number of items of data from a data source (12) can be processed and supplied to a data destination (16, 17). The data can include image data, text data, numeric data or other types of data, or a combination of these types of data. The processing of the data is controlled by a project definition (14, 71, 101), which includes a plurality of modules selected from a variety of available modules (Tables 1-4). The modules have input and output ports which are interrelated by binding information. Where a project definition is complex and/or is assigned to process a large data set, capability is provided to launch multiple instances of the same project definition, each of which processes a respective portion of the data. Further, capability is provided to launch multiple instances of the same or different project definitions on each of one or more computers, in order to efficiently execute project definitions in a centralized processing facility.
US08694598B2
A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application.
US08694596B2
Methods and systems consistent with embodiments of the present invention may provide an interface configured to obtain software management information from software applications under management, and provide a central information broker having the software management information.
US08694595B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for data transfers between nodes in a parallel computer that include: receiving, by an origin DMA on an origin node, a buffer identifier for a buffer containing data for transfer to a target node; sending, by the origin DMA to the target node, a RTS message; transferring, by the origin DMA, a data portion to the target node using a memory FIFO operation that specifies one end of the buffer from which to begin transferring the data; receiving, by the origin DMA, an acknowledgement of the RTS message from the target node; and transferring, by the origin DMA in response to receiving the acknowledgement, any remaining data portion to the target node using a direct put operation that specifies the other end of the buffer from which to begin transferring the data, including initiating the direct put operation without invoking an origin processing core.
US08694592B2
A system includes an e-mail client including instructions configured to be executed by a processor. The e-mail client may be configured to receive a plurality of addresses specifying recipients of a message; apply a color coding to the plurality of addresses, the color coding indicating an associated color for at least one of the plurality of addresses; and send the message with the applied color coding to the plurality of addresses.
US08694579B2
A client-server based enterprise network system providing network services and applications to administer, manage, control access to, and use a plurality of programmable electronic display devices and systems is disclosed. The enterprise network system may include client-server network system configurations and methods to enable a plurality of enterprise users to expeditiously, efficiently and securely access and use enterprise network resources and capabilities, including provisioning of graphical display content on a plurality of programmable electronic display systems sited locally, regionally, globally or in combination thereof. The enterprise network system and the network services and capabilities here disclosed, may be accessed through Web-enabled applications with Internet/Web browsers, which enable users to access network services and capabilities from any Internet/Web-enabled computer or workstation from any location.
US08694578B2
An object set may be redundantly stored by a set of computers, each configured to store a local representation of corresponding objects. When a computer changes the object set (e.g., by adding or altering an object), the updated object may be synchronized across the computers by iteratively forming and using an ad hoc swarm network from the neighbors of a node storing the updated object. This swarm network may operate cooperatively, where each node distributes object chunks to other nodes as quickly as possible, and may disregard concepts of competitive swarm networks such as fairness and cheating avoidance, which may not apply to cooperative swarming and might otherwise slow the propagation of the object. An alternative “ask” technique may be included to identify and recover missed object updates, and a computing environment host may be included as an authoritative object source and/or as an object store of last resort.
US08694569B2
A method and system for the design and implementation of an inverse-sinc function that can efficiently process signals produced by high-speed systems is presented. An integrated inverse-sinc module accepts multiple data streams that may result from parallel sub-systems and creates multiple outputs that can be interleaved to produce a sequence that has been filtered by an inverse-sinc function. The multiple-input, multiple-output system may be beneficially operated at a low data rate, such as the data rate used by each of the sub-systems.
US08694565B2
Language-integrated query (LINQ) operators can be extended to a set of vectors associated with a digital signal processing (DSP) environment. A language-integrated query (LINQ) operator can be created to execute a change of basis for a set of vectors. LINQ operators can be further be utilized with specifically generated parameters to perform a change of basis for the set of vectors. Additionally, the standard LINQ operators can be extended to enable querying with LINQ against the set of vectors.
US08694555B2
Computer-assisted methods and systems of processing a drug information source. Characterizing the drug by the set comprising: syntax-parsed drug rule elements, adverse event data, mapped terms, and metadata. A method includes: creating a drug rule syntax; extracting metadata from the drug information source; extracting verbatim adverse event data from the drug information source; identifying drug rule content from the drug information source; mapping terms from verbatim data to a reference source; and parsing drug rule elements from at least one identified instance of drug rule content into the drug rule syntax, retaining associations between those drug rule elements that form a drug rule.
US08694543B2
A method of facilitating the entry of text into a new message generated by a messaging application of a handheld electronic device is provided that includes receiving a command to reply to or forward a received message that is included within a message thread, scanning the message thread, identifying a plurality of words in the message thread, generating one or more word lists that include the identified words, and displaying the one or more word lists. The method further includes receiving a selection of a selected one of the words from the one or more word lists, and entering the selected one of the words into the new message. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device that implements the described method.
US08694527B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for query generation from a previous result set. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for query generation from a previous result set is provided. The method includes identifying commonalities in a selection of records of a result set produced by a previously issued query against a database in a database management system executing in memory by at least one processor of a host server. The method further includes deriving a query from the identified commonalities that when executed against the database management system would produce the selection of records as the result set. Finally, the method includes storing the derived query for subsequent use in querying the database.
US08694523B2
In an information management system, activity data is collected and analyzed for patterns. The information management system may be policy based. Activity data may be organized as entries including information on user, application, machine, action, object or document, time, and location. When checking for patterns in the activity or historical data, techniques may include inferencing, frequency checking, location and distance checking, and relationship checking, and any combination of these. Analyzing the activity data may include comparing like types or categories of information for two or more entries.
US08694521B2
The invention allows modeling and searching patterns in a data sequence. A data sequence is analyzed to determine at least two data elements that, when replaced with one replacement data element, will cause a metric of irregularity of the data sequence being analyzed to be maximized. The replacement data element is not included in the data sequence being analyzed. The determined at least two data elements are replaced with the replacement data element thereby generating a residual data sequence. The steps of analyzing and replacing are iterated until reaching a predetermined value of an iteration threshold, wherein with each iteration the analyzing and replacing are applied to the residual data sequence generated in the preceding iteration.
US08694520B1
A virtual content server and method are provided for giving virtual content providers an opportunity to provide their virtual content, such as an advertisement, to a mobile device of a user who has achieved or otherwise satisfied one or more predetermined conditions in, or interacted in a certain way with, one or more mobile apps on the mobile device. When a certain condition is satisfied in a mobile app of the mobile device, a device identifier of the mobile device is sent to the virtual content server and stored in a previously-generated recipient list of users in a recipient list database. When a virtual content request including the device identifier is later received from the mobile device, the virtual content server retrieves as at least part of a plurality of virtual content candidates virtual content previously associated with recipient list(s) for which the device identifier has been stored in the recipient list database. Then, one or more of the virtual content candidates are selected and sent to the mobile device to be displayed.
US08694519B2
A real estate analysis system that provides an integrated approach for gathering available real estate data and synthesizing the real estate data for various uses by various users. The real estate data may be real time data, historical data, and/or most recent data. The processing of the data utilizes cloud resources in a cloud computing architecture. In addition, cloud resources are used to store various accumulated real estate data in a manner such that the cloud resources can quickly process calculations and have the results returned to an end user who requested the data.
US08694518B2
A computerized stored library of a plurality of database mappings is provided. Each database mapping represents the manner in which fields of a source database maps to fields of a target database. When a source database needs to be mapped to a target database, one or more of the database mappings are selected from the library and used to perform a mapping. Data transformations may be performed on one or more of the fields of the source database during the mapping.
US08694506B2
An online network collects a dataset of an individual's information through a computer-implemented method. An individual enters a dataset of the information and a plurality of an individual's life events into a computer system. The dataset is arranged and converted into a graphical representation for display. The online database receives and stores the dataset. The database associates the dataset with the plurality of the member's life events and then the dataset and the life events are outputted into the graphical representation for display for a witness.
US08694505B2
Computer-implemented methods and a computing system are provided for presenting a new user interface paradigm which allows users to explore facets related to a search query term while maintaining the original state of the search query term or staying within the confines of the user defined topic. The methods and system present facets or categories of relevant topics of a user generated search query term. The user may then explore these facets in a number of embodiments while maintaining the state of the search.
US08694501B1
The present invention relates to inventory management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for inventorying items and property over wireless and data networks, using digital imaging, positioning, RFID, and data terminals. The user experience in performing inventory management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.
US08694494B2
An automated method for identifying images in an image database based on scores assigned to a plurality of input keywords. Each input keyword is assigned a keyword score based on the number of images in the database that are associated with that keyword. Each image in the database is then assigned an image similarity score based on the keyword scores of the input keywords associated with that image. If a user selects an image in the image database and requests to see similar images, the keywords associated with the selected image are used as input keywords. Images in the database with image similarity scores indicating greatest similarity are provided to the user.
US08694490B2
The system provides a method and apparatus for sorting and displaying collections of communications. These communications can be a single type or multiple types of data and may come from email systems, bulletin boards, text messages, Facebook and Twitter postings and comments, financial transactions, travel itineraries or any other type of communications. The communications represented by the system can be electronic or physical as desired. The system can also present forwarded, copied, replied, or other types of communications. In one embodiment, the system provides a Universe View of a set of communications. The Universe View, in one embodiment, is a three dimensional representation of a plurality of cubes. Each cube represents a subset of a collection of communications. Each cube can be color coded or shaded to represent a dominant theme of the contents of the communications represented by the cube.
US08694488B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, in which one or more search query suggestions can be identified based upon the intersection of predicate search groups. A first predicate search group can be compared to a second predicate search group to derive a query map value associated with the intersection of the predicate search groups. The query map value can be compared to a threshold to determine whether to identify different search queries as suggestions for one another.
US08694487B2
A project management system includes a database formed of one or more tables and a computing device having one or more modules configured to: receive data and an identifier of the data, store the data in one or more tables of the database based upon the data identifier, in which the one or more tables in the database are accessible by a database management tool, and produce one or more records corresponding to the data stored in the one or more tables, in which the one or more records are accessible by a project management tool.
US08694480B2
A technique is described for delivering contextual information to end users of a data network which includes at least one client system associated with an end user. According to a specific embodiment, the technique of the present invention provides a contextual-based platform for delivering to an end user in real-time proactive, personalized, contextual information relating to web page content currently being displayed to the user.
US08694477B2
A method for storing, in the rewritable memory of an automobile electronic control unit, calibration data functionally equivalent to a set of various models (M1-M5) of complete calibration data, this method including operations consisting in recording a single copy (CALIBAS) of common calibration data (COM1-COM4), and specific calibration data (SP1-SP5) relieved of these common data. The method uses the relations existing between the various versions (SP1-SP5) of specific data to further reduce the memory space dedicated to storage by defining, from among these versions, standard versions (T1; T2) and variants (V11; V21, V22), the variants being relieved of data already contained in the standard versions (T1; T2).
US08694474B2
A computer-implemented method, computer-readable media, and a computerized system to compress words are provided. The computerized system includes a compression engine that compresses a list of words. The compression engine generates a symbol list from the list of words, decomposes the words using the symbol list and a cost function, and encodes the decomposed words. The words may be from a search index. The compression engine may be utilized to reduce the size of the search index and improve efficiency.
US08694464B2
For each of one or more existing nodes in a file system, pending notifications of updates that have been performed on the node can be identified and sent to one or more other nodes. The file system can be opened for use, and one or more other nodes can be updated in response to the pending notifications while the file system is open for use. For example, this may be done in an operation for recovering from a crash of the file system. Also, a process for dealing with stale data in container nodes in a file system can include processing access requests according to a stale data scheme.
US08694461B2
The present disclosure generally relates to accessing data, and more particularly, to systems and methods for improving the efficiency and quality of real-time extracting, transforming, and/or loading data using customer information control system (CICS) interval control element (ICE) chain processing.
US08694452B2
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure support techniques for power efficient implementation of neuron synapses with positive and/or negative synaptic weights.
US08694447B2
An information processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include a processing method preparation unit for generating a first processing method. The apparatus may include an evaluator generation unit for generating an evaluator based on a genetic algorithm, using one or more input data sets, each of which may include data and a corresponding evaluation value. The apparatus may include an evaluation unit for calculating, using the evaluator, a first evaluation value using first output data obtained by processing the data using the first processing method. The apparatus may include a processing method update unit for generating a second processing method such that a second evaluation value calculated by the evaluator, using second output data obtained by processing the data using the second processing method, is higher than the first evaluation value. The apparatus may include an output unit that outputs the second output data and the second processing method.
US08694443B2
An approach that automatically distinguishes between in-store customers and in-store employees is provided. In one embodiment, there is a learning tool configured to construct a model for an in-store employee; a matching tool configured to match attributes between a particular person and the constructed models for an in-store employee; and a classifying tool configured to classify persons into categories of employees and customers based on amount of matching attributes between a particular person and the model for an in-store employee.
US08694429B1
In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method operating at a server system is disclosed. The server hosts and electronic procurement system. In response to receiving an invoice, a purchase document corresponding to the invoice is identified. Contents of the purchase document are compared to contents of the invoice. A discrepancy is identified between the purchase document and the invoice. A notification is generated based upon the identified discrepancy. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08694422B1
A system and a method for performing purchase transactions over a network are provided. The system includes a server controlled by a service provider, including a link to a network; a processor circuit, the processor circuit configured to receive purchase requests from a mobile phone, and to transfer funds from a user account to a vendor account; and a memory circuit storing a plurality of mobile phone numbers and a plurality of personal identification numbers (PINs), wherein each mobile phone number and PIN is associated with a user account. A non-transitory machine-readable medium may include a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server controlled by a service provider are adapted to cause the server to perform a method as above.
US08694401B2
Provided are apparatuses, computer media, and methods for analyzing data gathered from the online social footprint and determining a credit score to facilitate access to financial services. A credit score is determined based on available personal data and data gathered from the online social footprint and is indicative of a borrower's propensity to pay an owed amount. A credit score is determined from a scoring expression that is associated with a score cluster, typically including a subset of available data gathered from the online social footprint. The credit score can also be affected by means such as endorsements or negative behavior of individuals in a borrower's social network. Corresponding apparatus, systems, programs for computers, and communications mechanisms are also provided to gain access to financial services based upon at least one borrower's request criterion, optimization of reputation in the borrower's online social footprint and performing a lending transaction.
US08694394B2
The invention is directed to a computer-based method performed in a first transaction-tax-related application. The method comprises exchanging transaction-related data with at least a second transaction-tax-related application according to a standardized transaction-tax interface data model. The invention is also directed to another computer-based method and a related data record, a related software interface, a related computer-based data warehouse module and a related software application.
US08694390B2
A system and method for the online settling of a transaction is provided. The system includes a server having a rules based engine including rules established on behalf of a party to the transaction, such as a creditor. The rules based engine is configured to process data and present a transaction settlement offer set comprising a plurality of selectable offers to the user based on at least one decision made by the rules based engine. The server is further configured to receive a lump sum payment proposal from the user and to use the rules based engine to process information comprising the lump sum payment proposal and present a second transaction settlement offer set to the user based at least in part on the lump sum payment proposal from the user.
US08694386B1
An online auction system and method comprising a single access fee for participation and allowing participants to place bids free of charge. The system comprises an auction management assembly in communication with a network, an auction event structured to present information pertaining to an auction item, access fee defining entry to the auction event, and at least one bid independent of an associated fee. In some embodiments, the system comprises an entry requirement and entry fee. In some embodiments, the system comprises an auction room having a plurality of auction events, and a single entry fee for access to auction room and its contents. The method comprises receiving, storing, and presenting auction item information, establishing an access fee, receiving indication of payment of the access fee, commencing an auction event, allowing participants to access the auction and place multiple bids free of charge, and facilitating completion of the auction event.
US08694373B2
A cost-per-second (CPS) based technology for Internet advertising is introduced. In one embodiment, the systems and methods described herein improve efficiency and efficacy of Internet based advertisements. Efficiency is improved by making advertisements relevant to the user; decreasing loss or waste in advertisement space and opportunity for the publisher; and displaying advertisements only for an appropriate duration and being charged according to actual duration for the advertiser. In embodiments, the cost for a certain branding effect can be measured and used with higher accuracy. In embodiments where multiple advertisements are shown simultaneously or at various timings, the technology introduced here provides unique bidding models to allow an advertiser to bid for advertising space, of an advertisement display. The bidding models incorporate bidding based on CPS, a function of CPS and cost-plus-click, effective CPS, etc. Conversion models for comparing advertising schema using traditional and newly introduced models are also disclosed.
US08694365B2
A method, system and computer program product for increasing the sales of a retailer. A unit, referred to herein as the “retailer promotions device,” generates a group offer for a set of users/customers to purchase a product based on intelligent analytics (e.g., real-time attributes/dynamics such as the strategy in selling the remaining inventory). A group offer refers to an offer to sell a product at a promotional price if a number of users (e.g., users of mobile devices and/or customers online and/or customers in a physical store) agree to purchase the product at the promotional price within a time period. The group offer is sent to targeted users/customers via online and mobile devices as well as via electronic displays and kiosks in the physical store. By using real-time attributes/dynamics to generate group offers that can be sent to targeted users/customers, the sales of the retailer are likely to be increased.
US08694360B2
A smart server and smart device are disclosed, by which a new power unit price (hereinafter named a combined power unit price) can be calculated in consideration of an internally generated electricity quantity instead of using an external power unit price as it is. The present invention includes a power demand obtaining unit obtaining a home power demand for at least one electronic appliance including a smart device, a generated quantity detecting unit detecting an internally generated power quantity for at least one home generator, a price information receiving unit receiving power information including external power price information on an external power via a network, and a combined unit price output unit outputting a combined power unit price using an external power demand and the internally generated power quantity and the external power price information, wherein the external power demand is calculated based on the power demand.
US08694359B2
The various exemplary embodiments provide a method for projecting survey information into a geographic region. The geographic region is divided into a plurality of geographic subregions, each of which are profiled using a plurality of profiling variables to form a selected geographic subregion profile. The profiling variables include both demographic and behavioral variables. A plurality of survey respondents are then randomly assigned into the selected geographic subregion to form a modeled population, with the random assignment weighted based on a representation probability of each of the corresponding plurality of survey respondents for the selected geographic subregion profile, with the representation probabilities having been determined using a sample balancing algorithm. Following such profiling and assignment for all subregions, survey information corresponding to the modeled population is projected into the geographic region.
