US08937967B2

A system for persistently maintaining data using a network for data packets is provided. The system includes a transmission medium associated with the network, a plurality of switches operatively connected to the transmission medium. Each switch has an intelligent network controller adapted for delivering the data packets to a device operatively connected to the intelligent network controller in response to a request for the data packets from the device and further adapted for re-transmitting unexpired data packets over the network.
US08937966B2

Base modules are provided over a backplane network for high availability control of industrial processes or machines. The base modules may include, for example, an I/O base module, which may control the industrial processes or machines and which may releasably receive an I/O function card, an adapter base module, which may communicate with an industrial controller over a separate control network, and a bus expansion base module, which may provide coupling to another bank of base modules. The base modules may be arranged side-by-side via electrical and mechanical connections. Logic of the I/O base module may detect the presence or absence of the I/O function card to allow coupling or bypassing of the I/O function card with respect to the backplane network.
US08937960B2

Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple computing nodes, such as computing nodes that are part of a virtual computer network. In some situations, various types of modifications may be made to one or more computing nodes of an existing virtual computer network, and the described techniques include managing ongoing communications for those computing nodes so as to accommodate the modifications. Such modifications may include, for example, migrating or otherwise moving a particular computing node that is part of a virtual network to a new physical network location, or modifying other aspects of how the computing node participates in the virtual network (e.g., changing one or more virtual network addresses used by the computing node). In some situations, the computing nodes may include virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems, such as by or on behalf of one or more users.
US08937957B2

A method of operating a packet network includes the step of selecting one of a plurality of candidate gateways to connect a multimedia communication session between the packet network and a TDM network. The packet network has a source node of the multimedia communication session, and the TDM network has a destination of the multimedia communication session. The candidate gateways interconnect the packet network and the TDM network. The selecting step includes comparing end-to-end congestions for bearer traffic between the source node and different candidate gateways of the plurality.
US08937944B2

In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method of this embodiment provides generating one or more packets of data, the one or more packets of data being associated with a connection; and associating the one or more packets with one of a plurality of transmit queues based, at least in part, on the connection associated with the one or more packets.
US08937928B2

Disclosed is a method and system for dynamically selecting a communication channel between an access point (AP) and a plurality of mobile terminals (MTs) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method having the steps of (a) measuring a channel quality of a plurality of frequency channels, (b) reporting to the AP from the plurality of MTs of the candidate channels including a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of all channels measured and, (c) selecting one of the channels based on the channel quality report for use in communication between the AP and the plurality of MTs.
US08937914B2

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transceiving data in a wireless communication system. A method for receiving data in a wireless communication system according to one aspect of the present invention is configured such that a base station receives, from a mobile station, a signal including information and data on the transmission mode which the mobile station has selected in accordance with a channel status, and decodes the data in accordance with the transmission mode.
US08937905B2

A base station apparatus that wirelessly communicates with a wireless terminal, including: a determination portion that determines a mode of the wireless terminal that exists in a service area of the base station apparatus; and a setting portion that sets a first mode in which a first period in which the base station apparatus is communicable with the wireless terminal and a second period in which the base station apparatus is incommunicable with the wireless terminal are provided alternately, based on a result of the determination of the determination portion, and sets a length of the second period based on the result of the determination of the determination portion.
US08937902B2

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting reference signals for measuring a channel in a downlink MIMO (Multi Input Multi Output) system. The method comprises the steps of: configuring, by a base station at which Nt transmit antennas are configured, Nt reference signals for channel measurement, where Nt≧1; and transmitting, by the base station, the Nt reference signals to a use equipment in subframes at a specific cycle. The specific cycle is configured to include more than one subframe.
US08937898B2

An access point including a snoop circuit to generate a table including a plurality of entries, each entry associating a MAC address of a wireless client with a multicast IP address; to enable multicast traffic for a first wireless client in response to receiving a first message from the first wireless client by i) adding an entry to the table for the first wireless client in response to the entry not existing in the table, and ii) starting a timeout timer for the first wireless client, or by restarting the timeout timer in response to the entry for the first wireless client existing in the table; and to keep the multicast traffic for the first wireless client enabled as long as the timeout timer is reset before expiring. An output circuit transmits a packet to the first wireless client if the multicast traffic for the first wireless client is enabled.
US08937892B2

A method and device for scheduling downlink subframes are disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, in which a control section of one subframe schedules data sections of one or more other subframes, making it possible to greatly save an overhead of control signaling to thereby have more resources for transmission of data and improve the performance of a system as compared with traditional scheduling of a single subframe.
US08937891B2

Techniques, apparatuses, and systems for dynamically changing downlink and uplink allocations can include operating a base station under time division duplexing to communicate with one or more mobile devices using a frame structure, adjusting a downlink-uplink ratio to change an allocation between uplink and downlink data capacities in the frame structure, determining a mute interval based on the adjusted downlink-uplink ratio, generating mute information based on the mute interval to identify the one or more areas of the frame structure effected by the allocation change, and transmitting the mute information to the one or more mobile devices.
US08937882B2

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for decoding uplink control information are disclosed. According to one method, bit widths for possible valid configurations of uplink control information parameters are stored. Uplink data generated by receiving uplink data generated by at least one user equipment (UE) or simulated UE is received. The uplink data is decoded by iteratively utilizing the bit widths for the possible valid configurations.
US08937878B2

The present invention relates to providing methods and apparatus for determining whether a cell in a radio access network could have been powered down during at least one time slot in a predetermined period of time. Measurement data relating to the cell is used to determine whether the neighbouring cells had sufficient spare capacity to handle the network traffic originating from cell during the time slots in the predetermined period of time.
US08937869B2

The communication device has a frame transfer unit that executes frame transfer via the first communication link and the second communication link, a link confirmation frame sending unit, and a return link confirmation frame monitoring unit. The link confirmation frame sending unit causes the frame transfer processing unit to send a link confirmation frame for use in confirming a normal link status via the first communication link from the communication device to the counterpart communication device. The return link confirmation frame monitoring unit performs fault detection of the first and second communication links by monitoring a return link confirmation frame which is to be returned from the counterpart communication device to the communication device via the second communication link when the counterpart communication device receives the link confirmation frame via the first communication link.
US08937864B2

Channel quality of an airlink is assessed at an edge router of a radio-access communication network. Based on the assessment, the cause of lost data is determined to be due to traffic congestion or due to poor channel quality. In the latter case, congestion recovery/avoidance processes of a transport protocol of over a spliced transport connection can be overridden to avoid unnecessary limitations to data flow.
US08937861B1

A wireless access node to add different channel pseudo-noise (PN) codes of different carriers to a neighbor list for a wireless communication device communicating over a first carrier frequency provided by the wireless access node comprises a processing system. The processing system is configured to start a loading timer if first communication loading on a second carrier frequency of the wireless access node falls below a first loading threshold, and during the loading timer, compare second communication loading on hand down carriers of a highest priority neighbor to a second loading threshold, and if the second communication loading on at least one of the hand down carriers of the highest priority neighbor falls below the second loading threshold during the loading timer, then add a different channel PN code of the second carrier frequency of the wireless access node to the neighbor list for the wireless communication device.
US08937860B2

A first mobility management entity (MME) is configured to cooperate with a first access network controller to provide a circuit switched service to a mobile station while the mobile station is attached to a packet switched wireless access network in a first coverage area. A second MME is configured to cooperate with the first access network controller to provide a circuit switched service to the mobile station when the mobile station has moved from the first coverage area to the second coverage area. A home subscriber system is configured to provide, to the second MME, information identifying the first access network controller as serving the mobile station to enable the second MME to initiate handoff of the mobile station from the packet switched wireless access network to the circuit switched wireless access network.
US08937851B2

An electronic timepiece includes: a radio-wave receiving unit; a time acquiring unit that acquires time information and daylight-saving-time implementation information; a storage unit that stores predetermined information associated with a time in a preset area; and a calculation unit that calculates a current time in the preset area, wherein the predetermined information includes daylight-saving-time setting information; and when the time of switching to/from daylight saving time comes during a radio-wave reception process, the calculation unit determines whether a first or second condition is satisfied, wherein the first condition is that radio-wave reception has failed; and the second condition is that the daylight-saving-time implementation information is information provided before the time of switching; and when the first or second condition is satisfied, the calculation unit switches the time to calculate current time.
US08937850B2

Timepiece displaying the current time and including at least first and second display devices for a time-related quantity, the first and second display devices each being driven by a drive mechanism including a drive wheel (2; 2a), which is itself driven by the movement of the timepiece (3), at least the drive wheel (2; 2a) of one of the drive mechanisms carrying a finger (4; 4a) via which the wheel drives the corresponding display device, the timepiece (3) being characterized in that the finger (4; 4a) is friction fitted onto the drive wheel (2; 2a).
US08937846B2

A write leveling calibration system and method for double data-rate dynamic random access memory includes performing write leveling at two different frequencies to determine to which of two successive rising clock cycle edges each data strobe signal would be aligned as a result of applying the write leveling delay determined by the write-leveling procedure. The determination can then be used to ensure that the data strobe signals of all source synchronous groups are aligned with the same edge of the clock signal.
US08937840B2

A digital voltage boost circuit, optionally working in parallel with an analog voltage regulator, periodically injects a constant amount of current each cycle into the bit line of a high density memory array to eliminate the bias voltage reduction which would otherwise occur. This results in a much faster recovery time and reduces the semiconductor real estate required. A pulse generator in the boost circuit generates one or more current modulation signals which control corresponding current supply devices in a current source. The boost circuit drives a constant amount of current to the bias voltage node each memory cycle.
US08937839B2

Data paths, memories, and methods for providing data from memory are disclosed. An example read data path includes a delay path, and a clocked data register. The data path has a data propagation delay and is configured to receive data and propagate the data therethrough. The delay path is configured to receive a clock signal and provide a delayed clock signal having a delay relative to the clock signal that models the data propagation delay. The clocked data register is configured to clock in data responsive at least in part to the delayed clock signal. The clocked data register is further configured to clock out data responsive at least in part to the clock signal.
US08937830B2

A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a memory cell array including memory cells, the memory cells each configured having a current rectifier element and a variable resistance element connected in series therein. Each of the memory cells has formed on aside surface thereof: a first insulating film provided on aside surface of the current rectifier element and the variable resistance element and having a composition ratio of a non-silicon element to silicon which is a first value; a silicon oxide film provided on a side surface of the first insulating film; and a second insulating film provided on aside surface of the silicon oxide film and having a composition ratio of a non-silicon element to silicon which is a second value. The first value is smaller than the second value.
US08937815B2

A monitor support for use in multiple configurations including a base portion; a monitor; and a multilink arm coupling the monitor to the base portion is provided. The multilink arm includes a first beam coupled to the base portion by a first pivot; a second beam coupled to the base portion by a second pivot; the first and second beams move in parallel as they rotate about the first and second pivots. The multilink arm may include a connector coupling the monitor to the arm, having a connector axis for rotating the monitor by approximately 180° about the connector axis. Also provided is a cart for carrying instrumentation including a monitor support as above, and a method for using it. The cart includes a bottom portion for holding a desktop instrument, the bottom portion including wheels for rolling the cart; and a top portion for holding the monitor support.
US08937814B2

A positioning structure for positioning a plate-shaped structure having at least one positioning hole is disclosed. The positioning structure includes at least one positioning element corresponding to the positioning hole, and the positioning element includes a placement portion for supporting the plate-shaped structure and a positioning portion extending toward a direction far away from the placement portion to form a hollow cylinder shape, and the positioning portion has an outer surrounding surface and a plurality of inner threads. Hence, when the outer surrounding surface of the positioning portion of the positioning element is inserted into the positioning hole to contact with the inner surface of the positioning hole, the positioning portion of the position element can be positioned in the positioning hole, thus the instant disclosure can be used to accurately position and secure the plate-shaped structure.
US08937806B2

Flow diversion apparatuses and methods are provided. A flow diversion apparatus can include a vent configured to permit the flow of a fluid therethrough. The apparatus can also include an electronic device capable of a range of motion across at least a portion of the vent disposed proximate at least a portion of the vent. The apparatus can include a shutter disposed proximate at least a portion of the vent opposite the electronic device. The shutter can be capable of a range of motion across at least a portion of the vent in conjunction with the electronic device. The shutter can prevent at least a portion of the fluid flowing through the vent from impinging on the electronic device.
US08937796B2

Variable frequency motor drives and control techniques are presented in which filter capacitor faults are detected by measuring filter neutral node currents and/or voltages and detecting changes in a frequency component of the measured neutral condition and/or based on input current unbalance.
US08937794B2

An apparatus includes a probe card, a plurality of sort probes coupled to the probe card and detector circuitry to detect a real time over current occurrence at the sort probes.
US08937793B2

A semiconductor device comprises a first power supply system, a second power supply system, an output circuit, a first driving circuit and a first protection. The first power supply system is configured with a first power supply voltage and a first ground voltage. The second power supply system is configured with a second power supply voltage and a second ground voltage. The output circuit receives a power supply from the second power supply system. The first driving circuit receives a power supply from the first power supply system and outputs a signal for driving the output circuit. One end of the first protection element is connected to an output node of the output circuit and the other end is connected to the first ground voltage.
US08937792B2

A buck circuit includes a first inductor, a second inductor, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first electronic switch, a second electronic switch, a controller, a voltage input terminal, and a voltage output terminal. The relationship of the capacitance C of the first capacitor, the resistance R of the first resistor, the inductance L of the first inductor, and the equivalent impedance Z of the first inductor is R*C=L/Z. The controller detects voltage of the first capacitor, determines whether current of the first inductor is more than a preset value according to the voltage of the first capacitor, and executes over-current protection when the current of the first inductor is more than the preset value.
US08937790B2

A system for poling piezoelectric devices comprises a plurality of thin-film components, a plurality of piezoelectric devices, a poling pad for poling the piezoelectric devices, a plurality of traces, and a plurality of current-limiting elements. The thin-film components are separated by dice lanes to form an array, and the piezoelectric devices are formed on the thin-film components. The traces connect the piezoelectric devices across the dice lanes in parallel to the poling pad. Each current-limiting element is connected in series with one of the piezoelectric devices, in order to limit current to individual piezoelectric devices that experience current-related failure.
US08937786B1

Setting a servo write head spacing for writing servo tracks on a magnetic tape in a manufacturing environment. One or more processors receive one or more environmental condition measurements of the manufacturing environment. The processors determine a spacing for a pair of servo write heads based at least on a nominal spacing for the pair of servo tracks, and a product of a difference between the nominal environmental conditions associated with the nominal spacing and the corresponding environmental condition measurements of the manufacturing environment, and coefficients of expansion for the magnetic tape. Spacing for the pair of servo write heads is set to the determined spacing, such that the spacing of the pair of servo write heads is substantially the nominal spacing when the one or more manufacturing environment environmental condition measurements are the one or more nominal environmental conditions.
US08937781B1

A contact detection system includes a comparator operable to compare a signal derived from a contact sensor with a threshold and to indicate contact when the signal is greater than the threshold, a parameter estimation circuit operable to estimate parameters of a probability density function based on the signal derived from the contact sensor, and a threshold calculator operable to calculate the threshold based at least in part on the parameters of the probability density function.
US08937780B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes logic configured to count each data set read and/or write access that used error recovery procedure (ERP) and each data set read and/or write access that did not use ERP, and logic configured to access subsequent data sets to read from and/or write to a data storage medium, wherein any subsequent data set read and/or write access that uses ERP is accessed using an initial ERP step characterized by a first speed of the data storage medium, and wherein the first speed is selected at least partially based on the count. Other systems and methods for ERP data access are described according to more embodiments.
US08937777B2

In one embodiment, a method includes updating a standard deviation or a variance based on a current position error signal sample, where a smoothing factor applied to a subsequent calculation of the standard deviation or variance is dynamically altered based at least in part on whether a current value of the standard deviation or the variance is above or below a specified value. A determination is made as to whether the standard deviation or the variance exceeds a predetermined threshold. A stopwrite threshold is determined based on the standard deviation or the variance when the standard deviation or the variance exceeds the predetermined threshold. A determination is made as to whether the current position error signal sample exceeds the stopwrite threshold. Writing is disabled when the current position error signal sample exceeds the stopwrite threshold. Writing is enabled when the current position error signal sample does not exceed the stopwrite threshold.
US08937774B2

A method comprises depositing an optical filter layer on a glass wafer, then cutting the wafer into dice. The dice are positioned on a carrier and encapsulated in a molding compound to form a reconstituted wafer, and the wafer is back-ground and polished. Lens faces are positioned on opposing surfaces of the glass dice and spacers are positioned on one side of the wafer. The wafer is then cut into lens modules, each having two side-by-side lenses with an opaque molding compound barrier between. The individual modules are attached to devices that require dual lenses, such as, e.g., proximity sensors that use a light source and a light receiver or detector.
US08937768B2

An optical component has a lens including a further optical component therein. The further optical component acts upon light propagating within a portion of the lens but not on light propagating within a second other portion of the lens. A simple configuration involves a lens having a slot for having the optical component inserted therein. Optical components including the lens with further optical component include beam splitters and beam combiners.
US08937763B2

A vertical microcavity having a layer structure perpendicular to a vertical axis z, includes a first reflector and a second reflector, each comprising one or more material layers; a confinement layer between the reflectors, wherein an electromagnetic wave can be substantially confined, the confinement layer having a body and a defect delimited by first and second surfaces, perpendicular to the vertical axis z; wherein one of the two surfaces is contiguous with the body, the other one contiguous with a layer of the first or second reflector, and wherein one of the two surfaces has a curved profile in at least a plane section perpendicular to the layer structure, the curved profile having a vertex, which defines a maximal thickness h0 of the defect between the first surface and the second surface in the plane section, the maximal thickness h0 being less than a thickness of the contiguous layer.
US08937755B2

A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.
US08937752B2

An image reading device includes a white reference member, reading device, and processor. The reading device includes lenses and light-receiving elements. The light-receiving elements output a plurality of pixel values based on a light reflected from the white reference member. Each lens corresponds to at least two light-receiving elements. Each light-receiving element is configured to receive a light reflected from the white reference member and passing through the corresponding lens and to output one pixel value. The processor acquires the pixel values by using the reading device, sets a target pixel, and determines that the target pixel is an abnormal pixel when an absolute value of difference between a pixel value of the target pixel and a pixel value of a first pixel is greater than a prescribed threshold. The first pixel is separated from the target pixel by an integer multiple of the predetermined lens-to-lens distance.
US08937750B2

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may divide data into a first of set of blocks and a second set of blocks, and data may be stored from non-overlapping frames surrounding the first set of blocks in memory. The data may be grouped from the non-overlapping frames surrounding the second set of blocks, and the data may be absorbed from the non-overlapping frames surrounding the first set of blocks into the second set of blocks. The data may be processed the first set of blocks and the second set of blocks in parallel.
US08937744B1

A system and a method are disclosed for modifying a layout associated with data to reduce the amount of paper used when generating a paper copy of the data. Responsive to receiving an input to modify a layout associated with data presented on a computing device for printing, the layout is modified. In one embodiment, a type associated with the data is determined, and a modified layout is generated based on the type. For example, the layout is differently modified if the data is an electronic document, a spreadsheet, a Web page or another type of data. In one embodiment, the modified layout is displayed on a display and the data and the modified layout are transmitted to a printer responsive to an input confirming the modified layout.
US08937743B1

A paper sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path for transporting paper sheets one at a time, a line sensor unit that includes a light source that irradiates the paper sheet being transported through the transport path with light and a line sensor that receives light reflected from the paper sheet and processes a signal representing the received light to generate pixel data, and a control unit that performs an image thinning process on the pixel data and almost simultaneously generates a first image data and a second image data having different resolutions.
US08937731B2

Disclosed is an image processing apparatus composed in a hierarchical architecture of a hardware resource, a first control program over the hardware resource, a second control program and an application program over the first control program. The first control program includes a first API for receiving a first request relating to image processing from the second control program and a second request relating to image processing from the application program, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request. The second control program includes a second API publicly released in advance for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the first control program.
US08937727B2

A portable handheld device includes an image sensor for capturing an image; an orientation sensor for determining a rotation of the image sensor; and a system-on-chip processor having integrated on a common wafer a CPU for processing a script language, a multi-core processor for processing an image captured by the image sensor, and a common synchronization register. The multi-core processor includes multiple processing units connected in parallel by a crossbar switch. Each processing unit stores one or more synchronization bits for identifying which of the other processing units are functioning as a single process therewith. The common synchronization register contains therein synchronization bits from each of the processing units.
US08937724B2

Exemplary embodiments of systems and methods can be provided which can generate data associated with at least one sample. For example, using at least one first arrangement, it is possible to forward at least one first radiation to the sample(s) so as to cause at least one second radiation to be provided from the sample(s) that can be based on the first radiation(s). In addition, using at least one second arrangement, it is possible to receive the second radiation from the sample(s), generate a plurality of distinct measurements regarding at least one portion of the sample(s) based the second radiation(s), and characterize the portion(s) over a plurality of continuous resolvable depth points thereof which are associated with the distinct measurements. Further, the characterization of the at least one portion can be resolved and distinctly characterized at a number of the depth points which is greater than a number of the distinct measurements.
US08937713B2

A long-distance fiber optic monitoring system having a sensing unit and an analyzer that is remotely located from the sensing unit is provided. The sensing unit comprises a source of optical energy for injecting optical energy into the fiber optical cable and an optical detector configured to detect an optical return signal from the optical fiber. The detected optical return signal is associated with an acoustic signal impinging on the optical fiber. The analyzer receives a signal from the remote sensing unit via the optical fiber that is representative of the optical return signal, and determines a location of a disturbance based at least on the received signal. The representative signal can be transmitted from the remote sensing unit to the analyzer as an optical signal or via a metallic wired included with the optical fiber.
US08937711B2

A sensor, including a plurality of photo gate pairs on a semiconductor substrate, each of the photo gate pairs including a first photo gate and a second photo gate, a first shared floating diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of first transmission transistors on the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of first transmission transistors is adapted to transmit charges to the first shared floating diffusion region in response to a first transmission control signal, the charges being generated in the semiconductor substrate under the first photo gate of each of the plurality of photo gate pairs.
US08937708B2

An illumination optics for microlithography includes an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optics can divide an illumination light radiation bundle into a plurality of radiation sub-bundles which are assigned to different illumination angles of the object field illumination. The illumination optics is configured so that at least some of the radiation sub-bundles are superimposed in a superposition plane which is spaced from the object plane and which is not imaged into the object plane in which superposition takes place. This superposition is such that edges of the superimposed radiation sub-bundles coincide at least partially. In some embodiments, a field intensity setting device includes a plurality of adjacent individual diaphragms which at least attenuate illumination light when exposed thereon. These individual diaphragms are insertable into an illumination light radiation bundle in a direction parallel to an object displacement direction. All individual diaphragms of the field intensity setting device are insertable into the illumination light radiation bundle from one and the same side.
US08937703B2

A liquid immersion member is disposed inside an immersion exposure apparatus and at least partly around an optical member and around an optical path of exposure light that passes through a liquid between the optical member and an object. The liquid immersion member comprises: a first member, which has a first surface, a second surface that faces a direction other than that faced by the first surface, and a plurality of holes that connects the first surface and the second surface, that recovers at least some of the liquid from the space above the object opposing the first surface via the holes; a recovery passageway, wherethrough the liquid recovered via the holes of the first member flows; and a discharge part, which separately discharges a liquid and a gas from the recovery passageway. The first member comprises a first portion and a second portion. The second portion hinders a gas flowing from a space between the object and the first surface into the recovery passageway via the holes more than the first portion does.
US08937702B2

A method of making a panoramic image includes capturing a first image (30) defining a first overlap region (115) capturing a second image (40), and defining a second overlap region (215). Two points (150, 151) in the first overlap region are identified and a first vector (175) overlap region connecting the two points is defined. Two points (250, 251) in the second overlap region which correspond to the two points in the first overlap region are identified and a second vector (275) the two points is defined. If points in the first vector match points in the second vector, determine if the first and second vectors are parallel. If the vectors are not parallel, rotate the second vector image until the second vector is parallel to the first vector.
US08937695B2

The present invention provides a backplane and a liquid crystal module having the backplane. The backplane includes a main body, a plurality of raised ribs formed on the main body, and a plurality of wall mounting members rotatably attached to the raised ribs. Each of the wall mounting members is selectively set, through rotation, at a retracted position or a wall-mountable position with respect to the corresponding raised rib. The wall mounting members provided on the backplane of the liquid crystal module are made in a foldable arrangement, whereby in packaging, the wall mounting members are rotated to a retracted position located inside the backplane and in an operation of assembling a complete device, the wall mounting members are expanded to a wall-mountable position for use.
US08937692B2

The present invention provides a color mixing lens which can improve color reproducibility, be made slim and adjust an emission pattern; and a liquid crystal display device having the same. The color mixing lens includes a light receiving portion having at least two light emission diodes positioned at a side for emitting color lights different from each other and light receiving recesses for placing the light emission diodes therein respectively, a color mixing portion formed on the light receiving portion for mixing the lights from the light emission diodes into a white color light, and a light emission portion formed on the color mixing portion for emitting the white light from the color mixing portion through a side thereof.
US08937686B2

Methods and systems for processing video are provided. A method includes receiving first and second video signals and generating a mask as a function of the second video signal, the mask having mask and peripheral areas. The method displays the first video signal in the peripheral area and processes the second video signal in the mask area. The method displays the processed second video signal in the mask area. A system includes a processor and a memory with stored instructions, that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive first and second video signals and generate a mask as a function of the second video signal, wherein the mask has a mask area and a peripheral area. The system displays the first video signal in the peripheral area, processes the second video signal in the mask area, and displays the processed second video signal in the mask area.
US08937682B2

The present invention relates to a focusing device comprising: a lens, a lens plate, an image sensor, an image sensor plate, at least two rotatable structures, and at least two strips, wherein the lens is connected to the lens plate, the image sensor is connected to the image sensor plate, wherein each strip is arranged to be wound onto one of the rotatable structures, respectively, the rotatable structures and the strips are arranged between the lens plate and the image sensor plate, the rotatable structures and/or the strips are arranged in contact with the lens plate and the image sensor plate, and wherein a distance between the lens and the image sensor is adjusted by winding the strips onto or off the rotatable structures.
US08937681B2

The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing ultra-compact camera modules, adjusting them, post production, to precise focal point settings, and sealing the precisely aligned assembly to maintain the focal point. Also, the invention specifically relates to ultra-compact camera module apparatuses.
US08937676B2

A video processing method includes calculating mean values with respect to x coordinate value and y coordinate value of vertices that define a corresponding area, which is obtained when a designated area in spherical coordinates is projected on an xy coordinate plane that represents a captured image, and superimposing a mask image R on the captured image in such a way as to bring a point G having an x coordinate value and a y coordinate value identical to the calculated mean values with respect to the x coordinate value and the y coordinate value into coincidence with a point defined by a midpoint in the height direction and a midpoint in the width direction of the mask image.
US08937660B2

Profiling and tracking vehicles using cameras is disclosed. Initially, two or more first images from a first camera having a first field of view are received. A first static characteristic of a first vehicle is determined based on at least one of the two or more first images. Next, a desired static characteristic of a vehicle of interest is received. The desired static characteristic of the vehicle of interest is compared with the first static characteristic of the first vehicle. In response to the comparison, it is determined that the desired static characteristic of the vehicle of interest is approximately equal to the first static characteristic of the first vehicle. In response, it is determined that the vehicle of interest is present in the first field of view of the first camera. Finally, it is indicated that the vehicle of interest is present in the first field of view.
US08937658B2

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for notification of alarms in security systems. An alarm is detected in a security system. An alarm code is associated to a camera, and video data is retrieved from the camera. An alarm notification address is retrieved and the video data is sent to the IP alarm notification address.
US08937654B2

A machine vision inspection system comprises an optical portion providing an image of a field of view of a workpiece which may be a magnified image. A first camera and a second camera provide first and second images of a shared or common field of view of the workpiece and are arranged such that the orientation of the common field of view imaged in the first camera is rotated relative to the orientation of the common field of view imaged in the second camera. Signal processing provides an edge measurement of an edge feature within the common field of view and determines which of the first and second images is used as a basis for the edge measurement based on whether their respective edge orientation (with respect to the pixel array of each camera) differs from the pixel array orientation of their associated camera by an orientation difference threshold amount.
US08937652B2

An endoscope apparatus includes a flash memory that stores a reference value of a color balance adjustment value of an endoscopic image of an endoscope that picks up an object through a polarizer. The endoscope calculates, from the reference value and the color balance adjustment value of the endoscope after elapse of a predetermined time period, an amount of change in the color balance adjustment value; judges whether or not the calculated amount of change is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold; and, when the amount of change is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold, outputs a predetermined output.
US08937649B2

A method of displaying a three-dimensional image is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a left-eye gray level image array and a right-eye gray level image array; converting the left-eye gray level image array and the right-eye gray level image array into a left-eye luminance image array and a right-eye luminance image array respectively; receiving a left-eye compensation array; adjusting the right-eye luminance image array in accordance with the left-eye luminance array and the left-eye compensation array; converting the adjusted right-eye luminance image array into an adjusted right-eye gray level image array; displaying the adjusted right-eye gray level image array.
US08937644B2

Stereoscopic image capture is provided. A blur value expected for multiple pixels in left and right images is predicted. The blur value is predicted based on designated capture settings. A disparity value expected for multiple pixels in the left and right images is predicted. The disparity value is predicted based on the designated capture settings. Stressed pixels are identified by comparing the predicted disparity value to a lower bound of disparity value determined from the predicted blur value using a predetermined model. A pixel with predicted disparity value less than the lower bound is identified as a stressed pixel. The predicted disparity is adjusted by modifying the designated capture settings to reduce the number of stressed pixels, or an alert to the presence of stressed pixels is given to the user.
US08937640B2

The digital 3D/360° camera system is an omnidirectional stereoscopic device for capturing image data that may be used to create a 3-dimensional model for presenting a 3D image, a 3D movie, or 3D animation. The device uses multiple digital cameras, arranged with overlapping fields of view, to capture image data covering an entire 360° scene. The data collected by one, or several, digital 3D/360° camera systems can be used to create a 3D model of a 360° scene by using triangulation of the image data within the overlapping fields of view.
US08937633B2