US08694355B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assisting with automated task management. In one embodiment, an apparatus for assisting a user in the execution of a task, where the task includes one or more workflows required to accomplish a goal defined by the user, includes a task learner for creating new workflows from user demonstrations, a workflow tracker for identifying and tracking the progress of a current workflow executing on a machine used by the user, a task assistance processor coupled to the workflow tracker, for generating a suggestion based on the progress of the current workflow, and a task executor coupled to the task assistance processor, for manipulating an application on the machine used by the user to carry out the suggestion.
US08694352B1
The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking service representative activity and data. Service representatives are equipped with handheld devices that are configured to execute question and instruction sequences during a service call. Worksheets containing such surveys and instruction sequences may be periodically transmitted to the handheld device from a backend server. The handheld device records the times at which the service representative enters and exits a retail location and the times at which particular tasks are started and completed. The worksheets allow service representatives to enter relevant data into the handheld device. Such data may include digital images, signatures and the like. All data collected at the handheld devices may be transmitted via a network or other communication link to a secure backend server, where it stored in a database and made available for query by a reporting module.
US08694351B2
A method for auditing installation of communications facilities. Network engineering information is received. The network engineering information may include telecommunications installation requirements and a budget associated with one or more telecommunications projects. A portal is displayed to receive telecommunications installation information from one or more contractors assigned to perform the one or more telecommunications projects. Auditing information associated with the one or more telecommunications projects is received. The auditing information and the network engineering information are automatically compared to the telecommunications information to determine deviations for multiple criteria. The deviations are reported for adjusting the compensation of the contractor.
US08694337B2
Systems, methods, and computer-program products identify clinical data corresponding to a plurality of patients located within a common health care delivery unit, and apply one or more rules to at least some of the clinical data using at least one quality and/or safety measure-specific specification. Based on the application of the rules, one or more care indicators corresponding to the plurality of patients are displayed in a single interface, the one or more care indicators indicating whether one or more of the patients is receiving appropriate care.
US08694336B1
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method that can comprise, for a predetermined user, automatically determining a score for each resource from a plurality of predetermined resources based on the user's weighting of predetermined factors associated with the resources and an objective score for each factor for each resource, ranking the scored resources, and/or providing an identity of a best matched resource for the user.
US08694335B2
Techniques for applying user corrections to medical fact extraction may include extracting a first set of one or more medical facts from a first portion of text documenting a patient encounter. A correction to the first set of medical facts may be received from a user. The correction may identify a fact that should be associated with the first portion of the text. A second set of one or more medical facts may be extracted from a second portion of the text based at least in part on the user's correction to the first set of medical facts. Extracting the second set of facts may include extracting one or more facts similar to the identified fact from the second portion of the text.
US08694334B2
Readmission risk of patients admitted to a healthcare facility are determined using a generic readmission risk algorithm. The readmission risk assessment of patients may be based on portions of a patient's profile and may be performed before, during, and after their index admission. Based on the readmission risk assessment of patients, those patients that are at a greater risk for readmission may be identified. A readmission prevention worklist may be provide that identifies those patients and facilitates managing the risk of readmission for those patients.
US08694322B2
A voice-activated user interface for an application is described. The voice activated user interface invokes a speech recognition component to recognize audio input from a user. If the audio input is a command, then a validation component is invoked to determine whether to validate the command prior to execution.
US08694317B2
Methods for processing audio data containing speech to produce a searchable index file and for subsequently searching such an index file are provided. The processing method uses a phonetic approach and models each frame of the audio data with a set of reference phones. A score for each of the reference phones, representing the difference of the audio from the phone model, is stored in the searchable data file for each of the phones in the reference set. A consequence of storing information regarding each of the reference phones is that the accuracy of searches carried out on the index file is not compromised by the rejection of information about particular phones. A subsequent search method is also provided which uses a simple and efficient dynamic programming search to locate instances of a search term in the audio. The methods of the present invention have particular application to the field of audio data mining.
US08694311B2
Method for processing noisy speech signal, apparatus for same and computer-readable recording medium
A sound quality improvement method for a noisy speech signal according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of estimating a noise signal of an input noisy speech signal by performing a predetermined noise estimation procedure for the noisy speech signal; measuring a relative magnitude difference to represent a relative difference between the noisy speech signal and the estimated noise signal; calculating a modified overweighting gain function with a non-linear structure in which a relatively high gain is allocated to a low-frequency band than a high-frequency band by using the relative magnitude difference; and obtaining an enhanced speech signal by multiplying the noisy speech signal and a time-varying gain function obtained by using the overweighting gain function. Accordingly, the amount of calculation for noise estimation is small, and large-capacity memory is not required. Furthermore, the present invention can be easily implemented in hardware or software, and the accuracy of noise estimation can be increase because an adaptive procedure can be performed on each frequency sub-band.
US08694303B2
A method for tuning translation parameters in statistical machine translation based on ranking of the translation parameters is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method includes sampling pairs of candidate translation units from a set of candidate translation units corresponding to a source unit, each candidate translation unit corresponding to numeric values assigned to one or more features, receiving an initial weighting value for each feature, comparing the pairs of candidate translation units to produce binary results, and using the binary results to adjust the initial weighting values to produce modified weighting values.
US08694301B1
Generating cumulative metric data for a test in a test environment includes: generating in the test environment a test for a simulation model of a system under test; generating in the test environment at least one test condition for the test, the at least one test condition determining a plurality of iterations of the simulation model; generating in the test environment at least one temporary test variable for the test; generating in the test environment at least one mapping between a metric setting for the simulation model and one of the temporary test variables; running in the test environment the test for the plurality of iterations, wherein metric data for the simulation model is generated for each mapping and for each iteration of the test; and accumulating in the test environment the generated metric data for each mapping and for each iteration of the test to obtain cumulative metric data for the simulation model.
US08694288B2
An arrangement possible/impossible determination part of a piping order edit device: refers a pipe constituting a pipe list as a pipe subjected to determination; searches a main-branched pipe relationship database for a given pipe using identification information on the pipe subjected to determination as a search key; acquires a main pipe and a branched pipe corresponding to the searched given pipe; and, if there is a branched pipe positioned before the pipe subjected to determination in the pipe list or if there is a main pipe positioned after the pipe subjected to determination in the pipe list, the “arrangement possible/impossible” of the pipe subjected to determination is set at “impossible”.
US08694279B1
A system includes a first computing component and a second computing component. A first measurement indicative of a temperature of a first computing component is received. A second measurement indicative of a temperature of a second computing component is received. A thermal value is calculated for the first computing component based on the first measurement and the second measurement. In response to determining that the calculated thermal value exceeds the threshold, an operational or physical parameter of the system is modified.
US08694277B2
A remote monitoring system is disclosed. In one such embodiment, a system may comprise a first measuring unit disposed within a structure, a first processor disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit, and a second processor disposed within the structure. The first measuring unit may comprise a first sensor adapted to detect a first parameter. The first measuring unit may be adapted to output a first signal associated with the first parameter. The first processor may be adapted to receive the first signal and to control the first measuring unit. The second processor may be disposed in operative communication with the first measuring unit and the first processor.
US08694267B2
A method and system of monitoring for chemical or other toxic agents includes operating a plurality of first type sensors having a first level of sensitivity to an agent in a monitored area. Concurrently a second type sensor is operated having a second level of sensitivity to the agent in the monitored area, where the second level of sensitivity is at least ten times more sensitive than the first level of sensitivity. Input from the plurality of first type sensors and the second type sensor is received and analyzed, at a central location, in order to determine the presence of the agent in the monitored area.
US08694262B2
A system and method for subsurface characterization including depth and structural uncertainty estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a detectability threshold for moveout in a seismic data gather based on the seismic data and computing a depth uncertainty function, wherein the depth uncertainty function represents an error estimate that is used to analyze an interpretation of the seismic data. In another embodiment, the method may include receiving a depth uncertainty volume and at least one interpreted horizon from seismic data, extracting a depth uncertainty cage for each of the interpreted horizons based on the depth uncertainty volume, and simulating multiple realizations for each of the interpreted horizons, constrained by the depth uncertainty cage. The multiple realizations may be used for analyzing changes to geometrical or structural properties of the at least one interpreted horizon. The changes may be plotted as at least one distribution and may be used to make P10, P50 and P90 estimates.
US08694261B1
In an embodiment, creation of a continuous three dimensional array of data from digital information obtained from a wellbore, and representation in a seismic data formatted dataset. In an embodiment, providing the capability to export stratigraphic interpretations made while working within the 3D-log data volume back to any wellbore that is encompassed within the areal extent of the 3D-log data volume. In one embodiment, a 2D well grid creation process comprises the steps of (a) selecting an initial grid spacing, (b) assigning wells from a dataset of well data to closest nodes in the grid, (c) if a plurality of wells are assigned to a single node after completing step (b), narrowing the grid spacing and repeating step (b) until no more than one well is assigned to any node. In an embodiment the non-well nodes are populated by extrapolating from adjacent single well nodes.
US08694252B2
A personal navigation device includes a navigation console and a peripheral device. The navigation console is configured to acquire a navigation instruction from a start point to a destination and a detailed map which depicts a predetermined area around the destination. The peripheral device is connected to the navigation console in a detachable manner for displaying the detailed map.
US08694247B2
A method, a mobile device, and a computer-readable medium for displaying surrounding points of interest (POIs), adapted to a mobile device, are provided. In the present method, at least one keyword is received and set as a searching condition for searching POIs. When the mobile device obtains new current location information of the mobile device, a POI database is queried to find surrounding POIs of the current location that fit the searching condition. Finally, the searched POIs are updated and displayed.
US08694243B2
An optimization method for a navigation device includes recording a plurality of coordinate variation data, analyzing the plurality of coordinate variation data to generate an analysis result, generating at least one behavior rule according to the analysis result, and adjusting a navigation result of the navigation device according to the at least one behavior rule.
US08694238B2
In a system and method of navigating a plurality vehicles consisting of one or more standalone tugs, or one or more tug propelled aircraft, or some combination thereof on the grounds of an airport, a virtual safety zone is electronically defined around each vehicle. Movement of each vehicle on the grounds of an airport is controlled based on the virtual safety zones defined around the plurality of vehicles.
US08694231B2
A control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a transmission load module, a target engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The transmission load module determines a load imposed on an engine through a transmission. The target engine speed module selectively determines a target engine speed during an engine startup event based on the load. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator based on the target engine speed during the engine startup event.
US08694223B2
A method of controlling a traction control system (30) includes continuously adapting a steady state driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio, so that said traction control system can avoid unnecessary actuations (e.g., demanding torque reduction). The continuous adaptation methodology provides traction control robustness to vehicles equipped with a spare tire, or a different final drive such as in the use of aftermarket parts. The method includes a dual rate adaptation that allows both fast adaptation and fine tuning capabilities of the ratio. The method includes comparing the instant driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio to the filtered driven wheel speed to reference wheel speed ratio, to obtain a ratio difference. When the difference is above a threshold, the first filter constant is selected and the first constant is applied to an adaptation filter, resulting in a first filtered and adapted ratio. The traction control system is controlled with the adapted ratio. When the difference is below the threshold, the second filter constant is selected and the selected constant is applied to the adaptation filter, resulting in the second filtered and adapted ratio. The traction control system is controlled with the adapted ratio.
US08694221B2
A method for braking a vehicle in a driving situation, in which an automatic braking function is active. The hydraulic pump of the brake control system may be sized to be relatively small and cost-effective, if, in critical driving situations, an additional braking device is automatically switched on or its braking capacity is increased, in order to assist the service brake and further decelerate the vehicle.
US08694220B2
In a transient control computing section, a left-right drive force difference transient control gain computing section finds a left-right drive force difference transient control gain α that is smaller than 1 in a region where a target yaw rate change rate is small, i.e., a low speed steering region, and a left-right drive force difference transient control computation value calculating section finds a left-right rear wheel drive force difference transient control computation value. The transient control computing section then multiplies the left-right rear wheel drive force difference transient control computation value by the left-right drive force difference transient control gain α to calculate the left-right rear wheel drive force difference transient control amount and contributes the same to a drive force distribution control for left and right wheels (left and right rear wheels).
US08694214B2
An automatic transmission of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine with a transmission oil circuit, a main oil pump, mechanically driven by a combustion engine, and an auxiliary oil pump (1) that can be electrically driven and is located inside an oil sump (4). It is proposed that the auxiliary oil pump (1) is arranged transversely with respect to the travel direction (x) of the motor vehicle.
US08694199B2
Disclosed is a vehicle state monitoring system in which, when a vehicle (2) has been in a driving stopped state for a reference duration or more, a message is sent to a contact address associated with a vehicular identifier of the vehicle (2). The timing for sending the message may be determined on the basis of an SOC level of a battery (23) identified from vehicle information or estimated on the basis of a length of a last driving duration identified from the vehicle information.
US08694197B2
A method of diagnosing vehicle NOx sensor faults that includes sensing that an exhaust gas recirculating (EGR) valve is closed and that fuel flow to a vehicle engine is above a predetermined rate using an electronic control unit (ECU) located on a vehicle; recording the output received from an NOx sensor relative to an amount of fuel consumption over a period of time using the ECU; calculating the mean of the NOx sensor output relative to fuel consumption recorded over the period of time using the ECU; performing a least-squares estimation (LSE) using the ECU for more than one calculated mean based on an expected NOx sensor output; generating a NOx sensor gain for the NOx sensor using the ECU based on the LSE; and determining whether the NOx sensor gain is above or below a predetermined threshold.
US08694193B2
The present invention relates to a method of determining routes for arranging automatic control of a mobile mining machine. A return route is determined computer-aidedly for the mining machine on the basis of data concerning a route taught by driving by executing, by a data processing device configured for generating return routes, at least the following steps: determining a route identifier for the return route, determining as route points of the return route at least some of the route points of the drive route in a reverse order, wherein when determining route point data of the return route on the basis of the route point data of the drive route, deleting additional control data associated with one or more route points of the drive route, and storing the data determining the return route to be used for automatically controlling the mining machine.
US08694192B2
Methods and systems for control of vehicles based on auditory signals are described. In an example, a computing device may be configured to control a vehicle or may be in communication with the vehicle. The computing device may be configured to receive audio information relating to an audible crosswalk signal for an intersection. The computing device also may be configured to determine a likelihood associated with a presence of a pedestrian in a crosswalk at the intersection based on the audio information. The computing device further may be configured to determine a control strategy associated with a driving behavior of the vehicle from among multiple control strategies, based on the likelihood, and may be configured to provide instructions to control the vehicle based on the determined control strategy.
US08694191B2
An unmanned autonomous vehicle for displacing feed lying on a floor is provided with two wheels that are separately drivable, a distance determining device for determining the distance from the vehicle to a wall portion, an orientation determining device for determining the orientation of the center line of the vehicle relative to the wall portion, a torque difference determining device for determining the torque difference between the wheels, a control unit for controlling the vehicle and moving it in a direction of travel, and a feed displacing arrangement for displacing feed substantially sidewardly. The control unit may be programmed in such a way that during operation the vehicle will maintain a distance determined by the distance determining device to the wall portion, which distance is greater than or equal to a pre-adjusted minimum distance to the wall portion. During operation the center line of the vehicle may be maintained with an orientation determined by the orientation determining device relative to the wall portion, which orientation is at least almost equal to a pre-adjusted orientation. During operation the drivable wheels of the vehicle may show a torque difference determined by the torque difference determining device, which difference can then be maintained at a value smaller than or equal to a pre-adjusted maximum torque.
US08694189B2
Provided is an electrically driven vehicle, wherein unexpected vibration or shock is prevented during interruption of torque transmission. An electric vehicle having an electric motor as its power source is provided with an F/F calculation or operation unit, an F/B calculation or operation unit, an adder, model determination units, and target torque value switching units. The F/F calculation unit calculates a first target torque value by F/F operation. The F/B calculation unit calculates a second target torque value by F/B operation using a model. The adder adds the first target torque value and the second target torque value, to obtain a motor torque command value. The model determination units evaluate whether or not an interruption in the torque transmission to drive shafts occurs. The target torque value switching units stop the F/F- and F/B operations while torque transmission interruption is confirmed.
US08694179B2
An information display device has a first processor unit and a second processor unit that are connected to at least one information source. The first processor unit is also connected to a display and to the second processor unit. The first processor unit and the second processor unit each include a computer and a memory. The computer of the second unit is arranged to construct an image for displaying on the display and to transmit it to the computer of the first processor unit, which is arranged to modify the image by incorporating therein information from the information source, and to transmit the modified image to the display. An aircraft fitted with such a device is also provided.
US08694178B2
First, “Sync+Wakeup ID” is transmitted form a first vehicle (from a first time to a second time). While a first portable device paired with the first vehicle does not respond to this, when another second portable device has an inverted code coinciding by chance, the second portable device transmits a “Welcome” response (from the second time to a fifth time). During this response, a “Who” command including proper “Sync+Wakeup ID” and “command+additional data” is transmitted, thereby allowing the first portable device to normally respond to “Who” (a sixth time).
US08694176B2
A power control method for a power supplying unit for supplying power from a commercial power supply and a battery to a load. The method includes (a) calculating a deviation amount between an actual power demand and a predicted power demand in a predetermined unit period on the basis of power demand transition data and power demand prediction data, (b) correcting, by a computer, a leveling target value on the basis of the calculated deviation amount, and (c) controlling the power supplying unit so that the power supplying unit supplies power corresponding to the corrected leveling target value from the commercial power supply. The power demand transition data is stored in a power database, and the power demand prediction data is stored in a prediction data storing unit. The leveling target value is a target value of power to be supplied from the commercial power supply.
US08694175B2
A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.
US08694159B2
A robot control apparatus includes an actuator; a generator unit; a first detection unit; a first computation unit to compute current positional data of the arm; a second computation unit to compute an input value; a third computation unit to compute an estimation value of a driving torque for driving the actuator; a fourth computation unit to compute a difference between the estimation value of the driving torque and a true value of the driving torque; and a second detection unit to detect a disturbance applied to the arm, wherein the second detection unit includes an update unit to estimate a parameter of a time-series model and updating the time-series model of the first sampling period by applying the parameter, and a determination unit to determine whether a disturbance occurs, by comparing the time-series model of the first sampling period with a time-series model of a second sampling period.
US08694142B2
This invention has provided a direct manufacturing methodology of customized lingual orthodontic brackets by selective laser melting. The procedure is as follows. First of all, measure the dentition data and construct the 3D CAD model of the teeth through reverse engineering. Then a single soleplate of the lingual bracket contacting the tooth surface, as well as the ideal slot position is designed based on the teeth features. The designed models are later imported into the SLM machine and used to produce the brackets with desired materials directly. This method can actualize customized manufacture with highly accuracy, producing highly matched brackets all at once. The invention not only saves time and cost, but also has wide adaptation range and is able to adopt various raw materials. Different raw materials can be utilized in one step to accommodate specific capacity requirement of different parts of the brackets.
US08694126B2
A medical electrical lead for spinal cord stimulation includes a first column of electrode surfaces and a second columns of electrode surfaces extending alongside and spaced apart from the first column.
US08694123B2
A medical lead includes a lead body having a proximal end for electrical connection to an implantable electric signal generator and a distal end portion having a plurality of electrodes extending in a helical manner longitudinally along the distal end portion. Adjacent helical electrodes may be offset, for example, 90 degrees or 180 degrees. The helical electrodes may extend less than, greater than, or 360 degrees. The electrode arrangement provides increased surface area, improving the capability of positioning the lead against the nerve as desired.
US08694118B2
A method, system, and apparatus for providing a stimulation signal comprising a variable ramping portion using an implantable medical device (IMD). The first electrical comprises a first ramping portion. The first ramping portion comprises a first parameter selected from the group consisting of an amplitude, a rate of change of the amplitude, a time period of a rate of change of the amplitude, a pulse width, a rate of change of the pulse width, a time period of a rate of change of the pulse width, a frequency, a rate of change of the frequency, a time period of a rate of change of the frequency, and a duration of a time period of the ramping portion, the first parameter having a first value. The first electrical signal is applied to a target location of the patient's body. A second electrical signal comprising a second ramping portion is generated. The second ramping portion comprises the first parameter having a second value that is different from the first value. The second electrical signal is applied to a target location of the patient's body.
US08694111B2
A method of editing a video configuration file downloadable to or from a video processing unit of a fitting system for a visual prosthesis is shown. The visual prosthesis has a plurality of electrodes and the video configuration file defines mapping of a video signal captured from a camera of the visual prosthesis to an electrical signal for the electrodes. The editing controls a brightness map for an individual electrode or electrode groups, together with a temporal stimulation pattern to which an individual electrode or electrode groups are assigned. A related computer-operated system is also disclosed.
US08694110B2
A functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis, including: a frame, an inner layer coupled to an inner surface of the frame, an electrode base, and a connector assembly. The frame is configured to substantially envelop a limb, and includes a retention portion configured to retain the frame about the limb, and a mounting portion configured to be coupled to an electrical stimulator. The electrode base is coupled to the inner layer, and is configured to couple a surface electrode to the inner layer. The frame and the inner layer are configured such that the electrode base is disposed at a predetermined position relative to the limb. The connector assembly is configured to electrically couple the stimulator to the electrode base. At least a portion of the connector assembly is disposed within a connector opening defined by the frame.
US08694109B2
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.
US08694095B2
During auto-threshold, autocapture, or other evoked response sensing, post-pace artifact is reduced by using a smaller coupling capacitor value than what is used when not in such an evoked response sensing configuration. This can be accomplished by borrowing another capacitor for use as the coupling capacitor. The borrowed capacitor can be a backup pacing capacitor from the same or a different pacing channel. The borrowed capacitor can also be a coupling capacitor from a different pacing channel.
US08694093B2
A system senses a cardiac signal for diagnostic and/or therapy control purposes using a first set of electrodes and switches to a different second set of electrodes for recognizing cardiac events in the cardiac signal. In various embodiments, the cardiac signal sensed using the second set of electrodes is compared to the cardiac signal sensed using the first set of electrodes, and the cardiac events in the cardiac signal are each recognized using an outcome of the comparison.
US08694092B2
Lumen-traveling biological interface devices and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, electrodes or other electromagnetic transducers for detecting biological signals and electrodes, coils or other electromagnetic transducers for delivering electromagnetic stimuli to stimulus responsive tissues. Lumen-traveling biological interface devices may also include additional components such as sensors, an active portion, and/or control circuitry.
US08694087B2
A method of maintaining an information rate of a Brain-computer interface (BCI) system, implanted in a patient's brain, by regulating arousal level in the patient's brain is disclosed. The method includes selecting a patient with the implanted BCI device configured to receive neuronal activity from one or more electrodes connected to the patient's brain and to establish a communication channel between the patient and an external device controlled by the patient. Accordingly, a rate of information passage through the communication channel from the BCI device is measured, and a region of the patient's brain involved in arousal regulation, is stimulated in response to said measuring, under conditions effective to adjust the rate of information passing from the BCI device through the communication channel. A computer medium for carrying out this method and a BCI Arousal Regulation system are also disclosed.
US08694078B2
Medical devices, systems and methods for providing visualization as well as support and/or stability for blood vessels during procedures for inserting electrical leads are disclosed. One aspect of the device may include a longitudinal member having a distal end and a proximal end, an expandable element near the distal end of the longitudinal member for providing support to the blood vessel, and a contrast release port near the distal end of the longitudinal member for releasing a contrast medium into the blood vessel to visualize the blood vessel.
US08694057B2
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal which can enlarge a transparent portion region, increase design freedoms, provide transparent mounting regions by forming various electronic components of a transparent material, and produce a variety of light emission pattern in particular scenarios by using the transparent portion region.
US08694048B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless transmitting/receiving method for achieving both a high-speed data transfer and a power-saving operation by using wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus adaptable to a ubiquitous system, whereby a wireless transmitting/receiving method which performs wireless transmission/reception using no less than two carrier waves which belong to a different frequency band is used to transmit/receive a control signal for controlling the transmission/reception operation of the wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus by using a carrier wave which belongs to a lower frequency band (400 MHz band), and to transfer data by using a carrier wave which belongs to a higher frequency band (2.4 GHz band).
US08694047B2
The present invention discloses a power control method, apparatus, and system. The power control method of the present invention includes: when a service runs in a first-standard communication system, determining a transmit power P1 of the first-standard communication system; determining that the transmit power P1 is higher than or equal to a threshold value P2 of power interference of the first-standard communication system to a second-standard communication system; use a power lower than P1 to send data on an interference frequency of the first-standard communication system. According to the power control method in the present invention, a signal transmit power of the interfering frequency of the first-standard communication system can be reduced when it is determined that the first-standard communication system will cause interference to the second-standard communication system, thereby reducing the interference of the first-standard communication system to the second-standard communication system.
US08694044B2
A first communication device and a method in a node serving a first cell of a first frequency for controlling transmission power of a user equipment in the first cell, comprising receiving data relating to a second cell of the first frequency from the user equipment and determining to power regulate the user equipment. Determining to power regulate the user equipment is based on determining that the second cell is a cell to which a soft handover cannot be performed and determining that the user equipment is within a range of a cell border of the first cell. That being the case, the method further comprises transmitting a control message to the user equipment to control the transmission power of the user equipment.
US08694042B2
A base station receives loading information indicative of the loading of other base stations and determines a downlink transmission power budget as a function of the received loading factor information. The base station may decrease/increase a current power budget dedicated to downlink traffic channel segments in response to detecting an increase/decrease in loading at an adjacent base station. Thus, base stations operate in a cooperative manner reducing power output, in at least some cases, where loading at a neighboring base station increases thereby reducing the interference to the base station with the increased load. A base station can consider possible alternative transmission power levels, estimated levels of interference, and/or possible alternative data rates in making trade-off decisions regarding downlink power budget.
US08694032B1
To enable multiple message originators to share an SMS shortcode, originator identifying codes can be added to outbound SMS messages that prompt recipients to respond with response messages that include the originator identifying codes. The originator identifying codes can be added by a service provider that administers the SMS shortcode. When a response message is received on the SMS shortcode number, the service provider processes the response message content to extract the originator identifying code. The code and, optionally, a recipient ID can be used as a lookup to determine the intended originator that the response message is for. The response message can then be associated by the service provider with the correct originator for subsequent processing.
US08694027B2
A method, apparatus and software are disclosed in which the position of a mobile device is determined by proximity detection from a first node using one wireless communications protocol and the position of the first node is determined using a set of signals from base stations having known locations and using a second wireless communications protocol.
US08694020B2
An apparatus a receiver for a camera for signal communication with transmitters in known locations for determining location of the camera, a compass for the camera for determining orientation of the camera, and a device for determining time associated with the determined camera location and orientation.
US08694019B2
The invention relates to a user-portable electronic device and in particular one which is capable of establishing transmission connection with one or more mobile electronic devices. A user-portable electronic device comprising transmission connection circuitry arranged to establish transmission connection between the user-portable electronic device and one or more mobile electronic devices; geographic-location determining circuitry arranged to determine a geographic location of the or each mobile electronic device associated with transmission connection of the user-portable electronic device and the or each mobile electronic device; and log circuitry arranged to allow storage of a geographic-location log including at least a last-known geographic location of the or each mobile electronic device.
US08694018B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a Network Load Balancing (NLB) algorithm that balances a traffic load between multiple downlink (DL) sectors in a cellular telecommunication network. A Connection Integrity Preservation (CIP) algorithm, which runs on top of the NLB algorithm in the Radio Network Controller/Base Station Controller (RNC/BSC), minimizes the risk of degrading network performance due to NLB offload decisions. The CIP algorithm may override an NLB offload decision, for example, if there have been too many offload failures, there are no target DL sectors available to acquire an offloaded Access Terminal (AT), or the offloaded AT is not acquired within a threshold time period. The CIP algorithm ensures required metrics are collected, and minimizes the impact on RNC/BSC processing due to Routing Update messages needed to make offload decisions. The invention enables the NLB algorithm to realize its potential without negative side-effects.
US08694013B2
A mobile telecommunications system is described in which a base station allocates control channel elements for signalling resource allocation data for a number of mobile telephones. The CCEs are partitioned into at least two groups, one for uplink allocations and one for downlink allocations. In one embodiment, the group size is fixed while in another embodiment, the group size changes between sub-frames. In another embodiment, the group size is varied in a pseudo-random manner.
US08694009B2
A method and a system for handling a mobile terminating call in a mobile communications network, wherein interrogation (112) by a first Mobile Switching Center (101) towards a Home Location Register (202) for routing said call is intercepted by an Intercepting Means (104). The Intercepting Means (104) determines that routing said call to a dedicated Mobile Switching Center (105) is required for providing a service for said call. A message (213) comprising routing information for routing said call to the dedicated Mobile Switching Center (105) is sent by the Intercepting Means (104) to the first Mobile Switching Center(101).
US08694007B2
A method for providing reliable wireless service in a femto system is provided. The method includes broadcasting information about out-of-service, which notifies that an air interface based on the femto BS is disabled, to user equipment (UE); and disabling the air interface. The information about the out-of-service comprising an identifier about a recommended BS that is another BS which the UE can enter.A method for receiving reliable service using user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving information about out-of-service, which notifies that service cannot be provided to the UE, from a femto base station (BS), the information about the out-of-service including an identifier about at least one recommended BS that is another BS which the UE can enter; and trying to enter one BS of the at least one recommended BS on the basis of the information about the out-of-service.
US08694005B2
The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and a de-registration method, a Home NodeB (HNB) and a Home NodeB Gateway (HNB GW) are disclosed. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a de-registration method, comprising: initiating, by an HNB GW, release of pre-registration resources corresponding to user equipment (UE) after the HNB GW receives indication information indicating that the UE moves to another cell from a source HNB. Applying the embodiment of the present invention can release pre-registration resources in time and reduce waste of resources.
US08694003B2
The present invention discloses a method for requesting LTE RRC connection re-establishment and setting cause values as well as a terminal, and the connection re-establishment request method includes: an LTE terminal determines, according to the occurred scenario, which one of the following four types is the failure reason: radio resource failure, handoff failure, bottom layer error or UE-related error; and the LTE terminal initiates an RRC connection re-establishment request to the network side, wherein the RRC connection re-establishment request includes the failure cause value indicating the failure reason. The present invention can make the network side obtain the reason why the UE initiates the RRC re-establishment from RRC connection re-establishment request message, so as to take different subsequent operations with respect to these different failure reasons.
US08693999B2
A communication apparatus for receiving maintenance data required for maintaining a device to be maintained and supplying maintenance data to the device to be maintained, and method are provided. The communication apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring identification information for identifying the device and a sending unit for sending identification information acquired by the acquisition unit. The apparatus includes a receiving unit for receiving maintenance data including the identification information sent by the sending unit and a supply unit for supplying said maintenance data received by said receiving unit to said device to be maintained.
US08693997B2
Disclosed is a system and a method for providing a Visual ARS (VARS) service by using a call control function of a mobile communication terminal. In the system and the method, a user of a terminal can select an existing voice guidance service or an available visual guidance service when trying a call connection to a telephone number of an existing call center. When selecting a visual guidance service, an originator receives an ARS service on a screen of the terminal of the originator. Accordingly, the user can receive and use the VARS service according to the user's selection by using a mobile communication network, so that the user can handle a task requested on a screen of the terminal.
US08693995B2
A method and system for customizing a mobile application running on a mobile communication device of a user. In one implementation, the method includes providing the mobile application to the mobile communication device of the user, the mobile application having a generic platform; determining a special interest group (SIG) that is affiliated with the user; and customizing the generic platform of the mobile application based on information specific to the special interest group (SIG) that is affiliated with the user.
US08693994B2
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device via a data network make use of a forwarding termination service. The forwarding termination service causes a native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The forwarding termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communications to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by a forwarding agent that is separate from the forwarding termination service.
US08693989B2
Outgoing phone calls can be made on a handheld electronic device that has been locked to prevent unauthorized use through an override that permits the making of outgoing phone calls while applications additional to the phone application remain locked. In some embodiments, the override can not be selected unless first enabled by a remotely generated enable override authorization signal.
US08693982B2
A system manages subscribers' data of mobile telephones in a wireless network. Data servers are located according to geographic service areas, and each of the data servers may store subscribers' data of mobile telephones based on the respective geographic area. Location of subscribers' data is determined depending upon subscribers' ID, to which two or more Mobile telephone Numbers (MTNs) are assigned. Two or more MTNs may have different area codes for which subscribers' data are stored in at least two or more of the data servers. A terminal, for example, receives a user request calling for subscriber's data of a first MTN, retrieves a subscriber's ID corresponding to the first MTN from an Electronic Telephone Number Inventory (eTNI) database and sends a request containing the subscriber's ID. A router determines a first data server corresponding to the retrieved subscriber's ID and routes the request to the first data server.
US08693978B2
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for handling an emergency call along with its position location in the WiMAX network, and for performing a handover of the emergency call for a multi-mode mobile station that supports multiple wireless standards.
US08693977B2
Techniques for achieving personal security via mobile devices are presented. A portable mobile communication device, such as a phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), is equipped with geographic positioning capabilities and is equipped with audio and visual devices. A panic mode of operation can be automatically detected in which real time audio and video for an environment surrounding the portable communication device are captured along with a geographic location for the portable communication device. This information is streamed over the Internet to a secure site where it can be viewed in real time and/or later inspected.
US08693972B2
A method and system is disclosed for designing a radio for down-converting RF signals to IF signals by sampling the signals in a round-robin sampling circuit and multiplying the samples by coefficients that are changed at a fixed rate equal to the rate of operation of each of the sampling circuits. The circuit is able to down-convert multiple channels simultaneously to adjacent positions in the IF band, while rejecting unwanted image signals. The method and system avoids the difficulty and cost of directly digitizing the RF signal, allowing each component to operate at a greatly reduced speed. The coefficients are selected to provide the desired transfer function while keeping the output signal centered at a desired frequency.
US08693967B2
A receiver of a GNSS system is provided. The receiver comprises two mixers and a processing circuit. The first mixer down-converts an input radio-frequency signal comprising a first GNSS signal and a second GNSS signal into a first low-frequency signal. The second mixer down-converts the input radio-frequency signal into a second low-frequency signal. The processing circuit generates at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal according to at least the first low-frequency signal, extract signal components of the first GNSS signal by rejecting signal components of the second GNSS signal according to the second low-frequency signal and the at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal, and extract signal components of the second GNSS signal by rejecting signal components of the first GNSS signal according to the second low-frequency signal and the at least one phase-shifted low-frequency signal. The first and second GNSS signals are situated in different frequency ranges.
US08693964B2
One or more beamsteering matrices are applied to one or more signals to be transmitted via multiple antennas. After the one or more beamsteering matrices are applied to the one or more signals, the plurality of signals is provided to a plurality of power amplifiers coupled to the multiple antennas. Signal energies are determined for the plurality of signals provided to the plurality of power amplifiers, and relative signal energies are determined based on the determined signal energies. Output power levels of the plurality of power amplifiers are adjusted based on the determined relative signal energies.
US08693963B2
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a variable impedance circuit including an antenna having a tunable component. The tunable component can be operable to receive a variable signal to cause the tunable component to change an impedance of the antenna. The tunable component can include a first conductor coupled to the antenna, a second conductor, and a tunable material positioned between the first conductor and the second conductor, where at least one of the first conductor or the second conductor, or both are adapted to receive the variable signal to cause the change in the impedance of the antenna. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08693958B2
A method of monitoring Quality of Experience or other indicators of quality of service delivering media data to user equipment in a telecommunications network. The method comprises determining a first value of the metric, determining a second value of the metric after a defined period of time, adjusting the value of said defined period of time, wherein the second determined value of the metric is used in determination of magnitude and direction of the adjustment and recording the determined values of the metric.
US08693953B2
A device receives first information about a wireless communication service within a venue. The device further receives, from one or more small cells within the venue, second information about traffic load of the one or more small cells. The device generates third information based on the first information and the second information. The third information assigns network resources to one or more services provided to mobile devices, within the venue, via the small cells. The device transmits the third information to configure the one or more small cells.
US08693951B2
A wireless audio frequency playing apparatus and a wireless playing system using the same are provided. The wireless playing system includes a wireless remote controller and the wireless audio frequency playing apparatus. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus is operated under control of the wireless remote controller. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus includes a digital broadcasting chip, an amplifier, and a speaker. Two-way communication is processed between the digital broadcasting chip and the wireless remote controller. A content of the digital radio broadcasting program includes audio, text, images, binary data or video. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus can play digital radio broadcasting program. The wireless audio frequency playing apparatus can independently process the digital audio broadcasting signal, and the wireless remote controller can control channel selection and a sound volume of the wireless audio frequency playing apparatus through a wireless manner.