A lighting apparatus includes a plurality of light sources of which emissions of light are able to be controlled independently of one another, a control unit configured to control brightness of each light source, and a measurement unit configured to measure the brightness of each light source. In cases where the brightness of each light source is measured, the control unit carries out a first control which causes a measurement target light source to turn on and at the same time light sources other than the measurement target light source to turn off, and a second control which decreases the brightness of each of the light sources in a stepwise manner immediately before a turn-off period of time thereof, and which increases the brightness of each of the light sources in a stepwise manner immediately after the turn-off period of time.
US08937632B2

Raw grayscale image data, representing images to be displayed in successive frames, is used to drive a display having pixels that include a drive transistor and an organic light emitting device by dividing each frame into at least first and second-frames, and supplying each pixel with a drive current that is higher in the first sub-frame than in the second sub-frame for raw grayscale values in a first preselected range, and higher in the second sub-frame than in the first sub-frame for raw grayscale values in a second preselected range. The display may be an active matrix display, such as an AMOLED display.
US08937621B2

Apparatus and methods for reducing power consumption of a data transfer interface in a computer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for reducing power consumption of a data transfer interface between a first device and a second device, includes, identifying a free interval between a first data and a second data, disabling the data transfer interface during the free interval, enabling the data transfer interface at the end of the free interval, and transmitting the second data. The method may also include a step of notifying the second device that the data transfer interface is being temporarily disabled. Another embodiment, for example, includes the transfer of display data (or video frames) over an interface, such as, a DisplayPort interface, between a graphics controller device and a timing controller device in a computer system.
US08937616B2

When a first data line becomes an H level and a second data line becomes an L level at the time that a scan line is at the H level, a first TFT is turned on and a second TFT is turned off. When the first TFT is turned on, a voltage higher than the voltage of a common electrode is applied to a pixel electrode, so that a pixel is displayed in black. When the first data line becomes the L level and the second data line becomes the H level at the time that the scan line is at the H level, the first TFT is turned off and the second TFT is turned on. When the second TFT is turned on, a voltage lower than the voltage of the common electrode is applied to the pixel electrode, so that a pixel is displayed in white.
US08937615B2

A pixel capable of compensating for the deterioration of an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The pixel includes an OLED coupled between first and second power sources, a pixel circuit including a driving transistor coupled between the first power source and the OLED and having a gate electrode coupled to a first node so that driving current corresponding to a voltage applied to the first node is supplied to the OLED, and a compensation circuit for controlling the voltage of the first node in accordance with deterioration of the OLED to compensate for the deterioration of the OLED. The compensation circuit includes first and second transistors coupled between the OLED and a third power source, first and second feedback capacitors coupled between the first node and a second node that is between the first transistor and the second transistor, and a third transistor coupled to the third power source.
US08937604B2

A touch-responsive capacitive apparatus includes means for defining first and second surfaces, a first micro-wire layer formed on the first surface, the first micro-wire layer including a plurality of electrically connected first micro-wires, a second micro-wire layer formed on the second surface, the second micro-wire layer including a plurality of electrically connected second micro-wires, and a polarizing dielectric structure located between the first and second micro-wire layers.
US08937587B2

A temperature estimating apparatus, which is provided for a backlight having a plurality of light source blocks each having one light source or a plurality of light sources so that light emission of the light source of each of the light source blocks can be regulated independently, comprises an acquiring unit which acquires a luminance of the light source for each of the light source blocks; a temperature sensor which measures a temperature of at least any one of an internal and external temperature of a casing of the image display apparatus having the backlight; and an estimating unit which estimates a temperature of the light source for each of the light source blocks on the basis of a measured value obtained by the temperature sensor and a luminance value of the light source of each of the light source blocks acquired by the acquiring unit.
US08937586B2

A device for reducing flickers of a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed. The liquid crystal display panel is divided into a plurality of blocks. The device includes a memory, a common voltage generation unit, and a controller. The memory is used for storing a plurality of initial codes. Each initial code corresponds to a block of the plurality of blocks and a common voltage. The controller is used for generating a control signal to the common voltage generation unit when the controller starts to count scan start signals corresponding to the block. The common voltage generation unit is used for reading the initial code from the memory according to the control signal, and generating the common voltage to the block according to the initial code.
US08937578B2

An antenna system supports a common resonance mode and differential resonance mode, each with approximately equal radiation resistance and bandwidth at a given operating frequency band. The antenna system includes a resonant antenna section, a counterpoise, and two antenna ports. The resonant antenna section includes two spaced-apart poles and a distributed network therebetween. Each of the poles has a proximal end connected to the distributed network and an opposite distal end. The distal ends of the poles are separated from each other by a distance of ⅓ to ⅔ of the electrical wavelength at the given operating frequency. Each of the two antenna ports is defined by a pair of feed terminals with one feed terminal located on the counterpoise and the other feed terminal located on a different one of the poles of the resonant antenna section. The resonant antenna section, counterpoise, and ports are configured such that a signal within the given operating frequency band applied to one port is isolated from the other port.
US08937574B2

A light-weight, air-cooled transmit/receive unit is provided, including a first external cover member, an opposed second external cover member, and a central housing unit, including thermal management means, interposed between the first and second external cover members. A transmit/receive circuit board, including components and an integrated and common radiating element for at least one channel, is interposed between a first surface of the central housing unit and the first external cover member, and a controller circuit board and a power converter circuit board are interposed between an opposed second surface of the central housing unit and the second external cover member.
US08937571B2

A method for detecting the wheels of a vehicle that is traveling on a roadway in a travel direction and whose wheels project downward from the vehicle body and are at least partially exposed laterally at the level of the vehicle body, with the steps: emitting a concentrated electromagnetic measurement beam with a known temporal progression of frequency from the side of the roadway onto an area a predetermined distance above the roadway and at a slant with respect to the travel direction, receiving the measurement beam reflected by a passing vehicle and recording the temporal progression, relative to the known progression, of its frequency, and detecting a rectangular pulse occurring in the recorded progression within the time period when the vehicle body passes, as a wheel.
US08937567B2

A delta-sigma modulator includes: an integrator having an operational amplifier; a quantizer quantizing an output of the integrator; a first D-A converter converting an output of the quantizer to a current signal to provide negative feedback to the operational amplifier; a feedforward path feeding forward an input of the integrator to the quantizer; and a second D-A converter converting the output of the quantizer to a current signal to provide negative feedback to the quantizer. The integrator includes a resistive element having a first end connected to the input of the integrator and a second end connected to an inverting input of the operational amplifier, n capacitive circuits connected in series between the inverting input and an output of the operational amplifier, and (n−1) resistive elements each having a first end connected to an interconnecting node of the capacitive circuits and a second end connected to a common node.
US08937565B2

An impedance matching transmission circuit for a transducer has a transmission medium connected to the transducer. A transmitting circuit is connected to the transmission medium with the transmitting circuit terminating in a reference circuit element. The transmitting circuit comprises an analog to digital converter having an analog input connected to the reference circuit element, and having a digital output. A digital to analog converter receives the digital output and generates an analog output signal in response thereto. A driver circuit is connected to the transmission medium and receives the analog output signal and supplies a driver signal to the transmission medium.
US08937561B2

A system and method for controlling a body-scanning device using multiple wireless devices is disclosed. The method includes communicating a secure wireless signal from a footswitch enclosure to a footswitch receiver coupled to the body scanning device in response to an actuation of a footswitch zone carried on a footswitch enclosure. Additionally, a wireless signal is communicated from a handswitch enclosure in response to an actuation of a handswitch zone and communicated to a handswitch receiver located in the footswitch enclosure. The wireless signal is then communicated from the footswitch enclosure to the footswitch receiver coupled to the body-scanning device to enable an operator to control the body-scanning device using the handswitch or the footswitch.
US08937558B2

A technology that does not require complicated operation to select a display mode is provided. In an image display system, a back mode stores a display mode that has been recently set as a current mode. When the display mode becomes the back mode next time, the display mode that has been recently set as a current mode is set as a current mode immediately after the display mode becomes the back mode. Accordingly, the driver does not need to perform the complicated operation to select a desired display mode each time the vehicle is reversed.
US08937550B2

A container defines an interior volume, an opening into the interior volume, and a sealing surface bordering the opening. A closure assembly for the container comprises an imperforate sealable metal liner for covering a container opening in its entirety. A radio frequency identification tag includes a microprocessor electrically coupled with an antenna through mounting contacts extending from the microprocessor to the antenna for receiving, storing, and transmitting digitized information. Electromagnetic interference with receiving, storing, or transmitting of digitized information to or from the radio frequency identification tag is controllable by restricting electrical coupling of the microprocessor with the imperforate metal liner to the mounting contacts. When sealed over a container opening to cover a container opening in its entirety, the imperforate metal liner abates migration of fluids between a container interior volume and an exterior of a container.
US08937545B2

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer program instructions for monitoring whether persons in a group are each away from an associated vehicle. In one embodiment, the computer system receives an association between each of multiple persons in the group with one of multiple vehicles and automatically receives digital information, derived from measured rf signal strength, indicating whether any one of multiple persons in the group has moved from a first relatively close position with respect to an associated vehicle and farther away from the associated vehicle than the first position. A notification is sent from the computer system to at least one device associated with a person in the group based on received information that a first of said multiple persons is farther away from the associated vehicle than the first relatively close position is from the associated vehicle.
US08937533B2

A contactless IC card reader and a data reading method which are capable of improving data reading accuracy while preventing a decrease in processing speed. Specifically, in a contactless IC card reader which transmits signals composed of amplitude modulated carrier signals to a contactless IC card, the contactless IC card and reader communicate by means of an NRZ encoding method and an ASK modulating method for which the modulation depth has an arbitrary value. The contactless IC card reader is provided with a contactless control means which modulates/demodulates signals transmitted to/received from the contactless IC card, and a main control means which is electrically connected to the contactless control means and that controls the entire card reader. The modulation depth that is varied by the contactless control means based on the command sent from the main control means has multiple range widths with an arbitral value as the standard.
US08937531B2

An RFID system has an active tag with one antenna inside, and one outside, an RF-blocking enclosure having a port with a selected shortest dimension. The RFID reader is located outside the enclosure and uses a selected RF read frequency range. The RFID tag simultaneously transmits on a plurality of frequencies corresponding to respective wavelengths smaller than the selected shortest dimension, so that a respective beat frequency is defined between two of the frequencies. The beat frequency is within the selected RF uplink frequency range. The tag transmits a first signal at a first one of the plurality of frequencies using the interior antenna and a second signal at a second, different one of the plurality of frequencies using the exterior antenna.
US08937530B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) that is controlled by the RFID's logic and powered by the RFID's power harvesting circuit, wherein the RFID tag is capable of being interrogated by an RFID reader and reporting its unique identification number by RF backscatter and/or controlling the illumination state of the at least one LED.
US08937528B2

An apparatus for managing biometric information for a vehicle is provided. The apparatus comprising a first key, a second key, and a vehicle controller. The first and the second key each for transmitting an access signal to the vehicle. The vehicle controller for receiving the access signal from one of the first key and the second key to enable operation of the vehicle. The vehicle controller being operably coupled to a biometric database for storing first data indicative of an administrator and second data indicative of at least one of a member and biometric information for the member. The vehicle controller being configured to receive the access signal from each of the first key and the second key and to determine that a user is the administrator in response to receiving the access signal from each of the first key and the second key.
US08937524B2

A surface mount fuse in one embodiment includes an insulative body, first and second conductive and caps attached to the insulative body, each end cap defining an aperture, and a fuse element extending (i) through the insulative body and the apertures and (ii) along outside surfaces of the first and second conductive end caps in such a way that solder used to attach the first and second conductive end caps to an external medium also fastens the fuse element to the first and second end caps.
US08937517B2

A splitter includes an input terminal, a first output terminal, a second output terminal, a first transmitting unit including a first microstrip coupled between the input terminal and a first node, a second microstrip coupled between the input terminal and a second node, and a first resistor coupled between the first node and the second node, and a second transmitting unit including a third microstrip coupled between the first node and the first output terminal, a fourth microstrip coupled between the second node and the second output terminal, and a second resistor coupled between the first output terminal and the second output terminal, wherein lengths of the first microstrip and the second microstrip are related to a first frequency, and lengths of the third microstrip and the fourth microstrip are related to a second frequency.
US08937514B2

An improved local oscillator (LO) driver circuit for a mixer, the LO driver circuit includes a gain circuit responsive to LO input signals at a predetermined LO frequency range. At least a first pair of a parallel combination of a resistor and a capacitor is coupled to the gain circuit and to LO inputs of the mixer. The resistor configured to increase impedance at low frequencies of the frequency range and the capacitor is configured to reduce the impedance of the first parallel combination at high frequencies of the frequency range to reduce resistive impendence of the resistor. At least a second pair of a parallel combination of a low quality factor inductor and a high quality factor inductor is connected to the first pair. The second pair in serial combination with the first pair is tuned to provide a constant desired load impedance and a constant desired voltage swing at the LO inputs of the mixer over the predetermined LO frequency range.
US08937511B2

A system including a plurality of amplifiers configured to generate a clock signal having a frequency. The clock signal is input to a processor. The amplifiers are connected in series. An output of a last one of the amplifiers is fed back to an input of a first one of the amplifiers. Each of the amplifiers has a transconductance. A frequency adjustment module is configured to adjust, based on an activity level of the processor, the frequency of the clock signal by adjusting the transconductance of the amplifiers.
US08937508B2

Aspects of the disclosure provide a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier includes a first pair of complementary transistors, a second pair of complementary transistors, and a current source. First control terminals of the first pair of complementary transistors are coupled to a first input node of the differential amplifier and first driving terminals of the first pair of complementary transistors are coupled to a first output node of the differential amplifier for driving a load. Second control terminals of the second pair of complementary transistors are coupled to a second input node of the differential amplifier and second driving terminals of the second pair of complementary transistors coupled to a second output node of the differential amplifier for driving the load. The current source is configured to maintain a substantially constant total current flow through the first pair of complementary transistors and the second pair of complementary transistors.
US08937507B2

There is described a self oscillating modulator circuit comprising at least two coupled self oscillating loop modules, that achieved a good efficiency and a good linearity.
US08937500B2

This document discusses, among other things, a delay circuit, in which a first register is written with a delay reference code, a second register is written with a delay factor, a control unit determines a corresponding delay ratio in a storage unit based on the delay factor in the second register, and sends the determined delay ratio to a first digital timing unit, the first digital timing unit determines a delay reference time based on the delay reference code in the first register, multiplies the delay reference time by the delay ratio to result in a desired delay time, and generates a delay.
US08937495B1

Emitter-coupled logic circuits and systems that include such circuits are provided. Some emitter-coupled logic circuits include a plurality of fT-doubler circuits. Each fT-doubler circuit includes a plurality of transistors coupled to one another in an arrangement such that the plurality of transistors are configured to behave as a single enhanced transistor that has an effective unity current gain frequency that is higher than if a single transistor were used in its place. The fT-doubler circuits are configured to increase an operating frequency capability of the emitter-coupled logic circuit. Some emitter-coupled logic circuits include a plurality of cascode amplifier circuits. Each cascode amplifier circuit includes multiple transistors. An emitter of at least one first transistor of the plurality of transistors is coupled to a collector of at least one second transistor of the plurality of transistors Some emitter-coupled logic circuits may include both fT-doubler circuits and cascode amplifier circuits.
US08937490B2

An integrated circuit comprising an output driver including an output terminal, and a receiving circuit including a termination resistor connected between the output terminal and a ground. The output driver comprising a first NMOS transistor configured to pull up a voltage of the output terminal to a pull-up voltage in response to a pull-up signal, and a second NMOS transistor configured to pull down the output terminal to a ground voltage in response to a pull-down signal.
US08937473B2

Sensor for continuously measuring the angular position of a shaft rotatably mounted relative to a housing. The sensor includes a stator, a rotor attachable to the shaft, and permanent magnets having alternating polarities located on a stator or a rotor capable of creating magnetic induction during the rotation of the rotor. A magnetic circuit channels the magnetic induction such that it is proportional to a sinusoidal function of the angle of the rotor. At least two electric transducers having linear output, each angularly offset one from the other relative to the stator, are located in the gaps arranged in the circuit. The magnetic circuit is toothed and includes at least one measuring unit having three teeth per pair of magnets, each tooth including a gap with a transducer.
US08937470B2

An active power factor correction (PFC) circuit for calibrating a power factor of an AC-to-DC converter when the active PFC circuit is coupled with the AC-to-DC converter is disclosed including: a piecewise linear gain circuit, an error amplifier, a PWM controller, and a PWM signal generator. The piecewise linear gain circuit is for receiving a feed forward signal and generating a corresponding gain signal, wherein the gain signal and the feed forward signal have a broken line relation with respect to magnitude. The error amplifier is for generating an error signal according to an output voltage of the AC-to-DC converter. The PWM controller is for generating a control signal according to the gain signal and the error signal. The PWM signal generator is for generating a PWM signal for controlling a power switch of the AC-to-DC converter according to the control signal.
US08937461B2

A system for controlling charging of a battery and a battery pack including the system are disclosed. The system includes a comparison unit that compares an actual output voltage value of a charger with an expected supply voltage value of the charger, and a control unit that resets a taper current value according to the comparison result.
US08937452B2

A system and method for controlling a state-of-charge (SOC) of a vehicle battery, such as a high-voltage battery used by a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) for vehicle propulsion, so that the SOC is maintained within a desired SOC range that is temperature-dependent. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and method use a battery temperature prediction to determine a desired SOC range, and then control the amount of charge on the vehicle battery such that the SOC is maintained within the desired SOC range. As the battery temperature prediction goes lower (i.e., as it gets colder), the desired SOC range may need to be adjusted or shifted upwards in order to account for increased internal battery resistance and to ensure that the vehicle battery has enough power to start the vehicle. Similarly, as the battery temperature prediction goes higher (i.e., as it gets warmer), the desired SOC range may need to be adjusted or shifted downwards in order to reduce degradation effects and improve battery. The exemplary system and method control the SOC of the vehicle battery and may seek to optimize a number of different parameters, including battery life, battery performance and/or vehicle fuel economy.
US08937446B2

A method of controlling a brushless permanent-magnet motor that includes rectifying an alternating voltage to provide a rectified voltage having a ripple of at least 50%, and exciting a winding of the motor with the rectified voltage. The winding is excited in advance of zero-crossings of back EMF by an advance period and is excited for a conduction period over each electrical half-cycle of the motor. The advance period and/or the conduction period are then adjusted in response to changes in the speed of the motor and/or the RMS value of the alternating voltage so as to maintain constant average power. Additionally, a control system that implements the method, and a motor system that incorporates the control system.
US08937443B2

A system for controlling a set of light sources may include a set of light sources, at least one optical conduit arranged relative to the set of light sources so as to collect excess light from the set of light sources, and at least one sensor coupled to the optical conduit and configured to sense light collected by the optical conduit. The system may also include a controller configured to control the emittance of the set of light sources based on the light sensed by the sensor. A method for controlling a set of light sources may comprise individually varying power supplied to at least some of the light sources in an imperceptible manner, sensing light emitted by a light source for which the power has been varied, and controlling the emittance of the set of light sources based on the sensed light.
US08937437B2

A ballast comprises an inverter circuit for providing an oscillating current signal for energizing the at least one lamp. The inverter circuit comprises a first switching component and a second switching component each having a collector terminal, a base terminal, and an emitter terminal. And, each switching component is configured for alternately operating between a conductive state and a non-conductive state. A first collector-emitter circuit is connected between the collector terminal and the emitter terminal of the first switching component, wherein the first collector-emitter circuit has a first resistance of zero or more Ohms. A second collector-emitter circuit is connected between the collector terminal and the emitter terminal of the second switching component, wherein the second collector-emitter circuit has a second resistance of zero or more Ohms and the first resistance and the second resistance are unequal.
US08937428B2

Provided are an organic electroluminescence device capable of enhancing reflectance of an anode, thereby resulting in improved light-emitting efficiency and a method of manufacturing the same. An anode (12), a thin film layer for hole injection (13), an insulating layer (14), an organic layer (15) including a luminescent layer (15C) and a cathode (16) including a semi-transparent electrode (16A) are laminated in order on a substrate (11). The anode (12) comprises silver which is a metal with high reflectance or an alloy including silver, and the thin film layer for hole injection (13) comprises chromium oxide or the like. Light generated in the luminescent layer (15C) is multiply reflected between the anode (12) and the semi-transparent electrode (16A) to be emitted from the cathode (16). As the reflectance of the anode (12) is enhanced, the light generated in the luminescent layer (15C) can be efficiently emitted. An alloy comprised in the anode (12) preferably includes silver, palladium and copper, and a silver content is preferably 50% by mass or over.
US08937396B2

The present invention provides a power conversion mechanism incorporated as part of a wave energy converter device which utilizes the kinetic energy of an incident wave field experienced through the relative motion of a body or any other similar means connected to a reactive structure resulting in the localization of mechanical forces towards a central nodal point for subsequent exploitation via conversion to a useful form. It comprises a mechanical coupling connectable between a reactive body and a wave actuated body with a first body connectable to the reactive body and a second body connectable to the wave actuated body, the first body and the second body being rotatably coupled together about an axis of rotation. A linear energy conversion device is connected to the mechanical coupling and to a crank arm, the crank arm being rotatably connected to the first body and the second body and connected to a reciprocating member of the linear energy conversion device such that relative angular rotation of the first and second body is converted into linear motion in the reciprocating member.
US08937389B2

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first conductive structure over a workpiece in a first metallization layer, the first conductive structure including a first portion having a first width and a second portion having a second width. The second width is different than the first width. The method includes forming a second conductive structure in a second metallization layer proximate the first metallization layer, and coupling a portion of the second conductive structure to the first portion of the first conductive structure.
US08937378B2

A lead frame and a semiconductor package including the lead frame are provided. The lead frame includes: a base material; a first metal layer which is formed on at least one side of the base material, of which a surface is roughly formed, and which includes copper or nickel; a second metal layer which is formed on a surface of the first metal layer, of which a surface is roughly formed, and which includes palladium or a palladium alloy; a third metal layer which is formed on a surface of the second metal layer, of which a surface is roughly formed, and which includes gold or a gold alloy; and a fourth metal layer which is formed on a surface of the third metal layer, of which a surface is roughly formed, and which includes metal that includes silver.
US08937373B2

A population of semiconductor nanocrystals can include cores including a II-V semiconductor material, e.g., Cd3As2. The population can be monodisperse and can have a quantum yield of 20% or greater. A size-series of populations can have emission wavelengths falling in the range of about 530 nm to about 2000 nm.
US08937364B2

A high voltage semiconductor device, particularly a device including a number of high breakdown voltage transistors having a common drain, first well, and insulating structure between the gate and the drain as well as method for using the same is provided in this disclosure. The high breakdown voltage transistors in the device together are in an elliptical shape. A second well region, gate structure, and a source region are partially overlapping discontinuous elliptical rings having at least two discontinuities or openings in a top view. The respective discontinuities or openings define each of the high breakdown voltage transistors.
US08937359B2

Embodiments of the invention provide approaches for forming gate and source/drain (S/D) contacts. Specifically, the semiconductor device includes a gate transistor formed over a substrate, a S/D contact formed over a trench-silicide (TS) layer and positioned adjacent the gate transistor, and a gate contact formed over the gate transistor, wherein at least a portion of the gate contact is aligned over the TS layer. This structure enables contact with the TS layer, thereby decreasing the distance between the gate contact and the source/drain, which is desirable for ultra-area-scaling.
US08937354B2

The present invention discloses a PD SOI device with a body contact structure. The active region of the PD SOI device includes: a body region; a gate region, which is inverted-L shaped, formed on the body region; a N-type source region and a N-type drain region, formed respectively at the two opposite sides of the anterior part the body region; a body contact region, formed at one side of the posterior part of the body region, which is side-by-side with the N-type source region; and a first silicide layer, formed on the body contact region and the N-type source region, which is contact to both of the body contact region and the N-type source region. The body contact region of the device is formed on the border of the source region and the leading-out terminal of the gate electrode. It can suppress floating body effect of the PD SOI device meanwhile not increasing the chip area, thereby overcoming the shortcoming in the prior art that the chip area is enlarged when the traditional body contact structure is employed. Furthermore, the fabrication process provided herein is simple and compatible to the CMOS technology.
US08937339B2

Si(1-v-w-x)CwAlxNv crystals in a mixed crystal state are formed. A method for manufacturing an easily processable Si(1-v-w-x)CwAlxNv substrate, a method for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer, a Si(1-v-w-x)CwAlxNv substrate, and an epitaxial wafer are provided.A method for manufacturing a Si(1-v-w-x)CwAlxNv substrate 10a includes the following steps. First, a Si substrate 11 is prepared. A Si(1-v-w-x)CwAlxNv layer 12 (0
US08937334B2

A triggerable bidirectional semiconductor device has two terminals and at least one gate. The device comprises, within a layer of silicon on insulator, a central semiconductor zone incorporating the at least one gate and comprising a central region having a first conductivity type, two intermediate regions having a second conductivity type respectively arranged on either side of and in contact with the central region, two semiconductor end zones respectively arranged on either side of the central zone, each end zone comprising two end regions having opposite types of conductivity, in contact with the adjacent intermediate region, the two end regions of each end zone being mutually connected electrically in order to form the two terminals of the device.
US08937333B2

A white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED) includes a transparent electrode, a blue-complementary light-emitting layer, a translucent electrode, a blue light-emitting layer, and a non-transparent electrode. The blue-complementary light-emitting layer is disposed on the transparent electrode. The transparent electrode and the translucent electrode include a first voltage. The blue light-emitting layer is disposed on the translucent layer. The non-transparent electrode is disposed on the blue light-emitting layer. The translucent electrode and the non-transparent electrode include a second voltage.
US08937329B2

An encapsulating sheet includes a transparent layer in which a concave portion that is dented from the surface inwardly is formed and a phosphor encapsulating layer which fills the concave portion. The transparent layer is formed from a transparent composition containing a first silicone resin composition and the phosphor encapsulating layer is formed from a phosphor encapsulating composition containing a phosphor and a second silicone resin composition.
US08937305B2

To provide a highly reliable semiconductor device which includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, in a semiconductor device including a staggered transistor having a bottom-gate structure provided over a glass substrate, a gate insulating film in which a first gate insulating film and a second gate insulating film, whose compositions are different from each other, are stacked in this order is provided over a gate electrode layer. Alternatively, in a staggered transistor having a bottom-gate structure, a protective insulating film is provided between a glass substrate and a gate electrode layer. A metal element contained in the glass substrate has a concentration lower than or equal to 5×1018 atoms/cm3 at the interface between the first gate insulating film and the second gate insulating film or the interface between the gate electrode layer and a gate insulating film.
US08937295B2

An opto-electric structure includes a plurality of nano elements arranged side by side on a support layer, where each nano element includes at least a first conductivity type semiconductor nano sized core, and where the core and a second conductivity type semiconductor form a pn or pin junction. A first electrode layer that extends over the plurality of nano elements and is in electrical contact with at least a portion of the second conductivity type semiconductor, and a mirror provided on a second conductivity type semiconductor side of the structure.
US08937288B1

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for mass spectrometry analysis of microorganisms in samples.
US08937283B2

A technique capable of improving the ability to observe a specimen using an electron beam in an energy region which has not been conventionally given attention is provided. This specimen observation method comprises: irradiating the specimen with an electron beam; detecting electrons to be observed which have been generated and have obtained information on the specimen by the electron beam irradiation; and generating an image of the specimen from the detected electrons to be observed. The electron beam irradiation comprises irradiating the specimen with the electron beam with a landing energy set in a transition region between a secondary emission electron region in which secondary emission electrons are detected and a mirror electron region in which mirror electrons are detected, thereby causing the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons to be mixed as the electrons to be observed. The detection of the electrons to be observed comprises performing the detection in a state where the secondary emission electrons and the mirror electrons are mixed. Observation and inspection can be quickly carried out for a fine foreign material and pattern of 100 nm or less.
US08937278B2

A rotation angle detecting apparatus comprises a shaft portion space formed in a rotation shaft, a bearing holder space, a first condenser lens, a second condenser lens to face the first condenser lens, a detection pattern provided at a focal position of one of the first condenser lens and the second condenser lens, an image sensor provided at a focal position of the other of the first condenser lens and the second condenser lens, and an arithmetic unit for calculating an angle displacement of the rotation shaft. The arithmetic unit carries out a total circumferential scanning, extracts a frequency component, carries out a scanning of a reference designation pattern, and calculates the angle displacement of the rotation shaft based on a phase difference of the frequency component and the number of frequencies corresponding to a change in a position of the reference designation pattern.
US08937277B2

The invention relates to a monofrequency optical filter, including reflective elements which are formed on one surface of a dielectric support layer and which define at least one periodic array of parallel grooves passing across same. The periodicity, height, and width of said periodic groove array are selected so as to form a structure, the wavelength of which can be selected from within a predetermined range of wavelengths. According to the invention, the thickness and refractive index of the support layer are selected so that said layer forms a half-wave plate for a wavelength of the predetermined wavelength range. The filter, when in contact with the surface of the support layer opposite the surface on which the groove array is formed, includes a medium, the refractive index of which is less than that of the support layer so as to obtain a guided mode that resonates in the support layer.
US08937275B2

A method and apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure relate to monitoring gain of a proportional counter. The method includes generating a pulse height spectrum of the proportional counter, defining a first window and a second window within the pulse height spectrum, counting electrical pulses outputted by the proportional counter within the first window of the pulse height spectrum, thereby defining a first window count, counting electrical pulses outputted by the proportional counter within the second window of the pulse height spectrum, thereby defining a second window count, and determining a difference between the first window count and the second window count.
US08937271B2

A method and apparatus are provided for processing light from a light source. The method includes the steps of measuring a predetermined set of characteristics of the light source and detecting flicker when the predetermined set of characteristics exceed a corresponding flicker fusion threshold value.
US08937267B2

A method and a system to control heat input to a weld during an arc welding process. A series of electric arc pulses are generated between an advancing welding electrode and a metal workpiece using an electric arc welding system capable of generating an electric welding waveform to produce the electric arc pulses. The welding waveform has droplet transfer pulses and at least one heat input pulse which is generated during a background portion of the waveform. The at least one heat-increasing current pulse is above the background current level and has a polarity opposite of that of the droplet transfer pulse.
US08937266B2