US08693939B2
A disclosed fixing device includes a fixer application unit configured to apply a fixer containing a softener, capable of softening resin by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin, and water to resin particles formed on a recording medium such that the resin particles are fixed on the recording medium. The fixing unit may further include an anti-tack agent application unit configured to apply a liquid anti-tack agent immiscible with the softener to surfaces of the resin particles that are mixed with the softener by the application of the fixer containing the softener.
US08693936B2
A fixing device includes a heat pipe, a fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a coupling mechanism. The heat pipe is formed of a sheet of metal bent into a generally cylindrical configuration with a pair of opposed longitudinal edges thereof spaced apart from each other to define a longitudinal slot therebetween. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat pipe. The heater is disposed within the heat pipe to heat the heat pipe to conduct heat to the fuser belt. The fuser pad is accommodated in the longitudinal slot of the heat pipe inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is disposed parallel to the heat pipe with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The coupling mechanism includes a pair of first coupling portion and a pair of second coupling portions.
US08693924B2
A developer cartridge includes a developer container, an opening and a first projection. The developer container holds a developer. The opening, which is formed on the developer container, extends in a longitudinal direction of the developer container. The first projection is formed in the vicinity of the opening.
US08693923B2
A developing apparatus is provided in which, with reference to a middle position in a developer conveyance direction, an average friction coefficient between an inner wall of the developing chamber and the developer, is smaller at an upstream side than at a downstream side in the developer conveyance direction.
US08693921B2
A charging device includes a charging member that charges an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical image carrier; an electrode member that has the shape of a plate having a longitudinal direction in an axial direction of the image carrier and that is disposed above the charging member; an attachment member that has a curved surface which is curved along the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier, the electrode member being attached thereon; and a pushing member disposed between the electrode member and the image carrier, the pushing member pushing the electrode member toward the curved surface so that the electrode member is curved to follow the curved surface.
US08693918B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a door to cover an opening in a chassis, a fixing unit, a frame, a linear motion member to linearly move along with the door, a guiding member to guide the linear motion member to move linearly, a coupler assembly to couple the door with the linear motion member and move the linear motion member, and a manipulation member being movable according to movement of the linear motion member. The linear motion member includes a contact portion, with which the manipulation member comes in contact along an intersecting direction. The guiding member includes a slider plane to slidably support the linear motion member. The linear motion member is slidably supported by the slider plane of the guiding member at a surface which is on an opposite side from the surface having the contact portion.
US08693916B2
According to one embodiment, a stabilizer includes a jaw portion which contacts a bottom of an apparatus, a fastener to fasten the stabilizer to a lateral side of the apparatus, and a foot portion extending from the bottom of the apparatus toward far side and in obliquely downward.
US08693898B2
An adaptive equalizer includes a finite impulse response filter with a predetermined number of taps; and a tap coefficient adaptive controller having a register to hold tap coefficients for the filter, a weighted center calculator to calculate a weighted center of the tap coefficients, and a tap coefficient shifter to shift the tap coefficients based on a calculation result of the weighted center. During an initial training period, the tap coefficient shifter shifts the tap coefficients on a symbol data basis such that a difference between the calculated weighted center of the tap coefficients and a tap center defined by the number of taps is minimized.
US08693895B2
A signal transmission and reception device and method are provided. The transmission method comprises generating multiple optical carriers from a basic optical carrier; modulating optical carriers, except for a predetermined optical carrier, in the optical carriers by using multiple data signals respectively, to generate multiple optical modulated signals; and synthesizing the multiple optical modulated signals and the predetermined optical carrier into a single optical signal, and transmitting the signal. The reception method comprises separating an optical signal into multiple optical carriers, the optical carriers having different frequencies and including a predetermined optical carrier; generating from the predetermined optical carrier multiple optical waves, frequencies of which correspond to frequencies of optical carriers, except for the predetermined optical carrier, in the multiple optical carriers; and demodulating the optical carriers, except for the predetermined optical carrier, in the multiple optical carriers by using the multiple optical waves respectively.
US08693882B2
An electronic dispersion compensation module may perform one or more electronic dispersion compensation solutions. The electronic dispersion compensation module may include a solution control module. The solution control module may configure the electronic dispersion compensation module to perform an electronic dispersion compensation solution using data indicating a bit error rate. A bit error rate module may create the data indicating a bit error rate. The bit error rate module may form part of a clock and data recovery module. The electronic dispersion compensation module may be configured to receive a signal from a backplane and may also be configured to apply any of a plurality of electronic dispersion compensation solutions to the signal received from the backplane.
US08693877B2
Apparatuses and methods to detect and emit various infrared (IR) and ambient light signals using an integrated sensor and emitter device. Embodiments include a sensor to sense proximity, to sense IR data signals, and to sense ambient light; and an emitter of an IR proximity signal. The sensor detects the IR proximity signal from the emitter when the apparatus is sensing proximity, detects IR data signals when the apparatus is detecting IR data, and detects ambient light when the apparatus sensing light. The IR data signals may include IR remote control (IR RC) and/or IR data association (IRDA) signals. The signals may be detected simultaneously and may be in different frequency bands. According to embodiments, such an emitter may also emit an IR data signals, such as IR RC and/or IRDA signals. These signals may be emitted simultaneously and may be in different frequency bands.
US08693868B2
Methods and systems for implementing versatile optical terminals that detect optical transmission protocols and subsequently adapt to the correct protocol are disclosed. In an embodiment, an interface device for providing an interface for a first network with a passive optical network (PON) is disclosed. The interface device includes a protocol detection circuit for determining whether optical communication signals received from the PON conform to a first optical communication protocol, and a switchover control circuit that reconfigures the interface device to work with a second optical communication protocol when the received optical communication signals do not conform to the first optical communication protocol.
US08693851B2
Disclosed are a reproduction apparatus, a reproduction method, a recording apparatus, a recording method, a program and a data structure which can rapidly read a plurality of files from a recording medium at the same time. A reproduction apparatus 22 continuously reads interleaved data from a disc 21 which records a file of an ISO base media file format. The file includes interleaved data which is physically and continuously recorded on the disc 21 by dividing each data stream of files B and D into interleave units and by interleaving the interleave units, and position information which indicates, using the interleave unit as a chunk of the ISO base media file format, the position of the interleave unit which forms the chunk. Further, the reproduction apparatus 22 de-interleaves the interleaved data into the interleave units of each of the files B and D, on the basis of the position information.
US08693849B2
At least one trickplay source file is generated from original media content. Trickplay view files for rendering particular trickplay view rates are then generated from the trickplay source file.
US08693843B2
An information processing apparatus includes: accepting means for accepting user's input of specification of a remarkable scene during playback processing of a video content to be recorded on a recording medium or a video content already recorded on a recording medium; setting means for setting a scene corresponding to a timing of accepting the input of specification by the accepting means to a user's remarkable scene; acquiring means for acquiring additional information for generating a display indicating the remarkable scene contents; and display controlling means for controlling generation of the display indicating the remarkable scene contents on the basis of the additional information and display of a list screen including an arrangement of the display indicating the remarkable scene contents for each remarkable scene.
US08693837B2
An optical fiber including a surface including a non-covalent multilayer including a light-absorbing material can be used to develop fluorescence microscopy with a lateral resolution of about 5 nm and possibly lower. The non-covalent multilayer can be a highly absorptive thin film, for example a film based on J-aggregates, which can be used with conventional Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy.
US08693835B2
A method for transferring a thin layer from a lithium-based first substrate includes proton exchange between the first substrate and a first electrolyte, which is an acid, through a free face of the first substrate so as to replace lithium ions of the first substrate by protons, in a proportion between 10% and 80%, over a first depth e1. A reverse proton exchange between the first substrate and a second electrolyte, through the free face is carried out so as to replace substantially all the protons with lithium ions over a second depth e2 smaller than the first depth e1, and so as to leave an intermediate layer between the depths e1 and e2, in which intermediate layer protons incorporated during the proton exchange step remain. The depth e2 defines a thin layer between the free face and the intermediate layer. A heat treatment is carried out under conditions suitable for embrittling the intermediate layer and the thin film is separated from the first substrate at the intermediate layer.
US08693833B2
Provided is a manufacturing method for an optical fiber preform of which the core is doped with a rare earth element. The method includes: depositing glass particles within a silica tube by the modified chemical vapor deposition method, the glass particles mainly consisting of silicon dioxide; adding the rare earth element and aluminum to the glass particles within the silica tube by the solution doping method; heating the silica tube while flowing a phosphorous-containing gas into the silica tube to sinter the glass particles within the silica tube while adding the phosphorous; and heating and collapsing the silica tube to which the rare earth element, the aluminum, and the phosphorous are added.
US08693832B2
The present invention provides an optical fiber which can have a larger NA and a preferable mechanical strength even with a monolayer coating and can be fabricated at low cost, and which can transmit excitation light efficiently reducing a loss even under a high temperature environment during the operation of a fiber laser. An optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a core, a glass cladding which is provided at a periphery of the core and has a refractive index smaller than the core, and a polymer cladding which is provided at a periphery of the glass cladding and has a refractive index smaller than the glass cladding. The polymer cladding contains fluorine and the polymer cladding has a difference between an elasticity modulus at 60° C. and that at 23° C. equal to or smaller than 100 MPa and also has an elasticity modulus equal to or larger than 200 MPa at 23° C.
US08693830B2
The present invention relates to a data-center cable having good attenuation performance both at room temperature and during temperature cycling, as well as good resistance to compression.
US08693829B2
Disclosed is an extensible optical signal transmission cable having an extensity of 10% or more and an optical transmission loss of less than 20 dB/m when the cable is loosened. The cable comprises an elastic cylinder having the extensity of 10% or more and at least one optical fiber wound around the elastic cylinder. The optical fiber has a bending diameter (R) which is not smaller than the bending limit diameter (Re). The extensible optical signal transmission cable is compliant with shape deformation, can transmit an optical signal when the cable is extended or contracted, and can be used in repetitive extension and contraction.
US08693823B2
Taught is a photonic crystal three-port circulator, which comprises a dielectric background material and a plurality of first air columns which are symmetrically arranged in the form of triangular lattice in the dielectric background material. The photonic crystal three-port circulator also comprises a magneto-optical cavity and three waveguides, wherein the magneto-optical cavity is arranged at the center of the photonic crystal three-port circulator; the three waveguides are symmetrically distributed around the magneto-optical cavity; and each waveguide comprises a waveguide port which is arranged at the position in the waveguide far away from the magneto-optical cavity. The photonic crystal three-port circulator realizes circular light transmission in single rotational direction from any one of the waveguide ports to another next to it, has a simple and compact structure, and can be easily integrated with other photonic crystal devices.
US08693821B2
Bidirectional wavelength cross connects include a plurality of ports, each configured to receive an input optical signals, each input optical signal having a plurality of spectral bands. At least one of the plurality of ports is disposed to simultaneously transmit an output optical signal having at least one of the spectral bands. A plurality of wavelength routing elements are configured to selectively route input optical signal spectral bands to output optical signals.
US08693817B1
The present invention describes a microresonator that can be used as a 1:f variable coupler in a unit cell. It is described how a cascade of unit cells can be used to form a tunable, higher-order RF-filter with reconfigurable passbands. The disclosed filter structure can be utilized for the narrowband channelization of RF signals that have been modulated onto optical carriers. It is also disclosed how to utilize add/drop capabilities of the contemplated microdisks to confer connectivity and cascading in two dimensions. The present invention can conveniently provide a wavelength division multiplexing router, where an array of unit cells as provided herein can form a programmable optical switching matrix, through electronic programming of filter parameters.
US08693813B1
A magnetically actuated photonic crystal sensor is disclosed. An optical fiber comprises at least one photonic crystal means coupled to a first end thereof, and a magnetic material coupled to the at least one photonic crystal means.
US08693808B2
The present invention relates to a method for an automatic alignment of digital image layers, implemented in specific software on a computing device (e.g. a personal computer (1)) which drives an image scanner (3) and aligns the multiple scanned image layers (25) in such a way, that of these layers (25) one resulting image (10) will be created, which has—by a statistical calculus based on multiple sampling and averaging of these multiple scanned image layers (25)—a decreased random distributed noise spectrum compared to single scanned images (25) and by the automatic alignment avoids a decrease in sharpness using statistical comparison of the multiple layers (25), especially deviation and cost functions, aiming to compensate a misalignment (6), e.g. mechanical mismatches of the scanner's (3) scanning carriage, between multiple scans (25).
US08693801B2
Provided is an image processing device capable of performing appropriate noise reduction without causing blurring of edges and details of the image. The image processing device: specifies, on a normal distribution representing a noise model of the image, a reference range having a value of a target pixel as a median; computes, with respect to a local region that is an image region containing the target pixel, the number of pixels having a value falling within a first sub-range of the reference range and the number of pixels having a value falling within a second sub-range of the reference range, the first sub-range corresponding to larger values than the median and the second sub-range corresponding to smaller values than the median; corrects one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range so that one of the sub-ranges in which a fewer number of pixels are distributed than in the other sub-range is narrower relative to the other sub-range; determines a selection range that is composed of the one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range as corrected and the other one of the first sub-range and the second sub-range as is; and performs noise reduction on an image region subjected to noise reduction and at least containing the local region by using values falling within the selection range from among the values of the respective pixels contained in the target region.
US08693799B2
There is provided an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a first image processing unit configured to perform image processing affecting a high frequency component used to generate a detail component of an image. The image processing apparatus includes a detail component generating unit configured to generate the detail component, which is emphasized, using an output of the first image processing unit. The image processing apparatus includes an emphasis unit configured to emphasize detail of the image by combining the emphasized detail component generated by the detail component generating unit with the image.
US08693797B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, distorting a seed image to generate first and second images where the distortions cause the first and second images to have a potential false tie according to a target quality estimator and generating a third image from the first and second images where the third image is generated based on a proxy quality estimator so that the third image has a potential false ordering according to the target quality estimator. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08693793B2
A method for reducing signal overhead on an electronic device is described. The method includes obtaining a picture. The method also includes encoding the picture. The method further includes indicating a reference picture set (RPS) corresponding to the picture based on an initialized index value. The method additionally includes sending a bitstream.
US08693790B2
Disclosed are a form template definition method and a form template definition apparatus. The form template definition method comprises a cell extraction step of analyzing an image of a form so as to extract one or more cells from the image of the form; a cell classification step of classifying the extracted cells; and a cell attribute definition step of defining attributes of the extracted cells class by class. If an attribute of a first cell in one class is defined, then other cells in the class automatically copy the attribute of the first cell. As a result, the work amount of form template definition may be dramatically reduced by employing the form template definition method and form template definition apparatus.
US08693787B2
A method and system for generating data in a mobile device is provided. The method includes, outputting an image, stored in the mobile device, to an external screen, capturing the external screen on which the image is being displayed and creating a captured image, comparing the output image with the captured image and extracting an added image from the captured image, and creating data from the extracted image. When the mobile device user writes or draws on an external screen on which the mobile device outputs an image, the mobile device can capture the external screen, create data from the user's input content and store them in the storage unit.
US08693786B2
Provided is a marker judgment device which has a feature storage means and a feature comparison means. The feature storage means disposes feature points extracted from an image in a predetermined space, sets parts in which the number of feature points in the predetermined space is equal to or less than a predetermined number as singular features, and stores the singular features and feature points extracted from an existing mark. The feature comparison means disposes the feature points extracted from the existing mark in the predetermined space, and judges that the existing mark is capable of being used as a marker which is detectable from the image, when the number of feature points that coincide with the singular features is equal to or more than a predetermined number.
US08693781B2
Provided is a marker generation device which has a feature comparison means and a marker pattern generation means. The feature comparison means disposes feature points extracted from an image in a predetermined space, sets parts in which the number of feature points in the predetermined space is equal to or less than a predetermined number as singular features, disposes feature points extracted from an identifier in the predetermined space, and counts the number of feature points that coincide with the singular features. The marker pattern generation means converts the structure of the identifier and extracts the feature points from the converted identifier. The feature comparison means disposes the feature points extracted from the converted identifier in the predetermined space, counts the number of feature points that coincide with the singular features, and selects, as a marker for detection, an identifier having the most counts from among identifiers before conversion and one or two or more identifiers that have been converted.
US08693758B2
An imaging method for enhanced visualization of vessels in an examination region of a patient, in particular during an intervention, is proposed. A 3D reconstruction image of the examination region is generated using a preoperatively recorded 3D image dataset of the examination region. At least one current 2D fluorescence image of the examination region is recorded by a fluorescence angiography. The vessels are identified. The 3D image dataset with the image dataset of the 2D fluorescence or ultrasound image is registered based on the result of the identification. The 3D reconstruction image and the 2D image are overplayed. The overlaid images are 3D played back.
US08693757B2
A method is disclosed for the automatic contrast medium phase classification of at least one image data record, of the interior of an examination object, generated by way of an imaging system. In at least one embodiment of the method, firstly at least one image data record of the examination object is acquired and metadata associated with the image data record are determined, the metadata including at least one of body region data containing information about a body region of the examination object that is covered by the image data record, and/or measurement time data containing information about a measurement time of the image data record and/or high contrast data containing information about highly contrasty image areas in the image data record. The assignment of the image data record to a contrast medium phase is effected, in at least one embodiment, in a manner dependent on the metadata. Furthermore, a description is given of a corresponding image data record classification device and an imaging system including such an image data record classification device.
US08693756B2
Apparatus and methods are described for imaging a portion of a body of a subject that undergoes a motion cycle. A plurality of image frames of the portion are acquired. The image frames are enhanced with respect to a first given feature of the image frames, by (a) image tracking the image frames with respect to the first given feature, (b) identifying a second given feature in each of the image frames, and (c) in response to the identifying, reducing visibility of the second given feature in the image frames. The image frames that (a) have been image tracked with respect to the first given feature, and (b) have had reduced therein the visibility of the second given feature, are displayed as a stream of image frames. Other embodiments are also described.
US08693751B2
The present invention provides a complete artificial intelligence system for the acquisition and analysis of nucleic acid array hybridization information. The system includes a central data processing facility and one or more user facilities, linked by encrypted connections. Each user facility may include an optical scanning system to collect hybridization signals from a nucleic acid array, an image processing system to convert the optical data into a set of hybridization parameters, a connection to a data network, and a user interface to display, manipulate, search, and analyze hybridization information. This system reads data from a nucleic acid microarray, analyzes test results, evaluates patient risk for various ailments, and recommends methods of treatment. The automated artificial intelligence system is a real time, dynamic decision making tool that can be used in conjunction with a clinical analysis system, and with the information obtained in a research and development environment.