A system and method for an integrated structural welding system includes a welding-type power source configured to deliver welding-type power for a variety of welding-type processes. The system also includes a gouging torch connected to the welding-type power source to receive welding-type power during a gouging-type process and a wire feeder connected to the welding-type power source to receive welding-type power during a welding-process. Furthermore, the system includes a controller configured to coordinate operation of the wire feeder, the gouging torch, and the power supply to perform only one of the gouging-type process and the welding-type process at a given time.
US08937262B2

The invention relates to a medium voltage switchgear assembly which comprises at least one disconnector and whose drive unit is disposed inside or outside a gas chamber according to the generic part of claim 1. In order to further develop a switchgear assembly of the generic type so as to render the same more compact and more functional, the disconnector is embodied as a three-position vacuum chamber switch.
US08937260B2

The present invention relates to a control mechanism for the displacement of at least one moving contact of a low-voltage circuit-breaking device. The control mechanism comprises elastic means operatively connectable to the moving contact, at least a first element of which is operatively connected to a second element by means of pin-shaped connection means. The first and second elements each comprise a pair of facing lateral portions that are connected by a transverse portion. The pin-shaped connection means comprise a pair of pin-shaped ends, each of which emerges from one side of a lateral portion of the first element. Said pin-shaped means also comprise a pair of seats, each of which is defined on a lateral portion of the second element. Each pin-shaped end is inserted in a corresponding seat so as to configure an axis of mutual rotation between the first and the second elements. The elastic means are arranged so as to exert a retaining force on the pin-shaped ends sufficient to keep them coupled to the corresponding seats in which they are inserted.
US08937257B2

An electronic module includes a substrate, a built-in electronic component and a surface mount electronic component. A suckable region is provided on a front surface of the substrate. When viewed in a see-through manner in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the front surface of the substrate, the suckable region is inside of a region in which one built-in electronic component is built in and a center of gravity of the electronic module is located inside of the suckable region. A protective layer is not provided on the front surface of the substrate on which the surface mount electronic component is mounted.
US08937248B2

An earphone cable structure includes a first connection sleeve, a primary cable, a first branch cable, a second branch cable and a thin-type bridging section. The first connection sleeve includes a first end and a second end. The primary cable is connected to the first end, and includes first core lines and second core lines. The first branch cable is connected to the second end, and includes third core lines connected to the first core lines. The second branch cable is connected to the second end, and includes fourth core lines connected to the second core lines. The axial cross-sectional width of the primary cable is equal to the axial cross-sectional width of the first branch cable plus that of the second branch cable. The thin-type bridging section is connected between the first branch cable and the second branch cable.
US08937246B2

A gasket includes a first body which is attached to a first member at outside of a gap between a first seal surface formed on the first member and a second seal surface formed on a second member and which includes a reinforcing member; a second body which is extended from the first body to the gap between the first seal surface and the second seal surface; and a protrusion portion which is protruded toward the second seal surface in a state in which the first body is attached to the first member and the second member has not yet been attached to the first member, and is pressed by the second seal surface to closely attach the second body to the first seal surface in a state in which the first body is attached to the first member and the second member is attached to the first member.
US08937244B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for converting electromagnetic radiation, such as solar energy, into electric energy with increased efficiency when compared to conventional solar cells. A photovoltaic (PV) unit, according to embodiments of the invention, may have a very thin absorber layer produced by epitaxial lift-off (ELO), all electrical contacts positioned on the back side of the PV device to avoid shadowing, and/or front side and back side light trapping employing a diffuser and a reflector to increase absorption of the photons impinging on the front side of the PV unit. Several PV units may be combined into PV banks, and an array of PV banks may be connected to form a PV module with thin strips of metal or conductive polymer applied at low temperature. Such innovations may allow for greater efficiency and flexibility in PV devices when compared to conventional solar cells.
US08937243B2

The present disclosure enables high-volume cost effective production of three-dimensional thin film solar cell (3-D TFSC) substrates. First, the present disclosure discloses pyramid-like unit cell structure 16 and 50 which enable epitaxial growth through their open pyramidal structure. The present disclosure than gives four 3-D TFSC embodiments 70, 82, 100, and 110 which may combined as necessary. A basic 3-D TFSC having a substrate, emitter, oxidation on the emitter, front and back metal contacts allows simple processing. Other embodiments disclose a selective emitter, selective backside metal contact, and front-side SiN ARC layers. Several processing methods including process flows 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 enable production of these 3-D TFSC. Further, the present disclosure enables higher throughput through the use of dual sided template 400. By processing the substrate in the template, the present disclosure increases yield and reduces processing steps.
US08937241B2

A self-assembly nano-composite solar cell comprises a substrate, a first electrode layer, a composite absorption layer and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer is formed on the substrate. The composite absorption layer is formed over the first electrode layer and includes a plurality of vertical nano-pillars, a plurality of gaps each formed between any two adjacent nano-pillars, and a plurality of bismuth sulfide nano-particles filled into the gaps and attached to the nano-pillars. The second electrode layer is formed over the composite absorption layer. Through etching and soaking in solutions, the composite absorption layer with nano-pillars and bismuth sulfide nano-particles is fabricated to form a self-assembly nano-composite solar cell having high power conversion efficiency.
US08937231B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH327469. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH327469, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH327469 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH327469.
US08937228B1

A novel maize variety designated X08C872 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X08C872 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X08C872 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X08C872, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X08C872. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X08C872.
US08937225B2

The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid PS02450650 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid PS02450650 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08937222B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XBP22003 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP22003, cells from soybean variety XBP22003, plants of soybean XBP22003, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP22003. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP22003 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP22003, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP22003, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP22003. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP22003 are further provided.
US08937221B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XRP35010 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XRP35010, cells from soybean variety XRP35010, plants of soybean XRP35010, and plant parts of soybean variety XRP35010. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XRP35010 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XRP35010, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XRP35010, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XRP35010. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XRP35010 are further provided.
US08937215B2

Polynucleotides and isolated polypeptides, nucleic acid constructs comprising the isolated polynucleotides, transgenic plants expressing same and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance, yield, biomass, growth rate, vigor, oil content, fiber yield, fiber quality, and/or nitrogen use efficiency of a plant are disclosed.
US08937206B2

The process converts FCC olefins to heavier compounds. The heavier compounds are more easily separated from the unconverted paraffins. The heavier compounds can be recycled to an FCC unit or delivered to a separate FCC unit. Suitable conversion zones are oligomerization and aromatic alkylation zones.
US08937195B2

A silicon-bridged Cp-Ar transition metal complex is provided that serves as a catalytic component capable of efficiently and highly selectively producing 1-hexene through the trimerization reaction of ethylene. The transition metal complex is represented by formula (1): wherein M1 represents a transition metal atom of Group 4 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; Ar1 is an aryl group represented by formula (2), Ar2 is an aryl group represented by formula (3) and Ar3 is an aryl group represented by formula (4) (not all of the three aryl groups Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 are the same at the same time), Wherein each of the X and R groups represents hydrogen or the like.
US08937191B2

Disclosed is a process for the production of high purity alpha-tocotrienol from palm oil extract. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for the separation of alpha-tocotrienol from a mixtures of other tocotrienols and tocopherols and the use of a simplified separation scheme based on a combination of solid phase extraction and simulated moving bed (SMB) separation steps employing polar phase simulated moving bed operation. The process is useful for providing a continuous route and a simplified processing route to providing pure alpha-tocotrienol as a major product essentially free of other tocotrienols and tocopherols including: beta-tocopherol, gamma-tocotrienol, delta-tocotrienol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, front end and back end carotenoids, and alpha-tocopherol as a by-product from palm oil extract. Alpha-tocotrienol is a form of vitamin E and may be useful as a treatment for preventing stroke or reducing brain and nerve damage following a stroke.
US08937188B2

A solid crystalline form of 1-(2-[4-(6-methoxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalene-1-y) phenoxy]ethyl)pyrrolidine, and a preparing process thereof are provided. The aforesaid compound is a key intermediate in the synthesis of lasofoxifene. A process for preparing lasofoxifene, a process for purifying lasofoxifene tartrate, and a crystalline form of lasofoxifene tartrate are also provided.
US08937154B2

Provided are constrained peptides that inhibit HIV assembly. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the above peptides are also provided. Additionally provided are methods of inhibiting replication of a capsid-containing virus.
US08937138B2

The present invention discloses an initiating system for cationic polymerization and a polymerization process. The present application relates to an initiating system for cationic polymerization of cationic-polymerizable monomers, and a process for cationic polymerization of cationic-polymerizable monomers by using the initiating system. The present invention particular involves an initiating system for cationic polymerization of cationic-polymerizable monomers in an aqueous reaction medium, and a process for cationic polymerization of cationic-polymerizable monomers by using the initiating system in an aqueous reaction medium.
US08937133B2

The present invention discloses a dissoluble PDMS-modified p(HEMA-MAA) amphiphilic copolymer and the method of fabricating the same. The amphiphilic copolymer of the present invention is fabricated via chemically bonding HEMA, MAA, and poly(dimethylsiloxane), bis(3-aminopropyl) terminated (PDMS) in aqueous solution. The PDMS-modified p(HEMA-MAA) amphiphilic copolymer can be dissolved completely in polar solvents, particularly alcohol solvents, to facilitate subsequent processing. The amphiphilic copolymer features adjustable hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties and exhibits excellent biocompatibility. Thus, it can be utilized in a number of advanced applications, including anti-fouling and drug delivery.
US08937130B2

A conjugated diene rubber of the present invention is prepared from conjugated diene polymer chains, wherein the conjugated diene polymer chains each has an active end at one end and an isoprene block at least at the other end, the isoprene block contains 70 wt % or more isoprene monomer units, and the active ends of at least part of the conjugated diene polymer chains are modified with a compound having a >C═O group as a functional group. This provides (i) a tire that has an excellent strength, excellent low-heat buildup property, and excellent wet grip property and (ii) a rubber composition and a conjugated diene rubber that are suitably used to produce the tire.
US08937126B2

Disclosed is a novel ternary aliphatic polycarbonate blend derived from carbon dioxide, which is mainly composed of an aliphatic polycarbonate. Also disclosed is a process for producing the ternary aliphatic polycarbonate blend. A methacrylic resin or an aliphatic polyester is incorporated, as a second component, into an aliphatic polycarbonate to produce a blend, and a vinyl resin is added, as a third component, to the blend at a specified ratio, thereby producing a novel ternary aliphatic polycarbonate blend derived from carbon dioxide and having excellent mechanical properties that cannot be achieved by binary blends.
US08937119B2

The present invention relates to a stabilized drying catalyst (‘drier’) for enhancing or accelerating oxidative air-drying of an alkyd-based composition, comprising an inclusion complex of a cyclodextrin and a metal salt of formula (Mx+)k(Rk−)χ, wherein M is a transition or rare earth metal cation with charge x and R is an anion with charge k. The present invention preserves the catalytic activity of a drier, particularly upon addition to an alkyd composition, thus providing a method for stabilizing the drying time of the alkyd composition. A process for preparing the stabilized drier is also provided.
US08937107B2

An embodiment of a closed-cell polymeric rigid foam may be made using a one-shot method and a reaction system that includes a hydrofluoroalkene physical blowing agent and a polyol mixture having an aminic polyol. The hydrofluoroalkene blowing agent has 3 to 5 carbon atoms and a boiling point between 10° C. and 40° C. at 1 atmosphere pressure. Embodiments of rigid foams may have high closed cell content and are particularly well suited for thermal insulation.
US08937103B2

A system and method for reducing the CO2 in a gaseous stream between 33% up to and even in excess of 90%, by reducing CO2. A gaseous stream that includes substantial amounts of CO2 is provided to a reaction chamber along with H2O (steam) and a carbon source such as charcoal, coke or other carbonaceous material. Carbon is provided to the chamber at a ratio (C/CO2) of between about 0.100 to 0.850, and between about 0.200 to 0.900 of H2O to the provided CO2. The CO2, H2O and carbon are heated to between about 1500° F. and about 3000° F. at about one atmosphere to produce syngas (i.e. carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2)) and reduces the amount of CO2. The Syngas may then be cleaned and provided to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor or a Bio-catalytic synthesis reactor to produce a fuel, such as Methanol, Ethanol, Diesel and Jet Fuel.
US08937102B2

The invention is drawn to fluid concentrate formulations of fatty acid monoethanolamides comprising (a) about 71-76% by weight of one or more C8-C22 fatty acid monoethanolamides, (b) about 15-17% by weight of water, and (c) about 10-12% by weight of one or more hydrotropes, based on the fluid formulation, wherein the fluid formulation is homogeneous, pumpable and color stable at a temperature of less than 55° C. A preferred embodiment is drawn to fluid concentrate formulations of cocamide monoethanolamide (CMEA) consisting of (a) about 71-76% by weight of CMEA, (b) about 15-17% by weight of water, and (c) about 10-12% by weight of glycerol, based on the fluid formulation. Methods of preparing the fluid concentrate formulations mulations are also disclosed. The fluid concentrate formulations of fatty acid monoethanolamides are useful in the preparation of cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions.
US08937096B2

The present invention is a method for the treatment of mania and/or bipolar disorder comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of one or more novel benzo-fused heterocycle sulfamide derivatives of formula (I) and formula (II) as herein defined.
US08937088B2

A compound of Formula (I), salts thereof, prodrugs thereof, metabolites thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing such a compound, and use of such compound and compositions to treat diseases mediated by multiple kinases, such as raf, VEGFR, PDGFR, FLT-3, and c-Kit.
US08937080B2

Compounds of the formula I: including a stereoisomer thereof, or an N-oxide, a pharmaceutically acceptable addition salt, or a pharmaceutically acceptable addition solvate thereof; useful as HCV inhibitors; processes for preparing these compounds as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds as active ingredient.
US08937068B2

Pyridopyrazine compounds which are suitable for the treatment or prevention of physiological and/or pathophysiological states mediated and/or modulated by signal transduction pathways and/or enzymes in mammals and in particular in humans. A compound according to the general formula (I)
US08937066B2

The invention relates to amino derivatives of dihydro-1,3,5-triazine, used for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases induced by ischemia and/or reperfusion, notably cardiac and renal complications.
US08937061B2

This invention relates generally to methods for synthesizing the non-addictive alkaloid noribogaine.
US08937057B2

A pharmaceutical product or formulation, which comprises azelastine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or physiologically functional derivative thereof, and a steroid, or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt, solvate or physiologically functional derivative thereof, preferably the product or formulation being in a form suitable for nasal or ocular administration.
US08937049B2

The present invention generally relates to the field of nutrition, in particular performance nutrition. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel carbohydrate gel comprising glucose and fructose in a ratio in the range of 3:1 to 1:1. The carbohydrate gel of the present invention can be used to treat or prevent problems with the gastrointestinal tract while allowing for an enhanced blood sugar maintenance and/or an increased exogenous carbohydrate oxidation.
US08937037B2

A device for in-situ production of caustic and increasing alkalinity of a detergent and methods for increasing alkalinity of a detergent are disclosed. In particular, in situ electrochemical conversion of bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate or carbonate sources into caustic provides a safe means for increasing alkalinity of a detergent for a variety of cleaning applications. The invention further discloses methods for cleaning using the electrochemically enhanced detergent according to the invention.
US08937030B2

The present invention is directed to perovskite nanostructures of Formula ABO3, wherein A and B represent one or more metals with A having a valence lower than B, to methods of making the perovskite nanostructures of Formula ABO3 comprising their synthesis within and precipitation from reverse micelles, and the use of the perovskite nanostructures of Formula ABO3 as capacitors, and their use in dynamic random access memory, electromechanics, and non-linear optics.
US08937025B2

One-part binder compositions are described that may include a protein and a crosslinking combination. The crosslinking combination may include at least a first crosslinking compound and a second crosslinking compound. The first and second crosslinking compounds are individually crosslinkable with each other and with the protein. Examples of the protein include soy protein. Fiber products and methods of making the fiber products are also described. The fiber products may include organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or both, in a cured thermoset binder based on solutions of the one-part binder compositions.
US08937024B2

A process for producing at least one photonic component (32, 33, 35, 39, 41), includes inserting the photonic component (32, 33, 35, 39, 41) into a surface layer (12) of a semiconductor wafer and/or within a semiconductor wafer, especially of a semiconductor chip (11, 31, 34, 38, 40) for the simpler and more cost-effective production with the most desired possible three-dimensional structures. At least one laser beam (22) is coupled into the material of the surface layer (12) and/or of the semiconductor wafer, in which the laser beam (22) is focused at a predetermined depth in the material. At least one property of the material and/or the material structure is changed in the area of focus (23, 36).
US08937020B2

One object is to provide a deposition technique for forming an oxide semiconductor film. By forming an oxide semiconductor film using a sputtering target including a sintered body of a metal oxide whose concentration of hydrogen contained is low, for example, lower than 1×1016 atoms/cm3, the oxide semiconductor film contains a small amount of impurities such as a compound containing hydrogen typified by H2O or a hydrogen atom. In addition, this oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer of a transistor.
US08937019B2

Techniques for forming a three dimensional (3D) feature on a substrate are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method comprising: forming a resist structure on the substrate, the resist structure having a first resist portion with a first thickness, a second resist portion with a second thickness, and a third resist portion with a third thickness, where the first thickness may be less than the second thickness, and where the second thickness may be less than the third thickness; implanting charged particles into the substrate through the first and second resist portions and forming an implanted region in the substrate; and etching the substrate to form the 3D feature on the substrate.
US08937018B2

A method of forming a pattern on a substrate includes forming spaced, upwardly-open, cylinder-like structures projecting longitudinally outward of a base. Photoresist is formed elevationally over and laterally inward of the cylinder-like structures. The photoresist is patterned to form interstitial spaces into the photoresist laterally outward of the cylinder-like structures. The interstitial spaces are individually surrounded by at least three of the cylinder-like structures. The patterned photoresist is used as an etch mask while etching interstitial openings into the base and while the photoresist is laterally inward of the cylinder-like structures. Other aspects are disclosed.
US08937017B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a substrate etching method and apparatus. In one embodiment, a method for etching a substrate in a plasma etch reactor is provided that include flowing a backside process gas between a substrate and a substrate support assembly, and cyclically etching a layer on the substrate.
US08937012B2

Provided is a production method for a semiconductor device comprising a metal silicide layer. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the production method for a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: forming an insulating layer on a substrate, on which a polysilicon pattern has been formed, in such a way that the polysilicon pattern is exposed; forming a silicon seed layer on the exposed polysilicon pattern that has been selectively exposed with respect to the insulating layer; forming a metal layer on the substrate on which the silicon seed layer has been formed; and forming a metal silicide layer by carrying out a heat treatment on the substrate on which the metal layer has been formed.
US08937003B2

A technique for ion implanting a target is disclosed. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for ion implanting a target, the method comprising: providing a predetermined amount of processing gas in an arc chamber of an ion source, the processing gas containing implant species and implant species carrier, where the implant species carrier may be one of O and H; providing a predetermined amount of dilutant into the arc chamber, wherein the dilutant may comprise a noble species containing material; and ionizing the processing gas and the dilutant.
US08936994B2

A method of processing substrates in a lithography system unit, the lithography system unit comprising at least two substrate preparation units, a load lock unit comprising at least first and second substrate positions, and a substrate handling robot for transferring substrates between the substrate preparation units and the load lock unit. The method comprises providing a sequence of substrates to be exposed to the robot, including an Nth substrate, an N−1th substrate, and an N+1th substrate; transferring the Nth substrate to a first one of the substrate preparation units; clamping the Nth substrate on a first substrate support structure in the first substrate preparation unit to form a clamped Nth substrate; transferring the clamped Nth substrate from the first substrate preparation unit to an unoccupied one of the first and second positions in the load lock unit; and exposing the clamped Nth substrate in the lithography system unit.
US08936990B2

The present invention provides a power transistor device with a super junction including a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer, and a third epitaxial layer. The first epitaxial layer is disposed on the substrate, and has a plurality of trenches. The trenches are filled up with the second epitaxial layer, and a top surface of the second epitaxial layer is higher than a top surface of the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer has a plurality of through holes penetrating through the second epitaxial layer and disposed on the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer and the first epitaxial layer have different conductivity types. The through holes are filled up with the third epitaxial layer, and the third epitaxial layer is in contact with the first epitaxial layer. The third epitaxial layer and the first epitaxial layer have the same conductivity type.
US08936976B2

Conductivity improvements in III-V semiconductor devices are described. A first improvement includes a barrier layer that is not coextensively planar with a channel layer. A second improvement includes an anneal of a metal/Si, Ge or SiliconGermanium/III-V stack to form a metal-Silicon, metal-Germanium or metal-SiliconGermanium layer over a Si and/or Germanium doped III-V layer. Then, removing the metal layer and forming a source/drain electrode on the metal-Silicon, metal-Germanium or metal-SiliconGermanium layer. A third improvement includes forming a layer of a Group IV and/or Group VI element over a III-V channel layer, and, annealing to dope the III-V channel layer with Group IV and/or Group VI species. A fourth improvement includes a passivation and/or dipole layer formed over an access region of a III-V device.
US08936974B2

A method to provide a transistor or memory cell structure. The method comprises: providing a substrate including a lower Si substrate and an insulating layer on the substrate; providing a first projection extending above the insulating layer, the first projection including an Si material and a Si1-xGex material; and exposing the first projection to preferential oxidation to yield a second projection including a center region comprising Ge/Si1-yGey and a covering region comprising SiO2 and enclosing the center region.
US08936969B2

A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of semiconductor die separated by a non-active region. The semiconductor die can be circular or polygonal with three or more sides. A plurality of bumps is formed over the semiconductor die. A portion of semiconductor wafer is removed to thin the semiconductor wafer. A wafer ring is mounted to mounting tape. The semiconductor wafer is mounted to the mounting tape within the wafer ring. The mounting tape includes translucent or transparent material. A penetrable layer is applied over the bumps formed over the semiconductor wafer. An irradiated energy from a laser is applied through the mounting tape to the non-active region to form a modified region within the non-active region. The semiconductor wafer is singulated along the modified region to separate the semiconductor die.
US08936968B2

A flip chip package manufacturing method is provided. A non-conductive film is pressed onto a wafer with multiple conductive bumps. The wafer is cut to multiple single chips. A carrier is provided, and a thermo-compression flip chip bonding process is executed to bond the non-conductive film onto the carrier. The carrier is transferred into a chamber with enclosed, pneumatic pressurized and heatingable characteristics to execute a de-void process to eliminate the bubbles and to execute a high-temperature soldering process to solder the single chip onto the carrier. The sequence of the de-void process and the high-temperature soldering process may exchange.
US08936957B2

The present disclosure discloses a method of manufacturing a light-emitting device comprising the steps of providing a light-emitting wafer having a semiconductor stacked structure and an alignment mark, sensing the alignment mark, and separating the light-emitting wafer into a plurality of light-emitting diodes and removing the alignment mark accordingly.
US08936947B2

A method of performing a measurement with a sensor having a sensing surface and at least one capture molecule attached to the sensing surface for forming a binding pair with an analyte of interest, the binding pair having a flexible spatial orientation, the method comprising capturing the analyte of interest with the capture molecule, thereby forming the binding pair in an initial spatial orientation; applying a first electromagnetic force to the sensing surface to alter the spatial orientation of the binding pair; and performing a sensor measurement with the binding pair in the altered spatial orientation. A sensor apparatus implementing this method is also disclosed.
US08936946B2

The disclosure generally relates to a particulate composition formed from a conductive polymer (e.g., conductive polyanilines, polypyrroles, polythiophenes) bound to magnetic nanoparticles (e.g., Fe(II)- and/or Fe(III)-based magnetic metal oxides). The particulate composition can be formed into a biologically enhanced, electrically active magnetic (BEAM) nanoparticle composition by further including a binding pair member (e.g., an antibody) bound to the conductive polymer of the particulate composition. Methods and kits employing the particulate composition and the BEAM nanoparticle composition also are disclosed.
US08936942B2

The present invention provides compositions comprising polytheylyene-dialkyloxypropyl conjugates (PEG-DAA), liposomes, SNALP, and SPLP comprising such compositions, and methods of using such compositions, liposomes, SNALP, and SPLP.
US08936940B2

The present invention relates to a method of producing secondary metabolites with a high yield using plant cell culture, and a medium for the production of secondary metabolites. More specifically, the method of the present invention is characterized in that the plant cell culture is conducted by adding a saccharide mixture to the culture medium as a carbon source, to increase the productivity of the secondary metabolites. For example, the present invention establishes the method of increasing the productivity of secondary metabolites and shortening the culture time by the use of the mixture of glucose and fructose in the plant cell culture, thereby contributing in producing useful secondary metabolites on an industrial scale using plant cell culture.
US08936938B2

The present invention is directed to methods of measuring the proliferative ability of individual patient cancer stem cells. The present invention provides a method for treating a cancer patient according to an assay of the individual patient's tumor's cancer stem cell sensitivity, by measuring the proliferative ability of cancer stem cells from the patient. By the methods of the present invention it is possible to treat individual cancer stem cells presented in tumor cells. Methods of detecting and enumerating cancer stem cells in hybrid spheroids comprised of fibroblasts and tumor cells are also provided by the present invention. The present invention also contemplates a method for drug and other treatment development, wherein the effects of a drug or combination of drugs or other treatments are determined on the individual patient's cancer stem cells.
US08936937B2

Modified expression vectors, including Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) expression vectors, methods for modifying such vectors, and uses of the same are disclosed.
US08936935B2

The present invention relates to a population of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles with a diameter between 1 and 100 nm which are coated with a layer with hydrophilic end groups. Herein the layer with hydrophilic end groups comprises an inner layer of monosaturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acids bound to said nanoparticles and bound to said fatty acids, an outer layer of a phospholipid conjugated to a monomethoxy polyethyleneglycol (PEG) comprising a hydrophilic end group,or comprises a covalently bound hydrophilic layer bound to said nanoparticles.
US08936931B2

Exemplary embodiments provide methods and apparatus of using an enzyme-surfactant solution to control surface wettability of a xerographic print.
US08936927B2

Processes are provided for starting up of anaerobic, deep tank fermentation systems used in the anaerobic bioconversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a gaseous substrate stream to oxygenated organic compounds such as ethanol. In the processes injectors using a motive liquid are used to introduce gas substrate into the deep tank fermentation reactor where at least one of: (i) adjusting the gas to liquid flow ratio through an injector, (ii) changing the rate of liquid flow through an injector, and (iii) adjusting the carbon monoxide mole fraction in the gas feed by admixture with at least one other gas, wherein the mass transfer of carbon monoxide to an aqueous menstruum in the reactor is controlled to obtain the robust growth of the microorganism while maintaining the carbon monoxide concentration below that amount which is unduly adverse to the microorganism. In preferred aspects of the invention, recycled gas from the head space of the reactor is used to modulate the supply of carbon monoxide to the aqueous menstruum.
US08936926B2

Active surface coupled polymerases, surfaces that include such polymerases, and methods of making and using surface-attached polymerases are provided.
US08936922B2

The present invention provides a novel approach for the preparation of fatty alcohol esters of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids. In one form of the invention, the target fatty alcohol ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid is produced by converting a lower alkyl ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid into a fatty alcohol ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid via alcoholysis (i.e., transesterification). The transesterification process is an equilibrium reaction, catalyzed chemically (i.e., with acids or bases) or enzymatically, that is shifted in the desired direction to produce the desired product. One way of shifting the reaction in the direction of the desired product is by reducing the concentration of one of the products (e.g., distillation of a lower-boiling alcohol as it is formed). Another preferred way of shifting the reaction in the direction of the desired product is by increasing the concentration of one of the reactants.
US08936897B2

A composite color toner image can be enhanced by applying a separate fluorescing toner image over it to provide an enhanced color toner image having a “pinkish” fluorescing effect. This separate fluorescing toner image is obtained using visible fluorescing dry magenta toner particles. Each of these toner particles consists essentially of a polymeric binder phase and a visible fluorescing colorant that emits at one or more peak wavelengths of at least 510 nm and up to and including 590 nm and that is dispersed within the polymeric binder phase.
US08936894B2

A toner comprising toner particles, each of which contains a binder resin, a compound in which a polymer portion is bound to an azo skeleton structure, and a magenta pigment. The azo skeleton structure and a monomer unit of the polymer portion are represented by the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively:
US08936891B2

The invention relates to a photosensitive polysiloxane composition that has good thermal transmittance, good chemical resistance and good sensitivity and good refractivity. The invention also provides a method for forming a thin film on a substrate, a thin film on a substrate and an apparatus.
US08936887B2

A composite electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell with a controlled phosphoric acid-based material retention ratio. The composite electrolyte membrane includes an electrolyte membrane containing a compound having a phosphoric acid-based material-containing functional group. Also disclosed are a method for manufacturing the composite electrolyte membrane, and a fuel cell including the composite electrolyte membrane.
US08936884B2

An oxygen/hydrogen fuel cell including a package having, on the side of the cell intended to be exposed to air, an enclosure provided with a mobile cap; an element made of a material which deforms according to the humidity ratio in the package; circuitry for controlling the opening and the closing of the mobile cap; and a switch which opens and closes according to the deformation of said material, said switch being associated with control means.
US08936883B2

An arrangement and a method are provided for generating hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel, wherein hydrocarbon fuel is supplied to a fuel reformer for producing hydrogen rich gas including hydrogen, carbon monoxide and possibly unconverted fuel compounds, wherein the amount of carbon monoxide and/or the unconverted fuel compounds is reduced with the help of a molten salt reactor arranged downstream the fuel reformer. An auxiliary power unit including such an arrangement is also provided.
US08936871B2

An active material contains a triclinic LiVOPO4 crystal particle, while the crystal particle has a spherical form and an average particle size of 20 to 200 nm.
US08936857B2

Coated articles and methods for applying coatings are described. The article may include a base material and a coating comprising silver formed thereon. In some embodiments, the coating comprises a silver-based alloy, such as a silver-tungsten alloy. The coating may, in some instances, include at least two layers. For example, the coating may include a first layer comprising a silver-based alloy and a second layer comprising a precious metal. The coating can exhibit desirable properties and characteristics such as durability (e.g., wear), hardness, corrosion resistance, and high conductivity, which may be beneficial, for example, in electrical and/or electronic applications. In some cases, the coating may be applied using an electrodeposition process.
US08936856B2

The present invention relates to an Ag alloy film. Particularly, it is preferably used as a reflective film or semi-transmissive reflective film for an optical information recording medium having high thermal conductivity/high reflectance/high durability in the field of optical information recording media, an electromagnetic-shielding film excellent in Ag aggregation resistance, and an optical reflective film on the back of a reflection type liquid crystal display device, or the like. The Ag alloy film of the present invention comprises an Ag base alloy containing Bi and/or Sb in a total amount of 0.005 to 10% (in terms of at %). Further, the present invention relates to a sputtering target used for the deposition of such an Ag alloy film.
US08936855B2

Provided is a wood fiber board, and a production method thereof, such that the wood fiber board contains no phenolic resin, is simple to produce, and exhibits flexural strength and water resistance comparable to those of wood fiber boards produced by incorporating a phenolic resin. The wood fiber board of the present invention has only wood fibers; a polyacrylamide resin being an amphoteric-ionic resin, which has monomers having cationic groups and monomers having anionic groups at a ratio of 7:3 to 3:7 on a mole ratio basis, and which has a molecular weight ranging from 800,000 to 3,000,000; and cationic paraffin. A method of producing a wood fiber board of the present invention involves preparing a slurry to a solids concentration ranging from 2 to 3 wt % and pH of 3 to 5, and adding only the polyacrylamide resin and paraffin to the slurry.
US08936837B2

The method includes: forming a coating film including particles and an ultraviolet curable resin on a film substrate; and curing the ultraviolet curable resin by ultraviolet irradiation to form an anti-glare layer constituted by the particles and the ultraviolet curable resin. A ratio of a thickness A of the anti-glare layer to a diameter B of the particles is in the range of 1.5 to 2.4. The ultraviolet irradiation is performed with two or more ultraviolet irradiation units, the first unit irradiation amount is 49 mJ/cm2 or less, the second and subsequent units irradiation amount is greater than 50 mJ/cm2, and the total irradiation amount is 100 mJ/cm2 or greater. The oxygen concentration at a position which is 1 mm above a surface of the coating film is 1 ppm to 2000 ppm. The first unit irradiation is performed above a roller with surface temperature of 10° C. to 24° C.
US08936826B2

A method of coating a stent involves modifying a spray coating parameter until a target mass per coating layer is achieved. A method for coating involves spraying a batch of stents according to spraying parameters that were previously determined to provide a target mass per coating layer.
US08936814B2

A topical composition is provided. The topical composition comprises from about 0.25 to about 1.5 percent by weight hydrocortisone; from about 0.5 to about 5.0 percent by weight lidocaine; and from about 0.25 to about 3.0 percent by weight clotrimazole.
US08936812B2

Disclosed is a substantially non-releasable form of an opioid antagonist containing the opioid antagonist combined with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable hydrophobic material(s) such that the antagonist is not released or substantially not released during its transit through the gastrointestinal tract when administered orally in an intact oral dosage form. Oral dosage forms containing an opioid agonist and a substantially non-releasable form of an opioid antagonist are also disclosed.
US08936810B2

Rapid and accurate determination of the formulation orientation of multi-layer capsule-shaped tablets with respect to different internal formulation layers proximate to the opposite narrow and rounded ends of the tablets is required. By including an appropriate color scheme in multi-layer osmotic tablets, detection of the formulation orientation is achieved by detecting the color at a spot location on a side of the tablet corresponding to one or another formulation layer or to one or another interface of two formulation layers depending on the formulation orientation of the tablet.
US08936809B2

A method for treating prostate related diseases in a subject, the method comprising i) optionally administering to subject an initial boost dose of one or more active substances and/or prodrugs, and ii) administering locally into the prostate a controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more active substances in a biodegradable ceramic carrier. The biodegradable hydrating ceramic may be selected from the group consisting of non-hydrated or hydrated calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, calcium silicate, magnesium sulphate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium fluoride, magnesium silicate, barium sulphate, barium phosphate, barium carbonate, barium fluoride, barium silicate, or mixtures thereof. In a specific embodiment, the biodegradable hydrating ceramic is non-hydrated or hydrated calcium sulphate.
US08936785B2

scFv antibodies which specifically bind selected antigens and are obtainable by a method comprising (i) selecting from a pool of soluble and stable antibody frameworks a soluble and stable framework matching best the framework of a non-human antibody against the antigen with a certain binding specificity, (ii) either providing said soluble and stable framework with CDRs that bind specifically to said antigen, or mutating the framework of said non-human antibody towards the sequence of said soluble and stable framework, to generate scFv antibodies, (iii) testing the generated antibody for solubility and stability, and testing the generated antibody for antigen binding, and (iv) selecting an scFV that is soluble, stable and binds to the antigen specifically. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising said scFv antibody, methods of treatment and diagnosis for diseases related to over expression of antigens that are specifically bound by said antibody.
US08936781B2

The present invention discloses compounds of formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US08936778B2

Composition and methods include a dental bleaching agent, potassium nitrate a fluoride salt for enhanced whitening and reduced tooth sensitivity. The potassium nitrate and fluoride salt both reduce or eliminate tooth sensitivity that may otherwise be caused by the bleaching agent. For prolonged treatment of teeth, lower quantities of potassium nitrate (e.g., 0.5%) have actually been found to work better than larger quantities (e.g., 3%). The dental compositions may be applied directly to the person's teeth, or they may be loaded into a comfortable fitting, flexible, thin-walled dental tray and placed over the person's teeth. In that case, the dental compositions will include a tackifying agent, such as carboxypolymethylene, which assists the composition in retaining the dental tray over the person's teeth as a result of the adhesive properties of the dental composition rather than due to mechanical interlocking of the tray over the person's teeth. The dental compositions may further include anticariogenic and antimicrobial agents.
US08936777B2

The present invention generally relates to methods and system for the synthesis of imaging agents, and precursors thereof. The methods may exhibit improved yields and may allow for the large-scale synthesis of imaging agents, including imaging agents comprising a radioisotope (e.g., 18F). Various embodiments of the invention may be useful as sensors, diagnostic tools, and the like. In some cases, methods for evaluating perfusion, including myocardial perfusion, are provided. Synthetic methods of the invention have also been incorporated into an automated synthesis unit to prepare and purify imaging agents that comprise a radioisotope. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a novel methods and systems comprising imaging agent 1, including methods of imaging in a subject comprising administering a composition comprising imaging agent 1 to a subject by injection, infusion, or any other known method, and imaging the area of the subject wherein the event of interest is located.
US08936773B2

Provided herein are compositions, methods, and systems for a material containing metastable carbonate and stabilizer. Methods for making the compositions and using the compositions are also provided.
US08936772B2

A silica containing composition is disclosed. The silica composition comprising a compound having the following formula (SiO2)x(OH)yMzOaF: wherein M optionally exists and said M is at least one of the following metal or metalloid cations: boron, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, palladium, silver, cadmium, tin, platinum, gold, and bismuth; wherein F optionally exists and said F is at least one of the following: a functionalized organosilane, a sulfur-containing organosilane, an amine-containing organosilane, and an alkyl-containing organosilane at a surface area coverage of 0.01-100%; and wherein the molar ratio of y/x is equal to 0.01-0.5, the molar ratio of x/z is equal to 0.1-300, and the molar ratio of a/z is dependent on the nature of the metal oxide formed.
US08936771B2

The invention relates to novel and innovative PCC pigments, able to be used in a paper coating formulations to manufacture coated “multipurpose” papers, in particular for inkjet applications, whose print qualities would be identical or quite similar to high resolution commercial papers, while maintaining a reduced paper manufacturing and production cost. Said pigments are obtained by a carbonation process using a reduced flow rate of CO2/air, which leads to porous agglomerates of PCC of a very specific structure and unique properties, followed by an upconcentration step leading to substantially the same agglomerates but with a higher, appropriate, solids content.
US08936770B2

A mineral processing facility is provided that includes a cogen plant to provide electrical energy and waste heat to the facility and an electrochemical acid generation plant to generate, from a salt, a mineral acid for use in recovering valuable metals.
US08936763B2

The invention is directed to apparatus and chips comprising a large scale chemical field effect transistor arrays that include an array of sample-retaining regions capable of retaining a chemical or biological sample from a sample fluid for analysis. In one aspect such transistor arrays have a pitch of 10 μm or less and each sample-retaining region is positioned on at least one chemical field effect transistor which is configured to generate at least one output signal related to a characteristic of a chemical or biological sample in such sample-retaining region. In one embodiment, the characteristic of said chemical or biological sample is a concentration of a charged species and wherein each of said chemical field effect transistors is an ion-sensitive field effect transistor having a floating gate with a dielectric layer on a surface thereof, the dielectric layer contacting said sample fluid and being capable of accumulating charge in proportion to a concentration of the charged species in said sample fluid. In one embodiment such charged species is a hydrogen ion such that the sensors measure changes in pH of the sample fluid in or adjacent to the sample-retaining region thereof. Apparatus and chips of the invention may be adapted for large scale pH-based DNA sequencing and other bioscience and biomedical applications.
US08936755B2

Disclosed is an apparatus for analyzing the composition of bodily fluid. The apparatus can include a fluid handling network including a patient end configured to maintain fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient and a pump unit in operative engagement with the fluid handling network. The pump unit can have an infusion mode, in which the pump unit is operable to deliver infusion fluid to the patient through the patient end, and a sample draw mode, in which the pump unit is operable to draw a sample of the bodily fluid from the patient through the patient end. The apparatus can include a spectroscopic analyzer positioned to analyze at least a portion of the sample; a processor in communication with or incorporated into the spectroscopic analyzer; and stored program instructions executable by the processor to obtain measurements of two or more properties of the sample.
US08936753B2

A blood coagulation analyzer includes a detector and a controller. The detector includes a light source for emitting light to a prepared measurement sample and a light-receiving section for receiving light transmitted through the measurement sample. The controller is configured to performs operations comprising acquiring, based on the light detected by the detector, ratio information reflecting a ratio between a first value reflecting the intensity of the light transmitted through the measurement sample of a clotting reaction starting stage and a second value reflecting the intensity of the light transmitted through the measurement sample of a clotting reacting ending stage, and acquiring, based on the ratio information, a fibrinogen concentration in the blood sample.
US08936750B2

A method of preparing a functionally graded cemented tungsten carbide material via heat treating a sintered cemented tungsten carbide is disclosed and described. The heat treating process comprises at least a step that heats the sintered material to the multi-phase non-equilibrium temperature range in which multiple phases including solid tungsten carbide, liquid metal binder, and solid metal binder coexist. Additionally, the material, after the heat treating process comprises a surface layer with lower metal binder content than the nominal value of metal binder content of the bulk of the material.
US08936741B2

A resilient wall base member manufactured with pre-scored grooves to allow relatively short, straight lengths to be used for both flat walls and wall corner junctures without on site scoring operations or equipment. The lengths can either be pre-cut during manufacturing to convenient lengths or can be cut after manufacturing from coils.
US08936727B2

The systems and processes disclosed herein relate generally to multi bed temperature controlled adsorption for use in the recovery of sorbates that are removed from process streams by adsorption. Multi bed temperature controlled adsorber systems can include three or more temperature controlled adosrbers that operate in parallel. Each temperature controlled adsorber through a series of steps including an adsorption step, a first bed to bed interchange, a regeneration step, and a second bed to bed interchange.
US08936718B2

A method for recovering base oil from waste lubricating oil by separating base oil range constituents from a waste lubricating oil mixture, thereafter separating higher quality base oil constituents and lower quality base oil constituents from the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture and thereafter treating the lower quality base oil constituents to produce marketable base oil. The total base oil produced from a waste lubricating oil mixture by this process is greater than the quantity producible by previous processes using only base oil separation from the waste lubricating oil mixture or processes which use only treatment of the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture to produce the product base oil.
US08936705B2

The present invention is to provide a substrate holder which can effect a more complete sealing with a sealing member and makes it possible to take a substrate out of the substrate holder easily and securely, and also a plating apparatus provided with the substrate holder. The substrate holder includes: a fixed holding member and a movable holding member for holding a substrate therebetween; a sealing member mounted to the fixed holding member or the movable holding member; and a suction pad for attracting a back surface of the substrate held between the fixed holding member and the movable holding member.
US08936701B2

The present invention features a coke drum de-heading system that includes a de-header valve. The de-header valve includes: (1) a main body; (2) a live loaded seat assembly coupled to the main body and comprising a dynamic, live loaded seat, a live seat adjustment mechanism coupled to the main body and designed to control and adjust the force and resulting seat load of the dynamic, live loaded seat, and a force transfer module in juxtaposition to the dynamic, live loaded seat for transferring the force from the live loaded seat adjustment mechanism to the dynamic, live loaded seat; (3) a static seat positioned opposite from and counteracting or counterbalancing the dynamic, live loaded seat; and (4) a blind or sliding blind capable moving in a linear, bi-directional manner within the de-header valve and between the dynamic, live loaded seat and the static seat.
US08936699B2

A fiberboard panel is formed from at least one corrugated sheet of molded cellulose fiber material having alternating ribs and grooves. The corrugated sheet or panel is formed by a wet processing method including successive cold and hot press steps in which a wet mat is pressed between an opposing perforated platen and non-perforated, elastomeric material platen of cross-sectional shape substantially matching the desired panel shape and dimensions.
US08936686B2

A method of selecting a mercury-contaminated solid surface followed by heating a cleaning solution to a temperature less than 100° C. The cleaning solution can contain hydrocarbon oil and one or more organic sulfur compounds. Afterwards, the heated cleaning solution is contacted with the mercury-contaminated solid surface to remove the mercury contamination.
US08936683B2

A colloidal suspension of particles is rapidly self-assembled with a minimum number of defects into a densely packed array of particles on a substrate under simultaneous sedimentation and annealing forces. The particles may be ordered as an opal structure. Optionally, the synthesized structure may incorporate an electrolyte and be used as a sacrificial form for micromolding an inverse structure. The inverse structure may exhibit a photonic band gap. Optionally, necking between particles may be adjusted after micromolding. Furthermore, a shell may alter physical properties, such as protecting a thermally stimulated photonic band gap device. These low cost methods allow more applications to become commercially viable.
US08936678B2

The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing cement clinker and for purifying the off-gases formed thereby, wherein cement raw meal is preheated in a preheater by means of hot off-gases and then optionally precalcined, the preheated and optionally precalcined cement raw meal is burnt in a rotary kiln to form cement clinker, the cement clinker is cooled in a cooler, the hot off-gases used in the preheater are used in a raw mill for treating the cement raw meal, the dust content of a dust-containing mill off-gas thereby formed is reduced in a separating device to less than 5 g/Nm3, preferably less than 1 g/Nm3, alkali hydrogen carbonate and/or alkali carbonate is added to and mixed with the mill off-gas whose dust content has been reduced to less than 5 g/Nm3, and the mixed gas thereby formed is subsequently fed to a process filter for separation of dust laden with pollutants.
US08936677B2

The invention concerns a method for beneficiation of fly ash particles comprising: determining the heat value of the fly ash particles; comparing the determined heat value of the fly ash particles with a minimum heat value K; feeding an inlet of a combustor (5) with a feed material comprising the fly ash particles and, in case the determined heat value is lower than the minimum heat value K, fuel in sufficient quantity to assure that the heat value of the raw material is greater than or equal to the minimum heat value K; supplying an upstream airflow to the combustor (5) so as to carry the feed material in suspension from the inlet to an outlet of the combustor; operating the combustor (5) at a temperature of at least 700° C.; collecting beneficiated fly ash particles from the airflow at the outlet of the combustor (5). The invention also concerns an installation for implementation of the said method.
US08936671B2

An aircraft has a ventilation system that employs a plurality of nozzles positioned in a cavity between a sidewall of the aircraft cabin and a section of the aircraft fuselage. The nozzles receive a supply of ventilation air and direct jets of air from the nozzles, through the cavity and into the aircraft cabin. The jets of air produced by the nozzles create low-pressure areas in the cavity. At least one return air opening in the cabin sidewall communicates the low-pressure areas with the cabin interior, whereby the low pressure areas draw air from the cabin interior into the cavity where the drawn air is entrained with the jets of air produced by the nozzles. Devices inside the cavity remove suspended impurities from the air drawn into the cavity. In this manner, the ventilation system filters or sanitizes the air drawn through the system.
US08936667B2

This invention relates to a process for the recovery of precious metal/s from a precious metal-containing material in an aqueous leach slurry or solution. The process includes the step of contacting the precious metal/s in the leach slurry or solution with a ligand selected from dithiooxamide (rubeanic acid), or a substituted dithiooxamide. The leaching of PGMs, gold and silver from their ores using the ligand of the present invention may take place under aqueous alkaline conditions, avoiding both corrosive acidic conditions and the use of cyanide.
US08936649B2

A femoral prosthesis for use during performance of a hip replacement procedure includes a plurality of femoral stem components in a range of various sizes and a plurality of femoral head component in a range of various sizes. The anterior/posterior stem taper angle of the femoral stem component varies across its range of sizes.
US08936646B2

A modular humeral head resurfacing implant including a head, an anchoring stem, and a modular extended articulation flange. The head includes an exterior hemispherical articulating surface defining a terminating rim, an interior concave surface opposite to the exterior articulating surface, and a first coupling mechanism proximate to the terminating rim. The anchoring stem is coupled to the interior concave surface and extends along a stem axis that extends through an axial center of the head. The articulation flange includes a second coupling mechanism configured to cooperate with the first coupling mechanism to fasten the articulation flange to the head and an outer articulating surface that is curved along substantially its entire length and is substantially flush with the exterior hemispherical articulating surface when the articulation flange is fastened to the head.
US08936637B2

A passive ossicular prosthesis includes a first and second fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane. A connecting element connects the fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner. The connecting element includes a receiving part and an insertion part. The insertion part is inserted into a receiving opening of the receiving part. The receiving part encloses an end section of the insertion part in the manner of a clamp by way of two opposing, parallel legs disposed parallel to a shank axis of the connecting element. The legs have catch devices that fix the enclosed end section discrete spatial positions relative to the shank axis.
US08936632B2

A stent delivery and deployment system for placement of vascular stents having apertures therein for deployment at intersecting blood vessels. The device employs a guide wire having an angled distal end which is threaded into position at the intersection of a first blood vessel and second blood vessel. With the angled portion of the guide wire threaded into the intersecting blood vessel, the stent may be translated along the guide wire to easily position the aperture in line with the intersecting blood vessel.
US08936629B2

Apparatus, devices, methods, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to autofluorescent imaging and ablation are disclosed.
US08936623B2

A polyaxial bone screw assembly includes a shank body having an upper head portion with a mating segment and a first partial spherical surface, a retainer structure being mateable with the mating segment of the upper head portion, the retainer structure having a second partial spherical surface such that when mated, the first and second partial spherical surfaces form a spherical ball member, a receiver defining an open channel and having a base with a seating surface partially defining a cavity, the open channel communicating with the cavity, the cavity communicating with an exterior of the base through an opening sized and shaped to receive the shank upper head portion therethrough, and a bushing sized and shaped to fit within open channel and cavity, the bushing having a lower rounded surface engageable with a top surface of the spherical ball member formed by the shank and retainer structure.
US08936621B2

An apparatus can include a first flexible member having first and second ends and a first body extending therebetween, where the first body defines a first passage portion. A second flexible member can have first and second ends and a second body extending therebetween, where the second body defines second and third passage portions. The first end of the first flexible member passes into and through the second passage portion such that the first end extends outside of the second passage portion, and the second end of the first flexible member passes into and through the third passage portion such that the second end extends outside of the third passage portion. The first and second ends of the second flexible member pass into and through the first passage portion to form a self-locking adjustable flexible member construct.
US08936619B2

A drawn surgical suture material includes an elongate main body and barbs for anchoring in biological tissues, wherein the barbs are formed by cuts made into the suture material in the undrawn state.
US08936608B2

Methods and devices are provided for closing a puncture wound. In one exemplary embodiment, a puncture closure device is provided having an elongate tubular body that is disposable through a puncture in tissue and that includes proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion can be adapted to expand to form proximal wings upon rotation of the elongate tubular body, preferably in a first direction. The distal portion can be adapted to expand to form distal wings upon rotation of the elongate tubular body, preferably in a second, opposite direction. The proximal and distal portions can also be adapted to be moved toward one another as they expand upon rotation. As a result, the proximal and distal wings can engage tissue therebetween.
US08936607B2

A hair removal system configured to destroy germinative cells at a base of at least one hair follicle is provided. The system comprises a casing and at least one pluck-head configured to trap at least one hair, and at least one oscillator mechanically coupled to the pluck-head and to the casing. The oscillator is configured to vibrate the pluck-head such that when the hair is trapped by the pluck-head, vibrations transmitted to the base are sufficient to destroy the germinative cells. A method of using the same is also disclosed.
US08936605B2

A head holder for holding and tensioning the head of a bone screw, particularly a pedicle screw, is provided. Also provided is a ratcheting connector for connecting to the head holders while permitting rotational movement of the head holder when engaged with the ratcheting connector. Also provided is a flex arm connector for connecting multiple ratcheting connectors across multiple vertebral bodies. A tool set for managing and/or correcting spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, including at least one or more head holders and one or more ratcheting connectors is provided.
US08936597B2

A surgical cutting blade for cutting bone material when the blade is coupled to a hand-held surgical saw includes a distal portion comprising a plurality of cutting teeth, a shank portion adjacent the distal portion, and a proximal portion adjacent the shank portion. The proximal portion may include a longitudinally extending slot having a proximal opening. The slot may be shaped to receive a portion of the surgical saw through the proximal opening. The proximal portion may have a plurality of deflectable fingers respectively separated from a plurality of main body portions by respective gaps. The plurality of deflectable fingers may extend adjacent the longitudinally extending slot, and may deflect into the gaps to increase and decrease a width of a portion of the slot.
US08936593B2

An improved procedure for performing liposuction is obtained by utilizing a needle that includes a laser source conductor with one end of the needle being configured for insertion into a target adipose skin volume and the other end being coupled to a laser source. The needle may include one or more channels for extracting the treated adipose area. A vacuum source can be used in the extraction of the treated adipose. Further, the first end of the needle may include a cap or end-piece that reduces the build up of carbon deposits. A temperature sensor may be used as input to adjust the laser power and prevent over exposure.
US08936589B2

A rotational atherectomy device for abrading a stenotic lesion from a vessel of a patient comprises a flexible drive shaft which extends towards a distal end of the device, a distal fluid inflatable support element located at a distal end of the drive shaft and an abrasive element mounted to the drive shaft proximal to and spaced away from the distal fluid inflatable support element. Both the abrasive element and the distal fluid inflatable support element are rotatable together with the drive shaft and the drive shaft comprises a torque transmitting coil which defines a long lumen of the drive shaft.
US08936588B2

In order to inhibit thrombotic processes locally rather than systemically, higher levels of antithrombotic drugs in the deep veins of the legs than in the systemic circulation are obtained using devices and methods that provide venous cannulation in the dorsum of the foot of a patient while applying pressure to the foot proximal to the venous cannulation, potentially as far up the leg as the knee, in an amount sufficient to compress the superficial veins and divert the venous drainage in the deep venous system into the venous plexus.
US08936584B2

A visually-coordinated absorbent product includes an absorbent article component including a garment side outer cover and a body side liner, wherein the article component has at least a first and second visual characteristic, and wherein the first visual characteristic is different from the second visual characteristic. The absorbent product also includes a first packaging component including at least first and second visual characteristics, wherein first and second visual characteristics of the absorbent article are coordinated to the first and second visual characteristics of the packaging component, and wherein at least a portion of one of the garment side outer cover and the body side liner is configured with the article component first visual characteristic and at least a portion of one of the garment side outer cover and the body side liner is configured with the article component second visual characteristic.
US08936580B2

An implantable medical device with a reservoir including a movable reservoir member, a fill port in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a valve that includes a housing including an opening in fluid communication with the fill port and the reservoir and a valve seat adjacent to the opening, and a valve element, operably connected to the movable reservoir member, that is movable relative to the valve seat between a closed position and an open. One of the valve seat and the valve element includes a main portion and a seal portion that is less tacky than the main portion and is in contact with the other of the valve seat and the valve element when the valve element is in the closed position.
US08936578B2

A medical injector is provided herein having a body with a displaceable plunger. The plunger includes a plurality of spaced-apart ratchet teeth disposed along the length thereof. At least one indexer is provided formed to engage the plunger, wherein the indexer is configured to allow the plunger to displace distally towards a distal end of the body but not proximally towards a proximal end of the body. The medical injector also includes an actuator having an engagement portion formed to engage one or more of the ratchet teeth. The actuator is displaceable to a ready state, the engagement portion being displaced proximally relative to the plunger with the actuator being displaced to the ready state. The indexer prevents proximal movement of the plunger thereby allowing the engagement portion to by-pass one or more of the ratchet teeth with the actuator being displaced to the ready state. In addition, the actuator is displaceable from the ready state to cause actuation of the medical injector. The displacement from the ready state causes distal displacement of the engagement portion with the engagement portion engaging one or more of the ratchet teeth and causing distal displacement of the plunger with the engagement portion. Advantageously, the subject invention provides a plunger for a medical injector which may be controllably advanced with a minimum number of cooperating parts.
US08936576B2

Some embodiments of a medical device anchor system include an anchor device that receives a catheter (or other medical instrument) and secures the catheter in place relative to a skin penetration point. In some embodiments, the anchor device can secure the catheter in an operative position relative to the skin without the use of sutures or skin tapes. In particular embodiments, the anchor device can be adjusted to a folded condition so that subcutaneous anchors are partially rotated prior to removal from the skin penetration point.
US08936574B2

A drug delivery pump drive which uses a linear piezoelectric motor to advance a syringe piston to deliver a liquid drug and a method thereof are disclosed. The pump drive, provided in a drug delivery pump, provides silent operation and very low energy consumption compared to electric motor-based drives. The small size of the motor helps also to reduce overall size of the pump drive and the resulting drug delivery pump.
US08936572B2

Included are embodiments of an ambulatory infusion device. Some embodiments include a battery receiving portion that receives a user-replaceable battery of variable individual characteristics. The user-replaceable battery may serve as a primary power source of the ambulatory infusion device and being successively depleted during application. Similarly, some embodiments include a dosing unit with an electrically powered actuator and an electronic controller that controls operation of the ambulatory infusion device. Still some embodiments include a testing unit that is operatively coupled to the electronic controller, the testing unit being designed to carry out a battery test, the battery test including determining an off-circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the user-replaceable battery. Still some embodiments include an alerting unit that is operatively coupled to the testing unit and/or the electronic controller to provide an alert to a device user in dependence of a battery test result.
US08936570B2

The present invention provides a safety syringe which resolves a problem in the prior art whereby the needle assembly does not engage the plunger properly due to limitations in the syringe protrusion molding. The syringe of the present invention comprises: a cylinder which has a space therein to contain fluid and forms a fluid discharging portion at one end; a plunger which is inserted inside the cylinder and slid in a longitudinal direction; a piston which is associated with the upper portion of the plunger in order to make airtight contact between the plunger and the cylinder; a syringe needle assembly which is equipped at the upper portion of the cylinder and affixes a syringe needle. The syringe needle assembly is inserted into and contained inside the cylinder after use and is then disposed. In the needle assembly, plural needle supports comprising a first connector and a second connector are extended to the lower portion. The plunger has a needle support insertion member at the upper portion so that it cannot be separated after the needle supports of the needle assembly are inserted. When the plunger is retracted, the needle assembly is retracted and contained in the cylinder. In the needle support insertion member, a ring-shaped protrusion is placed at the upper portion, and plural ring-shaped protrusion supports which connect and support the ring-shaped protrusions are formed.
US08936567B2

Balloon systems for treating bifurcated lumens include desirable burst and folding characteristics. In some cases, the balloon systems can be formed by varying the wall thickness of a balloon parison.
US08936560B2

A system for treating arthritis includes at least one joint stabilizing assembly for providing relief from arthritis. At least one signal transmission element engagement member is operatively connected to the joint stabilizing assembly for connecting a signal transmission element. At least one signal transmission element is supported by the at least one signal transmission element engagement member. An electrostimulation unit, electrically connected to the signal transmission element produces a signal for improving the overall function of an arthritic joint. The electrostimulation unit used in conjunction with the joint stabilizing assembly provides a synergistic effect, which results in optimized joint treatment versus using either the joint stabilizing assembly or electrostimulation unit alone.
US08936556B2

A respiration pattern of a number of respiration cycles is detected and breath intervals (BI) and tidal volume (TVOL) measurements of each of the respiration cycles are respectively determined. An unevenly sampled instantaneous minute ventilation (iMV) signal is produced using the BI and TVOL measurements, and an evenly sampled iMV signal (resampled iMV signal) is produced using the unevenly sampled iMV signal. Disordered breathing is detected based on a comparison between a baseline threshold and the resampled iMV signal.
US08936555B2

A clinical decision support system for patient treatment having a monitoring device operably coupled to a patient. The monitoring device outputs a monitoring signal in response to a measured parameter of the patient. A controller receives the monitoring signal and outputs a display signal. The controller further compiles clinical documentation relating to the patient based on the monitoring signal and outputs a documentation signal related thereto. A display device then receives the display signal and the documentation signal and displays the same in connection with various indicia thereby displaying both the monitored signal and associated clinical documentation.
US08936538B2

An exercising apparatus designed to fit around a seat includes a frame that is adapted to be secured to a support. The frame is a U-shaped configuration with a lateral open area to receive the seat into the frame. One or more arms are coupled to the frame about one or more pivots. Further, the pivots allow a pivotal motion of each of the arms when a force is exerted thereto by a user. One or more resistance devices coupled to the frame and the arms, which provide resistance to the pivotal motion of each of the arms. The resistance devices, which may be a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder, may include a spring to bias the arms toward their initial, upright position.
US08936532B2

A method and device for operating a dual clutch transmission connectable to an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle includes providing a control unit for managing at least the internal combustion engine and the transmission, providing a prediction model including at least one simulated shift sequence for the transmission, predicting the time between a first power upshift/downshift and a second power upshift/downshift for the transmission by using the at least one prediction model, modifying at least one parameter for operating the transmission if the predicted time between the first power upshift/downshift and the second power upshift/downshift for the transmission is shorter than a predetermined time.
US08936530B2

A method concerning determining of a contact point for a clutch (106) of a vehicle (100), such that the clutch (106) to transmit driving power between a first power source in the form of an engine (101) and at least one powered wheel (113, 114), by opening of the clutch (106), and when the contact point is being determined and the vehicle (100) is in motion controlling the speed of the first power source (101) towards a first speed (ω1) which is higher than an idling speed of the first power source (101).
US08936526B2