US08693741B2
In a method and apparatus for analyzing medical imaging data of a subject from an imaging modality using a tracer, data from detection of tracer emission events at least one region of a scanned imaging volume are obtained, and the data processed to establish sub-periods or time points within a scan period for the emission events. A rate of change of emission events per unit time for a given region is then calculated, for example by obtaining a number of emission events in each sub-period in the given region, and fitting a line through the values for the sub-periods.
US08693737B1
Systems and methods for biometrically identifying an individual for purchasing a product and/or service without a need for the individual to input authentication data into a system/device are described. Data representative of a scanned iris of a customer desiring to make a purchase may be made. The customer may be identified based upon the scanned iris. A determination may be made as to whether the identified customer has a plurality of accounts at a financial entity. Information of a selected account to make the purchase may be received. Sufficient funds in the selected account to make the purchase may be determined. If insufficient, a different account may be identified to make the purchase. Sufficient funds in the different accounts may be determined and funds in the different accounts may be decreased by the associated payment amount.
US08693736B2
A fingerprint motion tracking method and system is provided for sensing features of a fingerprint along an axis of finger motion, where a linear sensor array has a plurality of substantially contiguous sensing elements configured to capture substantially contiguous overlapping segments of image data. A processing element is configured to receive segments of image data captured by the linear sensor array and to generate fingerprint motion data. Multiple sensor arrays may be included for generating directional data. The motion tracking data may be used in conjunction with a fingerprint image sensor to reconstruct a fingerprint image using the motion data either alone or together with the directional data.
US08693735B2
A non-contact sensing system for measuring and analyzing an object's position, motion, and/or resonance utilizes optical capturing of image features, data extraction, and signal processing to determine changes in the object's motion or position according to changes in signals, which are associated with the excitation of photons due to the object's motion.
US08693733B1
Systems and methods to determine a demographic attribute of a likely occupant of a passing vehicle based on a license plate number of the vehicle are presented. A demographic attribute associated with a likely occupant of a passing vehicle is determined based on a license plate number identified with the vehicle. In response, media content targeted to the likely occupant of the passing vehicle is selected based on the demographic attribute. In some embodiments, the selected media content is presented within view of the occupant of the vehicle. In another aspect, a demographic profile of likely occupants of vehicles passing a particular location over a period of time is based on License Plate Recognition (LPR) information gathered at that location. Media content is selected for presentation based on the identified demographic profile.
US08693727B2
An image processing device and an image processing method thereof. The image processing device comprises a memory module, an object detection module and a processing module. The memory module is provided for storing a plurality of images captured by a camera module, and the image comprises at least one object. The object detection module retrieves one of the images as a reference image and compares the remaining images with the reference image to locate a region where the object with corresponding contour and color is situated. If the object detection module compares and determines that the object with the corresponding contour and color is situated in different regions of the reference image and the remaining images, the processing module will remove the corresponding object in the reference image or superimpose each corresponding object in the reference image simultaneously.
US08693719B2
A hearing aid kit includes a standard fit, completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid and a hearing aid tool set. The CIC hearing aid is for extended use and includes a core module inserted into a sleeve. The core module and the sleeve each include various features providing for a minimum overall size, ease of insertion, removal, and cleaning, and enhanced sound transmission. The tool set is configured to be stored and carried in a single piece and provides for adjustment and cleaning of the CIC hearing aid. Open ear fits and occlusive ear fits are possible using different sleeves.
US08693716B1
A hearing device includes: a microphone for converting audio into an audio signal; a preprocessing unit for analog processing of the audio signal and having an input and an output, wherein the input is connected to an output of the microphone; an A/D converter for converting the processed analog audio signal into a digital audio signal, the A/D converter having an input and an output, wherein the input of the A/D converter is connected to the output of the preprocessing unit; and a processing unit for digital processing of an output from the A/D converter, wherein the processing unit is connected to the preprocessing unit, and is configured to apply a first transfer function to the audio signal in a first mode of operation, or a second transfer function with a cutoff frequency to the audio signal in a second mode of operation, depending on a control signal.
US08693715B2
A system for providing hearing assistance to at least one user, having: at least one audio signal source (16, 20) for providing audio signals; a transmission unit (10) for wireless transmission of audio signals; at least one receiver unit (12, 14) for wireless reception of audio signals from the transmission unit; a device (42, 82) for stimulating the hearing of the user according to audio signals supplied from the at least one receiver unit. The transmission unit has both an analog transmitter (26) for applying an analog modulation scheme and a digital transmitter (28) for applying a digital modulation scheme in order to transmit the audio signals from the audio signal source (16, 20) simultaneously via an analog audio link (34) and a digital audio link (40).
US08693713B2
The disclosed architecture employs signal processing techniques to provide audio perception only, or audio perception that matches the visual perception. This also provides spatial audio reproduction for multiparty teleconferencing such that the teleconferencing participants perceive themselves as if they were sitting in the same room. The solution is based on the premise that people perceive sounds as a reconstructed wavefront, and hence, the wavefronts are used to provide the spatial perceptual cues. The differences between the spatial perceptual cues derived from the reconstructed wavefront of sound waves and the ideal wavefront of sound waves form an objective metric for spatial perceptual quality, and provide the means of evaluating the overall system performance. Additionally, compensation filters are employed to improve the spatial perceptual quality of stereophonic systems by optimizing the objective metrics.
US08693712B2
The present invention provides a condenser microphone. In one embodiment, the condenser microphone comprises: a frame of the microphone formed of a circuit board substrate and a casing, and an amplifier device, an elastic holding component and capacitance components provided inside the microphone. One or more sound holes are provided on the circuit board substrate or the casing. The capacitance components are provided on the side with the sound holes. The amplifier device is provided on the side opposite to the side with the sound holes. The elastic holding component is provided on the side with the amplifier device or on the side with the capacitance components. The amplifier device and the capacitance components are both electrically connected to the circuit board substrate; and one or more auxiliary supporting parts are provided on the elastic holding component with the vertical height thereof being greater than that of the amplifier device and less than the distance between the capacitance components and the opposite inner wall of the microphone. When the microphone according to the present invention is sharply accelerated or under an impact, a collision between the amplifier device and the backplate caused by excessive deformation of the elastic holding component and a reduction in the resilience of the elastic holding component can be prevented with the help of the auxiliary supporting parts.
US08693698B2
Techniques to reduce distortion in acoustic signals in mobile computing devices are described. For example, a mobile computing device may comprise a speaker operative to receive a first signal and output a second signal. The mobile computing device may further comprise a first microphone operative to receive the second signal and a second microphone operative to receive a third signal. An echo canceller may be coupled to the first microphone and the second microphone and may be operative to compare the second signal and the third signal and reduce distortion in the third signal based on the comparison. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08693676B2
An apparatus comprising a first line driver, a second line driver, a charge pump, and a control logic circuit coupled to the first line driver and the second line driver and configured to disable the charge pump when both a first control signal associated with the first line driver and a second control signal associated with the second line driver indicate a charge pump disable state. A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a first control signal and a second control signal, disabling a charge pump when both the first control signal and the second control signal indicate a charge pump disable state, and operating the charge pump to boost a voltage when the first control signal, the second control signal, or both indicate a charge pump active state.
US08693674B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for utilizing agent availability by an outdial application are provided. A routine may be periodically run by an outdial server that evaluates agent availability in a call center backend. If any agents are available, the routine may schedule a pre-defined number of calls per available agent. A number of phone numbers corresponding to the number of scheduled calls may then be fetched by the routine from a phone number database. Once calls are initiated by the outdial server, the routine again checks if any agents are available. In the event that an agent is available, a scheduled phone number is retrieved, and a call is placed thereto and connected with an available agent. After a successful call connection is made, the outdial application may again check the agent availability. If no agent is available, the outdial application may reschedule itself.
US08693673B2
Methods and systems implemented in an information handling system are provided for managing call event data between agents and callers for calls completed through a carrier. Functionality provided by certain embodiments includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following features: the ability to automatically update customer information databases according to call event data in real-time, dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) activity of the caller and/or agent, do-not-call (DNC) verification and updating, agent identification, lead source and content identification, the recording of calls, the automatic translation of voice communications to textual transcripts, key word detection, communication of customer demographic data to an agent before or during phone calls, audio file management, agent call tracking, and other functions and advantages as will be apparent with the benefit of this disclosure. Methods and systems are also included for data associated with managing broadcast campaigns.
US08693670B2
A method and apparatus are provided for synchronizing changes from a plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors to an electronic workforce management server. The method includes the steps of determining a type of data received from each of the dissimilar automatic contact distributors and identifying a data criteria for the determined type of data. The method further includes the steps of detecting a difference between the data criteria and data, identifying a correction for the detected difference, reformatting the data based upon the identified correction and saving the reformatted data in a database of the electronic workforce management server.
US08693662B2
A method of providing a ringback tone to a calling party. The method includes receiving a call directed to a subscriber from the calling party. At least one of an adaptive ringback tone and an actionable ringback tone is provided to the calling party. The adaptive ringback tone is based on state data.
US08693661B2
What is addressed is the problem of dialing telephone numbers stored in the memory of a telephonic device at inopportune and/or inappropriate times for the contacts in question. A telephonic device's database may incorporate means for flagging selected contacts or contact phone numbers for calling-confirmation step(s) to prompt the user to ensure that an outgoing call is appropriate. Alternatively, a contact's local time and/or local time zone may be displayed when browsing a contacts list and/or upon call-initiation to the contact. The proposed solutions encompass communication devices that use buttons, switches, dials, wheels, joysticks, track sticks, trackballs, keypads, keyboards, touchpads, touch screens, voice-recognition commands, biometric-authentication devices, other input technology, or any combination thereof, and wired and wireless communication device accessories. Additionally, the proposed solutions can incorporate various contact-location technologies in order to facilitate automated determination of the current local time and/or time zone and/or vacation status for a contact.
US08693658B2
A method for controlled display on a telephone, the method constituted of: downloading a display portion from a first network to the telephone; detecting a call instance; displaying on the telephone the downloaded display portion responsive to the detected call instance; in the event the data communication module is in communication with the first network, requesting, via the data communication module, a new display portion from the first network; and in the event the data communication module is not in communication with the first network, creating a time stamp and storing the time stamp on a memory of the telephone.
US08693643B2
Apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media for integrating visual voicemail within a threaded communication environment are presented herein. A method can include: displaying, via an interface, a thread of messaging content; receiving a visual voicemail; and integrating a display of the visual voicemail within the thread of messaging content. The method can further include generating sound based on a communication included in the visual voicemail, in response to receiving an input via the interface. Further, the method can include integrating the display of the visual voicemail within a multi-modal conversation thread. Furthermore, the thread of messaging can be included in an instant messaging window including SMS and/or MMS messages. Moreover, the display of the visual voicemail can be embedded within a social media based interface. The method can further include receiving a transcription of the visual voicemail; and displaying the transcription within the thread of messaging content.
US08693642B2
Techniques are provided for handling of an emergency call as it affects an authentication procedure in a communication network. For example, it is assumed that, in a communication network, a first computing device comprises user equipment and a second computing device comprises an authentication function. Thus, a method comprises the following steps. A first type call indicator message is received at the second computing device from the first computing device. A decision is made to proceed with or drop an authentication procedure for the first computing device at the second computing device based on the first type call indicator message. The second computing device may enable a first type call to be placed for the first computing device. The first type call may be an emergency call.
US08693639B2
A training system is disclosed. The training system includes a server. The server includes a processor, data storage, a data input/output interface, and a voice interface. The data input/output interface is configured to provide a web-based interface to a data terminal and to receive, from the data terminal and via the web-based interface, both an identifier identifying at least one voice terminal and at least one response. The voice interface is configured to transmit at least one audio test signal corresponding to at least one audio test to the at least one voice terminal. The response is a response to the at least one audio test. In one embodiment, the voice terminal and the data terminal are combined in a single device.
US08693638B2
An X-ray tube system comprising: at least one filament adapted to produce two electron beams when electrified; at least two anodes spaced from each other along a first direction that each comprises a face that receives an electron beams from the at least one filament at a focal point and produces x-ray cone beams responsive thereto, the x-ray beams being directed in a same direction perpendicular to the first direction; a collimator that collimates the cone beams such that the beams are asymmetric, with the side of each beam distal from the other beam having a smaller beam angle than the side proximal to the other beam.
US08693637B2
An apparatus for generating X-ray may include: a plasma chamber; a magnet unit for applying a magnetic field to the plasma chamber, the magnet unit configured to allow the control of the magnitude of the minimum magnetic field in the plasma chamber without change in structure; a microwave generator for applying microwaves to the plasma chamber; a reaction gas injected into the plasma chamber for generating X-ray through electron cyclotron resonance by the magnetic field and the microwaves; a variable guide for focusing the generated X-ray; and a variable extractor for outputting the focused X-ray from the plasma chamber.
US08693629B2
A computerized method and system for determining an optimum amount of Internal Radionuclide Therapy (IRT) and External Radiation Therapy (XRT) to administer, comprising: obtaining activity image information for an imaged object from a detector; running a Monte Carlo simulation for the activity image information to obtain absorbed dose-rate image information at multiple times; adding the absorbed dose-rate image information from each time to obtain IRT total absorbed dose image information; and utilizing the IRT total dose image information to obtain total dose image information that is equivalent to XRT dose image information in terms of dose-rate, wherein the IRT dose information is converted to equivalent XRT dose information without having to generate BED dose maps.
US08693627B2
In an embodiment, an X-ray detector has a transmissive fluorescence generating portion, and a reflective fluorescence generating portion. The transmissive and reflective fluorescence generating portions have at least one of an intensifying screen having a phosphor layer that contains praseodymium-activated gadolinium oxysulfide phosphor particles in which a ratio of particles having a particle diameter falling in ±30% of a center particle diameter is 45% by volume or more and their filling rate is 60% by volume or more, and an intensifying screen having a phosphor layer that contains europium-activated barium fluorochloride phosphor particles in which a ratio of particles having a particle diameter falling in ±30% of a center particle diameter is 45% by volume or more and their filling rate is 45% by volume or more.
US08693623B2
The present invention relates to medical radiography, in which individual images of an object are taken at different projection angles and a 3D image subsequently synthesized from this image information. The object to be imaged is arranged locked in an object positioning means and during the imaging process, the x-ray source is continuously moved with respect to location of the object. During the continuous movement of the x-ray source there are irradiation periods and non-irradiation periods and during an irradiation period, the object positioning means is moved as synchronized with the movement of the x-ray source so as to follow the movement of the x-ray source.
US08693621B2
A medical imaging system includes a generally stationary gantry (102) and a rotating gantry (106), rotatably supported by the generally stationary gantry (102), that rotates about a longitudinal axis around an examination region. The medical imaging system further includes a radiation source (112) that emits a radiation beam that traverses the examination region. The radiation source (112) is moveably affixed to the rotating gantry (106) so as to translate in a direction of the longitudinal axis with respect to the rotating gantry (106) while scanning a subject in the examination region. The medical imaging system further includes a detector array (120) that detects the radiation beam that traverses the examination region and generates a signal indicative thereof. The detector array (120) is moveably affixed to the rotating gantry (106) so as to move in coordination with the radiation source (112) while scanning the subject in the examination region.
US08693620B2
According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray tube, X-ray detector, acquisition unit, rotating mechanism, input unit, and control unit. The input unit repeatedly inputs trigger signals originating from a specific phase of a periodic motion of a body of a subject or a periodic motion of an organ of the subject. The trigger signals being supplied from a measuring device which measures the periodic motion. The control unit causes the X-ray tube to start generating X-rays on the basis of the input of a first trigger signal of the repeatedly input trigger signals, and causes the X-ray tube to stop generating X-rays on the basis of the input of a second trigger signal next to the first trigger signal in order to repeatedly scan the subject over substantially one period of the movement while a scan position is fixed.
US08693617B2
An object is to provide a pulse signal output circuit capable of operating stably and a shift register including the pulse signal output circuit. A pulse signal output circuit according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention includes first to tenth transistors. The ratio W/L of the channel width W to the channel length L of the first transistor and W/L of the third transistor are each larger than W/L of the sixth transistor. W/L of the fifth transistor is larger than W/L of the sixth transistor. W/L of the fifth transistor is equal to W/L of the seventh transistor. W/L of the third transistor is larger than W/L of the fourth transistor. With such a structure, a pulse signal output circuit capable of operating stably and a shift register including the pulse signal output circuit can be provided.
US08693616B1
An IC that performs integer and fractional divisions is disclosed. The IC comprises a plurality of shift registers that forms a shift register ring. Consecutive shift registers are coupled to each other through a multiplexer. The IC also includes a multiplexer controller that determines the shift registers to be activated within the shift register ring. The multiplexer controller determines the activation based upon a divisional factor. The IC also includes a pattern controller that generates the control signal to program the shift register.
US08693609B2
Highly radioactive material is permanently disposed of by first forming a borehole by a metal fusion drilling method with a metal lining from a casting continuously formed from a metal melt and then depositing the highly radioactive material for final storage in a lower area of the lined borehole. This lining is melted locally immediately above this lower area after deposition of the material to separate the lower area holding the material from the rest of the lining and permit this lower area and the material held therein to migrate automatically downward toward the center of the earth. To promote this downward migration, the wall thickness of the metallic lining of the lower borehole region has a wall thickness that increases from the top downward and on the lower area is formed with a downwardly directed conical tip.
US08693606B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for code acquisition. The present invention performs variable delay correlation to obtain the peak correlation result which is immune to carrier frequency offset and Doppler. The present invention makes use of a mapping parameter which is immune to sampling frequency offset. In particular, the present invention is applicable to the DTMB standard.
US08693597B2
Methods, devices and systems for sensor-based wireless communication systems using compressive sampling are provided. In one embodiment, the method for sampling signals comprises receiving, over a wireless channel, a user equipment transmission based on an S-sparse combination of a set of vectors; down converting and discretizing the received transmission to create a discretized signal; correlating the discretized signal with a set of sense waveforms to create a set of samples, wherein a total number of samples in the set is equal to a total number of sense waveforms in the set, wherein the set of sense waveforms does not match the set of vectors, and wherein the total number of sense waveforms in the set of sense waveforms is fewer than a total number of vectors in the set of vectors; and transmitting at least one sample of the set of samples to a remote central processor.