An adjustment mechanism for vehicle seat, comprising a gearbox, an eccentric element driven by a driving unit, an eccentric gear wheel rotatably mounted on the eccentric element, a drive output unit equipped with an inner gear ring which cooperates with the eccentric gear wheel by partial engagement of the teeth, a sliding block equipped with a first and a second longitudinal guide, the sliding block cooperating with the eccentric gear wheel by the first longitudinal guide, the sliding block cooperating with the gearbox by the second longitudinal guide, the material of the second longitudinal guide having a lower hardness than the hardness of the material of the eccentric gear wheel.
US08936524B2

At least one implementation of a gear shift control system includes an output mechanism coupled to a vehicle transmission, a first drive member coupled to the output mechanism to drive the output mechanism to shift between gears of the transmission and a drivetrain. The drivetrain may include a first input driven by the drive member during a first mode of operation of the gear shift control system and an output coupled to both the first input and the output mechanism to drive the output mechanism as commanded by the drive member. During a second mode of operation of the gear shift control system a second input is coupled to the output. A second drive member is coupled to the second input to drive the output mechanism through the second input and the output during the second mode of operation to cause a transmission gear shift.
US08936508B2

The present invention relates to an air intake grid (11) having a mesh (12) provided with elongate elements (16), two adjacent elongate elements (16) crossing at a node (14, 15). At least one elongate element (16) is surrounded by at least one anti-icing member (20), said anti-icing member (20) having a downstream portion (22) matching the shape of said corresponding elongate element (16) and an elongate upstream portion (21) that is resilient and that vibrates under the effect of vortices generated by a flow of air (30) passing through said grid (11) after ice has become deposited (31) on said upstream portion (21).
US08936507B2

Provided is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including an atmospheric transfer device capable of suppressing corrosion of a part without having a corrosion resistant part and, also, capable of taking anti-corrosion measures in a cost effective way. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 100, installed in a clean room, includes an atmospheric transfer device 116; an atmospheric transfer chamber 108 for accommodating the atmospheric transfer device 116; a cover member 118 for separating a part of the atmospheric transfer device 116 from the atmospheric transfer chamber 108; and a gas exhaust unit 120 that adjusts a region 119 enclosed by the cover member 118 to have a lower pressure than that of the atmospheric transfer chamber 108. Here, the cover member 118 is made of a corrosion resistant material or an anti-corrosion treatment may be performed on the cover member.
US08936506B2

A wind-powered rooftop ventilator that can create both positive and negative pressures to enable the exhaust and intake of air is described. The wind-powered rooftop ventilator includes a symmetrical cap that is aerodynamically shaped such that, when wind flows against the back of the symmetrical cap, a negative pressure area is created at the front opening of the symmetrical cap, thereby enabling the exhaust of air from an indoor area. When wind flows against the front opening of the symmetrical cap, the wind is captured by the symmetrical cap, thereby enabling the intake of air into an indoor area. As such, the wind-powered rooftop ventilator can create both positive and negative pressures without use of an external power source, fan, and/or worm gear.
US08936503B2

The present is a mobile celebration device consisting of a movable object capable of descending down a straight article (or simulating the descend) and including a transportable base apparatus securing the straight article in a vertical position. The mobile celebration device is incorporated with the transportable base apparatus in a vertical position allowing the movable object to descend and to reset thereon. The transportable base apparatus can take the form of eyeglasses, a hat, a tiara, a handle and finger ring or clip.
US08936489B2

A USB device using a rotatable USB connector includes a cable, a first USB plug, a second USB plug and a rotatable USB connector. The cable has a tail end, a first branch end and a second branch end. The first USB plug connects the tail end, the second USB plug connects the second branch end and the rotatable USB connector connects the first branch end. The rotatable USB connector has a first insulating main body, a second insulating main body, a plurality of first conductive terminals and a plurality of second conductive terminals. The first insulating main body and blades form a first connector module while the second insulating main body and blades form a second connector module. The USB 2.0 and second connector modules are movably connected via a joint.
US08936488B2

A memory module socket and a terminating resistor assembly. The terminating resistor assembly provides an elongate conductive bus bar and a plurality of conductive branches, wherein each conductive branch is in electronic communication with the elongate conductive bus bar through a resistor, wherein each conductive branch has a distal end disposed for contacting a signal pin within a memory module socket installed on a printed circuit board. A distal end of each conductive branch is inserted into a window on the connector shoulder adjacent to the slot of an empty memory module socket and engages a plurality of signal pins within the socket in response to the absence of a memory module in the slot. The plurality of signal pins engage contact pads on the memory module and are pushed out of contact with the conductive branch in response to the presence of a memory module in the slot.
US08936485B2

A ground spring for receiving a ground end of a high-frequency test probe is described. The ground spring includes a generally annular base portion, and a number of elongated spring fingers extending from the base portion. The fingers extend generally radially inwardly from the base portion and have inner end faces that together define a substantially circular opening in a center portion of the ground spring. Each of the fingers have a tapered shape including a wider base portion end and a narrower inner end portion Each of the fingers has a longitudinal axis that is aslant relative to a reference line extending from the center of the ground spring to a center of the base portion of each finger. BMA connectors including the ground spring and test and measurement devices are also described.
US08936472B1

A magnetic repulsion-based coupler for an electrical connector includes a housing with two passages formed therein, a male terminal having a magnetic top on one of the passages, and a female terminal having a top made of a material attracted to a magnet in the other passage of the housing. Two such housings form an electrical connector for passing electric power from one conductor to another while preserving polarity when the couplers self-align. Self-alignment occurs when their opposing male terminals repel each other and are each attracted to the female terminals of the opposing couplers. Each passage in the housing of a coupler is formed to receive only the male or female terminal.
US08936470B2

A device for quickly stopping a medical or dental drilling tool includes a drilling tool having a body extending between a connection end and a working end and having a longitudinal extension along a longitudinal axis of the drilling tool. The drilling tool has a hollow outer shell in which a probe is held that can be moved along the longitudinal axis so that a part of the probe can be moved out of the shell through an opening. The probe is designed as an elongated pin, and its first end facing the connection end is held in the interior of the shell. An electromagnetic sensor for detecting relative movement between the shell and the probe is arranged along the longitudinal extension of the body. The drilling tool has a channel for a treatment fluid extending along the longitudinal axis.
US08936468B2

A transfer coping configured to take an impression of an implant is disclosed. The transfer coping has an impression material contact portion and an implant mating portion configured to be received within an opening on a coronal portion of the implant. The implant mating portion has at least one support portion and at least one deflection portion. The at least one support portion and the at least one deflection portion are separated from one another by grooves disposed therebetween. The at least one protrusion is disposed on the at least one deflection portion and is configured to engage in a snap-fit manner with a coordinating feature of an implant to maintain engagement of the transfer coping with the implant to take an impression. A method for taking an impression of an implant is also disclosed.
US08936467B2

Method for extracting an implant installed in a bone, which comprises the application of a torque on an extraction tool in order to thread it in the interior of the implant until the implant-bone connection is broken, with the specific feature that the torque is applied in phases. In each phase a torque that is increasingly greater than in the previous phase is applied and the application of torque is then eased. This method brings about a gradual and controlled deformation of the head of the implant, with the result that the extraction tool is inserted more deeply into the implant. As a result, higher breakage torques may be applied without damage being caused to the extraction tool.
US08936463B2

The present invention relates to orthodontic positioning appliances that represent teeth in desired positions and related systems and methods. An appliance can include teeth receiving cavities shaped to receive and apply a resilient positioning force to a patient's teeth. An appliance can include an outer component having a surface representing teeth in desired positions. An outer component can be integral with an appliance. An outer component can be separate and configured to couple with an appliance main body.
US08936460B2

An extrusion head for an extrusion apparatus can include a spider for supporting a central mandrel. A high volume reservoir can be mounted to the spider on a downstream side of the spider. The central mandrel can extend longitudinally into the high volume reservoir. The high volume reservoir can have an axially straight annular conduit with a length L and an outer diameter OD. The annular conduit can have an L to OD ratio of about 1:1. A set of dies can be mounted downstream of the high volume reservoir, whereby the high volume reservoir reduces pressure and promotes homogenization of molten polymer flowing therethrough, before reaching the set of dies.
US08936453B2

An apparatus for continuously forming a continuous element made of expanded plastic material comprises: a loading section of a mass of granules made of expandable plastic material; a sintering section of the continuous element made of expanded plastic material extending downstream of the loading section; a stabilizing section of the continuous element made of expanded plastic material extending downstream of the sintering section; a forming tunnel extending along the sintering and stabilizing sections and defined between a pair of lateral walls and a pair of gas permeable conveyor belts, supported by respective supporting tracks. Further, at least one of the supporting tracks of the gas permeable conveyor belts comprises at least one portion extending in the sintering section and angularly tiltable with respect to a transversal centerline plane (π) of the forming tunnel for varying the height of the tunnel in a longitudinal direction.
US08936444B2

Described herein is technology for, among other things, controlling a pump submersed in a liquid, where the pump includes a plurality of capacitive sensors. The capacitive sensors include a first capacitive sensor and a second capacitive sensor disposed above the first capacitive sensor. The technology involves sensing liquid levels with the capacitive sensors, activating the pump after the second capacitive sensor detects the liquid in a normal mode of operation, deactivating the pump after the first capacitive sensor no longer detects the liquid in the normal mode of operation, detecting a failure of one or more capacitive sensors, and adjusting the operation of the pump to compensate for the failure of the one or more capacitive sensors.
US08936437B2

The invention relates to a mobile rotor locking device for locking a rotor of a wind turbine, the rotor locking device being designed to lock a rotor in such a way that it is prevented from rotating about a horizontal axis, and that a longitudinal axis of a rotor blade is fixed in a vertical plane. The invention also relates to a kit and a locking member for a mobile rotor locking device and to a method for locking a rotor of a wind turbine. According to the invention, the rotor locking device is characterized in that the rotor locking device is designed to fix a main shaft, on which a rotor is disposed torsionally stiffly, so that it is prevented from rotating about its longitudinal axis.
US08936435B2

A wind turbine blade includes a root region. A first extension (LEX) is attached to the leading edge side of the root region while a trailing edge strake (TES) is attached to the trailing edge side of the root region. The LEX and TES each include an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to their respective locations in the root region as the root region of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. The LEX provides both optimal angle of attack and lift generation in the root region, while the TES mitigates airflow separation and enhances airfoil lift in the root region.
US08936433B2

An anti-relief fan frame body structure includes a frame body and multiple anti-relief sections. The frame body has a receiving space and a shaft seat received in the receiving space. The frame body further has multiple flow guide members extending from a circumference of shaft seat to an inner circumference of the frame body to connect with the inner circumference of the frame body. The anti-relief sections are disposed on the inner circumference of the frame body between the flow guide members to increase the performance of the fan.
US08936431B2

A shroud for a turbine and a method of assembling is provided. The turbine includes a housing, a rotatable shaft and a bucket extending outward therefrom. The shroud includes an alignment member which is coupled to the housing, wherein the alignment member includes a first end, a second end and a body extending between the first and second ends. The second end includes an arcuate portion to facilitate fluid flow downstream from the bucket. The shroud further includes a seal coupled to the body to facilitate sealing a gap defined between the bucket and the body.
US08936424B1

A vertical pipe handler with pivoting arms for a drilling rig can include a central support and a central support center line. The vertical pipe hander can grab a tubular with top and bottom pipe grabbers, and lift the tubular using a bottom non-rotating collar and a bottom rack and bottom pinion lift mechanism. The tubular can be vertically positioned before being moved downward; thereby allowing for a next tubular in a series to be positioned and inserted.
US08936419B1

A restraint system for releasably restraining a unit load device in an aircraft. The restraint system includes a guide rail adapted to be connected to the aircraft and one or more restraint mechanisms connected to the guide rail. Each restraint mechanism includes a pawl that is selectively pivotal between a locked position and an unlocked position. The guide rail is adapted to restrain movement of the unit load device in the transverse direction and the pawl of the restraint mechanism is adapted to restrain movement of the unit load device in the longitudinal and vertical directions when the pawl is in the locked position.
US08936418B2

A device for finishing spot welding electrodes comprises a milling head that is suited for said finishing of spot welding electrodes. The device furthermore comprises a guide device for guiding the milling head relative to at least one spot welding electrode or relative to at least one spot welding electrode shaft.
US08936417B2

To provide a method of controlling a machine tool and a machine tool which allow preventing relieving interference without using a mechanism for causing an offset between a cutter (13) and a workpiece (50), a controller (40) performs control such that the workpiece (50) is machined by repeating the steps of: machining the workpiece (50) by moving the cutter (13) for machining the workpiece (50) in a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the cutter (50) while rotating the workpiece (50) together with the cutter (13); and returning the cutter (13) to a machining start position again after termination of the machining step, and performs offset control such that the cutter (13) is moved away from the workpiece (50) in a rotation direction of the cutter (13) upon the termination of the machining step.
US08936410B2

A dump body latching system for application to a self dumping hopper comprises a battery, a linear actuator assembly having an actuator rod configured for reciprocal motion into and out of a housing, an actuator cable having a first end attached to the actuator rod and a second end attached to a biased trip lever and a controller configured to connect the battery with the linear actuator to withdraw the actuator rod into the housing and thereby pull the actuator cable and the biased trip lever to disengage the trip lever from a locking pin.
US08936409B2

A locking device that prevents a rooftop support device from being separated into upper and lower parts is disclosed. The locking device stops the lower base from being fully unscrewed from the upper platform. The device automatically releases to allow the lower base to be screwed back onto the upper platform.
US08936408B2

In the liquid material feeding container, a piston is formed with a seal portion at a front portion thereof, being sliding in contact with an inner wall of a housing portion of a barrel body, and a cylindrical portion having projections in an outer periphery of a rear end portion and a female thread portion in an inner periphery thereof, and in an outer peripheral surface of the front portion extending frontward from the above-described operating portion of the above-described rotating element, a male thread portion is formed, and in the above-described barrel body, a space of the housing portion is formed in a frontward portion and a groove portion with which the projection is engaged is formed in a backward portion along an axial direction.
US08936404B2

Method, apparatus and system for self-aligning components, sub-assemblies and/or assemblies wherein actuators are used to physically move the components, sub-assemblies and/or assemblies such that an appropriate alignment is provided. The efficiency of the alignment may be determined with respect to a qualitative measurement (e.g., bit error rate, optical intensity and the like) of an output signal.
US08936401B2

A method for terminating a first optical fiber within a proximal portion of a guidewire tubing. The guidewire tubing has an outside diameter defined as having a tolerance of ±0.001″ or less. The method comprises the step of centering the first optical fiber within the guidewire tubing. A female optical receiving device used to receive an optical guidewire and connect guidewire internal optical fiber to an external relaying optical cable is also provided.
US08936398B2

A bearing device includes: a journal part, a main bearing, a cylinder block, and a bearing cap. One half bearing held by the cylinder block includes: a first circumferential oil groove and a second circumferential oil groove being formed at positions opposite to an inlet of an oil passage of the journal part; a separation part separating the first circumferential oil groove and the second circumferential oil groove; and a first oil hole and a second oil hole respectively penetrating from the first circumferential oil groove and the second circumferential oil groove to an outer circumferential surface. The cylinder block includes an oil distribution passage which is formed so as to extend across both the first oil hole and the second oil hole of the one half bearing.
US08936396B2

A thermometer includes a body member and a tip member with a thermal contact surface secured to the body member. A thermal sensor mounted on the inside of the tip member is adapted for sensing a thermal contact surface and producing a temperature signal. A set of lead wires is coupled to the thermal sensor for transmission of the temperature signal. A display module is disposed in the body member. A processor is electrically connected to the set of lead wires to receive the temperature signal for display of a corresponding temperature reading. An electric generator having a motor with a rotary shaft is disposed in the body member. The motor is driven for generating electric energy when the rotary shaft is rotated. A capacitor is electrically connected to the electric generator for storing the electric energy generated by the electric generator and supplying the electric energy to the processor.
US08936392B2

An advanced hydrodynamic cavitation device formed from a cylindrical tube having a flow through chamber. The chamber has a series of stages with each stage formed from at least three plates spaced annularly and extending radially inward at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the flow through chamber. Each plate has shear inducing side edges and a plurality of orifices with shear inducing edges. The orifices are arranged perpendicular to the plates and shaped to control the velocity of the fluid. An unrestricted passageway exists along the central axis of the flow through chamber to provide a constant flow for continuous flushing of suspended solids to prevent clogging. Additionally, the passageway will facilitate the insertion of a pressure cleaning tube without requiring that the device be disassembled.
US08936389B2

A method and apparatus for feeding livestock is presented. The method includes providing a mobile feed preparation apparatus that includes a feed container containing a base feed, a conveying assembly that receives the base feed from the feed container, a feed additive assembly comprising a reservoir containing a feed additive, where the feed additive assembly is in flowable communication with the conveying assembly, a weight sensitive platform having a weigh cell, where the reservoir is mounted on said platform, and a controller in communication with the conveying assembly and the weigh cell. The method further includes weighing the reservoir to determine a first weight, dispensing from the mobile feed preparation apparatus a feed ration, and weighing the reservoir to determine a second weight. Additionally, the method includes calculating a distributed amount of the feed additive using the first weight and the second weight.
US08936376B2

The fixing device of the present invention comprises a base, at least one light guide pillar, and at least one light-blocking element. The base comprises at least one through hole, which obliquely penetrates the base. The at least one light guide pillar is disposed on the base. The at least one light-blocking element corresponds to the at least one through hole; therefore, when the at least one light-blocking element passes through the at least one through hole, the base and the light guide pillar are fixed by the at least one light-blocking element.
US08936375B2

A lighting apparatus includes a light housing, a base mount, an extension member, and a lighting arrangement. The light housing includes a first housing member moveably supported such that the first housing member is capable of rotating about a first longitudinal axis thereof, and a second housing member movably supported such that the second housing member is capable of rotating about a second longitudinal axis thereof. The lighting arrangement is provided in the light housing for forming a plurality of light sources of predetermined intensity, wherein when the first housing member and the second housing member are pivotally moved with respect to each other and rotatably moved about the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis respectively, the light sources are arranged to selectively and simultaneously provide illumination towards two illumination directions.
US08936370B2

A lens cover module includes a rail member, a lens cover movably mounted on the rail member, a first driving device, and a second driving device. The lens cover reciprocates between a first position where the lens cover covers the lens, and a second position, where the lens cover uncovers the lens. The first driving device moves the lens cover from the first position to a third position, and moves the lens cover from the second position to a fourth position. After the first driving device, the second driving device keeps moving the lens cover to the second position from the third position, or moving the lens cover to the first position from the fourth position.
US08936366B2

There is provided a robot that includes a processor executing instructions that determine a desired image to be displayed. The processor issues control signals corresponding to the desired image to be displayed. The robot also comprises a display assembly including a visual projector, a mirror, and a display surface. The visual projector and mirror are disposed within the robot. The visual projector projects light corresponding to the desired image onto the mirror. The mirror receives the light from the projector, and reflects the light onto the display surface. The display surface receives the light. The image is visible on the display surface from outside the robot.
US08936359B2

An ink composition including one or more ester resins, the ink composition containing an optional colorant; at least one crystalline phase-change agent; an amorphous binder agent; and optionally one or more additives; where the at least one amorphous binder agent includes at least one ester compound.
US08936352B2

A printer includes a nozzle hole plate including a plurality of nozzle holes, the nozzle hole plate being rotatable; and a nozzle part including a sleeve having a leading passage corresponding to one of the plurality of nozzle holes of the nozzle hole plate.
US08936349B2

An image forming apparatus forming an image on a recording medium includes a head unit which includes an ejecting unit which ejects photo-curable color ink which is cured by being irradiated with light, an ejecting unit which ejects photo-curable transparent ink which is cured by being irradiated with light, and a light irradiation unit which radiates the light; a moving unit which moves the recording medium and the head unit relatively in reciprocating movements; and a controller which causes the transparent ink to be ejected toward the recording medium while causing the head unit to move in one direction in the reciprocating movements, and causes the transparent ink which is applied in the one direction to be irradiated with the light while causing the head unit to be moved in the other direction in the reciprocating movements.
US08936348B1

A sliding section that slides on a guide rail to which grease is applied while integrally moving with a carriage is provided in a side surface of the carriage that is equipped with a liquid ejecting head and reciprocates in a moving direction. The sliding section has one side edge section extending so as to cross the moving direction in a position of one side in the moving direction, and the other side edge section extending so as to cross the moving direction in a position of the other side in the moving direction.
US08936346B2

A liquid removing device which removes liquid attached to an abutment section in a cap having the abutment section which is capable of abutting a liquid ejecting head having a nozzle ejecting the liquid onto a target, includes a transfer section which abuts the abutment section to transfer the liquid attached to the abutment section of the cap, wherein a contact angle between a surface of the transfer section and the liquid is smaller than a contact angle between a surface of the abutment section of the cap and the liquid.
US08936340B2

A droplet ejection apparatus, including: an image-data storage; a droplet ejection head; a post-processing mechanism configured to perform drying processing and curl correction processing by a common processing technique on an image-formed recording medium; and a controller configured to: calculate a liquid ejection amount for each evaluation region on the recording medium; determine a first processing amount required for the drying processing, based on a maximum liquid ejection amount; determine, for each evaluation region, a second processing amount for the curl correction processing, based on the liquid ejection amount and a position of the evaluation region on the recording medium; and control the post-processing mechanism to perform the drying processing and the curl correction processing according to a maximum control amount of the post-processing mechanism among the first processing amount and the second processing amounts of the respective evaluation regions.
US08936338B2

A recording apparatus has a controller that controls a conveying roller and a discharge roller for conveying a recording medium. The controller controls the rotation phases of the conveying roller and the discharge roller when the recording medium leaves the conveying roller before the recording medium enters the conveying roller.
US08936337B2

In a method of adding a gloss control table, first base material information formed from a first gloss control table of a first base material and a first pattern measurement value of a test pattern formed on the first base material, and second base material information formed from a second gloss control table of a second base material and a second pattern measurement value of a test pattern formed on the second base material, are stored in the storage unit. The method includes: measuring a pattern of new base material for measuring the test pattern formed using a predetermined amount of ink of a new recording medium, and interpolating the gloss control tables for obtaining a new gloss control table of the new base material using a predetermined measured value interpolation method based on the first base material information and the second base material information.
US08936336B2

An image forming apparatus includes a liquid ejection head including a pressure generation unit configured to generate a pressure for pressurizing a liquid in an individual liquid chamber communicating nozzles; and a head drive control unit configured to generate a drive waveform including pulses in time series, select one or more pulses from the drive waveform according to a droplet size, and provide the selected drive pulses to the pressure generation unit. The drive waveform includes a first pulse not including a waveform component that suppresses ejection bending, and allowing a droplet to be ejected, and a second pulse including the waveform component that suppresses ejection bending, and allowing a droplet to be ejected. An amount of the droplet ejected in the second pulse is larger than in the first pulse, and a speed of the droplet ejected in the second pulse is higher than that in the first pulse.
US08936335B2

There is provided a flush box in an area other than a recording area in an end portion of a range in which a recording head can be driven in a main scanning direction. A control circuit performs control such that it is determined whether or not a flag is turned on for flushing operation in step S3; in a case where the flag is turned on, in step S4, it is determined whether final path is already finished or is about to be finished; when it is determined that the recording head is on the final path, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the stop position is on the side of the flush box. Then, maintenance operation is started in step S6 and paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 only when the stop position is on the side of the flush box. In addition, only the paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 when the stop position is on a side opposite to the side of the flush box.
US08936332B2

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator main body having a cooling chamber, a cooling chamber door configured to open and close the cooling chamber, a rear storage member disposed at a rear area to be drawn out along back and forth directions of the cooling chamber, and a front storage member disposed at the front of the rear storage member and configured to be relatively movable with respect to the rear storage member, whereby goods and/or food stuffs can be easily stored and drawn out.
US08936325B2

The apparatus comprises: a case (100), in particular a case that can be integrated into a motor vehicle dashboard; a front panel element (200), removably mounted on the case; and means for the reversible assembly and fixation of the front panel element to the case. Such means include: at a first end of the front panel element and of the case, a dismountable magnetic hinge comprising a first pair of magnetic elements (124, 224), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual attraction; and at an opposed, second end of the front panel element and of the case, means for locking the front panel element to the case, comprising a lock (212) and a second pair of magnetic elements (126, 226), arranged on the case and on the front panel element, respectively, opposite to each other and in mutual repulsion.
US08936321B2

A flanged bearing ring for a motor vehicle wheel includes two different materials joined as a single piece: a tubular core and an outer body around the core. The outer body forms a radial flange and is made of a lighter material than that of the core. The ring further includes an element of generally tubular shape, which contacts both the outer body and the inner core to cover and seal with continuity a circular line of separation at the end of the interface surface between the core and the outer body at the axially outer side of the ring. The tubular element further forms a cylindrical axial edge which extends in an axially inner direction and is fixed in the axially outer end of the core cavity, and a cylindrical tubular portion, projecting in an axially outer direction beyond the flange, for centering the vehicle wheel.
US08936317B2

A waist receiving portion, which is provided at a support member, is curved to form a convex shape toward a front side in a seat front and rear direction in side view. Accordingly, when a waist portion of an occupant is pressed against the waist receiving portion, the change of the shape of lumbar vertebrae is suppressed. For this reason, since it is possible to reduce the difference between a timing when a head portion of the occupant is pressed against a headrest and a timing when a neck portion of the occupant is pressed against a neck receiving portion, it is possible to suppress swing of the head portion of the occupant about the neck portion as a fulcrum in the seat front and rear direction. Therefore, a burden to the neck portion of the occupant is reduced.
US08936315B2

An ophthalmic examination chair includes a seat for supporting a patient thereon, a support base for supporting the seat, a tilt guide assembly for tiltably moving the seat with respect to the support base, and a tilt driving assembly. The tilt driving assembly includes a motor operatively connected with a drive element and a drive transmission element operatively connected with the drive element. The drive transmission element is further operatively connected with the seat for moving the seat when the motor is activated.
US08936312B2

A seat supports an occupant of a vehicle. The seat comprises a seating frame member for providing a surface to support the occupant and a back frame member extending away from the seating frame member. The back frame member defines a U-shaped cavity. A boss is coupled to the back frame member within the U-shaped cavity. A fastening element extends through the boss and the back frame member. The fastening element deforms the boss and the back frame member when a force above a predetermined value is applied to the back frame member thereby causing the back frame member to rotate relative to the seating frame member. Allowing the back frame member to rotate relative to the seating frame member reduces an impact force transferred from the seat to the occupant caused by the force above the predetermined value.
US08936302B2

A flange of a left rear side portion (aluminum member) includes a plane section extending toward a vertical wall of a left side member (steel plate-like member). The left side member includes a bent portion formed as a result of being bent between a flange and the vertical wall of the left side member, and a base section, which serves as a start point at which the bent section starts to be bent from the flange of the left side member. The plane section of the left rear side portion is provided such that it covers an area substantially up to the base section of the left side member.
US08936299B2

The present invention relates to a vehicle front body structure comprising a cross-sectionally closed front side frame installed to extend in a front-rear direction of a vehicle. The front side frame has a depressed section formed in a lower region of a vehicle-width directional inner wall surface portion thereof in such a manner as to be depressed toward a vehicle-width directional outward side. The front side frame is internally provided with a reinforcing member extending over a front-rear directional dimension of the depressed section. An upper portion of the reinforcing member is joined to at least one of a vehicle-width directional intermediate region of an upper wall portion of the front side frame and an area of the upper wall portion located outward side of the intermediate region, and a lateral portion of the reinforcing member is joined to a wall surface portion corresponding to the depressed section.
US08936297B2

A sealing device, such as a sealing bulkhead for a motor vehicle, is provided that can be arranged or is arranged between an inner column part of a motor vehicle and an outer column part of the motor vehicle and includes, but is not limited to a holder fixed on the inner column part, a separating body fixed on the a holder and at least sectionally closes a gap formed between the inner column part and the outer column part, as well as a supporting unit fixed on the separating body and on the outer column part in order to fix the outer column part on the inner column part.
US08936292B2

A cylindrical ring sized to slide over the box end of an oilfield tubular having a given diameter, has a shoulder at one its ends and a sidewall along its length. The sidewall has a circumferential groove about its interior surface housing a band which can be made tight against the exterior surface of the oilfield tubular by a latch accessible through a slot in the sidewall, and which becomes even tighter if the tubular attempts to escape from the band. In a first orientation, the cylindrical ring is used as a load ring. By turning the cylindrical rings upside down, the cylindrical ring is used as a thread protector for the pin end of the tubular.
US08936286B2

Device for handling (102) a green tire (24), comprises a supporting structure and at least one hook (106) mounted to rotate with respect to the supporting structure between a gripping position and a disengaged position, about a horizontal axis (18) running outside of the hook.
US08936285B2

A bumper structure, that can mitigate impact when a collision body collides with a vehicle transverse direction end portion of an impact absorbing member, is obtained. A bumper structure has a bumper reinforcement that extends along a vehicle transverse direction at a vehicle front-rear direction end portion; an impact absorbing member that is provided at a vehicle front-rear direction outer side of this bumper reinforcement, and at which an outer side surface of a vehicle transverse direction end portion is made to be an inclined surface that is inclined toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side, from a vehicle front-rear direction outer side toward a vehicle front-rear direction inner side; and a plate-shaped member that is provided along the inclined surface, and whose rigidity is higher than the impact absorbing member.
US08936283B2

A Brunnian link is a link formed from a closed loop doubled over itself to capture another closed loop to form a chain. The example kit provides for the successful creation of unique wearable articles using Brunnian link assembly techniques and includes several pin bars that are supported in a desired special orientation by at least one base. The desired special orientation is dependent on the desired linked configuration of the completed article. The pins may be assembled in various combination and orientations to provide endless variation of completed link orientations.
US08936282B1

A stop knot tying device which aids with tying a stop knot directly on a fishing line for use with a slip bobber. The stop knot tying device generally includes a main body having a retainer portion and an elongated portion extending therefrom. The retainer portion includes a ring member and funnel member which act to retain a coil of string. A distal, free end of the coil of string exits the retainer portion through an aperture on its ring member. The elongated portion includes a slot running along its length and at least one notch. By positioning a fishing line within the slot through one of the notches and winding a cut-away portion of string around the line, one can utilize the present invention to efficiently and safely tie a stop knot on a fishing line.
US08936278B2

A system for affixing a printed image onto a book cover, comprising a sleeve having a front surface, a back surface and four edges. The sleeve includes a front layer having a transparent window region surrounded by an opaque mask region and a back layer joined to the front layer along at least two of the edges, wherein the back layer is not joined to the front layer along at least one of the edges thereby providing at least one open edge adapted to receive the printed image. Adhesive strips having peelable coverings are affixed onto the back surface of the sleeve along at least two of the edges. The opaque mask region is adapted to cover the edges of the printed image, and the adhesive strips are adapted to affix the sleeve onto the book cover.
US08936277B2

A platform trailer includes a neck reinforcement structure located in the neck region. The neck reinforcement structure includes a first beam reinforcement structure located adjacent an inner side of the first beam that is oriented toward the second beam, and a second beam reinforcement structure located adjacent an inner side of the second beam that is oriented toward the first beam. A plurality of internal cross members extend between and interconnect the first and second beam reinforcement structures. A fifth wheel plate is fixedly secured to and that extends between both the first and second beams. A kingpin is connected to the fifth wheel plate and is adapted to be engaged by an associated tractor fifth wheel. The neck reinforcement structure allows for use of aluminum alloy beams with a reduced height in the neck region of the trailer.
US08936276B1

A body structure of a vehicle includes a bulkhead, and a frame rail extending forward from the bulkhead along a longitudinal centerline. A powertrain system is disposed laterally inboard of the frame rail relative to the longitudinal centerline. The frame rail includes a flared section, a splayed section, and a reinforcing member. The flared section curves laterally outboard, away from the longitudinal centerline. The splayed section includes a variable cross sectional area that increases with an increase in distance from the bulkhead. The reinforcing member is operable to increase lateral stiffness in the frame rail, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centerline. The frame rail is operable to deform into contact with the powertrain system in response to a load applied to a forward end of the body structure and laterally offset from the longitudinal centerline, to generate a lateral force in the body structure.
US08936267B2

A child carrier apparatus comprises first and second leg frames, a seat frame including first and second tube portions, a joint housing connected with the first and second tube portions, an impeding part assembled adjacent to the joint housing, and a release actuator. The first tube portion is pivotally connected with the first leg frame. The second tube portion is pivotally connected with the second leg frame and the joint housing, and is rotatable between unfolded and folded positions. The impeding part can move between a first position obstructing rotation of the second tube portion relative to the joint housing from the unfolded position, and a second position displaced away from a path of rotation of the second tube portion to allow folding of the second tube portion. The release actuator is operable to drive the impeding part to move from the first to second position.
US08936262B2

A walker has a frame with two opposing sides joined at a front of the walker, each side having front and rear legs and a handle at a top of each side. Each handle is connected to the frame through a rotatable joint so the handles have a first position a first position in which the handle is generally horizontal for walking, and a second position in which that handle is lowered closer to the seat making it easier to sit and stand. The joint is locked into each position.
US08936258B2

An apparatus for transporting articles between working locations is provided. The apparatus includes wheels mounted towards the bottom of the apparatus for rotation about an axis to provide rolling support for the apparatus and a manually engageable pulling handle. The pulling handle and the ground engaging wheels are arranged to enable a user to manually pull the pulling handle generally rearwardly so as to tilt the apparatus rearwardly to a tilted rolling movement position, thereby enabling the user to roll the apparatus to a desired location by pushing or pulling the pulling handle in a desired direction. The apparatus also includes a frame and at least one or more mount structures adjustably connected to the frame. The apparatus further includes a plurality of containers connected to the mount structures, where at least one of the containers are of a different configuration from another one of the containers.
US08936255B2

The present invention relates to a stackable shopping basket (10A) comprising a bottom (14A), wheels, side walls, a carrying handle arrangement and a telescopic pull handle (20A) which is arranged in connection with one of the side walls and comprises a first and a second telescopic element (22A, 21A). At least one side wall (11A) is higher than one or more of the other walls, in association therewith (11A2) a hollow metal profile is arranged which comprises said first telescopic element (22A). Its lower end is fixedly fastened to or in the lower end of said higher side wall (11A2) and/or in the bottom (14A). The second telescopic element (21A) comprises a metal profile which is adapted for sliding in said first telescopic element (22A). In the extended position the second telescopic element (21A), at least to a large extent, is drawn out of the first telescopic element (22A), and in a stacked position it is substantially completely inserted in the first telescopic element (22A). The second telescopic element (21A) has a lower outer end which in an inserted position substantially reaches the lower end of the first telescopic element (22A), and an upper end which is provided with a handle (25A), which in a stacking position rests on an upper edge of the higher side wall (11A2) or is taken up in seat (16A) provided therein.
US08936251B1

A skate device includes a footwear-type boot having a sole, two side wheels positioned on opposite sides of the boot, a cross-jacket, disposed on a front region of the sole, the cross-jacket comprising a side-by-side tube with through holes for receiving screws to fix the cross-jacket to the sole, an active displacement mechanism connected to the two side wheels, the active displacement mechanism comprising a chassis with a clamped shaft that mounts a transfer bar, shaped as a flat plate, to a main joint between two lateral joints, the lateral joints having a center displaced from the main pivot joint, and shock absorbers connected to the lateral joints.
US08936248B2

A boot seal for variable compression-rate engine includes a boot-seal element, and a reinforcement member. The boot-seal element includes an inner layer, and an outer layer. The inner layer is disposed on the inner face of the boot-seal element, and is composed of a fluorinated rubber. The outer layer is disposed on a more outer side of the boot-seal element than is the inner layer. Moreover, the boot-seal element is formed in a circumferentially developed state so as to have circumferential ends, and is then completed by joining the circumferential ends with each other. Thus, the boot-seal element makes an elastically deformable cylindrical bellows shape having a root that dents inward diametrically. In addition, the reinforcement member is disposed in the root of the cylindrical bellows-shaped boot-seal element at least.
US08936240B2

A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.
US08936239B2

A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.
US08936226B2

A support frame for a modular lectern is assembled together with a top board, a bottom board and a divider board to form the modular lectern and is provided with a main board, a first connecting member and a second connecting member, wherein the parts of the support frame of are locked together in a tongue and groove manner, and can be disassembled into the three main parts: the main board, the first connecting member and the second connecting member, which can be stacked one upon another together with the top, bottom and divider boards for easy transportation. Furthermore, the top and bottom boards are pivoted to the main board via the first and second connecting portions, so that the top and bottom boards can be folded to further save transportation space.
US08936204B2

A spray paint system for spraying a horizontal surface having a frame supporting an inverted elongated rigid container configured to hold a paint formulation that is pressurized with a pumping device partially located within the container where the frame has at least one wheel to allow a user to roll the system along a horizontal surface while spraying paint through a removable spray tip. This system can be used to mark a horizontal surface with precise and clear writing of lines, letters or symbols.
US08936201B2

The circuitry introduced in this invention selectively slows down the functioning of an electronic circuit maintaining a particular state for a prolonged period of time. This circuitry is used not only to achieve the desired effect in maintaining security from electronic thieves trying to circumvent codes but also in other applications such as enabling a circuit to continue to function in the event of a brief loss of power. For example, in an RFID system, if a reader is frequency hopping, a tag loses power for as long as about 400 milliseconds when the reader changes to other frequencies. In a preferred embodiment, the disclosed circuitry is used in conjunction with a destruct sequence.
US08936200B2

A method for injection molding an external housing of an object including an electronic assembly includes interposing the assembly between a first half-mold and a second half-mold of an open injection mold and closing the first half-mold and the second half-mold to define an injection cavity containing the assembly. Plastic is injected in the cavity to mold said external housing. The step of interposing includes positioning, before the injection of plastics, the assembly on movable support means associated with the mold, the support means being arranged on an extended position, and disengaging the support means from the assembly before the plastic is cured such as to manufacture the external housing in an only one shot manufacturing process. This way, plastic of the external housing is integrally molded and devoid of discontinuity points.
US08936199B2

UICC apparatus and related methods are disclosed herein. An example UICC apparatus disclosed herein includes a contact pad having a plurality of electrical contacts positioned or oriented to define a plurality of electrical contact patterns. The plurality of electrical contact patterns defining at least a first electrical contact pattern to communicate with a first input device and a second electrical contact pattern to communicate with a second input device, where the first input device has a dimensional profile that is different than a dimensional profile of the second input device.
US08936196B2

A camera unit includes a display for displaying an image to be captured; an image sensor for digitally capturing the displayed image; a card reader having a linear scanner for scanning a surface of a removable card to sense a plurality of dots printed on the surface of the removable card, the plurality of dots representing a bit pattern encoding a program script; a card interface for receiving a signal from the card reader indicative of the sensed plurality of dots printed on the surface of the card, and decoding the sensed plurality of dots into the program script; and a printer configured to print a distorted image on print media, the distorted image being a version of the captured image distorted in accordance with the program script. The card reader comprises a moulding housing therewithin a plurality of light sources, the moulding being transparent to light from the light sources and shaped to focus the light on the removable card.
US08936190B2

Systems and methods are provided for enabling a portable electronic device to retrieve information about an object when the object's symbology, e.g., a barcode, is detected. According to one embodiment a method is providing in which symbology associated with an object is detected and decoded to obtain a decode string. The decode string is sent to one or more visual detection applications for processing, wherein the one or more visual detection applications reside on the portable electronic device, and receiving a first amount of information about the object from the one or more visual detection applications. The method also includes sending the decode string to a remote server for processing and receiving a second amount of information about the object from the remote server. The first amount of information is combined with the second amount of information to obtain cumulative information which is displayed on the portable electronic device.
US08936188B2

A package has a sleeve and an insert that lock together. The insert has a longitudinal flange on one side that fits into a corresponding longitudinal channel in the sleeve. The sleeve includes a locking tab in line with the longitudinal channel that is foldable into the sleeve to present a deflectable contact edge across the longitudinal channel. Engagement of the locking tab contact edge with a shoulder on the longitudinal flange prevents movement of the insert in the direction of the locking tab. The insert can be locked in both a forward and a backward direction within the sleeve by providing respective locking tabs and shoulders at both ends of the package.
US08936182B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an adaptable rack for aquatic transport of articles. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to an adaptable rack for aquatic transport of articles to increase storage capacity of a boat and to prevent scuffing and damaging of the deck of the boat. In one embodiment of the present invention, an adaptable rack for aquatic transport of an article comprises a mounting post for fitting inside a rocket launcher on a boat, a support bar positioned on a top surface of the mounting post, and a plurality of support arms extending from the support bar, the support arms for supporting the article during aquatic transport.
US08936176B2

The present invention is directed to dispensers of bedding materials for laboratory animal cages. According to one embodiment of a dispensing unit, materials are drawn into a storage chute by a vacuum and dispensing is accomplished in a dispenser comprising a plurality of dispensing chutes having dispensing openings through which material is dispensed into cages. While in a first position, a material directing gate allows the materials to be dispensed through one of the dispensing chutes into a first number of cages, and through another one of the dispensing chutes into a second number of cages while in a second position. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum from the vacuum blower is utilized to remove dust from the dispensing area where material is dispensed into cages. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for aligning, indexing and drying laboratory animal cages which have already been cleaned in a cleaning station. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a programmable controller which advantageously facilitates the programming of automated control of the dispensing system.
US08936172B2

The present invention generally relates to a cooler for transferring a game head. In one aspect, a game head transfer device is provided. The device includes a body having an opening on an upper portion that is configured to receive a game head into the body, wherein a first portion and a second portion of the game head extend from the opening of the body when the body is in an opened position and a closed position. The device further includes one or more flap members configured to narrow the opening of the body between the first portion and the second portion of the game head. The device also includes one or more closing members configured to narrow the opening of the body adjacent a side of the first portion and a side of the second portion of the game head that extend from the opening.
US08936160B2

Nozzle device and nozzle for atomisation and/or filtration as well as methods for using the same. The present invention relates to a nozzle and nozzle device for atomisation, in particular a micro-machined reinforced nozzle plate, that may produce small liquid droplets in air (spray) or into a liquid (emulsion) with a narrow droplet size distribution and to make small air bubbles into a liquid (foam) and to methods of making the same. The invention is further related to a nozzle part for filtration as well as means and methods to facilitate atomisation and filtration.
US08936156B1

An inflatable packaging cushion is made of thermoplastic sheet material connected by seams and spot seams and has a product barrier formed by a plurality of adjacent inflatable product barrier tubes forming a product barrier, a pocket panel secured to the product barrier and extending thereacross to a product pocket for receiving a product, and pillar tube extensions of the product barrier tubes forming bulkhead end walls foldable to extend upwardly from the product barrier beyond the product pocket. The cushion and product are inserted in a carton, and the end walls suspend the product. Distal end flaps are also provide opposite the product barrier and product.
US08936147B2

A conveyor assembly that includes a conveyor belt driven by a pinch roller drive assembly. The pinch roller drive assembly includes a pair of pinch rollers that are each rotatably mounted to a support housing. The pinch rollers are supported by a swing arm urged into a bias position by one or more bias springs. The pinch rollers and bias springs are part of a belt tension assembly mounted to the side rails of the conveyor assembly through mounting plates. The belt tension assembly can be pivoted to move the pinch rollers away from the drive roller as desired. In one embodiment, the roller drive assembly is mounted at or near the center of the conveyor assembly and can also support the drive motor. In an alternate embodiment, the pinch roller drive assembly is mounted to one end of the conveyor frame.
US08936144B2

Hub for two-wheeled vehicles having a hub axle and a hub body and a rotor and with a toothed disk freewheel comprising a pair of interacting engagement components each comprising one axial toothing. The engagement components are biased in the engagement position via a biasing device. The one of the engagement components is received at the hub body to be non-rotatable and axially displaceable and the other of the engagement components is provided non-rotatable at the rotor for transmitting a rotary motion from the rotor to the hub body in the engagement position of the two engagement components. At least one engagement component is configured as a toothed disk and is provided with the axial toothing and has an axial width which is at least the size of half the outer radius of the axial toothing.
US08936142B2

A torque transmission device, comprising a hydrodynamic component, a shiftable clutch device and a vibration damper. A turbine shell of the hydrodynamic component is connected with a damper input component of the vibration damper and/or with a turbine shell hub, which is at least indirectly supported in axial direction at a damper hub through a torque-proof connection. At least one axial support surface is provided at a face of a damper component, adjacent to the torque-proof connection in an axial direction, or of the damper hub. The face is oriented away in axial direction from the torque-proof connection. The invention is characterized in that a support element is arranged at the damper component or at the damper hub. The support element includes a support surface forming an axial protrusion, extending through adjacently arranged damper components or portions of a support.
US08936140B2

A luggage assembly includes a first piece of luggage and a second piece of luggage. An attachment member is affixed to the second piece of luggage. The attachment member couples the second piece of luggage to the first piece of luggage so that the first and second pieces of luggage are self-stabilized while upright and inclined, and while in motion and while stationary.
US08936136B2

A brake system comprising a brake disc that rotates about a center axis, a brake mount, a brake caliper attached to the brake mount and including a brake pad, and an adjuster between the brake mount and the brake caliper. The adjuster can move the brake pad toward and/or away from the brake disc. In one embodiment, the brake caliper is attached to the brake mount by a post extending through an elongated opening in the brake caliper and nonparallel to the center axis. The adjuster can change a relative location of the post within the elongated opening. The adjuster can include an end that extends into the elongated opening and works against the post. The post can include a fastener threaded to the brake mount in a direction substantially perpendicular to the center axis, and the fastener can extend through an elongated opening in the brake caliper.
US08936135B2

Apparatus and method for supplying lubricant to a plurality of lubrication sites. Embodiments include a pump with venting and non-venting piston return, a pump with stirrer and direct feed mechanism, a pump with CAN system and self-diagnostics, a pump with heated housing and reservoir and a pump with stepper motor and overdrive control.
US08936133B2

Exhaust apparatus for four cycle (including Wankel) internal combustion engines is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to manage pressure waves created by expanding gas emitted from the engine combustion chambers, the net result being to enhance engine performance and attenuate noise over a wide range of engine RPMs.
US08936118B2

The present disclosure relates to an emergency drive for a construction machine, comprising a hydraulic motor which is connectable with a pump transfer gearbox of a drive of the construction machine via a first mechanical shaft and a port provided for this purpose.
US08936116B2

Cutting elements for use with earth-boring tools include a cutting table having a base surface and a substrate having a support surface. An intermediate structure and an adhesion layer extend between the base surface of the cutting table and the support surface of the substrate. Earth-boring tools include such cutting elements. Methods for fabricating cutting elements for use with earth-boring tools include forming an intermediate structure on and extending from a support surface of a substrate and adhering a cutting table comprising a superabrasive material to the support surface of the substrate.
US08936104B2

A medical or dental, fluid-driven handle with a control or regulation circuit for the limiting, control or regulation to a maximum or predetermined rotational speed and a corresponding process are presented. The handle comprises a rotary part that can be set in rotary motion by a drive fluid, a fluid line carrying the drive fluid to or from the rotary part or a fluid branch line that is connected to a fluid line carrying drive fluid, and a control or regulation circuit designed to limit, control or regulate the rotational speed of the rotary part. An electrodynamic converter is driven by the rotary part for generating electrical energy and at least one actuator element is configured to act on the drive fluid. The actuator element is electrically connected to the electrodynamic converter such that it is supplied with electrical energy generated by the electrodynamic converter.
US08936100B2

A non-rising stem gate valve is provided that includes a drive sleeve disposed between the gate and the stem. The drive sleeve is coupled to the stem and isolates the moveable connection between the sleeve and the stem from fluid in the valve. The drive sleeve is also coupled to the gate such that movement of the drive sleeve along the stem moves the gate between the open and closed positions of the valve.
US08936099B2

A downhole tool including a cam housing disposed in a central bore of a sub; a cam piston having a cam track disposed in the cam housing; a rotary piston having a rotary valve and an auxiliary track disposed in the cam housing; a guide pin extending through the cam housing into the cam track having at least two return paths; and a position pin disposed on a cam flange and extending into the auxiliary track. Also, a method of actuating a downhole tool, the method including disposing the downhole tool in a wellbore, wherein the downhole tool comprises a cam piston and a rotary piston; providing a flow of fluid through a central bore of the downhole tool at a working flow rate; changing the flow of fluid through the central bore of the downhole tool to a trigger range, and rotating a rotary valve of the rotary piston.
US08936089B2

Methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations. These methods rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen using a chemical oxidant so as to render it mobile. The oxidant is provided to a formation fluid in contact with the kerogen in the subsurface shale. An alkaline material is also provided to the formation fluid to mobilize organic acids which are produced during oxidation of the kerogen. A mobile kerogen-based product which includes the organic acids is withdrawn from the subsurface shale formation and further processed to isolate the organic acids contained therein.
US08936087B2

Methods including the steps of providing an injection well having unconsolidated particulates in one or more formation intervals along the wellbore that accept injection fluid; providing a consolidating treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a consolidating agent; introducing the consolidating treatment fluid through the injection well, while the well is under injection, such that the consolidating treatment fluid enters into a portion of a formation interval along the wellbore that accepts injection fluid; and, allowing the consolidating fluid to consolidate formation particulates therein. The methods may be performed such that the percentage of consolidating agent varies over the course of the treatment or the rate of injection varies over the course of the treatment.
US08936085B2

In downhole treatments in the oilfield, ball sealers seated in perforations may not fully seal and may leak fluid through gaps and asperities between the balls and the perforations. A method is given for improving the sealing of ball sealers in perforations by adding a sealing agent that forms a plug in the gaps and severely restricts or eliminates fluid flow. The sealing agent is preferably degradable or soluble, malleable fibers slightly larger than the gaps. Optionally, the particles may be non-degradable, rigid, of different shapes, and smaller than the gaps but able to bridge them. Mixtures of sealing agents may be used. The sealing agent may be added with the ball sealers, after the ball sealers, or both.
US08936082B2

A method includes providing a slurry comprising a carrier fluid and a solids mixture, and injecting said slurry in a wellbore wherein the solids mixture comprises at least two volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes, wherein a first PSD mode comprises solids having a volume-average median size at least three times larger than the volume-average median size of a second PSD mode such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) of the solids mixture exceeds 0.75.
US08936067B2

A ceramic casting core, including: a plurality of rows (162, 166, 168) of gaps (164), each gap (164) defining an airfoil shape; interstitial core material (172) that defines and separates adjacent gaps (164) in each row (162, 166, 168); and connecting core material (178) that connects adjacent rows (170, 174, 176) of interstitial core material (172). Ends of interstitial core material (172) in one row (170, 174, 176) align with ends of interstitial core material (172) in an adjacent row (170, 174, 176) to form a plurality of continuous and serpentine shaped structures each including interstitial core material (172) from at least two adjacent rows (170, 174, 176) and connecting core material (178).
US08936059B2

A bead roller is provided for manually crafting a bead from a strip of material. The bead roller may include a handle guide carrier, a first handle portion mounted for rotational movement on the handle guide carrier; a second handle portion mounted for rotational and longitudinal movement on the handle guide carrier; and a tool arm axially extending from the second handle portion and having first and second spaced apart opposing edges which define a slot which receives and engages a distal end of the strip of material. The second handle portion is configured for rotation simultaneously with the tool arm about the handle guide carrier and independently of the first handle portion.
US08936057B2

The present disclosure is directed to a substrate lamination system and method.A substrate lamination apparatus may comprise: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a flexible membrane; and (c) a substrate support.A system for laminating substrates may comprise: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a flexible membrane; (c) a substrate support; (d) a vacuum pump; (e) a compressor; and (f) a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out the steps: (i) evacuating the vacuum chamber; and (ii) applying pressure to at least one of a first substrate and a second substrate.
US08936054B2

A board straightening tool able to provide the force to straighten bent boards by simultaneously maintaining a grasping connection to both the joist being used to support the straightening device and the board being fastened to that joist, and maintaining a clearance between the straightening tool and board for the use of an Install the fastening device on the same joist that the tool is using for support is required to obtain the straightest installed boards possible and to maintain the maximum straightness of the deck board after the straightening device is released. The grasping pins are constructed either from a knurled metal for more grasp power or have a smooth surface providing for a reduction of marring of the joist. The tool also provides the force required to maintain consistently spaced gaps between the boards for a more desirable appearance.
US08936045B2

An inflatable plug assembly includes a first inflatable plug, a second inflatable plug, and a first mount coupled to the first inflatable plug. The first mount is configured to deliver fluid to and inflate the first inflatable plug. The inflatable plug assembly also includes a second mount coupled to the second inflatable plug. The second mount is configured to deliver fluid to and inflate the second inflatable plug. The second mount is secured to the first mount. The first inflatable plug and the second inflatable plug are independently inflatable.
US08936044B1

A pouch air valve used on a sealing pouch comprises a coupling duct and a piercing base. The coupling duct includes a duct, an air valve and a first suction plate. The piercing base has a piercing head and a second suction plate. The first suction plate surrounds and seals the duct to form coupling therewith. The piercing head has an airflow passage running through two sides thereof. The second suction plate surrounds and seals the piercing head to form coupling therewith. The piercing base is positioned at one side of the sealing pouch while the duct is directly aligned and coupled with the piercing head from another side of the sealing pouch so that the piercing head can pierce through the sealing pouch to allow the first and second suction plates to attract each other and anchor on the sealing pouch which serves as separation.
US08936040B2

A solenoid valve has a tapered valve seat disposed between a first flow passage and a second flow passage, a reduced diameter side of the valve seat that is connected with the first flow passage, and a valve body having a closing portion that reduces its diameter toward a tip facing the valve seat. The first flow passage and the second flow passage are connected/disconnected by sliding the valve body for contacting/detaching the closing portion to the valve seat, and a groove is disposed on the closing portion facing the direction of a fluid flow.
US08936038B1

An electromagnetic water meter holder apparatus for holding and stabilizing an electromagnetic water meter in a water meter box. A cylindrical rod, large circular tube and arched tab are used, and are optimally sized to hold and stabilize electromagnetic water meters. The method includes positioning an electromagnetic water meter into a water meter box for installation. Aligning and optimizing the electromagnetic water meter pipe nozzles of the electromagnetic water meter up with existing pipe for water flow management. Securing of the electromagnetic water meter in place by moving the cylindrical rod of the electromagnetic water meter holder apparatus, thereby preventing rotation or movement of the electromagnetic water meter; and connecting the existing pipe for water flow in and water flow out of the water meter box to the electromagnetic water meter by securing the existing pipe to the electromagnetic water meter pipe nozzles with connectors.
US08936032B2

An air blanket reflector, which is placed inside and next to the walls of an ultrasonic tank, reflects ultrasonic energy. The air blanket reflector has a relatively thin metal plate, such as 14 gauge stainless steel, facing the interior of the tank and an air-filled cavity on the opposite side of the thin metal plate. The thin metal plate reflects ultrasonic energy away from the walls of the tank to reduce the amount of ultrasonic energy absorbed by the tank.
US08936028B2

A method of immunotherapy of a mammal, or a laser device therefor, includes the step of treating one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs of said mammal with a laser to reduce or eliminate the immune privilege status of said one or more cells, tissues and/or organs to thereby elicit an immune response that is beneficial to the mammal. The method of immunotherapy avoids or minimizes lasting damage to the treated cells, tissues and/or organs. The laser treatment is typically, although not exclusively, to the pigmented epithelium of the eye or eyes. The method may be for treating a disease or condition selected from: a bacterial infection; a viral infection; early AMD; glaucoma; diabetic retinopathy; multiple sclerosis; Parkinson's disease; and Alzheimer's disease. Typically, the radiant exposure level of the laser treatment is no greater than 60-100% of a visible effect threshold.
US08936024B2

A manual emergency resuscitator uses a volume control system having pre-defined setting to accommodate patients of different sizes. An upper plate 305 is attached to a front hinge assembly 103 and a lower housing assembly is attached to the front hinge assembly. The lower housing assembly defines the lower portions of an accordion chamber 206. A selection void 300 is defined within the upper plate 305, with the selection void further defined by voids indexed to a closed position, infant position, child position and an adult position. A volume selector cord 201 has a first end attached to a volume selector, with the volume selector contained within the selection void. Placing the volume selector into one of the predefined positions regulates the amount of air delivered by the resuscitator.
US08936021B2

A method of safely delivering an ophthalmic fluid to an eye, the method including targeting the eye with an ophthalmic fluid misting device and activating an ultrasonic generator to deliver the ophthalmic fluid from the ophthalmic fluid misting device across a space between the misting device and the eye. The method further including maintaining a momentum of the ophthalmic fluid that is insufficient to trigger at least one of the ocular blink reflex and the lacrimation reflex of the eye.
US08936018B2

Device including a casing formed by non-conducting material fastenable to the household appliance, electrical supply means and a lighting circuit carried by the casing, and a spark plug fastenable to the household appliance in proximity of burner means carried by the household appliance so as to be electrically connected to earth; the lighting circuit being adapted to supply a high voltage alternating current to said spark plug to make it generate a spark adapted to produce the lighting of a flame following the feeding of a combustible gas flow to the burner means; wherein the supply means are direct current low voltage generator means carried by and accommodated in the casing and supply in parallel said lighting circuit, through ac/dc transformer means, and a control circuit, through electrical disconnection means from the lighting circuit, the control circuit being electrically connected to the spark plug and to a first terminal of a LED indicator fastenable in use to the household appliance and having a second terminal connected to earth, for selectively producing the turning on or off of the LED indicator in consequence of a passage or interruption of a dispersion current to earth which flows in use to the spark plug when the flame is lit.
US08936017B2

Provided is a cooking/grilling apparatus, primarily for outdoor use, providing smoking and/or direct or indirect heat cooking capability, and offering the user enhanced cooking flexibility, temperature control, safety and convenience of operation. The grill apparatus is unique in that it offers a downward opening lid that rotates, such as on rollers or a pivot mechanism, to a fully open position beneath the base plate of the cooking enclosure, and reverses to an upward rotation to re-close the cooking enclosure. Moreover, the grill apparatus offers a vertically adjustable cooking grate, controlled by a continuous loop cable, moving over a set of pulleys, thereby reliably controlling the height of the cooking grate when affixed to a crank on the outer surface of the grill, wherein movement of the grate can also be locked in place.
US08936013B2

An engine includes an engine block that defines a drain-back passage and a Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) passage. The drain-back passage and the PCV passage are disposed in fluid communication with each other. A cylinder head is attached to the engine block. The cylinder head defines an oil return passage. The oil return passage is disposed in fluid communication with both the drain-back passage and the PCV passage. A head gasket is disposed between the engine block and the cylinder head, and includes a shelf that extends at least partially over the PCV passage to prevent liquids draining through the oil return passage into the drain-back passage, from entering the PCV passage, while allowing gasses flowing through the oil return passage to enter the PCV passage.
US08936012B2

The first aspect of the present invention is a cylinder head containing a water jacket in which a passage for EGR gas is disposed, and the EGR gas passage has a hollow pipe that is disposed in the hollow pipe and through which the EGR gas passes and an end member that is formed with an insert hole into which the end of the hollow pipe is inserted and fixed. The end member has a bottom that is provided with the insert hole, a side wall that is formed continuously to the bottom, and a wedge portion that is projected outward from the outer peripheral of the side wall and includes a inclined surface facing the wall of the cylinder head and inclined to the flow direction of the EGR gas. The EGR gas passage is fixed to the cylinder head by holding the wedge portion of the end member between a fastening member for fastening the EGR gas passage to the cylinder head and the wall of the cylinder head.
US08936010B2

A fuel heater is provided to heat fuel with a safety feature (fuse effect). The internal combustion engine can be operated with ethanol, gasoline or a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. The fuel heater is an integrant part of the electronic injection system of internal combustion engines. The fuel heater is assembled inside the fuel rail and serves to increase fuel temperature before, during and after ignition at temperatures specified by the engine calibration strategy.
US08936005B2

A method for operating a stationary power generating plant, comprising a gas engine with at least one pre-chamber and at least one main combustion chamber, wherein the stationary power generating plant is fed a gas stream—in particular a substantially continuous gas stream—which comprises a hardly inflammable gas, wherein the gas stream is divided in the stationary power generating plant into a main stream and a partial stream, wherein the main stream is fed to the at least one main combustion chamber and wherein the partial stream is treated to increase its inflammability and is fed to the at least one pre-chamber of the gas engine, and also a stationary power generating plant with a gas engine.
US08935998B1