US08693580B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting grid events. In one aspect, a method includes receiving signal characteristic data that specify signal characteristic values for signals that are received over each of a plurality of communications channels of a power line communications network. A determination is made that the signal characteristic values for the signals that are received over at least one of the communications channels are outside of a baseline signal value range. An endpoint that communicates over the at least one communications channel is identified, and a determination is made that a set of the signal characteristic values for the identified endpoint matches one of a plurality a grid event signatures for the identified endpoint. Data that identify the endpoint and a particular grid event that is represented by the matched grid event signature are provided.
US08693572B2
The method for transmitting a signal of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing type according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a configuration allowing a radio unit (RU) to perform a component adding a compression component and a decompression component before/after a serial interface interlocking between a digital unit (DU) and the radio unit (RU) and a component inserting a cyclic prefix (CP) into a signal so as to secure orthogonality of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal, in a structure in which a base station is physically divided into the DU and the RU.
US08693571B2
The present invention provides an advantageous transmitter apparatus and associated method, for generating a Single-Carrier Discrete Cosine Transform (SC-DCT) OFDM signal for transmission. These transmit-side innovations include circuit configuration and signal processing methods for mapping Ku “input subcarriers” to N “output subcarriers,” where the “output subcarriers” are some or all of the subcarriers defined for the SC-DCT OFDM signal. In one or more embodiments, Ku is less than N, and the mapping is based on advantageous DCT/IDCT precoding. The present invention additionally or alternatively includes advantageous frequency-selective mapping, and further provides a corresponding receiver apparatus and associated method, for receiving and de-mapping the SC-DCT OFDM signals contemplated herein.
US08693569B2
Methods and apparatus for dynamically compensating for the effects of interference between multiple wireless communications apparatus. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a first wireless communication apparatus operating in a first band and a second wireless communication apparatus operating in the same first band (or proximate to the first band and with a comparatively high transmitter power), where the second wireless communication apparatus operates according to a different communication protocol than the first wireless communication apparatus and further change in physical configuration with respect to one another. Based on the physical configuration, interference is compensated for between the first wireless communication apparatus and the second wireless communication apparatus “on the fly” by selecting and operating according to one of a plurality of operational protocols.
US08693568B2
The invention relates to a method for channel estimation using a dedicated pilot signal in an OFDM-based communication system with multi-antenna transmission techniques. The receiver estimates the statistical characteristics of a virtual channel generated by beamforming by exploiting the statistical characteristics of common pilot channel, determines the optimum dedicated pilot pattern, and estimates the channel from dedicated pilot signal transmitted in an optimum pattern by means of AMMSE interpolation. The invention minimizes the channel estimation error by exploiting the statistical characteristics of the virtual channel, and optimally determines the dedicated pilot pattern according to the operation environment to maximize the transmission performance in terms of the pilot signaling overhead and the channel estimation error. In particular, the invention is very effective in low signal-to-interference plus noise power ratio (SINR) operation environments.
US08693560B2
In a transmission apparatus which multicarrier-modulates and transmits symbols, which are basic units of digital signals, a subcarrier in which a symbol is arranged in a first multicarrier symbol having a first guard interval and a subcarrier in which a symbol is arranged in a second multicarrier symbol having a second guard interval longer than the first guard interval are scattered among a plurality of subcarriers constituting a multicarrier at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to improve the resistance to inter-symbol interference without substantially degrading transmission efficiency.
US08693559B2
A method and a system for communication are presented. In one example embodiment, the method includes the step of receiving a first frame of a communication signal. The first frame includes a first plurality of constituents. One or more constituents of the first plurality of constituents of the first frame form a symbol of the first frame. The method includes the step obtaining a second frame. The second frame includes the first plurality of constituents. One or more constituents of the first plurality of constituents of the second frame form a symbol of the second frame. The symbols of the second frame are obtained by creating redundancies of the constituents of the first plurality of one or more symbols of the first frame. The first frame includes a second plurality of constituents. One or more constituents of the second plurality of the first frame form a preamble field of the first frame. The step of obtaining includes the step of creating redundancies of one or more constituents of the second plurality of constituents at the beginning and/or at boundary(ies) of one or more symbols of the second frame.
US08693553B2
An apparatus for adaptive synchronized decoding of digital video may include a processor. The processor may be configured to maintain a next key frame timestamp, decode a plurality of key frames of a video clip, decode a plurality of non-key frames of a video clip which arrive on time, and drop one or more non-key frames until the next key frame if a video frame arrives late and the next key frame is within a calculated drop time window based at least in part on the next key frame timestamp. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08693549B2
Provided are an enhanced inter-layer reference picture designating method and apparatus and an enhanced inter-layer reference picture recovering method and apparatus capable of increasing coding efficiency by allowing different blocks in an upper spatial layer picture of a current to-be-decoded or to-be-encoded picture to refer to blocks in different lower spatial layer pictures.
US08693544B2
Provided are fast motion estimation based on adaptive search range and partial matching error. A block dividing unit divides an original block which is set in a first image frame among successive image frames and candidate blocks into a plurality of operation units comprising the same number of pixels, respectively. A matching error calculating unit calculates a partial matching error. A matching error comparing unit replaces an optimal candidate block with a selected candidate block, when a total sum of partial matching errors calculated on all operation units of the candidate block is less than a minimum matching error being the total sum of partial matching errors calculated on all operation units of the optimal candidate block, and a maximum value of the partial matching errors calculated on all the operation units of the selected candidate block is less than a maximum matching error being a maximum value of the partial matching errors calculated on all the operation units of the optimal candidate block.
US08693543B2
Inter-frame prediction coding method, device and system are provided. The inter-frame prediction coding method includes: calculating distortions between a template area of current encoding block and each of M matching templates in L reference frames, to determine M offset vectors; acquiring M hypothesis prediction values of the encoding block to which the M matching templates correspond according to the determined M offset vectors, and calculating the template matching prediction value of the current encoding block according to the M hypothesis prediction values; comparing the template matching prediction value and original value of the current encoding block to acquire the residual of the current encoding block, and encoding the residual. The technical solution improves prediction performance of the video coding system and increases coding efficiency.
US08693536B2
Disclosed is a server apparatus including a conversion unit which, in case another terminal takes part anew in a group of terminals, during a time of transmitting the copied stream or packet, converts a video frame to a non-predictive frame and transmits the non-predictive frame and transmits a video signal following the non-predictive frame, as it is.
US08693525B2
A multi-carrier transmitter capable of transmitting on one or multiple frequency channels simultaneously is described. In one design, the multi-carrier transmitter includes at least one processor and a single radio frequency (RF) transmit chain. The processor(s) may generate output chips for each of multiple frequency channels, digitally filter and upsample the output chips for each frequency channel to obtain filtered samples, and digitally upconvert the filtered samples for each frequency channel to a different frequency to obtain upconverted samples. The processor(s) may then combine the upconverted samples for the multiple frequency channels to obtain composite samples, perform pre-distortion on the composite samples for I/Q mismatch compensation, and upsample the pre-distorted samples to obtain output samples. The output samples may be converted to an analog signal with a wideband DAC. The RF transmit chain may process the analog signal to generate an RF output signal.
US08693523B2
Filtering and modulating a first rate data signal into a Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and a second rate data signal into a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) modulated signal and selecting between the transmission of the CDMA and TDMA modulated signals. A method for nonlinearly and linearly amplifying TDMA and CDMA signals. A diversity receiver and demodulator method for receiving and demodulating transmitted modulated signals. Processing, transmit baseband filtering and modulating signals for providing cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase Gaussian filtered Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) and other cross-correlated modulated signals and spread spectrum Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulated signals. Transmit processing and filtering for providing time division multiplexed (TDM) Gaussian filtered baseband signal and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband modulated signal to a cellular network and to separate wireless network.
US08693521B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for acquisition of a received spread spectrum signal transmitted over a wired or wireless medium.
US08693515B2
Provided is a group-III nitride semiconductor laser device with a laser cavity allowing for a low threshold current, on a semipolar surface of a support base in which the c-axis of a hexagonal group-III nitride is tilted toward the m-axis. First and second fractured faces 27, 29 to form the laser cavity intersect with an m-n plane. The group-III nitride semiconductor laser device 11 has a laser waveguide extending in a direction of an intersecting line between the m-n plane and the semipolar surface 17a. For this reason, it is feasible to make use of emission by a band transition enabling the low threshold current. In a laser structure 13, a first surface 13a is opposite to a second surface 13b. The first and second fractured faces 27, 29 extend from an edge 13c of the first surface 13a to an edge 13d of the second surface 13b. The fractured faces are not formed by dry etching and are different from conventionally-employed cleaved facets such as c-planes, m-planes, or a-planes.
US08693509B2
Loss modulated silicon evanescent lasers are disclosed. A loss-modulated semiconductor laser device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure resident on a first substrate, the SOI structure comprising a waveguide in a semiconductor layer of the SOI structure, and a semiconductor structure bonded to the semiconductor layer of the SOI structure, wherein at least one region in the semiconductor layer of the SOI structure controls a photon lifetime in the semiconductor laser device.
US08693504B2
Customizable, multimedia messaging over a subscriber television system utilizing a service independent framework is provided. A multimedia messaging (MMM) server is generally located at a headend of a cable or satellite system, and an MMM client at a communications terminal located remotely with respect to the MMM server. A service provider or operator defines a message configuration to present the message content to subscribers. The message configuration includes parameters that control the presentation of the message content. The MMM server receives an MMM request from a service application, and generates an MMM request which is sent to the communications terminal, particularly, to the MMM client. The MMM client processes the MMM request, including retrieving message content and/or message configuration. The MMM client presents the message to the subscriber. Since the MMM server and MMM client are platform independent, different services may send uniquely generated and designed messages for presentation.
US08693502B2
The present invention discloses a method, system and terminal for accessing a Packet Data Serving Node. Said method comprises: directly accessing a service server to register through a WIFI module; receiving returned parameter information; carrying out PPP encapsulation for request information for establishing the PPP link to generate a first data packet; encapsulating said first data packet with one layer of TUNNEL header to generate a second data packet; encapsulating said second data packet with one layer of IP header based on a WIFI link to generate a third data packet and sending said third data packet to a WAG through a WIFI link; said third data packet being used for analyzing and dropping the IP header and TUNNEL header of said third data packet to recover the first data packet after being received by WAG, and recovered first data packet is analyzed by PDSN to establish a link connection.
US08693501B2
A method for data encoding and associated decoding is based on the concept of batches that allows transmission of a large data file from a source node to multiple destination nodes through communication networks that may employ network coding wherein sparse matrix codes are employed in a network setting. A batch is a set of packets generated by a subset of the input packets using sparse matrix encoder. A sparse matrix encoder can be called repeatedly to generate multiple batches. The batches are generally independent of one another. During the transmission in a communication network, network coding can be applied to packets belonging to the same batch to improve the multicast throughput. A decoder recovers all or at least a fixed fraction of the input packets using received batches. The input packets can be pre-coded using a pre-code before applying sparse matrix codes. The data file can then be reconstructed by further decoding the pre-code.
US08693498B2
The WiFi apparatus for wireless Internet includes: a signal inputting unit including a plurality of input ports for inputting a plurality of mobile communication signals, respectively, and an input port for inputting an Ethernet signal; a signal converting unit for converting the inputted Ethernet signal into a plurality of WiFi signals; a signal coupling unit for coupling the plurality of inputted mobile communication signals to the plurality of WiFi signals converted by the signal converting unit, respectively; a signal outputting unit for outputting a plurality of coupled signals coupled by the signal coupling unit through a plurality of output ports, respectively; and a coupler for allowing each of signals outputted from the signal outputting unit to be split with different phase differences and to be outputted.
US08693494B2
A system for mobile device poll creation and conductance disclosed. A poll is created using poll creation software on a mobile device, personal computer or a web-based application. A polling server then validates the poll and publishes the poll to one or more mobile devices. The users of the one or mobile devices may then respond to the poll via their mobile device, a personal computer, or a web-based application. The results are sent to the polling server and are processed. The results of the poll are then published to the poll creator and the poll participants.
US08693474B2
A receiving method for multi-cast packets includes the steps of creating a plurality of buffer partitions in a memory; for writing the received multi-cast packets that belong to a same data block into the same buffer partition in sequence; decompressing and combining all the multi-cast packets in the completely received buffer partition into the data block that the multi-cast packets belong to, writing the combined data block into a storage device, and emptying the completely received buffer partition, when the multi-cast packets that belong to the data block in any buffer partition are received completely; and transmitting a retransmission request to a transmitting end for any buffer partition that is not empty and in which the multi-cast packets that belong to the data block are not received completely.
US08693468B2
Conventional routers employ a wired backplane that employs “long reach” serializer/deserializer (SerDes) links, but this type of architecture is complicated, costly, and uses a considerable amount of power. To address some of these issues, a new wireless backplane architecture is provided here. This wireless backplane employs direct millimeter wave links between line cards that replaces the convention, wired switching fabric.
US08693465B2
A method performed by a device adapted for communication over a network includes establishing a presence on the network, obtaining default configuration information for the device via the network, the default configuration information identifying a service on the network, receiving a request for validation information from the service, providing the validation information to the service, the service generating device-specific information in response to the validation information, and obtaining the device-specific information.
US08693461B2
The transmission of signaling frames in a QoS system may be prioritized over the transmission of content frames carrying time-sensitive information. The signaling frames and the content frames may belong to a single communication session. Alternatively, the signaling frames may belong to a different communication session than the content frames. The signaling frames and the content frames may be audio frames, video frames or frames of other time-sensitive information.
US08693459B2
Provided is a polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM transmitter. The polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM transmitter includes a data demultiplexer, a training symbol generation unit and an optical up-converter and polarization division multiplexing unit. The data demultiplexer divides a transmission signal into a plurality of groups. The training symbol generation unit allocates a plurality of training symbols for each OFDM data which is included in the respective multiplexed groups, and allocates repetitive data in a time domain for the respective training symbols for data of 0 to periodically appear for the respective training symbols in a frequency domain. The optical up-converter and polarization division multiplexing unit performs optical frequency band conversion and polarization division multiplexing on an output of the training symbol generation unit to output a polarization division multiplexed optical OFDM signal corresponding to a plurality of polarization components.
US08693457B1
An apparatus and media are provided for more effectively utilizing modems in a WiMAX environment. The apparatus connects a computing device to a network-based information system through at least a first WiMAX modem that is located within the apparatus. A second WiMAX modem can be removably coupled to the apparatus so as to connect the first computing device to the network in combination with the first WiMAX modem. In the event the second WiMAX modem is removed, network connectivity provided by the first WiMAX modem is maintained.
US08693448B2
The invention relates to a method of random access, comprising: a higher layer instructs the lower layer to transmit a random access preamble, wherein the timing transmission of the random access preamble is adjusted by the lower layer according the triggered resources.
US08693442B2
In a cellular communications network comprising a plurality of transmitting sites wherein each transmitting site comprises at least one antenna, a method of serving a given data stream to a target mobile terminal, comprising: designating at least two of the plurality of transmitting sites as cooperating sites; assigning tones to each transmitting site from a sub-band associated with the cooperating sites; dividing the data stream into at least two sub-data streams, each of the sub-data streams for transmission over selected tones; and interlacing tones of the cooperating sites in accordance with a selected one of a time switching and a frequency switching transmit diversity technique.
US08693439B2
A method includes handing over a user equipment from a first network access node to a second network access node and, at the second network access node, not considering the first network access node as a handover candidate from the second network access node until at least one of: (a) an amount of time since the hand over from the first network access node exceeds a first threshold amount; (b) there is a change in a channel condition between the user equipment and the first access node that exceeds a second threshold amount.
US08693425B2
An ASN encoder of a mobile station apparatus generates transmission and reception capability information including information relating to one or a plurality of component carriers to be used for communication with a base station apparatus. A transmission and reception apparatus transmits the transmission and reception capability information to the base station apparatus. A controller controls the communication with the base station apparatus, using the one or the plurality of component carriers assigned by the base station apparatus based on the transmission and reception capability information.
US08693418B2
A modular device for providing network access in accordance with at least two radio access technologies is described. The device includes a first hardware module comprising a first hardware accelerator adapted to perform at least layer (1) processing in accordance with a first radio technology, software-controlled processing resources adapted to perform at least layer (2) processing for the first radio access technology and for a second radio access technology, and a first interface adapted to couple the software-controlled processing resources to a second hardware module providing at least layer (1) processing capabilities in accordance with the second radio access technology. The second hardware module may comprise a second hardware accelerator adapted to perform at least layer (1) processing in accordance with the second radio access technology and a second interface adapted to couple the second hardware accelerator to the first interface of the first hardware module.
US08693408B2
A method for subscriber station-based admission control may include determining that there is demand for a new connection at the subscriber station. The method may also include determining whether the new connection should be admitted based on resource availability. The method may also include sending a request for the new connection to a base station if it is determined that the new connection should be admitted.
US08693403B1
A method and system for detection and correction of a WiFi login failure for a mobile application is disclosed herein. The present invention provides a set of diagnostic steps that are undertaken automatically on a mobile communication device to identify this condition within an application and generate a browser window inside the application so that the condition can be fixed and the application can continue without having to time-out and exit an application.
US08693401B2
A hierarchical data structure for signaling and data handling at a packet core network is defined. A hierarchical data structure is applied to both persistent and dynamic information to support a type of devices that share the same characteristics. Subscription database, context information, and policy rule information is comprised of group level information and device level information. Group level information contains the information the devices that belong to the group share. Device level information contains the device specific information that is different from group level information. When a device belonging to a group requests access to a packet network or performs a procedure that changes the mobility or session state of the device, context management unit works with authentication unit, subscription database unit, and policy decision unit to construct a right information for the device to handle the control and user data traffic.
US08693394B2
A method of discovering a neighbor cell, the method including: determining whether a first Primary Synchronization Channel (PSCH) of a first cell in which a terminal is included is identical to a second PSCH of a second cell, and whether timings of the first cell and the second cell are synchronous; estimating third channel information of the second cell based on second channel information of the first cell from first channel information, when the first PSCH is identical to the second PSCH and the timings of the first cell and the second cell are synchronous, the second channel information being estimated using a first Secondary Synchronization Channel (SSCH) of the first cell, and the first channel information being estimated using the first PSCH and the second PSCH; and detecting a second SSCH of the second cell, and detecting a cell identifier (ID) of the second cell using the second SSCH.