A ported cylinder for an opposed-piston engine has a bore to support movements of a pair of opposed pistons and longitudinally-spaced intake and exhaust ports that are controlled by movements of oppositely-disposed pistons in the bore. The bore includes a central portion where combustion occurs and respective end portions. Each end portion extends from an inner edge of a port to the nearest open end of the cylinder. In the central portion the bore has a standard diameter throughout. The bore has a second, larger diameter in each end portion. When the cylinder liner is cold, the bore diameter transitions continuously in size, from the standard diameter to the larger diameter, in an area running from the central portion to an inner edge of a port. From the inner edge, the bore is of the larger diameter throughout the end portion.
US08935993B2

A retracting lead assembly including a casing with an interior surface and an exterior surface and a proximal end and a distal end, the casing having an open space at a center of the distal end; a reel mounted within the casing, the reel having a lead that is on the interior of the casing wrapped at least partially around the reel, the lead having a first end and a second end, the first end attached to the reel, the second end constructed and arranged to attach to an animal; and a handle attached to the exterior surface of the proximal end of the casing.
US08935991B2

A small animal veterinary incubator is disclosed with an animal holding drawer that can be inserted into a temperature controlled enclosure and removed when not in use for cleaning and disinfecting. In various embodiments the incubator is portable, is at least partly transparent, controls interior oxygen and/or humidity, can use a hose to bring oxygen into close proximity with incubated animals, can introduce water-nebulized air or oxygen into the drawer through a hole, and can include a holder for a humidity bottle that humidifies air or oxygen supplied to the incubator. Some embodiments use an adjustable or regulated lamp to warm the incubator using an infrared bulb of 50 or 75 Watts. Temperature, humidity, and/or oxygen gages or sensors can be included, and the temperature, oxygen, and/or humidity can be automatically regulated. Preferred embodiments include closable vents that can be opened to allow for ventilation when only temperature is controlled.
US08935987B2

An apparatus for increasing the visibility of an aircraft winglet comprising a saddle piece configured to fit on top of a winglet, the saddle piece comprising a horizontal strap configured to fit around a trailing edge of the winglet, an anchor member comprising a horizontal strap configured to fit around a trailing edge of the winglet, and an adjustable strap connecting the saddle piece to the anchor member. The anchor member is situated on the winglet a certain distance below the saddle piece, and the adjustable strap adjusts the vertical distance between the saddle piece and the anchor member.
US08935984B2

A carriage-body inclination device (30) has individual inclination units (112, 113) that are provided corresponding to air springs (22, 23), and a control unit (110). The individual inclination unit (112) can sufficiently execute supply or release of air to or from the air spring (22) by driving a control valve (40) and a large-capacity valve (170) using a height difference value which is a difference between a height instruction value provided by the control unit (110) and a height value obtained from a link-lever mechanism (24). The control valve (40) has a two-layer structure of a fixed sleeve (91), a control sleeve (90), and a spool (80). The control sleeve (90) is moved and driven by the link-lever mechanism (24) and a rotation-translation conversion mechanism (44). The spool (80) is moved and driven by a spool actuator (120) according to a set height value.
US08935970B2

A twin-clutch type transmission unit includes inner and outer shafts provided respectively with first and second disc clutches for transmission and interruption of input from a prime mover, a plurality of drive gears provided on the inner and outer shafts, and a counter shaft provided with driven gears selectively operable to mesh with the drive gears, with the first and second disc clutches of the inner and outer shafts being alternately disengaged and engaged so as to perform a gear shift. In the transmission unit, a dog-type clutch for synchronizing rotations of the inner shaft and the outer shaft is provided. At the time of vehicle starting, the inner and outer shafts are connected with each other, and the first and second disc clutches of both the inner and outer shafts are engaged. Such transmission unit contrives reductions in the size and weight of a twin-clutch type transmission unit.
US08935968B2

A steering system includes an outer tube at an upper side and an inner tube at a lower side that slide relative to each other in an axial direction when shock is absorbed. A first sliding resistance reducing element, which comes into contact with an inner periphery of the outer tube, and reduces sliding resistance between both the tubes, is retained in at least a circumferential lower region of an axial upper end portion of the inner tube. A second sliding resistance reducing element, which comes into contact with an outer periphery of the inner tube, and reduces the sliding resistance between both the tubes, is retained in at least a circumferential upper region of an axial lower end portion of the outer tube.
US08935961B2

A sensor assembly includes a rectangular-shaped pressure sensor element and an electronic circuitry coupled to receive a signal from the pressure sensor element. An open-ended fluid-tight passageway of the sensor assembly conveys fluid from a portal opening of the sensor assembly to a surface of the rectangular-shaped pressure sensor element. The sensor assembly further includes a closed-ended fluid-tight passageway, at least a portion of which is fabricated from metal. The closed-ended fluid tight passageway extends from at least from the portal opening of the sensor assembly to the electronic circuitry on at least a portion of a path adjacent to the rectangular-shaped ceramic pressure sensor element. The sensor assembly includes a temperature sensor element disposed in an end of the closed-ended fluid-tight passageway. Conductive links disposed in the closed-ended fluid tight passageway electrically couple the temperature sensor element to the electronic circuitry.
US08935953B2

A method of estimating a total amount of soot in a diesel particulate filter includes monitoring a pressure differential across the diesel particulate filter; monitoring an engine speed and an engine load from an engine in fluid communication with the diesel particulate filter; determining a first soot mass estimate from the monitored pressure differential, the first soot mass estimate having an associated confidence indicator based on the monitored engine speed and engine load; determining a second soot mass estimate from the monitored engine speed and engine load; and outputting the first soot mass estimate if the confidence indicator is above a predetermined threshold, and outputting the second soot mass estimate if the confidence indicator is below the predetermined threshold.
US08935948B1

An electrically-hydraulically powered rivet setting and crimping hand power tool is provided, having a battery driven electric motor mechanically powering an offset drive cam through a dual planetary drive gear, the drive cam being in direct mechanical contact with a dual volume, dual stage concentrically delivering longitudinally reciprocating piston pump being in direct hydraulic communication with a work engaging hydraulic cylinder surrounding a centrally fixed and stationary work piece puller shaft, wherein the work engaging hydraulic cylinder is thrust forward around the work piece puller shaft when the tool is activated thereby providing the mechanical motion to activate a user provided riveter nose assembly attachment. When activated by a trigger mechanism, the work engaging cylinder moves forward relative to the centrally fixed work piece puller shaft having a user provided riveter tool nose assembly attachment positioned such that a rivet fastener pin is pulled away from the rivet relative to the surrounding work engaging cylinder thereby fixing the rivet in place. The centrally fixed work piece puller shaft further comprises a hydraulically activated work piece extraction mechanism. A pressure relief trigger is further provided so as to retract the work engaging cylinder upon setting a rivet fastener. An alternate embodiment of the tool receives a user provided crimping nose assembly attachment may optionally be fitted wherein the work piece engaging cylinder motion relative to the centrally fixed work piece puller shaft is translated into a crimping action.
US08935936B2

The invention relates to a heat exchange device including at least two tubes (12) for circulating a heat transfer fluid arranged in at least two rows (R1, R2) offset two-by-two from one row to the other. A heat exchange fin (20) and a heat storage tank (22) made from a heat storage material extend transversely to the rows of the tubes (R1, R2) forming a group of tanks and tubes (24) in each instance, wherein a single heat storage tank (22) is in contact with one tube (12) of each row of tubes (R1, R2). The contact with the tubes (12) takes place alternately on two opposing walls (26, 28) of the heat storage tank (22), and the walls (26, 28) are also in contact with fins (20). The invention can be used for the air-conditioning evaporators of automobiles.
US08935934B2

Disclosed is a process of determining, at a point during shipment, whether the solid phase refrigerant in a shipment is sufficient to preserve the shipment cargo, which is blood or other biological products, for the remaining shipment period, by: monitoring the temperatures encountered to said point and estimating the temperatures likely to be encountered during the remaining shipment period; determining the likelihood that the remaining refrigerant can maintain the shipment cargo within a specified temperature range during the remaining shipment period; and if the risk that the remaining refrigerant cannot maintain the shipment cargo within said range during the remaining shipment period is above a cut-off level, then taking action to preserve the value of the cargo.
US08935929B1

An HVAC evaporator unit and emergency drain pan are suspended from an existing overhead structure. Plural lateral beams are disposed along a horizontal plane, which support a pair of support beams, which support the HVAC evaporator unit. The beams are connected to each other by plural pivot connectors, which thereby defines a grid arrangement that is foldable about the plural pivot connectors. Plural pan support beams are suspended by pairs of pan hangers, which are connected to the ends the plural lateral beams. Plural flexible hangers are connected to ends of the plural lateral beams, for connection to and suspension from the existing overhead support structure. Hanger clamps are used to adjust the plural flexible hangers to facilitate height adjustment and leveling.
US08935927B2

The magnetic refrigerating device according to one embodiment includes a fixed container filled with a refrigerant, the fixed container including a magnetic material container that is filled with a magnetic material and that can move in the fixed container and an elastic member provided at the end of the magnetic material container. The magnetic refrigerating device also includes a magnetic-field applying/removing mechanism that is provided at the outside of the fixed container, and that can apply and remove a magnetic field to and from the magnetic material and can generate a magnetic torque to the magnetic material container in moving direction of the magnetic material container.
US08935924B2

It is desired to obtain a technique which enables turning of a compressor driven by a multi-shaft gas turbine. The multi-shaft gas turbine has a high-pressure side shaft and a low-pressure side shaft. A compressor drive device applies a drive force to a compressor connected to the low-pressure side shaft of the multi-shaft gas turbine. The compressor drive device includes: a motor which generates a drive force; and a control unit which controls the motor so as to generate an rpm when turning the compressor. If the torque generated by the gas turbine is insufficient, the control unit controls the motor so as to carry out a helper motor operation for increasing the torque.
US08935912B2

A gas turbine engine has a variable overall pressure rate (“OPR”). The engine includes a high pressure compressor having at least a primary stage having a set of primary rotors and a secondary stage having a set of secondary rotors. A clutch is provided to selectively engage the secondary rotors with the primary rotors. Engagement of the clutch may be controlled based on the vehicle travel mode, such as disengaging during a takeoff mode to reduce turbine entry temperature and engaging during a loiter mode to increase OPR.
US08935911B2

The present invention provides a fuel spray apparatus for a gas turbine engine, including: a pilot part configured to spray a fuel to be used for a diffusion combustion; a main part provided so as to surround the pilot part and configured to inject a pre-mixed gas only upon a high power operation; and a shield body constituting a purge air passage which is configured to take therein an air flowed on an upstream side relative to a fuel injection port of the main part as a purge air, and to blow off a fuel dripping from the fuel injection port toward a main air passage of the main part. The purge air passage is provided in a position opposite to a main fuel passage communicated with the fuel injection port across the shield body.
US08935908B2

A corn head attachment has a sweeper device extending across a working width of the corn head attachment. The sweeper device is attached to the attachment frame by support arms pivotable about a first pivot. The sweeper device position relative to the frame is adjustable by a longitudinal adjusting device parallel to the travel direction and height-adjustable about the first pivots. The adjusting device moves the sweeper device along a curved path in a first direction away from a first position, in which a rotary axle of the sweeper device is at a leading area of a harvesting slot, into a second position above a rearward area of the harvesting slot and also moves the sweeper device in opposite direction. The adjustment of the sweeper device along the curved path is controlled by a forced guiding action to avoid collision of the sweeper device with other corn head attachment components.
US08935907B2

An electric lawn mower may include a mower body including an electric motor, a cutting blade rotatably driven by the electric motor for mowing a lawn, a battery mount configured to hold a battery, and a lock including a key and a key receiver for locking and unlocking the electric motor. The key receiver may be spaced from the battery mount and when the key is inserted into the key receiver, the electric motor may be unlocked for operation.
US08935881B2

The invention relates to a method for evaluating germination properties of plant seeds and/or of sprouts developed from the plant seeds, on the basis of anatomical characteristics (x, y) at a particular point in time, wherein determining the anatomical characteristics (x, y) at a particular point in time comprises analyzing the plant seeds and/or sprouts using at least one imaging method and obtaining three-dimensional analysis data (410) at a particular point in time, segmenting the analysis data (400) at a particular point in time and associating segments (516-519) thus obtained into anatomical units of the plant seeds and/or sprouts, and determining the anatomical characteristics (x, y) of the anatomical units of the plant seeds and/or sprouts at a particular point in time from the associated segments (516-519) at at least one point in time.
US08935873B2

A barrel assembly for firearms including one or more tubes associated with a mono-block, characterized in that the mono-block has one or more cylindrical protrusions which allow the connection of one or more of the tubes and the subsequent joining thereof by welding, adhesive bonding, forcing, etcetera. The method for manufacturing the barrel assembly is characterized in that it includes the steps of: providing a mono-block which includes one or more front cylindrical protrusions, one or more partial chambers axially aligned with the protrusions, and corresponding collars for the cartridge seats, extractor seats, and closure members such as closure tenons or other members; all the members are completed with their final dimensions; performing an overall heat treatment of the mono-block and of the barrels; connecting the tubes, which constitute the barrels of the firearm, by welding, adhesive bonding, forcing, etcetera, to the protrusions.
US08935868B2

Magnetic blocks have images disposed thereon. Specifically, a block made from a rigid material includes an image over at least a portion of a first surface and a magnet on at least a portion of a second surface of the block. The block is disposed within a frame or board having a metallic and/or magnetic surface thereon and/or is provided on a metallic and/or magnetized surface. A plurality of blocks having images thereon are disposed together in a tiled arrangement, either in the frame, board or otherwise on the metallic and/or magnetic surface. Moreover, a system comprises the magnetic blocks having images thereon and a frame, board and/or metallic and/or magnetic surface. Methods of making and using the same are further provided.
US08935865B2

A hydraulic system for a power shovel may have a cylinder operatively connectable to a dipper door of the power shovel, a reservoir located at and fluidly connected to the cylinder, and an accumulator located at and fluidly connected to the cylinder in parallel with the reservoir. The hydraulic system may further have a control valve disposed between the cylinder, the reservoir, and the accumulator. The control valve may be movable to selectively direct fluid from the cylinder into the accumulator and fluid from the reservoir into the cylinder.
US08935859B2

An example interchangeable shoe in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a sole, at least three fastening points, wherein each fastening point comprises a coupling mechanism, and at least one upper, wherein the at least one upper is attached to the shoe at the at least three fastening points using the coupling mechanisms.
US08935857B2

A cutting tool includes a tool unit including an electric motor, a rotary cutting blade rotatably driven by the electric motor, and a blade case covering at least apart of the rotary cutting blade. An electric component is disposed within the blade case at a position capable of being cooled by a flow of air produced by the rotation of the rotary cutting blade.
US08935856B2

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chain saw including: an engine having: a crankcase; a cylinder attached to the crankcase; and a piston configured to reciprocate in the cylinder; a housing configured to accommodate the engine; and a guide bar, around which a saw chain is to be wound so as to be rotated by the engine, the guide bar being attached to the housing, wherein the engine has two surfaces substantially parallel to an axis direction of a crankshaft, the two surfaces being covered with and fixed to the housing, and wherein the engine is fixed to the housing with a fixing member at a side where the guide bar is attached to the housing.
US08935853B2

An exemplary turbine engine assembly includes a first shaft that is rotatably driven by a second shaft of a gas turbine engine, a compressor hub driven by the second shaft, the compressor hub within a compressor section of the gas turbine engine, an epicyclic gear train that is driven by the first shaft, and a common attachment point that secures the first shaft and the compressor hub to the second shaft.
US08935827B2

A steam appliance system in which steam is delivered from a steam generation unit to a steam applicator via a steam conduit which extends through a handle of the steam applicator. The steam conduit may be removable from the handle.
US08935820B2

An expandable structure is manufactured using sheets of thermoplastic material sealed together. The expandable structure has a concertina pattern on its sides that allows the structure to expand and collapse like an accordion. The concertina pattern is cut into the sheets of material rather than being folded into the material to speed up the manufacturing process.
US08935816B1

A bed that allows a user to easily slide the mattress away from the wall for making the bed or changing the sheets without having to reach around the nightstand or other furniture and then slide the mattress back into place for use.
US08938795B2

A system for filtering a digital signal transmitted in a protocol featuring multi-level packetization from a first server to a second server. The first server is coupled to the second server via a one-way data link. The system includes a filter having an input for receiving the digital signal and an output. The filter is configured to analyze the digital video signal and determine whether the digital signal violates one or more predetermined criteria. The filter may be within the first server, or alternatively, within the second server. The predetermined criteria may be unauthorized security level information included within metadata transmitted with the digital video signal. The predetermined criteria may also be format information that, when not conformed to, indicates potential malware or other bad content included within the digital video signal. The filter provides low data transfer latency and/or decoupling of data filter latency from data transfer latency.
US08938771B2

A network receiver includes a first variable resistor, a second variable resistor, a first processing unit, a second processing unit and an adjusting circuit. The first variable resistor is coupled to a first transmission line via a first terminal for transmitting a first signal. The second variable resistor is coupled to a second transmission line via a second terminal for transmitting a second signal. The first processing unit is utilized for obtaining a difference according to the first signal and the second signal, and processing the difference to generate first data. The second processing unit is utilized for obtaining a summation according to the first signal and the second signal, and processing the summation to generate second data. The adjusting circuit is utilized for adjusting resistance(s) of at least one of the first variable resistor and the second variable resistor according to the first data and the second data.
US08938766B2

A switched digital video (SDV) system is provided which includes a SDV manager for coordinating SDV sessions requested by a plurality of subscriber terminals associated with a service group. The system also includes an input for receiving SDV programming to be broadcast during the SDV sessions. At least one edge device is provided for receiving SDV programming provided by the input and for transmitting each SDV program over an access network to at least one of the subscriber terminals on one of a plurality of SDV channels. The SDV manager is configured to (i) cause transmission of at least a first requested SDV program to be delayed until a later time; and (ii) select the first requested SDV program to be delayed from among a plurality of requested SDV programs based at least in part on a current viewing and recording status of the plurality of subscriber terminals.
US08938747B2

A system measures viewership of multimedia programs such as television programs, pay-per-view sporting events, and video-on-demand movies. Viewership data from a plurality of multimedia programs may be compared to determine ratings for the multimedia programs. Multimedia streams en route to set top boxes may be monitored using packet inspection to identify the multimedia program or programs included in the multimedia streams. An electronic table or array may be stored and updated with viewership statistics of monitored multimedia programs. Some embodiments track the total number of households or televisions that are powered on in a viewing area. Ratings are available substantially in real time by accessing a stored table with viewership information or by frequently polling a plurality of stored values to determine which multimedia program is being viewed by all or substantially all viewers in an area.
US08938744B2

Systems and methods for providing interoperability of systems are provided. One embodiment may be seen as instantiating a server in a container having instances of Enterprise Java™ Beans (EJB), and accessing the EJB through the local interface of the EJB. Since the EJB is accessed from within the container, the need for translation of messaging protocols at a bridge is removed. The server components are provided access to the EJB logic through the local interface of the EJB.
US08938743B2

A method for providing, to a first application executed by a first operating system, an interface for communicating with at least one application executed by a second operating system includes providing, by a first interface object executed by the first operating system, a mechanism for external communication with a first application executed by the first operating system. A second interface object executed by the second operating system provides a mechanism for external communication with a window handler executed by the second operating system. The first interface object receives an identification of a window displayed by the first operating system and generated by a second application executed by the second operating system and requests, from the second interface object, analysis of the identified window. The first interface object receives, from the second interface object, an identification of contact information displayed by the window resulting from the analysis by the window handler.
US08938739B2

A multi processor task allocation method is described that considers task dependencies while performing task allocation in order to avoid blocking of a task's execution while waiting for the resolution of the dependency. While allocating the tasks to the processors the potential blocking time is considered, and the best allocation that will have the least amount of blocking time is found.
US08938733B2

A migration set list generator specifies a physical topology of a deployed software solution, wherein the software solution comprises software components and data associated with the software components integrated into a single entity. The migration set list generator specifies at least one solution change to the deployed software solution to meet at least one business requirement and specifies at least one migration strategy for migrating the deployed software solution. The migration set list generator generates migration tasks for making the at least one solution change to the deployed software solution specified in the physical topology based on the at least one migration strategy and generates a recommended physical topology yielded for the software solution if the physical topology is updated according to the migration tasks.
US08938732B2

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to application deployment and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for deploying installable software artifacts in canonical form. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for deploying installable software artifacts in canonical form can include storing artifacts in platform independent canonical form. Thereafter, the method can include receiving a request from a client for first time provisioning or update to a specified application for a specific platform, locating the stored artifacts according to the specified application, dynamically generating a feature from the stored artifacts for the specific platform, and first time provisioning or updating the specified application in the client with the dynamically generated feature.
US08938729B2

A two-pass technique for instrumenting an application is disclosed. One pass may be performed statically by analyzing the application and inserting probes while the application is not running. Another pass may be performed dynamically by analyzing data collected by the probes while the application runs to derive metrics for the probes. One or more metrics for each probe may be analyzed to determine whether to dynamically modify the probe. By dynamically modifying the probe, the application does not need to be shut down. Dynamically modifying the probe could include removing the probe from the application or moving the probe to another component (e.g., method) in the application, as examples. For example, the probe might be moved to a component that is either up or down the call graph from the component that the probe is presently in.
US08938728B2

A dynamic compiler program product, method, and device for sequentially compiling a partial computer program in a computer. The program product causes the computer to: acquire respective values of one or more pieces of current execution status information; read, from the shared pool, a list of the conditions associated with an executable instruction stream generated by compiling a partial program that is the same as a partial program to be compiled, and determine whether respective values of corresponding pieces of current execution status information satisfy the conditions. The program product causes the computer to further generate an executable instruction stream by compiling the partial program to be compiled on the condition that a result of determination made is negative.
US08938716B2

Customizing a target system. The target system may include a first device with a first programmable hardware element (PHE) and a second device with a second PHE. Synchronization modules may be provided for implementation on the first and second PHEs. The synchronization modules may provide a standard interface for interacting with other code. A user may specify user-created code for the first and second PHEs which utilizes the synchronization modules. The user-created code may interact with the synchronization modules using the standard interface. Accordingly, hardware descriptions may be generated for the first and second PHEs of the target system. Different modules may be used for different interconnects. Additionally, multiple synchronization modules may be used, e.g., dynamically, during operation of the target system.
US08938715B2

A method, system, and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing software product information in a z/OS environment. Product information associated with a software product is determined and then processed to generate product tag information. A System Status Index (SSI) attribute is generated with a unique identifier signifying that the SSI attribute comprises SSI product tag information. The SSI product tag information is then associated with the SSI attribute with the unique identifier. The z/OS environment is then scanned for SSI attributes. Those SSI attributes comprising a unique identifier are processed to read their associated SSI product tag information. The product tag information is then processed to generate software product information, which is then stored in a repository of software product information.
US08938709B2

A method, a system and a program product provide for defining for an information technology (IT) system that may be modeled within the context of a plurality of architecture viewpoints, and whose model elements are defined within a configuration file, a plurality of architecture viewpoints within a single UML model. The method, the system and the program product also provide for synchronously automatically updating a remainder of the architecture viewpoints when one of the architecture viewpoints is manually updated.
US08938703B1

Systems and methods for generating Extracted Timing Models (ETM) for use in an analysis of the timing of an integrated circuit design in which common paths that contribute to Common Path Pessimism (CPP) are identified and included in the generated ETM such that a CPP removal algorithm implemented during the timing analysis will be properly adjusted to remove such pessimism. To generate an ETM, the clock latency paths will be characterized, taking into account the pins and timing arcs that are necessary for the identification and removal of common path pessimism, the timing information of the topologically crucial points of the design block will be retained in the ETM, and the non-essential and noisy information will be removed from the ETM to ensure that the ETM is robust and compact.
US08938689B2

A method of suppressing unwanted windows created by an operating system is described. The method comprises: monitoring calls from the operating system relating to creation of a window and ascertaining if a monitored call relates to creation of a window of a type corresponding to a window type to be blocked. If the window is not of a type that is to be blocked, then the method involves displaying the window. If the window is of a type that is to be blocked, then the method involves: registering a new window procedure for that window; and returning an error message to the operating system using the new window procedure to suppress display of the window.
US08938688B2

An operating sequence for a handheld computing device manages the device to automatically detect cues describing the device's environmental and user actions performed with the device, learn which cues and cue combinations are relevant to predict user actions, and then in response to occurrence of the relevant cues, predictively implementing the appropriate user action or configuring the device in anticipation of user action.
US08938681B2

In response to a teleport request, teleport destination characteristics are determined and compared against preferences, characteristics and restrictions of an avatar as indicated by metadata or tags to determine if the teleport destination is suitable for teleportation of that avatar. If the destination is found unsuitable, a search is conducted, preferably based on unmatched metadata of the avatar or the destination to suggest or directly substitute a suitable teleportation destination. Metadata for the avatar and the destination can include metadata which is dynamic (such as destination occupancy or processing capacity) adaptively developed or based on current or historical usage and virtual universe system status.
US08938672B2

The present invention relates to a method and system for amending a display property of a grid element. The method for amending a display property of a grid element comprises: receiving a command to amend the display property of at least one grid element; searching grid elements associated with said grid element; amending the display property of said grid elements and said associated grid elements. The present invention improves the operation of adjusting the display property of the grid, and enhances the operational efficiency and feasibility.
US08938662B2

A data storage system includes a data storage array configured for de-duplication of duplicate data therein by: identification of a plurality of portions of data; a comparison of each portion of the data to identify duplicate data and identification of a link associated with each duplicate data; a determination of whether a Hamming link-separation-distance of the identified link is greater than twice a Hamming radius of an error correction code in the data storage system; and replacement of the duplicate data with the identified link when it is determined that the Hamming link-separation-distance is greater than twice the Hamming radius.
US08938658B2

Implementations include systems, methods and/or devices suitable for use in a memory system that may enhance the performance of error control codes used to improve the reliability with which data can be stored and read. Some implementations include systems, methods and/or devices enabled to generate and utilize soft information for decoding encoded data read from a storage medium. More specifically, some implementations utilize a collection of characterization vectors that include soft information values for bit-tuples that may be read from the storage medium for various combinations of the storage medium characterization parameter values. Some implementations are enabled to determine and utilize read comparison signal values associated with one or more storage medium characterization parameter values. And some implementations are enabled to determine and utilize shifted read comparison signal values associated with one or more storage medium characterization parameter values and an identified error condition.
US08938656B2

A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller including a first error correction coding (ECC) engine configured to generate a first codeword corresponding to data to be stored at the non-volatile memory. The data storage device also includes a second ECC engine coupled to the controller and to the non-volatile memory. The second ECC engine is configured to receive a representation of the first codeword from the controller and to perform a decode operation of the representation of the first codeword to correct transmission errors prior to storage of the data in the non-volatile memory.
US08938655B2

Providing for extended data retention of flash memory devices by program state rewrite is disclosed herein. By way of example, a memory cell or group of memory cells can be evaluated to determine a program state of the cell(s). If the cell(s) is in a program state, as opposed to a natural or non-programmed state, a charge level, voltage level and/or the like can be rewritten to a default level associated with the program state, without erasing the cell(s) first. Accordingly, conventional mechanisms for refreshing cell program state that require rewriting and erasing, typically degrading storage capacity of the memory cell, can be avoided. As a result, data stored in flash memory can be refreshed in a manner that mitigates loss of memory integrity, providing substantial benefits over conventional mechanisms that can degrade memory integrity at a relatively high rate.
US08938647B2

A system assembles a plurality of views into a plurality of view sets. A view set includes at least one view, and a view includes at least one configuration. The view configuration includes sets of fields and locations of the fields in the view. The system displays one of the plurality of view sets as a web page in a window, and the system generates a view component using a union of the fields belonging to the different configurations defined for the view. The view component includes a test element for the corresponding view, the view component includes a plurality of parameters wherein each parameter is linked to a single view field, and the view component includes no duplication of fields.
US08938644B2

A computer-implemented method, apparatus and article of manufacture for performing an automatic error recovery in a database system. Automatic error recovery is performed for a query execution plan, following errors, problems or failures that occur during execution, by automatically or manually deactivating and/or activating components, features or code paths, and then re-submitting the query execution plan for execution in the computer system.
US08938631B2

A technique for determining if a processor in a multiprocessor system implementing a read-copy update (RCU) subsystem may be placed in a low power state. The technique may include performing a first predictive query of the RCU subsystem to request permission for the processor to enter the low power state. If permission is denied, the processor is not placed in the low power state. If permission is granted, the processor is placed in the low power state for a non-fixed duration. Regardless whether permission is denied or granted, a second confirming query of the RCU subsystem is performed to redetermined whether it is permissible for the processor to be in the low power state.
US08938629B2

A power control apparatus uses a job history stored in a second storage unit to update, at a predetermined time interval, a power-off sequence table defining a sequence in which power supply is to be stopped for devices when a smart power meter has requested power supply reduction, inquires the smart power meter regarding the amount of power to be reduced when a power reduction request has been received therefrom, and stops power supply to devices in accordance with the reduction power amount, the device power consumption amounts, and the power-off sequence table.
US08938626B2

A computer-implemented method comprises a service processor: establishing a kill switch encryption key (KSEK) to provide data security for data within storage devices of configurable components within a system; automatically encrypting, with the KSEK, data that is written to one of the storage devices; configuring the configurable components to prevent access to the stored data unless a valid copy of the KSEK is received from the service processor along with the request for the data; automatically decrypting, with the KSEK, the KSEK-encrypted data that is read from storage device; and in response to receiving a verified request to decommission the system, performing the decommissioning by deleting/erasing the KSEK from a secure storage at which the only instance of the KSEK is maintained. Deletion of the KSEK results in a permanent loss of access to the stored encrypted data within the system because the stored encrypted data cannot be decrypted without the KSEK.
US08938625B2

Systems and methods for authenticating playback devices using timestamp validation in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes securely storing at least one timestamp in memory within a playback device in response to the occurrence of at least one predetermined event, where a stored timestamp is based on the current time of a system clock when an event occurs, generating a cryptographic key using the at least one timestamp, securing cryptographic data using the cryptographic key, receiving a request to playback encrypted content, where the encrypted content is accessible using the cryptographic data, accessing the at least one timestamp, generating the cryptographic key, accessing the cryptographic data using at least the cryptographic key, and playing back the content using the playback device.
US08938596B2