US08693392B2
A method and system of enabling communication between peers in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network in the presence of network address translators (NAT). The method includes: assigning a unique peer identifier to each one of the plurality of peers in the P2P network; establishing an overlay topology connecting each peer to a subset of the plurality of peers in a structured connection pattern based on the unique peer identifier of each peer, each one of the plurality of peers having more connections to close peers and fewer connections to distant peers; and routing messages between peers through the established overlay topology.
US08693389B2
A communications system for an aircraft carrying at least some personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a satellite-based communications network that includes a plurality of satellites, at least one access point in the aircraft for providing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for data communications with the PEDs, and a satellite transceiver in the aircraft cooperating with the at least one access point for data communications with the satellite-based communications network to the PEDs. At least one network selection controller is for selecting a satellite among the plurality of satellites so that data communications is sent to the PEDs through the satellite transceiver based on a needed channel capacity of the data communications to be sent.
US08693386B2
A near-optimal resource allocation method is provided for a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) relay scheme in which the source and relay nodes have only partial channel state information (CSI), obtained through finite rate feedback, and the powers of the source and relay nodes are constrained. Power on/off beamforming is employed at the source and relay nodes in which the receiving node feeds back the index of a beamforming matrix selected in accordance with the channel state. Using channel statistical information, the exemplary method allocates time between the first stage and the second stage of the relay transmission, and power between the source and the relay node. With only limited CSI feedback, the resource allocation method enjoys a considerable performance advantage over arrangements with no feedback.
US08693383B2
Techniques for utilizing multiple carriers to substantially improve transmission capacity are described. For multi-carrier operation, a terminal receives an assignment of multiple forward link (FL) carriers and at least one reverse link (RL) carrier. The carriers may be arranged in at least one group, with each group including at least one FL carrier and one RL carrier. The terminal may receive packets on the FL carrier(s) in each group and may send acknowledgements for the received packets via the RL carrier in that group. The terminal may send channel quality indication (CQI) reports for the FL carrier(s) in each group via the RL carrier in that group. The terminal may also transmit data on the RL carrier(s). The terminal may send designated RL signaling (e.g., to originate a call) on a primary RL carrier and may receive designated FL signaling (e.g., for call setup) on a primary FL carrier.
US08693379B2
A communication system performs communication while switching between full-duplex communication and half-duplex communication. A slave device, which receives command packet signals requesting to write or read data from the master device, stores information in a response packet signal that specifies half-duplex communication in response to one of the received packet signals, and transmits the response packet signal to the master device, when the number of the received command packet signals has reached the maximum number of the command packet signals storable in a command signal queue.
US08693374B1
An access network is described in which a centralized controller provides seamless end-to-end service from a core-facing edge of a service provider network through aggregation and access infrastructure out to access nodes located proximate to the subscriber devices. The controller operates to provide a central configuration point for configuring aggregation nodes (AGs) of a network of the service provider so as to provide transport services to transport traffic between access nodes (AXs) and edge routers on opposite borders of the network.
US08693370B2
The present disclosure discloses a method for preventing repeated updating of an address table in Ethernet ring network protection, including: an Ethernet ring network node sends an Ethernet ring network protection protocol frame and encapsulates its own node information into the Ethernet ring network protection protocol frame; an Ethernet ring network node receives the Ethernet ring network protection protocol frame and matches the node information encapsulated in the received Ethernet ring network protection protocol frame with its own node information; and when the matching is successful, the Ethernet ring network node does not update the address table. The present disclosure further discloses a system for preventing repeated updating of an address table in Ethernet ring network protection. In the system, a matching unit is used for matching the node information encapsulated in the received Ethernet ring network protection protocol frame with the node information of an Ethernet ring network node itself; and when the matching is successful, the Ethernet ring network node does not update the address table. Through the method and system of the disclosure, the problem of repeated updating of an address table in Ethernet ring network protection in the scenario of requesting local protection switching can be solved.
US08693364B2
A method for reconfiguring parameters of a discontinuous reception operation of a medium access control layer for a mobile device of a wireless communication system includes when a radio resource control dedicated signaling for disabling a short cycle mode of the discontinuous reception operation is received during activation of the short cycle mode, switching from the short cycle mode to a long cycle mode of the discontinuous reception operation.
US08693362B2
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described for power headroom reporting. A mobile device may identify a transmit power associated with each of a number of independently power controlled channels on one or multiple carriers configured for use by the mobile device. The transmit power may relate to one channel that is an uplink control channel, and one or more additional channels that are uplink shared channels. The identified transmit power of one channel (e.g., the uplink control channel) may be a virtual transmit power, while other identified transmit powers may be measured transmit powers for actual transmissions. The identified transmit powers may be added up, and the power headroom available for the mobile device may be calculated using the accumulated transmit powers. The mobile device may transmit a power headroom report to a base station.
US08693350B2
BGP Route Recorder (BRR) captures and dumps Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) messages received from BGP peers. Passive links are established between the BRR and BGP peers. All incoming and outgoing BGP messages are recorded and timestamped. Rather than tear down BGP peering sessions when errors are encountered, error conditions are recorded, and the BRR may be configured to maintain links across selected BGP errors.
US08693342B2
A communication system includes a master host unit that communicates wireless spectrum with a service provider interface using analog spectrum. Master host unit communicates digitized spectrum in N-bit words over a digital communication link. Master host unit converts between analog spectrum and N-bit words of digitized spectrum. Communication system includes hybrid expansion unit coupled to master host unit by digital communication link. Hybrid expansion unit communicates N-bit words of digitized spectrum with master host unit across digital communication link. Hybrid expansion unit converts between N-bit words of digitized spectrum and analog spectrum. Hybrid expansion unit communicates analog spectrum across analog communication link to analog remote antenna unit. Analog remote antenna unit communicates wireless signals using first antenna. Communication system further includes a switch in a data path between service provider interface and antenna. The switch selects between transmit path and receive path in response to switching control signal.
US08693340B2
A cost of a path may not be the only factor in searching for a path solution in a network. For example, some applications are delay sensitive and require finding a path that does not exceed a latency constraint for the entire path. Accordingly, a method and corresponding apparatus for searching for a path solution in a network is provided that identifies combinations of partial paths that satisfy an end-to-end path constraint, compares attributes of the combinations of partial paths, prunes the combinations of partial paths based on results of the comparing to identify candidate combinations of partial paths, and selects a candidate combination of partial paths as the path solution. By pruning combinations of partial paths, considerable is saved compared to exhaustive comparing of every possible combination of partial paths and scalability is achieved.
US08693334B2
In one example embodiment, a method is provided and includes identifying a first data type of a first payload of a first data packet to be transmitted as part of a flow, where the first data type is identified by evaluating a quality of service (QoS) field, and setting an acknowledgement flag based on the first data type; the acknowledgement flag to indicate that an acknowledgement is not required from a receiving device such that a network device avoids retransmitting a first outgoing frame when the acknowledgement is not received for the first outgoing frame. In more particular instances, the method can include where the acknowledgement flag is in the first outgoing frame.
US08693331B1
Systems and techniques for rate adaptation in wireless communication systems are described. A described technique includes generating a transmission packet parameter associated with packets transmitted by a device at a first data rate; generating a reception packet parameter associated with packets received by the device; determining a second data rate based on the transmission packet parameter and the reception packet parameter; and transmitting future packets at the second data rate.
US08693320B2
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for indicating and responding to various congestion levels in a communication system, such as a wireless communication network. A congestion level in the network is determined, and a percentage of data packets to be transmitted to an endpoint, such as user equipment or another network endpoint serving the user, are marked to indicate the congestion level. The endpoint determines the congestion level at the network from the percentage of received data packets that are marked and may initiate an appropriate response behavior in response to the determined congestion level.
US08693319B2
A method and system to avoid multi-ring deadlock. The method includes removing a message on a multi-ring interconnect either with a ring connector associated with the target of the message or by the message's source station such that the message travels no more than one time around the slotted ring interconnect before its removal. The method may also be applied to single ring networks for congestion control.
US08693318B2
Disclosed example operations involve provisioning a pool of communication capacity in a network link, the pool of communication capacity including spare capacity; allocating from the spare capacity a reserve service communication capacity requested in a connection setup message associated with a first user, the reserve service communication capacity being available to accommodate an increase of communications associated with a first service connection for the first user; and while the reserve service communication capacity is allocated for the first service connection for the first user, provisioning the reserve service communication capacity to be available for restoration capacity associated with a second service connection for at least a second user.
US08693314B1
A communication system comprises a plurality of subscriber lines that are bonded to provide a bonding group, referred to as the “primary bonding group.” A data stream comprising a plurality of data packets is transmitted to a port, referred to as the “primary port,” of a network termination unit (NTU) coupled to each subscriber line of the primary bonding group, and a bonding engine of the NTU fragments the data packets for transmission across the bonding group. Logic, referred to as “link state awareness (LSA) logic,” is configured to monitor at least one communication parameter indicative of the communication performance of the bonding group. If the measured communication performance is within a specified range, the LSA logic disables the primary port. Such action signals a switching element to switch communication to another NTU that is coupled to one or more other subscriber lines for backing up the primary bonding group. Thus, communication is switched to a backup channel based on the measured performance parameter before a complete failure of the primary bonding group occurs.
US08693305B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques and apparatus for detecting Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signals in the presence of frequency orthogonal OFDM interferers.
US08693303B2
A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.
US08693299B2
A media processing system that produces discs with assured quality suited to long-term data storage. A data write unit writes data on a recording surface of a disc. A label print unit prints on the label side of the disc. An error rate measurement unit measures the error rate of the disc D after writing data is completed. An error rate evaluation unit determines if the media error rate measured by the error rate measurement unit is less than or equal to a preset threshold value. When the error rate evaluation unit determines that the media error rate is less than or equal to the threshold value, the label print unit prints a label image on the label side.
US08693297B2
Noise generation in transferring data is suppressed or prevented by transferring data at a data transfer rate according to the amount of data to be transferred to a memory. In a reproducing apparatus, when a read unit or both reads data from a storage medium or both, a determination unit determines the type of the storage medium from which the data is read, then, according to the determined type of the storage medium, a transfer rate change unit orders a data transfer unit to use a preset transfer rate corresponding to the type of the storage medium. The data transfer unit transfers the read data to the temporary storage unit at the ordered transfer rate. This allows data to be transferred without a significant change in the amount of data transfer, which suppresses or prevents noise.
US08693294B1
A vibratory alarm assembly includes a cover that may be positioned on a mattress. A vibrator pocket is coupled to the cover. A controller pocket coupled to the cover. A vibrating member is positionable within the vibrator pocket. A controller is positionable within the controller pocket. The controller has a housing. The controller is operationally coupled to the vibrating member. A processor is coupled to the housing. An alarm is coupled to the housing. The alarm is operationally coupled to the processor. A microphone is coupled to the housing. The microphone is operationally coupled to the processor. A power supply is coupled to the housing.
US08693283B2
The invention is a method of calculating seismic time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t), comprising: conducting a number (n) of three or more seismic surveys with large time differences such as months or years, producing a number (n) of three or more vintages of seismic data d1(t), d2(t), . . . , dn(t)={right arrow over (d)}(t), each said vintage of seismic data di(t) comprising one or more seismic traces, calculating partial time derivatives from one or more base trace ∂ ∂ t d b ( t ) multiplied by the sought time shift Δt(t) and setting the product like ∂ ∂ t d b ( t ) Δ t ( t ) = Δ d , simplified to LΔt(t)=Δd wherein L comprises the partial time derivatives, and forming a set of (n−1) equations {tilde over (L)}Δ{right arrow over (t)}=Δ{right arrow over (d)} which is overdetermined in the series of consecutive time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t), and solving for the consecutive time shifts Δ{right arrow over (t)}(t).
US08693270B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes a memory block configured to have a normal cell array and a redundancy cell array; a column address buffer configured to compare a plurality of input column addresses with a fail column address signal-stored in a fuse array, and generate a column enable signal or a fail column enable signal; a column decoder configured to decode the column enable signal, and output a column selection signal to the normal cell array; and a column redundancy controller configured to generate a redundancy control signal in response to the fail column enable signal, generate a redundancy enable signal so as to reuse a redundancy bit line which has been substituted before according to the generated redundancy control signal, and output the generated redundancy enable signal to the redundancy cell array.
US08693256B2
A non-volatile memory device integrated in a chip of semiconductor material. An embodiment of a memory device includes a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell includes a first well and a second well of a first type of conductivity that are formed in an insulating region of a second type of conductivity. The memory cell further includes a first, a second, and a third region of the second type of conductivity that are formed in the first well; these regions define a selection transistor of MOS type and a storage transistor of floating gate MOS type that are coupled in series. Moreover, the memory device includes a selection gate of the selection transistor, a floating gate of the storage transistor, and a control gate of the storage transistor formed in the second well; the control gate is capacitively coupled with the floating gate.
US08693253B2
A NAND flash memory includes a plurality of NAND flash memory structures separated by an insulating layer. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the NAND flash memory structure includes a first bitline extending along a first direction, a first charge-trapping region positioned over the first bitline, a wordline positioned over the first charge-trapping region and extending along a second direction, a second charge-trapping region positioned over the wordline, and a second bitline positioned over the second charge-trapping region, wherein the first charge-trapping region and the second charge-trapping region are stacked along a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
US08693247B2
A non-volatile memory device comprises a memory cell array comprising memory cells arranged in rows connected to corresponding word lines and columns connected to corresponding bit lines, a page buffer that stores a program data, a read-write circuit that programs and re-programs the program data into selected memory cells of the memory cell array and reads stored data from the programmed memory cells, and a control circuit that controls the page buffer and the read-write circuit to program the selected memory cells by loaded the program data from in page buffer and to re-program the selected memory cells by re-loaded the program data in the page buffer.
US08693246B2
Self-calibration for a memory controller is performed by writing a voltage to a selected cell. Adjacent cells around the selected cell are programmed. After each of the adjacent programming operations, the voltage on the selected cell is read to determine any change in voltage caused by systemic offsets such as, for example, floating gate-to-floating gate coupling. These changes are averaged and stored in a table as an offset for use in adjusting a programming voltage or a read voltage in a particular area of memory represented by the offset. Self calibration method for temperature is determined by writing cells at different temperatures and reading at different temperatures to generate temperature offset tables for the write path and read path. These offset tables are used to adjust for systematic temperature related offsets during programming and during read.
US08693244B2
An electronic circuit includes a floating gate transistor with a floating gate capacitor. The floating gate transistor can be programmed to be in an ON or an OFF state by charging the floating gate capacitor. The circuit further includes a deactivation capacitor adapted to store a charge sufficient for deactivating the floating gate transistor temporarily. The deactivation capacitor is connectable in series to the floating gate capacitor. A method for deactivating a floating gate transistor temporarily is provided, wherein the floating gate transistor includes a floating gate capacitor. A deactivation capacitor is charged with a charge sufficient for changing the state of the floating gate transistor temporarily. The deactivation capacitor is connected in series to the floating gate capacitor for deactivating the floating gate transistor.
US08693242B2
A nanoelectromechanical device is provided. The nanoelectromechanical device includes a nanotube, a first contact, and a first actuator. The nanotube includes a first end, the first end supported by a first structure, a second end opposite the first end, and a first portion. The first actuator is configured to apply a first force to the nanotube, the first force causing the nanotube to buckle such that the first portion couples to the first contact.
US08693234B2
A memory unit includes memory elements and a drive section. In executing a first operation out of the first operation for changing resistance state of the memory element from one resistance state out of low resistance state and high resistance state to the other resistance state and a second operation for changing the resistance state of the memory element from the other resistance state to the one resistance state, the drive section performs stepwise operation, in which the drive section repeatedly performs, at least one time, a step in which strong stress application step for applying a stress for performing the first operation to the memory element as the drive target relatively strongly is performed and subsequently weak stress application step for applying a stress for performing the second operation to the memory element as the drive target relatively weakly is performed, and subsequently performs the strong stress application step.
US08693217B2
An example power supply controller includes a signal separator circuit that generates a feedback signal. An error signal generator generates an error signal in response to the feedback signal. A control circuit generates a drive signal in response to the error signal. The drive signal controls switching of a switch. A multi-cycle modulation circuit is included in the control circuit and generates a skip signal in response to a start skip signal, a stop skip signal and a skip mask signal. The skip mask signal is generated in response to the skip signal. The start skip and stop skip signals cause the drive signal to start skipping or stop skipping, respectively, on-time intervals of cycles. The skip mask signal disables the start skip signal from causing the drive signal to start skipping the on-time intervals of cycles.
US08693214B2
A voltage converter (1a . . . 1g), in particular a resonant converter for converting an input AC or DC voltage (UE) into an output DC voltage (UA). On the secondary side, a first secondary capacitor (CS1) is arranged between the secondary partial windings (WS1, WS2) of a transformer (TR1); furthermore, a first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1) provides the output direct voltage (UA), the inputs of which are connected to a secondary partial winding (WS1, WS2) each of the transformer (TR1), resulting, at the input of the first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1), in a series connection including the secondary partial windings (WS1, WS2) and the first secondary capacitor (CS1). Finally, the voltage converter (1a . . . 1f) includes a second secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS2) connected in parallel with the first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1) for providing the output direct voltage (UA), wherein the first secondary capacitor (CS1) is connected to the input of the second secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS2).
US08693202B2
A flexible printed circuit includes a first flexible film; a first interconnection layer on the first flexible film, wherein the first interconnection layer includes a first end portion to be connected to a first electrode of a touchscreen, and a second end portion; a second flexible film; a second interconnection layer on the second flexible film, wherein the second interconnection layer includes a first end portion to be connected to a second electrode of the touchscreen, and a second portion; an adhesive layer that bonds the first flexible film and the second flexible film; a first cover film on the first interconnection layer with the first and second end portions of the first interconnection layer being exposed; and a second cover film on the second interconnection layer with the first and second end portions of the second interconnection layer being exposed.