In a storage apparatus, when a received backup instruction is a backup start instruction, a control unit performs a backup process from a position indicated by an available area start pointer. When the received backup instruction is a backup end instruction, the control unit releases an allocated backup area. In addition, the control unit determines whether the released backup area is adjacent to a position indicated by an available area end pointer. If determining that the released backup are is adjacent to the position indicated by the available area end pointer, the control unit moves the available area end pointer indicating the end of an available area to the end of the released backup area.
US08938589B2

A disclosed example apparatus includes an interface (702, 726) to receive a request to access a memory (602a) of a memory module (600) and a data store status monitor (730) to determine a status of the memory. The example apparatus also includes a message output subsystem (732) to, when the memory is busy, respond to the request with a negative acknowledgement indicating that the request to access the memory is not grantable.
US08938580B2

Improved memory management is provided according to a Hierarchical Immutable Content Addressable Memory Processor (HICAMP) architecture. In HICAMP, physical memory is organized as two or more physical memory blocks, each physical memory block having a fixed storage capacity. An indication of which of the physical memory blocks is active at any point in time is provided. A memory controller provides a non-duplicating write capability, where data to be written to the physical memory is compared to contents of all active physical memory blocks at the time of writing, to ensure that no two active memory blocks have the same data after completion of the non-duplicating write.
US08938579B2

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining that a first search value is associated with a first range field; determining a first bitmap associated with the first search value, wherein the first bitmap indicates at least one range encompassing the first search value; generating a search key based on the first bitmap; and accessing the ternary content addressable memory based on the search key.
US08938578B2

An integrated circuit memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes a memory core having a timing input to receive a clock signal. An interface couples to the memory core. The interface includes a receiver to receive a serial stream of write data bits and a sampler clocked by a strobe signal to generate serialized write data. The interface also includes a deserializer and control logic. The deserializer includes an input to receive the serialized write data and an output to generate parallel data responsive to a control signal generated by the control logic. In a first mode of operation, the control logic generates the control signal with respect to the clock signal. In a second mode of operation, the control logic generates the control signal with respect to the strobe signal.
US08938569B1

A storage network includes at least one storage processor. At least one switch is coupled to the at least one storage processor. At least one nontransparent bridge is coupled to the at least one switch. The at least one nontransparent bridge includes at least one addressable endpoint. At least one storage device is coupled to the nontransparent bridge. At least one baseboard management controller is coupled to the at least one addressable endpoint.
US08938557B2

The disclosure relates to a method for configuring field devices in a process automation system wherein the field devices are connected to other automation components by means of a field bus. In order to minimize the load placed on the field bus, a copy of the current configuration of each field device is stored in a configuration tool, the appropriate set of configuration and parameter data is transmitted to each field device during initial start-up and modifications in relation to the previous copy of the configuration and parameter data are transmitted to the respective field device.
US08938550B2

Embodiments are directed to dynamically delivering virtual software applications and to allocating application data between local and network data stores. In one scenario, a computer system establishes a data input/output (I/O) filter configured to intercept data file requests being sent from a virtual software application to an operating system's file system. The data I/O filter intercepts a data file read request that is configured to retrieve a specified data file from the file system. The data I/O filter forwards the intercepted read request to a network-accessible data store that is configured to return the specific data file. Then, upon receiving the specified data file from the network data store, the I/O filter sends the specified data file to the virtual software application. In this manner, the specified data file is usable by the virtual application.
US08938546B2

A system receives a first request for data associated with a data stream received over a first network from a remote source and then determines when the requested data will be available based on analyzing the data stream. The system communicates a second request for the requested data over a second network to the remote source when the requested data will not be available from the data stream within a threshold time and receives the requested data from the remote source over at least one from the list including the first network and the second network.
US08938542B2

Disclosed are various embodiments relating to fulfillment of requests for computing capacity. Multiple requests for allocating computing resources for customers are obtained. Each request specifies an availability time at which the computing resource is to be made available to the customer, a device parameter to select a type of computing device to provide the computing resource, a location parameter to select a location where the computing resource is to be physically located, and/or other parameters. The computing resources are allocated to the customers according to one or more allocation rules, the availability times, device parameters, location parameters, and/or other parameters.
US08938540B2

A cloud computing environment having a plurality of computing nodes is described. Upon receiving authorization, a plurality of virtual machines may be communicated to provide at least one virtual network to service to the plurality virtual machines. Each of the plurality of virtual machines communicates with a virtual network layer at a virtual interface via at least one virtual Ethernet (vEthernet), An IP gateway to a network is provided to the plurality of virtual machines. Communications between the fP gateway and the network are facilitated. Communications between a network control layer and at least one network are routed.
US08938525B2

The invention is directed towards determining an access node (14, 16) for a terminal (18) in a network (10) having one or more access nodes capable of providing access to the terminal based on one or more access technologies. Access node is selected through determining whether at least one network parameter provided by a network node (12, 14, 16) is required as input for the access node selection for the terminal. If it is determined that the at least one network parameter is required as input, the network parameter is obtained and an access node possibly together with access type for the terminal is selected at least based on said network parameter.
US08938524B2

Examples of methods and apparatus are provided for comparing and provisioning configurations for a local client having a windows-based embedded image. The apparatus may include a retrieval module of the local client configured to facilitate locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file, to facilitate obtaining the new configuration file from the remote repository server, and to facilitate obtaining a previous configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the embedded image. The apparatus may include a configuration comparison module of the local client configured to compare the new configuration file with the previous configuration file. The apparatus may include an apply settings module of the local client configured to apply, to the embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison. The new configuration change may be based on the new configuration file.
US08938510B2

A system for managing physical and logical resources to provide on-demand synchronization or migration of mailboxes and their corresponding content. Physical resources are managed by automatically assigning mailbox processing tasks to either reserved computing resources, or computing resources dynamically obtained from cloud computing services. Authentication resources are managed by automatically requesting credentials from users, accepting submitted credentials, and initiating mailbox processing tasks.
US08938507B2

Embodiments may include receiving a message request to send to one or more recipients, the message request including message content and an indication of the one or more recipients to which the message will be sent. Embodiments may also include determining an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with each of the one or more recipients based on the message request and transmitting a message to each of the determined IP addresses, where the message includes the received message content. Embodiments may also include receiving a second message from one of the determined IP addresses. Further embodiments may include displaying the second message in a display window. Recipients of messages may include database administrators (DBAs) or database client users.
US08938496B2

Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
US08938491B1

A system and method for secure binding of client calls and server functions is disclosed herein. On a server-side, the present invention alters the proxy codes of client-side JavaScript code of a Web-page. The present invention alters the name of each of the proxy codes at a predetermined time generate altered proxy codes.
US08938489B2

At least one agent is deployed to one or more nodes of a network. At least one message is received from the agent, and at least one configuration change is determined from the message. Next, a record comprising one or more parameters of the configuration change is generated and stored in a database.
US08938486B2

A complex divider utilized for dividing a first complex number by a second complex number to generate a computing result includes a computing unit and a dividing unit. The computing unit is utilized for receiving the first complex value and the second complex value, generating a third complex value according to the first complex value and the second complex value, and generating a real number according to the second complex value. The dividing unit is coupled to the computing unit, and is utilized for receiving the third complex value and the real number and dividing the third complex value by the real number to obtain the computing result.
US08938485B1

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing fast integer division using commonly available arithmetic operations. The technique may be implemented in a four-stage process using a single-precision floating point reciprocal in conjunction with integer addition and multiplication. Furthermore, the technique may be fully pipelined on many conventional processors for overall performance that is comparable to the best available high-performance alternatives.
US08938482B2

Generating a number based on mask and range constraints. For example, a method of generating a pseudo random number satisfying a range constraint and a mask constraint may include determining a number of possible solutions satisfying the range constraint and the mask constraint; selecting an index representing a solution of the possible solutions; and generating the pseudo random number based on the index. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08938476B2

A method including receiving a request to change first information relating to a first identity of a subscriber in a database; obtaining information from said database relating to said first identity and at least one other identity of said subscriber; determining from the obtained information if said requested change can be made, in dependence on if said first identity is at least partially shared.
US08938469B1

An example hashing unit includes a plurality of hardware-based hash tables, wherein each of the hash tables comprises a plurality of buckets, and wherein the plurality of hash tables comprise a set of zero or more active hash tables and a set of one or more inactive hash tables. An example hashing unit controller is configured to receive a key value to be stored in the hashing unit, determine that one of the inactive hash tables should be activated, and, based on the determination, activate the one of the set of inactive hash tables as a recently activated hash table, determine one of the buckets of the recently activated hash table to which a hash function associated with the recently activated hash table maps the received key value, and store the key value in the determined one of the buckets of the recently activated hash table.
US08938466B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for ranking documents. An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of queries from a user that are related to a search topic. The queries are compared to a plurality of documents stored in a database to identify candidate documents that match one or more of the queries. The number of matching queries is determined for the candidate documents. The candidate documents are ranked, using a computer processor, for relevance to the search topic based at least on the number of matching queries for each respective candidate document.
US08938464B2

A method of providing geo-coded information to a user of a graphical computing device is disclosed. The method includes receiving information identifying a view to be displayed on the graphical computing device, querying a geo-coded database containing information associated with publicly supplied models located in a geography, for one or more models located in the view, and transmitting information identifying the one or more models located in the view.
US08938461B2

A computer product including a data structure for organizing of a plurality of documents, and capable of being utilized by a processor for manipulating data of the data structure and capable of displaying selected data on a display unit. The data structure includes a plurality of directionally interlinked nodes, each node being associated with one or more documents having a header and body text. All the documents are associated with a given node and have identical normalized body text. All documents that have identical normalized body text are associated with the same node. One or more of the nodes is associated with more than one document. For any node that is a descendent of another node, the normalized body text of each document associated with the node is inclusive of the normalized body text of a document that is associated with the other node.
US08938451B2

A method, apparatus and system for linking documents, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of clusters in an enterprise intranet, each cluster consists of one or more documents; building a cluster page for each cluster to present the documents in the cluster; and building links between the cluster pages, between the documents, and between the cluster page and the document, based on analysis of the contents of the clusters and the documents. The present invention is useful for building the links between separate documents and may apply a link analyzing algorithm to the search for these documents to implement better search performance within the enterprise intranet.
US08938449B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adjusting confidence scores of image labels for images. In one aspect, a method includes accessing images stored in an image data store, the images being associated with respective sets of labels, the labels describing content depicted in the image and having a respective confidence score that is a measure of confidence that the label accurately describes the content depicted in the image; selecting a first image from the images and determining for each of the other images and independent of the labels, a proximity score that is a measure of a relatedness of the other image to the first image; and adjusting the set of labels associated with the first image based on the respective proximity scores of the other images and the confidence scores of the labels of the other images.
US08938441B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for classifying web pages as gallery web pages, and for presenting search results for gallery web pages. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a web page that includes text and one or more images, evaluating one or more characteristics of the web page against predefined criteria, generating a score for the web page based on evaluating the characteristics of the web page against the predefined criteria, and classifying the web page as a gallery web page or as not a gallery web page when the score meets or does not meet a predefined threshold, respectively.
US08938437B2

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a project search system, implemented on one or more computer systems, comprising two or more stored projects represented by electronically stored, computer-accessible data that are stored in a project-database component; a project-comparator subsystem, executed on the one or more computer systems, that generates a similarity metric for two electronically-represented projects input to the project-comparator subsystem; and a project search engine, executed on the one or more computer systems, that receives data that represents an input project, identifies, by pairwise comparison of the stored projects with the input project using the project-comparator subsystem, one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project, and outputs, to a graphical interface displayed on a computer display or to an application program, indications of the one or more stored projects with greatest similarity to the input project.
US08938433B2

An information management apparatus includes: a confidential data storing section configured to store a plurality of individual identifies (IDs) and data which is related to each of the plurality of individual IDs as confidential data. A receiving section is configured to receive a first search condition used to acquire desired confidential data to be transmitted from a first service providing unit. A searching section is configured to extract first candidate data which matches to the first search condition from the confidential data storing section. A transmission record storing section is configured to store a plurality of anonymized data which has been already transmitted to the first service providing unit. An anonymizing section is configured to generate first transmission data by carrying out processing to contain said first candidate data and the first data of the plurality of anonymized data based on first data which has data of a same kind as the first candidate data. A transmitting section is configured to transmit the first transmission data to the first service providing unit.
US08938430B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for archiving an active record in a database. An auxiliary table is created in the database. The auxiliary table can store metadata information about active records to be archived and deleted from the database. An active record to be deleted from the database is selected. Metadata information is stored in the auxiliary table for the selected active record. The selected active record is archived into a data storage device. The selected active record is deleted from the database, based on the update information in the auxiliary table, without comparing column data for the archived record in the data storage device and the active record in the database prior to deletion of the active record from the database.
US08938417B2

An approach for managing a data package is provided. Network utilization is determined to exceed a threshold. A sender computer determines a hash digest of the data package by using a hash function selected based on central processing unit utilization. If the hash digest is in a sender hash table, then without sending the data package, the sender computer sends the hash digest and an index referring to the hash digest so that a recipient computer can use the index to locate a matching hash digest and the data package in a recipient hash table. If the hash digest is not in the sender hash table, then the sender computer adds the data package and the hash digest to the sender hash table and sends the data package and the hash digest to the second computer to check the integrity of the data package based on the hash digest.
US08938408B1

Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for classification and segmentation of user's browsing logs based on search goals of the user. In one aspect, the method includes receiving a browsing log of a user; extracting web page features from the browsing log; generating web page classifiers based on the extracted features of the browsing log, wherein different classifiers are related to different search goals of the user; segmenting the browsing log using the one or more classifiers into a plurality of separate logical browsing sessions related to different search goals of the user; and performing an Internet search based on a search query of the user and information about one of the logical browsing sessions.
US08938406B2

Records of events associated with network entities in a network environment are received, where the network entities are selected from hardware entities, software entities, and combinations of hardware and software entities. The records of the events are identified to identify relationships between events associated with different ones of the network entities, where the records of the events identify corresponding network entities impacted by the events. A Bayesian network is constructed based on the analyzing, wherein the constructed Bayesian network is able to make predictions regarding relationships between events associated with the network elements.
US08938399B1

A method and system for automatically repairing identity theft under computer control. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for repairing identity theft. The method accesses notification of a fraudulent identity theft incident committed on a victim. The method collects victim specific information that is associated with the fraudulent identity theft incident and the victim. Then, the method automatically populates and generates notification forms with the victim specific information. The populated notification forms detail the fraudulent identity theft incident for affected creditors and credit bureaus. Then, the method automatically transmits the notification forms to the affected creditors, credit bureaus, law enforcement agencies, and any other required entities. The method then chronicles by time in a non-volatile record all the actions taken in furtherance of repairing the fraudulent identity theft incident.
US08938393B2

A system, method, and computer program product for automatically analyzing multimedia data audio content are disclosed. Embodiments receive multimedia data, detect portions having specified audio features, and output a corresponding subset of the multimedia data and generated metadata. Audio content features including voices, non-voice sounds, and closed captioning, from downloaded or streaming movies or video clips are identified as a human probably would do, but in essentially real time. Particular speakers and the most meaningful content sounds and words and corresponding time-stamps are recognized via database comparison, and may be presented in order of match probability. Embodiments responsively pre-fetch related data, recognize locations, and provide related advertisements. The content features may be also sent to search engines so that further related content may be identified. User feedback and verification may improve the embodiments over time.
US08938392B2

Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for configuring a speech engine for a multimodal application based on location. The multimodal application operates on a multimodal device supporting multiple modes of user interaction with the multimodal application. The multimodal application is operatively coupled to a speech engine. Configuring a speech engine for a multimodal application based on location includes: receiving a location change notification in a location change monitor from a device location manager, the location change notification specifying a current location of the multimodal device; identifying, by the location change monitor, location-based configuration parameters for the speech engine in dependence upon the current location of the multimodal device, the location-based configuration parameters specifying a configuration for the speech engine at the current location; and updating, by the location change monitor, a current configuration for the speech engine according to the identified location-based configuration parameters.
US08938386B2

When redacting natural language text, a classifier is used to provide a sensitive concept model according to features in natural language text and in which the various classes employed are sensitive concepts reflected in the natural language text. Similarly, the classifier is used to provide an utility concepts model based on utility concepts. Based on these models, and for one or more identified sensitive concept and identified utility concept, at least one feature in the natural language text is identified that implicates the at least one identified sensitive topic more than the at least one identified utility concept. At least some of the features thus identified may be perturbed such that the modified natural language text may be provided as at least one redacted document. In this manner, features are perturbed to maximize classification error for sensitive concepts while simultaneously minimizing classification error in the utility concepts.
US08938384B2

Multiple nonoverlapping languages within a single document can be identified. In one embodiment, for each of a set of candidate languages, a set of non-overlapping languages is defined. The document is analyzed under the hypothesis that the whole document is in one language and that part of the document is in one language while the rest is in a different, non-overlapping language. Language(s) of the document are identified based on comparing these competing hypotheses across a number of language pairs. In another embodiment, transitions between non-overlapping character sets are used to segment a document, and each segment is scored separately for a subset of candidate languages. Language(s) of the document are identified based on the segment scores.
US08938370B2

Apparatus used in an automatic test equipment, comprising a plurality of system modules. Each system module comprises a Time Measurement Unit. The Time Measurement Unit comprises a Global Time Stamping Module. The Global Time Stamping Module comprises a plurality of Global Time Stamping Cores that comprising: an information receiving section for receiving at least two information, an event receiving section for receiving at a Core Input events, an event determining section for determining events of interest from said received events appearing on said Core Input, and an instructing section for instructing a Time Stamp Memory to record a current status of a Time Stamp Counter corresponding to the Clock Information, if an event of interest is determined. The Global Time Stamping Module further comprises a supplying section for supplying said plurality of Global Time Stamping Cores with a common time base.
US08938369B1

A computer-implemented method for ensuring that critical computing decisions are intentionally made may include (1) detecting a request from a user to perform a computing act, (2) measuring, using a biofeedback sensor coupled to the computing device, physiological activity of the user that is indicative of a concentration level of the user, (3) determining, based on the measured physiological activity of the user, the user's concentration level, (4) identifying a requisite concentration level associated with the requested computing act, (5) determining whether the user's concentration level satisfies the requisite concentration level associated with the requested computing act, and then (6) preventing the requested computing act from occurring if the user's concentration level fails to satisfy the requisite concentration level associated with the requested computing act. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08938368B2

Systems and methods for segmenting a period of time into identification of locations of a user who performs activities are described. One of the methods includes detecting activity of a monitoring device worn by the user. The activity includes an amount of movement of the monitoring device. The activity is performed for a period of time. The method further includes obtaining geo-location data for the monitoring device and storing, during the period of time, the detected activity and corresponding geo-location data. The method also includes analyzing the detected activity and the corresponding geo-location data to identify one or more events. Each event is associated with a group of activity data and one or more of the groups of activity data is associated with an identifier, which is obtained using the geo-location data.
US08938359B1

A handle bar route extension mechanism for creating or modifying a flight route. The handle bar route extension mechanism can allow a user to create or modify a flight route using a destination point. The handle bar route extension mechanism can be automatically rendered in a display in response to a touch input. In some configurations, the handle bar route extension mechanism may be rendered in a display in various directions or various lengths based on different inputs. In further configurations, more than one handle bar route extension mechanism may be rendered in a display.
US08938357B2

The characteristic point detection system of this invention includes: a staying area detection unit 1003 which performs clustering based on distribution of data points contained in GPS log data of a user, determines an index showing a staying time of the user in a cluster based on a number of data points contained in each cluster, extracts one or more clusters based on the index, and forms a staying area of the user based on the extracted clusters, wherewith a cluster is extracted with higher probability as the staying time is longer; a representative point extraction unit 1004 which extracts, one at a time, a representative point of the staying area from each of the extracted staying areas, and determines a score of each of the representative points based on density of the data points in each of the staying areas; and an output unit 1005 which outputs a list ranking each of the representative points based on the score.
US08938353B2

A method and system for intelligently managing a transportation network are provided. The method includes dynamically establishing an ad hoc data communications network that includes vehicle nodes provided by respective vehicles in a transportation network. Behavior of one or more of the vehicles can be controlled remotely in response to automated traffic analysis performed based on real-time information received via the ad hoc network. Remote control of the one or more vehicles can include controlling vehicle motion by controlling vehicle subsystems via real-time command data transmitted to the respective vehicles via the ad hoc network.
US08938350B2

A system is disclosed for controlling fuel injectors in an internal combustion engine having a plurality of individual engine cylinders with associated pistons. The system includes at least one electronic engine control module configured to control the fuel injectors and having a memory with predetermined injector firing patterns stored therein. The firing patterns specify the fuel injectors to be fired and the fuel injectors to be skipped, in an engine cycle under conditions of reduced power demand. For each engine cycle in a succession of cycles under the reduced power demand condition, the engine control module determines the number of fuel injectors to be fired based upon the reduced power demand data, selects from the stored predetermined firing patterns a firing pattern specifying the injectors to be fired and the injectors to be skipped, and orders the specified fuel injectors to be fired sequentially in accordance with the selected predetermined firing pattern.
US08938340B2

A system and method for controlling a vehicle powertrain having a transmission to improve shift quality is based on detection of an initial rise time of an on-coming clutch torque capacity, which indicates the start of the torque phase. The initial rise time is detected using a transmission input shaft torque computation. The system may include a vehicle powertrain having an engine, a transmission coupled to the engine via a torque converter and a controller configured to initiate torque phase control when a difference between a first transmission input shaft torque and a second transmission input shaft torque exceeds a first predetermined threshold parameter during a shift event characterized by a preparatory phase, a torque phase and an inertia phase.
US08938338B2

To provide a system for controlling a construction machine, which can be implemented inexpensively, can detect a failure in any of pressure sensors, controllers, an inverter device, and an electric motor for swing, and can secure safety and required workability for an operator.Redundant hydraulic pressure sensors 20, 21 provide input to a first controller 11 for calculating a swing command, and a second controller 22 provided in an inverter device 13 for controlling an electric motor 16 for swing. The second controller 2 detects an abnormality in any of the hydraulic pressure sensors 20, 21 and the first controller 11 by a process for determining the validity of a swing command signal, and allows the swing operation to continue by using a signal from the second hydraulic pressure sensor 21 when determination is made based on the contents of the abnormality that the electric motor 16 for swing can operate normally.
US08938335B2

In a control unit for a vehicle steering system, which controls an electric motor that is used to change a steering angle on the basis of a target route for a vehicle, a turning angle of a steered wheel with respect to a central axis of a shock absorber is set as a steered element angle, and the steered element angle is used in control over the electric motor.
US08938330B2

A method is provided for characterizing a straight-line behavior of a given vehicle that includes at least one suspension device. For a given value of a parameter that when varied modifies a friction generated in each suspension device, the method includes steps of: applying a stress cycle to each suspension device so as to identify a friction present in each suspension device; determining, for each suspension device, a value of an indicator relating to the friction; repeating the applying step and the determining step by varying the parameter so as to obtain a variation of the indicator as a function of the parameter; and for each suspension device, determining an interval of a value of the parameter in which the indicator is greater than a predetermined threshold for the given vehicle.
US08938315B2

A method for verifying completion of a task is provided. In various embodiments, the method includes obtaining location coordinates of at least one location sensor within a work cell. The at least one sensor is affixed to a tool used to operate on a feature of a structure to be assembled, fabricated or inspected. The method additionally includes, generating a virtual object locus based on the location coordinates of the at least one location sensor. The virtual object locus corresponds to a computerized schematic of the structure to be assembled and represents of all possible locations of an object end of the tool within the work cell. The method further includes, identifying one of a plurality of candidate features as the most likely to be the feature operated on by the tool. The identification is based on a probability calculation for each of the candidate features that each respective candidate feature is the feature operated on by the tool.
US08938307B2

An intra-body ultrasonic signal can be converted into a first electrical signal, a local oscillator signal can be generated in an implantable system. The first electrical signal and the local oscillator signal can be mixed in an implantable system, such as to generate a demodulated signal, processed, such as using a filter. The filtered, demodulated signal can be further processed, such as implantably determining a peak amplitude of the first portion of the demodulated signal received from the filter over a time interval, implantably generating a dynamic tracking threshold that starts at an amplitude proportional the first portion of the demodulated signal and exponentially decays over a time interval, and determining a noise floor in the absence of a received intra-body ultrasonic signal and implantably comparing the peak amplitude and the tracking threshold and generate the digital output based on the difference.
US08938295B2

An improvement in a light therapy device including multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned in a handheld portable device is disclosed. Where the housing and the LEDs are configured to have direct contact with the skin or tissue of the user without any intermediary materials, and light the surface and underlying layers of tissue for photodynamic stimulation of the cells. Two iterations of the device utilize light known to have a bactericidal effect in the case or acne or Rosacea. The devices are fabricated from an injection molded plastic housing. The housing contains an arrangement of 36-72 LEDs on a circuit board in an arrangement to provide even lighting over the skin or tissue surface.
US08938286B2

Methods, devices, and processor-readable storage media are provided for the diagnosis of heart failure. A method in this context includes collecting, using an implantable device, reference episodes, the reference episodes comprising, at least one of: electrical activity signals of a myocardium; myocardium hemodynamic activity signals, or indicators reflecting variation of physical parameters, variation of activity, and variation of hemodynamic phases between phases of effort and phases of recovery; generating an in-suspicion model-cycle and an off-suspicion model-cycle based on the reference episodes; and determining whether to generate an early heart failure alert, based on a difference between the in-suspicion model-cycle and the off-suspicion model-cycle.
US08938284B2

A device for the investigation of an object uses a microwave transmitter, a microwave receiver, a control device and a contrast medium. The microwave transmitter and the microwave receiver are controlled by the control device. In one embodiment, the following steps may be implemented: introduction of the contrast medium into the object under investigation; transmission of a microwave signal into the object under investigation by the microwave transmitter; scattering of the microwave signal by the object under investigation and by the contrast medium; and/or reception of the scattered microwave signal by the microwave receiver.
US08938274B2

In one embodiment, a camera on a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone is used to check whether an activation of a control on a touchscreen is intentional or not. For example, if a finger (or thumb), stylus, knuckle or other body part that is commonly used to operate a touchscreen is not detected as the cause of the control activation then it can be assumed that the activation is unintended and the action that the control is supposed to initiate can be prevented from occurring.
US08938270B2

A system (10) and method (50) of dynamic allocation of spectrum for a communication device involves receiving (51) a user channel map (UCM) on a control channel that is outside the band of interest. The UCM can include at least boundary location information for one or more channel resources. The method can determine (52) at least an approximate location for the communication device, compare (56) the approximate location with the boundary location information, and determine (57) which channels can avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference with licensed users and other unlicensed users based on the comparison. The method can relax communication parameters for the one or more channel resources if no licensed user signals are found in the user channel map, and tightening the communication parameters if co-channel, adjacent channel, or other interference generating channel use is found within the user channel map.
US08938265B1

Methods and systems are disclosed that may help to adjust concatenation of a particular type of paging-channel message, based on the paging-channel occupancy of that particular type of message. An exemplary method may involve: (a) determining a message-type paging channel occupancy (PCO) for a first of the plurality of types of paging-channel messages in the coverage area, (b) using the message-type PCO as a basis for selecting a concatenation level to be used in the coverage area for the first type of paging-channel message, where the concatenation level is selected from a plurality of possible concatenation levels, and (c) applying concatenation according to the selected concatenation level to paging-channel messages of the first type in the coverage area.
US08938263B2

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided that enable a method for providing location information to be selected based upon a determination, such as a minimization, of the consumption of location server resources that will be consumed by the method. The method, apparatus and computer program product may determine a selected location method from a set of location methods based on predetermined selection criteria. Specifically, the selected location method may be selected to meet a location accuracy requirement specified in a request for location information while consuming a determinable, such as a minimum, amount of resources. The predetermined selection criteria may be updated over time such that method, apparatus and computer program product are self-learning.
US08938261B2

A mobile terminal is allowed to automatically reproduce contents by a user-desired device based on its own position and orientation. A method for controlling contents reproduction in a mobile terminal includes acquiring at least one of position and orientation of the mobile terminal, selecting one of a plurality of external devices based on the acquired at least one of the position and the orientation, the plurality of external devices being capable of reproducing contents at different positions, respectively, and transmitting a signal to the selected one external device for controlling the selected one external device to reproduce the contents.
US08938259B2

A system and method for determining the location of a mobile device in a communications network. A set of network measurement reports (NMR) may be provided for a region in the network. NMRs in the first set may be clustered as a function of observed measurement information in the NMRs. A candidate NMR for a mobile device may be received, and the candidate NMR may then be associated with a selected cluster of NMRs. The candidate NMR and a second set of NMRs may then be clustered, and a location of the mobile device determined as a function of the clustered candidate NMR and second set of NMRs, where the NMRs in the second set are associated with the selected cluster.
US08938255B2

Systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable mediums for generating a radio map of an area are disclosed. In one aspect, the device, method, and computer-readable medium perform processes that may include receiving in at least one processor first information associated with at least one wireless device at a first location in the area. The processes may include receiving in the at least one processor second information associated with at least one wireless device at a second location in the area and different from the first location. The first location within said area and the second location within the area are unknown to the at least one processor. The processes may also include generating a radio map of the area using the first information and the second information.
US08938252B2

A system and method modifies calibration data used to geo-locate a mobile station. Calibration data measured via a calibration data collection device may contain errors due to the physical limitations of the collection device and/or the collection process. Any data collection device may produce some degree of signal degradation or drop-out. Dead reckoning provides a remedy for signal drop-out, however, it often produces data results that may be unsatisfactory to perform an accurate location estimate. To ensure the integrity of the collected calibration data, a data modification and/or data replacement algorithm may be implemented to enhance the accuracy of the collected data. In addition, current collection procedures used to generate a calibration database may be laborious, time-consuming and expensive. Simplifying the test and measurement equipment needed, and the procedures for obtaining calibration data may save time and expenses.
US08938245B2

Examples disclosed herein may relate to partitioning identity or position information for a plurality of wireless transmitters positioned within a geographical region into a plurality of sub-partitions.
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