US08693198B2
A heat exchanger door is provided which includes a door assembly spanning at least a portion of the air inlet or outlet side of an electronics rack. The door assembly includes an airflow opening which facilitates air ingress or egress of airflow through the electronics rack. The door assembly further includes an air-to-coolant heat exchanger and a structural support. The heat exchanger is disposed so that airflow through the airflow opening passes across the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core and a heat exchanger casing coupled to the core. The core includes at least one coolant-carrying channel which loops through the casing. The structural support is attached to the heat exchanger casing to define with the casing a tubular door support structure. The looping of the coolant-carrying channel(s) through the heat exchanger casing resides within the tubular door support structure.
US08693180B2
A display module having an improved assembly structure is provided. The display module includes a frame, a display panel, and a glue. The frame has a side wall and a supporting part, wherein the supporting part has a supporting surface and the side wall is formed on the periphery of the supporting surface. A groove is formed on the supporting surface adjacent to the side wall and is distributed along the side wall. The display panel is disposed within the frame and has a bottom face and a side face. The bottom face is supported by the supporting surface of the supporting part. The side face faces the side wall and forms a gap with the side wall. The glue is filled in the gap and adheres the side wall to the side face.
US08693172B2
A mounting system for a flat panel display includes a back assembly, a pair of arm assemblies, and a mounting assembly. Back assembly can include a slide plate connected to arm assemblies allowing arm assemblies and mount assembly to be horizontally shifted without the need to remove the mount from the wall and reattach it. Arm assemblies can include substantially hollow arms having removable covers for storing wires connected to display therein. Mounting assembly can include a tilt head that provides a path of rotation about a substantially horizontal axis that extends proximate the center of gravity of the mount and a flat panel display mounted thereon, allowing for easy adjustment and rotation of display, Mounting assembly can also include a pair of brace arms each comprised of two members configured to allow mount assembly to be expanded to mount various sized displays without extending beyond the width of the display.
US08693171B2
A support for a fragile and/or brittle front piece includes a base plate member and a rim. The support is shaped to receive a specifically shaped piece of brittle material, such as ceramic, sapphire, precious or semi precious stone. The piece of brittle material has a front surface, a rear surface and sides. The rear surface is secured to a base plate of the support and a rim of the support surrounds the edges of the piece of brittle material.
US08693151B2
A differential transmission circuit is capable of realizing a high resistance to electrostatic breakdown without deteriorating a transmission signal. The differential transmission circuit includes ESD protection elements connected between transmission lines and a ground, respectively, a common mode filter in which an inductor element is serially connected between transmission lines, and an inductor element serially connected between transmission lines are magnetically coupled to each other, ESD protection diodes of which cathodes are connected to transmission, respectively, and anodes thereof connected to grounds, respectively, and resistors of which one side terminals are connected to transmission lines, respectively, and the other side terminals thereof are connected to transmission lines, respectively. Resistance values of the resistors are set to 10 to 15 ohms, respectively, electrostatic capacitance values of the ESD protection elements are less than 0.3 pF, respectively, and a clip voltage of each of the ESD protection diodes is set to a value less than 10 V.
US08693147B2
An electrical component having a core and a first and second coil positioned around the core is controlled in such a manner, that in response to the second coil being switched off, the first coil is short-circuited via a quenching circuit to quench the inductive load of the second coil.
US08693143B2
A suspension is configured to support a magnetic head slider having a recording head element for recording to a magnetic recording medium and a microwave generating element that applies a high-frequency magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium when recording to the magnetic recording medium is conducted by the recording head element. The suspension includes a flexure that supports the magnetic head slider, and a microwave signal transmission line and a recording signal transmission line that are supported by the flexure. The microwave signal transmission line is connected to the microwave generating element and configured to transmit microwave signals for generating the high-frequency magnetic field, the recording signal transmission line being connected to the recording head element and configured to transmit recording signals. The flexure has a main body part, a support part for the magnetic head slider, and a pair of arm parts that links the main body part and the support part. The recording signal transmission line is supported between the main body part and the support part by a separate support part separated from the flexure, the microwave signal transmission line is supported between the main body part and the support part by at least one of the pair of arm parts, and a portion of the one of the arm parts that supports the microwave signal transmission line has a lamination structure in which an insulating layer that supports the microwave signal transmission line on one surface and a substrate whose portion opposing the other surface of the insulating layer has conductivity are laminated.
US08693142B2
A method to tune an oscillation layer frequency in a spin torque oscillator (STO) during a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) process is described. The STO oscillation layer (OL) has a large angle magnetization oscillation frequency that is locked to a magnetic medium bit resonance frequency f0 when the rf current has a frequency f=f0 and a threshold current density is applied. Alternatively, the OL magnetization oscillation frequency may be adjusted closer to f0 to improve the assist process. A third advantage is lowering the threshold current density when both direct current and rf current are injected into the STO during a write process. The main pole is grounded when direct current and rf current are injected into a write shield.
US08693138B2
A base unit includes a stator, a wiring substrate, and a base portion. The base portion includes a tubular portion, a first recess portion surrounding the tubular portion, and first through-holes arranged within the first recess portion. The wiring substrate includes a connection portion arranged on an upper surface of the base portion and provided with lands, a power feeding portion arranged on a lower surface of the base portion, and an extension portion arranged to interconnect the connection portion and the power feeding portion. A first bonding layer is arranged between the connection portion and a bottom of the first recess portion to bond the connection portion and the bottom of the first recess portion. A second bonding layer is arranged between the power feeding portion and the lower surface of the base portion to bond the power feeding portion and the lower surface of the base portion.
US08693136B2
The present invention discloses a management module for a storage system. The storage system comprises a plurality of hard disk drives and a plurality of fans. The management module comprises a reading unit, for obtaining a plurality of hard disk drive temperature information and a plurality of hard disk drive vibration information of the plurality of hard disk drives, and a controller, coupled to the reading unit, for adjusting rotational speeds of the plurality of fans according to the plurality of hard disk drive temperature information, the plurality of hard disk drive vibration information, and a plurality of fan vibration information of the plurality of fans.
US08693135B2
Approaches for desiccant device within an enclosure protecting sensitive electronic equipment. A hard-disk drive (HDD) may comprise a desiccant device that provides a source of a beneficial vapor, such as an antioxidant, a vapor corrosion inhibitor, or a colubricant, within an enclosure of the HDD. The desiccant device absorbs water vapor within the enclosure but does not absorb the beneficial vapor within the enclosure. The desiccant device may comprise a desiccant that has a plurality of micropores within a size range selected so as to allow the absorption of water but exclude the absorption of the beneficial vapor. The desiccant may be, but need not be, within the same physical container as the source of the beneficial vapor.
US08693129B2
A tape drive capable of switching the transport speed of a tape medium among multilevel speeds calculates a data transfer rate from/to a host device, and selects an adjustment mode of the transport speed of the tape medium from a constant speed mode and a speed switch mode according to the calculated data transfer rate. The tape drive in the speed switch mode, pauses a data write or read operation to switch the transport speed of the tape medium while data is written at a first transport speed and when an available capacity of a buffer memory reaches a data volume to be received from the host device during switching of the transport speed and is read out at the first transport speed and when a data volume of a buffer memory reaches a data volume to be transmitted to the host device during switching of the transport speed.
US08693117B1
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes: receiving a plurality of groups of one or more phase signals, each group of phase signals having a different phase relative to other groups of one or more phase signals; generating a plurality of interpolated phase shifted signals based on the plurality of groups of one or more phase signals, wherein the plurality of interpolated phase shifted signals do not have an associated common mode component; receiving data bits and precompensating each data bit in accordance with a given interpolated phase shifted signal; and selecting a precompensated data bit for output.
US08693106B2
A zoom lens includes sequentially from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens group having a negative refractive power. The zoom lens satisfies given conditions to implement a compact, large aperture ratio zoom lens having excellent optical performance and compatible with solid state image sensors capable of recording full high vision images.
US08693097B2
A coated article includes a temperable antireflection (AR) coating that utilizes medium and low index (index of refraction “n”) layers having compressive residual stress in the AR coating. In certain example embodiments, the coating may include the following layers from the glass substrate outwardly: silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) medium index layer/high index layer/low index layer. In certain example embodiments, depending on the chemical and optical properties of the high index layer and the substrate, the medium and low index layers of the AR coating are selected to cause a net compressive residual stress and thus optimize the overall performance of the antireflection coating when the coated article is tempered and/or heat-treated.
US08693094B2
A method for manufacturing a polarizer utilizes a support, which is coated with a photoresist. A carbon nanotube film is located over the photoresist, and one portion of the carbon nanotube film is submerged in the photoresist. Metal or semi-metallic particles are deposited over the carbon nanotube film and the photoresist, which is removed. The carbon nanotube film with the metal particles or semi-metallic particles is adhered to a substrate to obtain the polarizer.
US08693066B2
An image reading device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, where the image reading device is capable of being assembled more efficiently. The image reading device includes: an optical part, extending long in a direction; a case, having an accommodating portion for accommodating the optical part; and a light receiving component, accommodated in the case. The optical part is fixed in the accommodating portion through a first adhesive and a second adhesive with hardening time longer than that of the first adhesive.
US08693064B2
Various embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for removing a printed image and/or image portion(s) of a printed image from at least one side of a media by one or more optical ablations such that the media can be ready for reuse.
US08693062B2
An exemplary method herein operates to help diagnose and correct facsimile transmission errors. The method detects a first facsimile transmission error using an arbitrarily named “first” facsimile machine (which can be a sending facsimile machine or a receiving facsimile machine). The facsimile transmission error occurs during a first facsimile transmission sent from the sending facsimile machine to the receiving facsimile machine. Upon detecting the first facsimile transmission error, the sending facsimile machine automatically contacts a service center computer. The service center computer automatically connects the sending facsimile machine to the receiving facsimile machine through the service center computer. Then, the sending facsimile machine sends a test facsimile transmission to the receiving facsimile machine through the service center computer. The method automatically records sounds sent by the sending facsimile machine and the receiving facsimile machine using the service center computer to produce an audio diagnostic file and automatically forwards the audio diagnostic file to a service engineer for diagnosis.
US08693055B2
Methods are described that provide dynamic anaglyph images with a first appearance state and a second appearance state. At least one mutable colorant and at least one non-mutable colorant are selected for a colorant type map so that the printed dynamic anaglyph image has a first appearance state in which the at least one mutable colorant is in the first colorant state and is color matched to at least one of a left eye information and a right eye information and so that in the second appearance state printed the mutable colorant is in a second colorant state in which the at least one mutable colorant provides a color that spectrally overlaps a spectral filter in one eye of a pair of stereo color glasses so that three dimensional effects can be perceived.
US08693046B2
The present invention provides technology according to which, in the case of changing a print setting and performing reprinting, a printing apparatus causes an information processing apparatus to regenerate print data via a network as necessary depending on whether processing in accordance with a changed print setting can be executed by the printing apparatus.
US08693043B2
A method and system for delineating document boundaries and identifying document types by analyzing digital images of one or more documents, automatically categorizing one or more pages or subdocuments within the one or more documents and automatically generating delineation identifiers, such as computer-generated images of separation pages inserted between digital images belonging to different categories, a description of the categorization sequence of the digital images, or a computer-generated electronic label affixed or associated with said digital images.
US08693032B2
Methods and associated structure for displaying the status of a plurality of print jobs using a graphical user interface to present a broad overview of the status of the print jobs. Status information regarding the plurality of print jobs is received from one or more print servers. The status of each job is analyzed to associate a top-level category with each job and a status sub-category with each job. A graphical object is presented to the user to represent each of the top-level categories and each of the sub-categories within each top-level category. A count of the number of jobs associated with each graphical object may be presented to the user as a number associated with the graphical object. The graphical objects may be color-coded to indicate the level of operator intervention (if any) required for the print jobs associated with the corresponding top-level category or sub-category.
US08693030B2
A management apparatus which manages a printing apparatus calculate the number of confirmation sheets printed out for confirmation printing from the number of sheets to be printed which is based on a print request and an actual performance number of sheets printed out based on history information of a job corresponding to the print request from the printing apparatus, and analyzes an abnormality of the printing apparatus when it is analyzed that a job whose number of printed confirmation sheets exceeds a predetermined reference value frequently occur.
US08693028B2
An image processing apparatus compares vector data of a target document and vector data of a stored document stored in the image processing apparatus, converts each of the vector data of the target document and the vector data of the stored document into text data and extracts a difference between the text data converted from the vector data of the target document and the text data converted from the vector data of the stored document to generate and store difference data in a text format.
US08693013B2
This invention is directed at preventing unnecessary processing and CPU load of a PC when always printing via a printer driver, and avoiding the omission of a printer driver function when always performing direct printing. When using a printer having a direct printing function, which of printing via the printer driver and direct printing is to be done is determined in accordance with print settings of each print job, and then printing is executed. A function to be implemented by the driver among set functions is determined (S504). If there is a function to be implemented by the driver, it is determined whether to give priority to direct printing (S505). If no priority is given to direct printing, the driver is used; otherwise, direct printing is performed.
US08693012B2
In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a method for scheduling at least one print job for a plurality of printers of a given type is provided. The method includes determining a job length for the at least one print job. The method further includes scheduling a sequence of printing by the plurality of printers based the job length such that a subset of the available plurality of printers is cycled up, and printing the at least one print job with the subset of available printers when the job length is less than at least one predeterminable threshold.
US08693010B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit. In combined processing to perform two types of processing including one-sided image formation and two-sided image formation, if the one-sided image formation is performed, an image is formed on one side of the sheet by the second image forming unit. If there is an execution request for a job of one-sided image formation processing different from a combined job of the combined processing during execution of the combined job, the image formation control unit, while performing the one-sided image formation in the combined job of the combined processing by the second image forming unit, performs the one-sided image formation related to the execution request for the job of the one-sided image formation processing different from the combined job by the first image forming unit and then discharges from the intermediate discharge unit a sheet which has undergone the one-sided image formation processing in the job different from the combined job.
US08693009B2
A rotation amount detecting device for a rotation body includes: a first rotation body having a first surface; a second rotation body having a second surface formed of a material different from that of the first surface and contacting the first surface, and rotating with rotation of the first rotation body; a first support member rotatably supporting the first rotation body at a first position and supporting thereof to be swingable around a first axis at a position different from the first position; a second support member rotatably supporting the second rotation body at a second position and supporting thereof to be swingable around a second axis provided at a position different from the second position, the second axis being the first axis or an axis in the first support member other than the first axis; and a detector that detects a rotation amount of the second rotation body.
US08693007B2
A device for measuring three dimensional shape includes a first height data acquisition unit for acquiring a height data specified from measurement values according to a multiplicity of light patterns related to an entirely irradiated region irradiated by all of the multiplicity of light patterns, and for using an acquired specified height data as a height data for the entirely irradiated region; a supplemental data acquisition unit for acquiring, based on the height data for the entirely irradiated region, a supplemental data relating to a partially irradiated region that is irradiated by only part of the multiplicity of light patterns; and a second height acquisition unit for specifying a fringe order of the measurement values for the partially irradiated region based on the supplemental data, and for acquiring as height data for the partially irradiated region a height data corresponding to the measurement values of the specified fringe order.
US08693000B2
Systems and methods described herein employ multiple phase-contrast images with various relative phase shifts between light diffracted by a sample and light not diffracted by the sample to produce a quantitative phase image. The produced quantitative phase image may have sufficient contrast for label-free auto-segmentation of cell bodies and nuclei.
US08692997B2
A gas or particulate sensor is provided for the detection of at least two target gases and/or particulates. The sensor comprises: a chamber for containing a gas sample under test; a first optical measurement channel configured for the detection of a first target gas or particulate within the gas sample, and a second optical measurement channel configured for the detection of a second target gas or particulate within the gas sample, each optical measurement channel comprising a respective optopair which comprises a radiation source adapted to emit radiation and a radiation detector adapted to output a signal in response to detected radiation; and focusing optics able to form an image of an object. At least the first optical measurement channel is configured such that the radiation detector of the respective optopair receives via the focusing optics an image of the corresponding radiation source, whereby the radiation received from the radiation source by the radiation detector is modified by the first target gas or particulate present in the gas sample such that the output signal from the radiation detector provides information as to the presence of the first target gas or particulate in the gas sample.
US08692991B2
A method for determining a paint formulation includes: obtaining target color information for a target color, identifying a plurality of toners and corresponding concentrations of the toners in a paint formula that can be used to produce a paint having a color that is similar to the target color, and modifying the paint formula by removing one of the identified toners having a lowest concentration to produce a modified paint formula that can be used to produce a paint having a color that is similar to the target color, and determining if the modified paint formula meets user specified acceptance criteria. An apparatus that can be used to perform the method is also described.
US08692988B2
Micro cuvette assembly for examining biological samples has a first partial plate with one or more first cuvette surfaces and a second partial plate opposite the first and which also has one or more second cuvette surfaces. In an active position of the assembly, the second cuvette surfaces are arranged parallel and in register with the first cuvette surfaces and are spaced apart from the first cuvette surfaces whereby one or more micro cuvettes are formed. The first and second partial plates also have openings arranged in register with the cuvette surfaces and transparent bodies are provided as the cuvette surfaces. The first and second plates are completely penetrated by these openings and the transparent bodies are manufactured from a different material than the partial plates and span the openings close to a first surface of the partial plates. The first and second cuvette surfaces of a micro cuvette in the active position are wetted by a liquid volume which has previously been applied to one of the cuvette surfaces so that the liquid volume is held between these two cuvette surfaces.
US08692986B2
Inspection of EUV patterned masks, blank masks, and patterned wafers generated by EUV patterned masks requires high magnification and a large field of view at the image plane. An EUV inspection system can include a light source directed to an inspected surface, a detector for detecting light deflected from the inspected surface, and an optic configuration for directing the light from the inspected surface to the detector. In particular, the detector can include a plurality of sensor modules. Additionally, the optic configuration can include a plurality of mirrors that provide magnification of at least 100× within an optical path less than 5 meters long. In one embodiment, the optical path is approximately 2-3 meters long.
US08692977B2
Systems and methods for inspection are provided utilizing a wide angle optical system. The optical system includes a wide angle input lens group and an output lens group. The wide angle input lens group is configured to receive wide-angle radiation, e.g., having an angular spread of 60 degrees or more, from an object surface, and produce imagable radiation. The wide angle input lens group is arranged such that no intermediate focused image is formed within or after the wide angle input lens group. The output lens group is configured to receive the imagable radiation from the wide angle input lens group and focus the imagable radiation onto an image plane to image at least part of the object surface. A detector receives the image of the at least part of the object surface and, based on the received image, detects, for example, contamination on the object surface.
